A modern-day soldier who served in Afghanistan is related to the 18th-century warrior Gambu Ganuurru, or “Red Kangaroo”, whose life was recorded in the 1953 classic Australian book The Red Chief by Ion L. Idriess.

Private Andrew Roberts, of the 7th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, served with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment Task Group Force Protection Platoon based at Multinational Base Tarin Kot.

The platoon provided advisory support to the 4th Brigade, 205 Hero Corps, as it planned and conducted independent operations across the Uruzgan province.

The story of Red Kangaroo is a tale of adventure, but it is something more – a true story handed down from generation to generation by his tribe and passed on by the last survivor, “King” Bungaree, to the white settlers of the Gunnedah district.

Private Roberts has added to his family’s story, and says he is proud to be Aboriginal and a soldier.

“When I was young I didn’t really understand what my Indigenous culture was all about until my school was involved in a NAIDOC festival,” he said.

“Aboriginal Elders taught us about our culture and traditions and we learnt to understand where we were from and to be proud of who we are.

After completing school in Sydney and working as a Telstra administrator, Private Roberts was 19 when he decided to follow his childhood dream to become a soldier, a decision supported by his family.

Private Roberts’ grandfather was one of the more than 400 Indigenous Australians who fought during WWI.

“My great grandfather, Trooper William Chatfield, from Coonabarabran, joined the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in 1918. He served with the 1st Light Horse Regiment in the Middle East during World War I,” Pte Roberts said.

At the time, Aboriginal people had few rights, low wages and poor living conditions. Most could not vote and none were counted in the census.

But once in the AIF, they were treated as equals, paid the same as other soldiers and generally accepted without prejudice.

Private Roberts said his role in Afghanistan was to provide security for the Security Forces Assistance Advisory Team as they worked with the Afghan National Army (ANA).

“I enjoyed going to the ANA compound and appreciated the interaction with the Afghan soldiers,” he said.

“Some of them spoke English well and we knew some Dari, which also helped us to communicate.

“We were always welcomed and offered food and chai by the Afghans as they are very friendly people.”

He said before the Australian mission in Uruzgan there was a single under-resourced hospital that was inaccessible to much of the population and the school system had all but broken down.

Now people in every district of the province can access medical treatment and children are being educated opening pathways to opportunity.

Article previously published in Army News