page_title: Australian contribution to UNTAG
section_title: First ten years
hierarchical_section_title: Australian contribution to UNTAG / Force preparation and deployment / First ten years
caption_attribution_description: English: Royal Australian Engineers assigned to the United Nations Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG) board a US Air Force C-5A Galaxy aircraft during operation ELECTION DISTRICT. UNTAG will perform peacekeeping duties and monitor the November 1989 elections and independence of Namibia. Location: RAAF RICHMOND
context_page_description: The Australian Services Contingent was the Australian Army contribution to the United Nations Transition Assistance Group peacekeeping mission to Namibia in 1989 and 1990. Australia sent two contingents of over 300 engineers each to assist the Special Representative of the Secretary General, Martti Ahtisaari, in overseeing free and fair elections in Namibia for a Constituent Assembly in what was the largest deployment of Australian troops since the Vietnam War.
  The Australian mission was widely reported as successful. Colonel John Crocker, commander of the second Australian contingent, wrote that the November 1989 election was UNTAG's raison d'être and observed that "the Australian contingent's complete and wide-ranging support was critical to the success of that election and hence the mission – a fact that has been acknowledged at the highest level in UNTAG". Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, Secretary-General of the United Nations, wrote to Gareth Evans about the "remarkable contribution made by the Australian military and electoral personnel", saying that their "dedication and professionalism had been widely and deservedly praised".
context_section_description: Australian Army involvement in UNTAG was formalised in February 1979 by Cabinet, which approved the plan to commit the 17th Construction Squadron, Royal Australian Engineers and Workshop as the main force for deployment. The squadron was to be supplemented by a Field Troop and by members posted from other units throughout the Army, bringing the squadron to a deployment strength of 275. A headquarters was to be formed, supporting the Chief Engineer at the UNTAG Military Headquarters. The total strength of the force was to be over 300 of all ranks, in what was known as Plan Witan. The unit had been placed on eight weeks' notice in July 1978, which was reduced to a week's notice to move in February 1979.
  There was no agreement (or settlement) between South Africa and SWAPO, so an order to move was never issued. The Official History noted, "as the weeks passed the unit found it difficult to continue training because all its vehicles, equipment and plant were either in boxes or in a state ready for transhipment". The notice to move reverted to 30 days in June and pushed out to 42 days in September 1979, when the unit was formally released from standby. The notice to move was increased to 60 days in March 1982, and 75 days in November 1986. In July 1987, all remaining specific readiness requirements were removed.
caption: Australian engineers of the advance party board the United States C-5 Galaxy aircraft which will transport them to Namibia in March 1989.
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