Proud words for fallen mate
NATHAN Bewes would go to the end of the earth for his mates and never expect anything from them in return, 7 Brigade Commander, Brigadier Paul McLachlan told mourners at the 23-year-old's funeral yesterday.
He paid tribute to Private Bewes the soldier, was a “modern day Anzac warrior” who was “not your average 23-year-old Australian”.
He told how Pte Bewes joined the army in 2005 and the next year was in East Timor. In 2008 he served in Afghanistan and returned in 2010.
Brig. McLachlan said as a soldier, Pte Bewes was genuinely hard to fault.
As a scout, who walked at the lead of the patrol and watched for danger, Pte Bewes had the trust of his fellow soldiers.
“He held the welfare and safety of his mates more dearly than he held his own life and he revelled in this responsibility,” Brig. McLachlan said .
“In a society that has a tendency to overuse the concept of a hero, here is an example to us all.
“ A knockabout bloke, who day in and day out, clearly understanding the consequences, chose to put his life on the line to do his job and protect his mates.”
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