Shannon MCALINEY

Shannon MCALINEY Update Details

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MCALINEY, Shannon

Service Number:	185458
Enlisted:	1 July 1988, Approx.
Last Rank:	Lance Corporal
Last Unit:	1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR)
Born:	Forbes, New South Wales, 8 May 1971
Home Town:	Ballina, Ballina, New South Wales
Schooling:	Ballina State High School
Occupation:	Soldier
Died:	Accidentally shot, Baidoa, Somalia, 2 April 1993, aged 21 years
Cemetery:	Forbes Cemetery, NSW
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Townsville HB - 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment

Non Warlike Service

1 Jul 1988:	Enlisted Australian Army (Post WW2), Private, 185458, Approx.

Peacekeeping Service

19 Jan 1993:	Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Lance Corporal, 185458, 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR), Lance Corporal Shannon McAliney was deployed to Somalia as part of the 1st Battalion Group, on Operation SOLACE. Operation SOLACE was the operational name for the ADF contribution to the US led, UN sanctioned, component of Operation RESTORE HOPE in Somalia. The Battalion Group took over responsibility for the Baidoa Humanitarian Relief Sector from the US 3/9th Battalion, USMC on 19 January 1993. The 1st Battalion Group were not a UN, 'blue beret' force. Their mission was one of creating a secure environment for the distribution of humanitarian aid and creating the conditions for the restoration of normalcy in the Baidoa Humanitarian Relief Sector.
2 Apr 1993:	Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Lance Corporal, 185458, 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR), United Task Force Somalia (UNITAF)

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Biography contributed by John Edwards

"Only ten Australians have died while serving on peacekeeping operations: two were in 1993. Early in the evening of 2 April 1993, 21-year-old Lance Corporal Shannon McAliney was going out on patrol when another soldier handed him his Steyr rifle to hold. The rifle discharged and the bullet hit McAliney in the stomach at point blank range. Although he was wearing a flak jacket, McAliney suffered massive internal injuries and, despite efforts to treat the wound, he died later that night..." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)

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