KILLED IN ACTION - 21 JUNE 2010

Thirty-eight-year-old Private Aplin was from the Sydney-based 2nd Commando Regiment.

Private Aplin enlisted in the Australian Army Reserves on 04 Feb 1992. Private Aplin transferred to the Regular Army on 20 Sep 1995, reaching the rank of Sergeant. He successfully completed the Commando Selection and Training Course in 2008 and was posted to the then 4th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (Commando) in January 2009 after completing the Commando Reinforcement Cycle. To achieve this goal he willingly took the required reduction in rank from Sergeant to do this. Private Aplin was an outstanding and dedicated Commando who was highly respected. This was his second tour to Afghanistan and he was serving with the SOTG as a team demolitions specialist.

Private Aplin has been awarded the Australian Active Service Medal with East Timor, Iraq and ICAT clasps, the Infantry Combat Badge, United Nations Medal with Ribbon UNTAET, the IRAQ Campaign Medal, the Australian Defence Medal, the Defence Long Service Medal and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal. Private Aplin has also been awarded the Returned from Active Service Badge from a previous deployment.

During Private Timothy James Aplin’s service in the Australian Army he deployed on the following Operations;

Operation Tanager (East Timor) in 2000,

Operation Bastille (Middle East) in 2003,

Operation Slipper (Afghanistan) in 2009, and

Operation Slipper (Afghanistan) again in 2010.