[Duntroon Management contrives its expulsion case against Staff Cadet KNIGHT]
[Julian Knight continues…]
DMA’S Board of Study
‘On Wednesday 3 June 1987, the Duntroon DMA’s Board of Study sat in review of ‘5266, Staff Cadet Third Class J. Knight’.
The Brief of the Director of Military Art (DMA) Board of Study recorded the summary of Duntroon Corps of Staff Cadets Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel KIBBEY, as:
-
Unsatisfactory CSC [Duntroon] performance
-
Officer quality poor
-
Discipline: 10 ‘charges’ [predominantly trumped up by bully senior cadets of Kokoda Company]. (Three civilian offences pending)
-
A poor cadet setting a bad example to others
-
Personality and regimental [uniform presentation] standards below average
-
Physical Training and sport satisfactory. (Aussie Rules – 2nds)
-
Peer Group Rating [by senior cadets] ranked 23/26 of the remaining 3rd Class cadets in Kokoda Company [the 26 excludes many who had resigned]
-
[Concluding] Recommendation for Staff Cadet KNIGHT listed simply as ‘Show Cause’ [i.e. why should we let KNIGHT continue to be trained to be an Army Officer, when we just hate him and have tried so hard to persecute him to force his resignation?]
[NOTE: ‘Military Art’? – certainly in a bully brutalism style, and Catch 22 – the assessment taken from vindictive senior cadets of Kokoda Company.]
The Military Training Wind Chief Instructor, Lieutenant-Colonel WILLIS, then had his summary of KNIGHT recorded as:
-
Field Training – assessed as marginal for FEX 3 [Field Exercise ‘Tobruk’] and FEX 4 [Field Exercise “Samichon”]
-
His field craft was poor and he was impulsive
-
He seems to have low peer acceptance. discussed above)
-
His navigation is suspect
-
He was not tested in Battlecraft due to his being at the RAP for treatment of a broken nose he sustained in a fight on 23 May. (with the Midshipmen from ADFA)
-
He was spoken to by CI MTW at the last BOS for low personal standards and indiscipline
-
General Studies: Satisfactory
-
Recommendation: ‘Discuss.’
The comments of my Guidance Officer, Captain J.P. GOSS, then were summarized as:
-
‘Staff Cadet KNIGHT’s performance has been unsatisfactory during this Reporting Period
-
He has shown a distinct lack of motivation and self discipline
-
He has been charged on an almost continual basis – a direct result of his poor judgement and a lack of a sense of responsibility
-
His integrity is also in question due to the member resubmitting another cadet’s work during a retest
-
His trouble stems from a lack of maturity and his new found wealth resulting in a preference for social activities rather than applying himself at RMC
-
Though he has accepted advice and criticism and is aware of his faults, he is yet to take action to remedy them.’
[NOTE: Captain GOSS’s last interview with me had been on 11 May 1987. The ‘retest’ he referred to was the map marking homework (* discussed above) .
The Board of Study then recorded a summary of the other factors they discussed:
- ‘In hospital, three charges by civil police (Crimes Act), hearing next week
- Trial probably in three months, probable not guilty plea.
- Unsatisfactory discipline record. (Seven charges, three civil) – the Duntroon charges all trumped up by senior cadets.
- Not accepted by peers [Duntroon vindictive bully senior cadets].
- Medically unfit for 6-8 weeks [due to assault by Duntroon senior cadets].’
The final decision of the DMA’s Board of Study sealed my fate at the Royal Military College….In the BOS Brief the Board’s decision was officially recorded as:
‘DECISION: Prepare Show Cause, seven charges. Below standard on all leadership qualities. Issue following legal advice re civil charges. Convalescent leave from RMC/5 Camp Hospital. Seek legal advice on whether he can be suspended pending court case.’
I was not present at the Board of Study’s review; I did not even know it was being held. Nor was I immediately informed of its decision.
[DUNTROON HATE: So it’s all to be a sham trial by a pre-decided kangaroo court by Duntroon management, with little or no opportunity for the defendant Staff Cadet Julian KNIGHT to defend himself, or provide his own account of events and facts, or to have any legal representation. The accused is effectively condemned to expulsion from the college. Duntroon condemns KNIGHT to expulsion one way or another, never once asking for Staff Cadet Julian Knight’s accounts of the constant bastardisation abuse he endured at the hands of senior cadets during his 5 months training to date].
During the early morning of Thursday 4 June 1987, my father flew back to Townsville, while I was finally discharged from 5 Camp Hospital on extended convalescent leave at 1030hrs. That afternoon I collected my pay from the CSC HQ, along with the rest of the 3rd Class cadets from Kokoda Company.
I was understandably the centre of attention as most of the 3rd Class cadets gathered around me to question and probe me about my stabbing of CSM Mongo REED and my arrest. They also told me that I had been given the nickname “Staff Cadet Knife”, and that there was a joke going around that I was going to be issued a machete the next time we went out on a field exercise. It was also humorously rumoured that an annual “Be Kind to CSM Day” was going to be inaugurated.
[Clearly senior cadets had got on the turps late up in the Kokoda barracks Rec Room to conjure such].
This was later referred to in the June 1987 issue of The Journal of the Royal Military College Duntroon in the chapter on Kokoda Company: ‘an annual ‘Be kind to CSM Day’ was inaugurated following a particularly unusual [15] days-to-go present. As all this was going on, 45 Section went from being the Corps Rearguard to the official College Backdoor with ‘Hooks’ Crane continuing to lose his hair and Gary Stone having to bulk order consortments of PD105s [Army charge sheets]’ (The Journal of the Royal Military College Duntroon, June 1987, page 30).
My classmates also told me about now the senior cadets had reacted with intense rage when they learnt of my stabbing of REED. I was informed how the senior cadets had found out that I was admitted to the Royal Canberra Hospital after the stabbing, through a nurse who worked there and who was a friend of 1st Class Staff Cadet (Sergeant) Stephen ALEXANDER, and how they had planned to sneak into the hospital and bash me in my hospital bed. They had abandoned the idea only after finding out that I was under police guard.
[Senior Cadet bullying of Julian Knight is still allowed to persist under the full knowledge of the college Army officers and the Commandant Major General Murray Blake.]
Instead, the senior cadets had searched my room in the barracks, disabled my car after finding my spare set of car keys, and had planned to wait until I returned to my room then firebomb the room with a Molotov cocktail. The senior cadets had even contemplated firebombing my room even if I did not return.
After I collected my pay at CSC HQ, I was given a lift by Staff Cadet Adrian MANNERING to collect my car from the garage in Fyshwick. The Torana’s servicing fee accounted for most of my pay [Major Todd VERCOE reneged on having Duntroon compensate KNIGHT for the malicious damage caused to it by Kokoda senior cadets], but luckily I had saved over $1,000 of my past wages in my Defence Force Credit Union account (* Contrary to Captain GOSS’s assumption, I had, in fact, been reasonably thrifty as far as my ‘new found wealth’ was concerned).
As soon as I had collected my car, I went to stay with my paternal uncle and aunt at their house in the Canberra suburb of Griffith.
First Disciplinary DMA Interview
[Julian Knight’s Discharge Fate is Sealed]
‘On Friday 5 June 1987, I was interviewed by the Director of Military Art at RMC, Colonel Rodney EARLE, in the DMA’s office at the college. Major P.J. NEUHAUS, who was an S02 (Staff Officer Level 2) of Cadets at Duntroon and who had been on my Selection Board the year before, sat silently in the rear of the office and transcribed part of the interview.
His official Record of Interview recorded the following exchanges between Colonel EARLE and me:
I wanted to present my own case to the DMA but I did not believe that there would be any point. It was obvious that I did not have a chance of remaining at Duntroon; my fate had been sealed by the Board of Study (BOS). I also did not believe that the Board’s decision for me to ‘Show Cause’ was not related to my ‘current difficulty as a result of the incident the other night.
(* The official Army records of the BOS’s meeting clearly shows that my suspicion was correct, and that the stabbing incident had been a determining influence in the Board’s final ‘Show Cause’ decision). I knew that ‘Show Cause’ hearings only ever had one outcome: an immediate and dishonourable discharge. It was known by every cadet at the college that ‘Show Cause’ hearings were only an administrative formality when the college authorities wanted to expel a cadet from the college, and the cadet in question refused to resign voluntarily.
At this stage, I was graded as 108/118 in academics and 115/118 in leadership, but I was the only 3rd Class cadet asked to ‘Show Cause’ by the Board of Study after their 3 June 1987 meeting. My appointment as a Staff Cadet at Duntroon had been tenuous for some weeks but the stabbing of my CSM effectively left the college authorities with no option but to force me to resign.’
For most of the time was on convalescent leave in Canberra I was with relatives or friends. I did not return to the college during this time, nor did I visit the Private Bin.
[ACT Magistrates] Court Hearing
On the morning of Friday 12 June 1987, I appeared in the ACT Magistrates’ Court in Civic for a bail hearing (Case No CC3792j87) [over the nightclub stabbing incident].
Two of my uncles accompanied me. Major VERCOE also attended the hearing in civilian attire [taking notes to use to dismiss KNIGHT from Duntroon].
A solicitor from the Canberra law firm of Crowley and Chamberlain appeared for me and made a brief plea on-my behalf before the magistrate bailed me to appear again in the ACT Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 10 November 1987. Bail was set at a $5,000 self-surety so I simply had to sign the bail register and I was free to go. I was not required to appear in court again until 10 November 1987.
[Duntroon’s Discharge Ultimatum upon Staff Cadet KNIGHT]
Following the court hearing, I returned to Duntroon to report to the CSC Adjutant, Captain MARTIN, and to be further interviewed by Colonel EARLE in his office. The WO Cadets at the college, W02 G.P. MOFFAIT, sat in on the interview as the transcriber.
The official Record of Interview recorded only part of the interview:
The DMA and I then went on to discuss my options. The DMA finally gave me three options.
Option A: I could go on leave on full pay until my hand had healed, then on leave without pay until the completion of my court case in November. I would then be asked to ‘Show Cause’ with its inevitable result and a dishonourable discharge on my military record.
Option B: I could front a ‘Show Cause’ hearing before the Board of Study the following Thursday, 18 June 1987. This would result in me being discharged that day with a week’s pay and a dishonourable discharge on my military record.
Option C: I could resign my appointment as a Staff Cadet immediately and take six weeks convalescent leave on full pay, then be honourably discharged from the Army.
My hand was going to remain in a half-cast until 1 July 1987, so I was unemployable until then and so I needed the pay that accompanied convalescent leave. I also wanted to re-enlist in the Army Reserve so I could not front a ‘Show Cause’ hearing as the dishonourable discharge that accompanied it might affect my chances of re-enlistment. I knew that I had no real option but to resign but I stalled until the following week before I informed the DMA of my decision.
I had no real option but to take the last Option C (i.e. six weeks full pay and honourably discharged from the Army).
[KNIGHT unemployable in Canberra and broke]
At this stage I had made the decision to settle in Canberra after my discharge from the Army. I applied to join the ACT Fire Brigade, but I withdrew my application form after I discovered that I was required to list any pending criminal charges.
I began looking for a flat to rent in the Canberra area, but I could not find a suitable flat. I was also not financially stable as I had not obtained re-employment and my savings were quickly diminishing.
[KNIGHT had been forced to fund $1000 for the repairs to the venegeful malicious damage of his car caused by vindictive senior cadets. In hindsight he should have gone to the civil police and formally reported the criminal damage and costs, but Knight was only 19 years old at the time].
On Thursday 18 June 1987, I returned to the college to draft my letter of resignation and to begin my discharge procedure. I had no idea about how to write my letter of resignation so I was given a copy of one by an admin sergeant at the CSC HQ. The resignation I was given was that of another 3rd Class cadet, Staff Cadet S.A. BRADSHAW (CSC No 5228), who had recently resigned.
My resignation was dated 18 June 1987, and was addressed to the then Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Lawrie O’DONNELL.
[Duntroon’s pre-scripted] letter of resignation for me read as follows:
Sir,
RESIGNATION FROM THE ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE
I wish to tender my resignation from the Royal Military College for the following reasons:
- I do not feel that I am mature enough at this stage to accept the responsibility and discipline placed upon me at the College.
- I don’t feel confident that my performance in both military and academic studies was at an acceptable level.
- It is requested that my termination of service be on the 24 July 1987. I wish to have termination of my service in the 2nd Military District [NSW].
- At this stage I would like to continue my service in the Army Reserve.
[Signed] Duntroon Officer Staff Cadet Julian KNIGHT.
On Friday 19 June 1987, I was once again interviewed by Colonel EARLE at CSC HQ. On this occasion Major J.B. SANDS, who was an S02 Cadets at the College, sat in on the interview as the transcriber. The official Record of Interview recorded the following exchange:
During the period 20 June-1 July 1987, I was on leave in Melbourne.
On Tuesday 30 June 1987, my letter of resignation was sent to the Military Secretary of the Army Office in the Department of Defence. Attached to my letter of resignation was a supporting letter from Colonel EARLE.
After an introductory paragraph the letter read:
- … [?]
- Staff Cadet Knight’s performance at RMC has been poor. He was interviewed by the Commanding Officer of the Corps of Staff Cadets (CO CSC) on 9 April 1987 and counselled because of his poor academic (108/118) , leadership (103/118) and discipline record (five charges). He was subsequently raised for special mention at the Director of Military Art’s (DMA’s) Board of Study on 3 June 1987 because his leadership position had declined (115/118), and he had been disciplined on two further occasions. In the interim, Staff Cadet Knight was charged by the ACT Police in connection with an incident where another staff cadet was stabbed. Following an initial court appearance, Staff Cadet Knight has been remanded until 10 November 1987.
- I interviewed Staff Cadet Knight on 19 June 1987, and I am satisfied that he does not possess the motivation or maturity to successfully complete the course. I therefore recommend that the enclosed ‘Tender of Resignation’ be accepted and that, pending a decision, he be posted to the Regimental Supernumerary List in the 2nd Military District, to be administered by Local Administration Canberra.
- Staff Cadet Knight is currently on convalescent leave recovering from a wound received during the course of the incident mentioned above (he cut his hand while allegedly stabbing another cadet with a pocket knife). Therefore recommend that the effective date of his discharge be 24 July 1987. This will allow adequate time for the necessary treatment to be completed.
- Staff Cadet Knight is not recommended for future officer training.
- Staff Cadet Knight has indicated that he wishes to re-enlist in the Army Reserve. Should he do so, I recommend that the application not be processed until the civil charges against him are resolved.’
[Signed], R.M. Earle Colonel, Performing the Duties of Commandant]
[So where was Duntroon’s Commandant Major General Murry Blake – AWOL?]
‘I was ignorant of the existence of this letter, but even so, I realised at that time that I would never again be considered for officer training.
To compensate for this and to ease the stress of this realization, I fell back on the idea that I would re-enlist in the Army Reserve. I arrived back in Canberra from my leave in Melbourne on Wednesday 1 July 1987. I had the cast on my forearm removed at the Royal Canberra Hospital that morning. I then drove directly to Duntroon to complete my formal discharge from the college.
Although I ended up being discharged from RMC on Thursday 2 July 1987, it was not until 10 July 1987 that I obtained my final clearance from the college.’
Duntroon’s Resignation Process
During the period 2-10 July 1987, I spent much of my time completing my clearance procedure. On Thursday 2 July 1987, I fronted my final Army Medical Assessment Board at 5 Camp Hospital.
The medical examination was conducted by Captain Sue STONES who acted as the Examining Medical Officer. She recorded my weight at 69kgs and my blood pressure at 120/80. She also tested my hearing and sight and 24 other medical areas, which she recorded all as ‘Normal’. These included my ‘Emotional stability’ and my ‘Mental capacity’. I was also required to answer a Medical History Questionnaire and be interviewed by the CO of 5 Camp Hospital, Lieutenant-Colonel Stacey ROPE, as part of my discharge procedure.
[Duntroon defaults on psychologist interview]
During my interview with Lieutenant-Colonel ROPE, I noticed that on one of the forms an interview with a psychologist was listed as part of my discharge procedure.
When I brought this to Lieutenant-Colonel ROPE’s attention and asked”
“Don’t I have to see a psychologist as part of my discharge?” ROPE laughed and replied, “Don’t worry about it. You’re not mad, are you ?”
[Duntroon management had never been interested in Staff Cadet Julian Knight’s version of events. This is because those events since Day 1 at Duntroon typically involved relentless harassment, targeted persecution, bullying, physical beatings causing serious bodily harm, psychological abuse, bastardisation, belittling and humiliation].
During Tuesday 7 July 1987, I received my final medical examination and treatment at the Royal Canberra Hospital and 5 Camp Hospital.
[KNIGHT’S Duntroon-issued equipment stolen from his bedroom by senior cadets]
Another matter which had to be finalized as part of my discharge from RMC was the $250 worth of Army-issue uniforms and equipment that had been stolen from my room in the Kokoda Company barracks while I was in hospital. Following the stabbing incident, all of my property in the barracks had been removed from my unlockable room and moved into a lockable room in the south wing of the Kokoda Company barracks. I submitted an Army Loss or Damage form that described the missing items and outlined the circumstances of their loss.
Major VERCOE and Under Officer REED had investigated the matter in early June 1987, and their investigation had revealed nothing about the disappearance of the items, nor did it locate any of them. Sergeant JORGENSON assisted with the investigation but he was also unable to locate any of the missing items. A s a result, Major VERCOE officially freed me from liability. I, of course, suspected that the senior cadets in Kokoda Company had stolen the items from my room.
I believe that when my father and Major VERCOE attended my room in early June 1987, a senior cadet was in the process of stealing my Army-issue SLR rifle. As a payback for this theft, I stole a handful of Army-issue items, including a complete set of webbing and a Japara waterproof jacket and trousers set, when I collected my property from the barracks in early June 1987. I later discovered that the items belonged to Staff Cadet Dale BURNSIDE, one of the 2nd Class cadets who had harassed me over the previous months.
On Wednesday 8 July 1987, as part of my discharge from RMC procedure, I was interviewed by the RMC Student Counsellor, Lieutenant-Colonel HALL, in the Student Counsellor’s office next to 5 Camp Hospital. This was the first and only occasion I met with the Student Counsellor. The interview was conducted in private and I was questioned about my 6 months at the college, my opinions about the officer training program, and any suggestions or complaints that I had.
The interview only lasted about 10 minutes and I was very guarded about what I said. I did not believe that I would achieve much by detailing my complaints or recounting my experiences of bastardization. I just wanted to get my discharge procedure completed and return to Melbourne. I did, however, complain strongly about the joint 2nd Class 3rd Class field exercises saying that “it was a nightmare going on exercise with 2nd Class.”
[KNIGHT’s Final Departure from Duntroon]
I finally completed my MC discharge procedure on Friday 10 July 1987.
I collected my regimental records, including my medical, dental and pay records, and handed in my completed RMC Clearance Certificate at the CSC HQ. As I had decided to return to Melbourne instead of settle in Canberra, my movement orders had been changed so that I would now be discharged from the ARA at the Discharge Cell at the District Support Unit (DSU), at Watsonia, and I would be 3rd placed on the Regimental Supernumerary List in the Military District [Victoria]. My final task was having my Certificate by Unit Adjutant/Administrative Officer completed and signed by an admin W02 at the CSC HQ. With this completed, I left Duntroon for the last time.
While I was completing my discharge procedure at the college I was ignorant as to a lot of the administrative paperwork related to my discharge that had been circulating, and would continue to circulate, throughout the military bureaucracy.
One Army Minute Paper sent to the Military Secretary (Officer Postings) (MS3) at Army Office was titled, TRANSFER TO THE ACTIVE ARMY RESERVE AND POSTING 3204059 OCDT J. KNIGHT. The first entry on the Minute Paper was completed by an MS4A, Captain D.E. SPEARS, on the 8 July 1987. It contained the message that if I attempted to re-enlist in the Army Reserve then the office of the Army’s Military Secretary was to be notified ‘A.S.A.P.’ A second entry on the Minute Paper in response to the first was completed by an AMS3, Geoff E. ROACH, on 9 July 1987.
ROACH’s entry read:
-
Transfer to the Army Reserve of the above officer is not recommended in any capacity.
-
Based on the RMC submission I very much doubt that Knight is suitable for enlistment as an Other Rank. It would be as well to have DPE [Directorate of Personnel Employment] confirm this now so that Knight can be told and unnecessary administrative action avoided in future.
As a result of ROACH’s suggestion, Captain SPEARS sent an Urgent Minute Paper to the Directorate of Personnel Employment (Army) on 13 July 1987, requesting comments on my resignation and my suitability for re-enlistment. The Minute Paper was returned to Captain SPEARS on 15 July 1987 by W02 P.K. AMOS, a W02 at the. DPE-A, with the entry:
‘OCDT KNIGHT would not be suitable for enlistment into the Army Reserve.’
[KNIGHT’s Final Departure from Canberra]
On Saturday 11 July 1987, I drove out to Staff Cadet Chris WHITTING’s house in Hughes to collect a few boxes of my property that I had stored there after my discharge from 5 Camp Hospital in early June 1987. Chris was the last Duntroon cadet that I saw in Canberra.
Later that morning, I drove into Civic to register my vote in the Australian Federal Election. [The incumbent Bob Hawke Labor Goverment would be re-elected for a third term].
After I parked my car and began walking to the Civic polling office, I met my old MHSCU 5 Platoon mate Dechlan ELLIS, who was also going to the polling office to vote. I told Dechlan that I was leaving the Regular Army and returning to Melbourne that afternoon. When he asked me what I intended to do after my discharge, I replied, “get a job and re-enlist in the Chocos.”
Dechlan later stated that his ‘impression of Julian was that he was very likeable, caring of others, good humoured, happy-go-lucky. He had a problem coping with discipline’ (Statement by Dechlan Robert Ellis to Private Investigator Peter Tieney, 28 January 1988, pages 2-3).
On Sunday 12 July 1987, I arrived back in Melbourne.
On Monday 13 July 1987, I completed the procedures for my discharge from the ARA at the Discharge Cell, DSU, Simpson Barracks, Watsonia. The Commandant of RMC, Major General Murray BLAKE, had approved me for Trainee Leave from the 14-28 July 1987, although I would be formally discharged and have my service terminated on Friday the 24 July 1987.
On Wednesday 22 July 1987, Brigadier K.R. PHILLIPS, performing the duties of Chief of Personnel (Army) , sent my tender of resignation to the Army’s then Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Lawrie O’DONNELL. Attached to the tender of resignation was a Minute Paper with Brigadier PHILLIPS’s typed comments on it.
The comments were as follows:
- Attached is a tender of resignation by OCDT Knight who has requested release to take effect from the expiration of 24 July 1987. He has also asked to serve with the Active Army Reserve. This is not recommended as the member has a record of misconduct.
- OCDT Knight is 19 years of age having commenced training at RMC in Jan 87 as a direct entry cadet.
- OCDT Knight wishes to resign because he perceives that he is unable to cope with the requirements of Service life at the College.
- OCDT Knight has been interviewed by CO MDT RMC who advises the member’s performance at RMC has been poor and he had recently been charged by the ACT Police in connection with an incident where another cadet was stabbed with a pocket knife.
- COMDT RMC recommends the resignation be accepted. I recommend that the resignation of OCDT Knight be accepted to take effect from the expiration of 24 Jul 87 and that his request to serve with the Active Army Reserve not be approved.
My tender of resignation with Brigadier PHILLIP’s attached Minute Paper was received by Lieutenant General O’DONNELL the next day [Thursday 24 July 1987]. In response, Lieutenant General O’DONNELL signed the relevant resignation authorization document.
It simply read:
‘INSTRUMENT ACCEPTING THE RESIGNATION OF AN OFFICER CADET Pursuant to sub-section 17(3)(a) of the Defence Act 1903, I HEREBY ACCEPT the tender of resignation submitted by 3204059 [Officer Cadet Julian Knight] to take effect from the expiration of 24 July 1987. Dated this 23rd day of July 1987.’
On Friday 24 July 1987, I was discharged from the Australian Regular Army in absentia. My final discharge administration was completed at the Defence Department in Canberra, at the Discharge Cell at Watsonia, and at the Central Army Records Office (CARO) in Melbourne.
On Tuesday 28 July 1987, I attempted to re-enlist in the Army Reserve at the 7th Transport Squadron in Broadmeadows, but I was prevented from doing so because of the charges pending in the ACT Magistrates Court. On Wednesday 29 July 1987 and Wednesday 5 August 1987, I attempted to re-enlist in the Army Reserve at my old regiment, the 4th/19th Prince of Wales’s Light Horse Regiment in Carlton, but I was prevented from doing so because of the charges pending in the ACT Magistrates Court.’
<…>
‘On Tuesday 16 June 1987, the Graduation Parade for the 1st Class cadets had been held back at Duntroon. I later received a copy of June 1987 edition of The Journal of the Royal Military College Duntroon. I appear in the rear row of the 15 Platoon, Kokoda Company photo of June 1987.’
The January 1987 of 3rd Class had numbered 27 suitable eligible enlistees. All were subject to bastardisation by senior cadets, some singled out more than others. By June 1987 the only remaining 3rd Class staff cadets of Kokoda 15 Platoon numbered just 8. Of the 128 staff cadets listed as being members of the 1/87 Class at RMC, one was killed in a car accident on 16 August 1987 (Staff Cadet Doug BARTLE CSC No 5225), and 31 never graduated (a failure rate of 24%). A number of those cadets who resigned were serving soldiers or NCOs who returned to their units.
[Of those eight 3rd Class cadets in the back who subsequently forced to resign due to bastardisation, Officer Staff Cadet Linda SHRIMPTON (far right) did not. The other junior staff cadets of Duntroon companies suffered similar persecution under the despicable treatment by senior cadets under Duntroon’s bastrardisation culture. Many quality recruits, good young leaders, either resigned voluntarily in disgust or were intimidated to resign.]
[Duntroon management had had it in for KNIGHT – he was persona non grata for the entire ADF. Duntroon Army Officers had ganged up in numbers against Staff Cadet Knight. Consider the considerable number of Army Officers delegated by Duntroon Commandant Major General Murray Blake to process his resignation – approaching a platoon of hateful Army officers to testify against Knight, for the record just in case:
- RMC Duntroon Commandant Major-General Murray BLAKE
- Kokoda Company 1st Class Cadet Under Officer REED (Company Cadet CSM)
- Duntroon Corps of Staff Cadets Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel KIBBEY
- The Director of Military Art (DMA) was Colonel Rodney EARLE
- The Commanding Officer (CO) of the Corps of Staff Cadets (CSC) Lieutenant-Colonel David KIBBEY
- The Chief Instructor (CI) of the Military Training Wing (MTW) Lieutenant-Colonel Simon WILLIS
- The RMC Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) WOl J.W. BURNS
- The Officer Commanding (OC) of Kokoda Company was Major Todd VERCOE
- The ARA Kokoda Company Drill Sergeant was Sergeant C.A. JORGENSON
- Guidance Officer, Captain J.P. GOSS
- Major P.J. NEUHAUS, who was an S02 Cadets at Duntroon and who had been on the RMC Selection Board the year prior
- CSC Adjutant, Captain MARTIN
- W02 G.P. MOFFATT
- Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Lawrie O’DONNELL
- Major J.B. SANDS, who was an S02 Cadets at the College
- Examining Medical Officer, Captain Sue STONES
- CO of 5 Camp Hospital, Lieutenant-Colonel Stacey ROPE, who interviewed Knight’s Medical History Questionnaire
- RMC Student Counsellor, Lieutenant-Colonel HALL
- One Army Minute Paper sent to the Military Secretary (Officer Postings) Minute Paper was completed by an MS4A, Captain D.E. SPEARS
- Second entry on the Minute Paper completed by an AMS3, Geoff E. ROACH
- Brigadier K.R. PHILLIPS, performing the duties of Chief of Personnel (Army)
Army cover-arse overkill – all taxpayer funded! Smells of bastardising guilt or what?
Julian Knight had arrived at Duntroon on Tuesday 13th January 1987 aged just 18 having been personally selected by Duntroon Commandant Major General Murray Blake who lead the Selection Board. Knight had departed Friday 10th July 1987 aged 19].
[SOURCE: The above is an extract in a series of Julian KNIGHT’s records as part of his 97-page ‘Personal Account’ of his 6-month relentless persecution at RMC Duntroon submitted to the Defence Abuse Response Taskforce dated 26 November 2013, pp. 74-88, 92].