cartoon sets tone for 7RAR’s service in Iraq, Afghanistan

 

CARTOON mascot Willy the Pig has made his overseas debut with Adelaide-based army troops in Iraq.

More than 400 troops, predominantly from the Edinburgh-based 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, began deployment last month to Iraq and Afghanistan to work with local forces.

The regiment’s commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel David McCammon presented a cartoon featuring Willy to the commanding officer of the 8/9RAR during a task force handover ceremony earlier this month.

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The Advertiser’s Jos Valdman designed Willy – who is 7RAR’s mascot – and will now include him as a regular feature in future cartoons.

The framed cartoon shows Willy with 8/9RAR battalion mascot Stan the Ram and a Kiwi, representing 105 New Zealand soldiers serving alongside Australian soldiers in Iraq as part of Task Group Taji.

The task group is part of Australia’s broader defence contribution in Iraq. Among the 7RAR troops duties are helping to train Iraqi soldiers to defeat ISIS.

The handover represents the first time the battalions have met on active service.

Lt Col. McCammon said the “battalions were raised in the 1960s for active service in South Vietnam”.

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