THE huge iron doors at the entrance to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Australia ’ s War Memorial in Canberra close with a “ boom ” that echoes to the deepest part of the chamber within . Recently-retired Army general John Caligari well-remembers the sound of those doors banging shut , punctuating the end of his Army career on the evening of August 19 , 2015 . Then Chief of the ADF ’ s Capability Development Group LTGEN Caligari AO , DSC chose to participate in the AWM ’ s Last Post ceremony to mark the end of his career . The ceremony , rapidly becoming popular with tourists , and within the Australian Defence Force as a kind of “ exit ceremony ”, is conducted every evening . It is a moving ceremony focussing on one of the 102,000 Australian servicemen and women listed on the Roll of Honour who have died during war , or , on operations , since 1901 . LTGEN Caligari read the biography of wife Narelle ’ s great uncle LT David Brown 41Bn AIF , who died at Rouen , France , on August 17 , 1918 , having been wounded several days earlier . LTGEN Caligari briefly told the story of LT Brown in action in France during WWI , then stood to attention on the steps of the war memorial and recited the ode . He preceded the catafalque up the steps and into the tomb where he completed the ceremony by laying a wreath as the heavy iron doors closed behind him . BOOM ... life changed forever the next day when he left the Army .
Soldiers farewell LTCOL John Caligari at the 1RAR Handover Parade 2001
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