25 January 2005
Banda Aceh in northern Indonesia is something of an eye-opener for New Zealand Army driver, Private Brent Thornton, of Christchurch.
The deployment to the tsunami-ravaged area is the first overseas mission Private Thornton has undertaken in the four years since he joined the army. He is supporting the 30-strong New Zealand Defence Force medical team, which is living and working in what is left of the Banda Aceh Public Hospital. The hospital, which was once a modern medical unit with 460 beds and about 900 staff, is now mostly a mess of crumbled walls, with mud and wrecked equipment littered among the debris.
Banda Aceh was hit hardest by the tsunami, with the coastal region being first rocked by an earthquake then ravaged by the tsunami. At the public hospital water gushed through two stories, taking with it beds, medicine, equipment and people. It is estimated half of the staff who worked there are dead.
Private Thornton, who is from Taitapu in Christchurch, is usually based with 10 Transport Company in Linton in the North Island. While his primary role in the disaster relief team is driving, he helps wherever he can to make sure the medical team, which is working alongside a team from the Australia Defence Force, can operate.
"One of the biggest challenges we have right now is cleaning up the mud and dirt, and adapting to the Indonesian way of driving. It would be nice to have proper showers and toilets and fresh rations, but I suppose that may come. It's great to be able to help these people."
For further information please contact Cdr Sandy McKie 04 4960299 or 021 441 523
Photo Caption: Private Brent Thornton, driver with 10 Transport Battalion Linton