GPS in nylon pouch : Lieutenant A N Christie, 2 Cavalry Regiment

Garmin global positioning system (GPS), model GPS27, in a light brown nylon pouch. The GPS has a black plastic outer casing with rubber around the sides and covering the rear battery compartment. On the front is a rectangular screen and various labelled rubber buttons. A piece of tape has been placed over a button which has been damaged. A label with the initials ‘ANC’ is stuck at the top of the GPS. The canvas pouch has a flap opening secured with a Velcro strip. There is a brass eyelet at the bottom of the pouch. On the back are four horizontal rubber loops and two webbing straps with metal press studs. The webbing straps can be threaded through the loops and then secured with the press studs to form a belt loop to enable the pouch to be attached to webbing equipment. There are two black maker’s labels sewn on the back of the pouch.

1811830 Lieutenant Andrew Nolan Christie was born in Brisbane on 7 May 1980. He joined the Australian Army in January 1999 and attended the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2001 before marching in to the Royal Military College Duntroon. Christie graduated after 12 months officer training and was allocated to the Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC) and posted to 2 Cavalry Regiment. Christie then went on to complete his six month RAAC Regimental Officers Basic Course at the School of Armour at Puckapunyal and took up an appointment as cavalry troop leader with 2 Cavalry Regiment. His troop, V33, was chosen to form part of the cavalry element of the Al Muthanna Task Group (AMTG) which was deployed in April 2005 to conduct operations in southern Iraq. The AMTG is made up of approximately 450 personnel and they are tasked with providing a secure environment for the Japanese Iraq Reconstruction and Support Group (JIRSG) and to assist in the training of local Iraqi Army units so that they are able to take over the internal and external defence of their country. This GPS and pouch was carried by Lieutenant Christie whilst serving in Iraq with the AMTG. They were collected from him, along with his uniform and other personal items, after a patrol on 18 October 2005. The patrol, commanded by Lieutenant Christie, was tasked with the insertion of Australian Army Training Team (AATT) soldiers into the Samawah Army Barracks to facilitate the training and mentoring of Iraqi soldiers.