'Good soldier', Gregory Michael Sher, hailed for loyalty, mateship

The Australian ^ | 8th January 2009 | Gary Hughes

[naturalman1975]

COMMANDO Gregory Michael Sher, who died in a Taliban rocket attack in Afghanistan this week, has been hailed as a committed and determined soldier who "knew exactly what he was fighting for".

His Melbourne family remembered the 30-year-old yesterday as an "extremely positive person with a kind soul".

"He was the sort of mate who would do anything for anyone and his friends knew him for the great guy that he was," Private Sher's family said. "He was a loyal and loving family member who always put his family on his list of priorities. His decision to serve his country was a true indication of his character."

Victorian Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women president Ben Hirsh described Private Sher, who was the organisation's youngest member, as a good Australian. "He laid his life on the line," Mr Hirsh said. "He knew exactly what was expected of him. He was a good soldier. He knew exactly what he was fighting for."

Mr Hirsh said Private Sher, who followed in a long tradition of Jews fighting for Australia that stretched back to the Boer War, would be honoured at a special service by the veterans' association.

Mr Hirsh said he had offered his condolences to Private Sher's father, who "had a lot of sadness in his voice".

Private Sher, who was born in South Africa and moved to Australia with his family in 1986, was serving with the Sydney-based 1st Commando Regiment and part of a Special Operations Task Group deployed from Tarin Kowt to a patrol base in Oruzgan Province in southern Afghanistan when he was killed on Sunday.

[naturalman1975]

If there's a trip one way, he said,
Into battle grim for me,
Don't let them say when I am dead:
He died to save democracy;
Nor let them say: He fought to free
Enslaved nations, white or brown;
Just print these simple words for me:

He would not let his cobbers down.

[Leisler]

[Patriot Hooligan]

“I consider it no sacrifice to die for my country. In my mind, we came here to thank God that men like these have lived rather than to regret that they have died.”

General George S. Patton

[Alkhin]

God rest his soul - what a wonderful Son of Australia!

God bless Australia!