David Alexander CHRISTIE
Service number: 1200461
Category of service: Australian Regular Army
Date of enlistment: 08 February 1965
Date of discharge: 15 March 1987
Employment: Operator Signals, Infantry Officer
Rank on Discharge Major

Postings:

1 Recruit Training Battalion 08 February 1965
School of Signals 13 May 1965
1 Signal Regiment 13 January 1965
Special Air Service Regiment 29 March 1966
3 Special Air Service Squadron 24 May 1966
152 Signal Squadron 16 March 1967
Officer Candidate School 07 January 1968
3 Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment 07 December 1968
3 Training Battalion 17 September 1970
4 Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment 18 June 1973
2/4 Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment 15 August 1973
2 Battalion, Royal New South Wales Regiment 20 May 1974
3 Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment 24 January 1977
Land Warfare Centre 04 December 1978
Central Army Records Office 05 January 1981
Headquarters 3 Military District 13 December 1982
Central Army Records Office 2 8 January 1983
Australian Defence Co-Operation Group 11 December 1983
Headquarters Field Force Command 23 May 1984
Headquarters 2 Military District 15 January 1987


Operational Service/Overseas Deployment:
New Guinea 21 April 1966 to 27 May 1966
Vietnam 15 June 1966 to 25 March 1967
Papua New Guinea 11 December 1983 to 23 May 1984

Honours and Awards:

Australian Active Service Medal 1945-75 with Clasp Vietnam
Vietnam Medal
Australian Service Medal 1945-75 with Clasp PNG
Defence Force Service Medal with First Clasp
National Medal
Australian Defence Medal
Vietnamese Campaign Medal
Infantry Combat
Returned from Active Service Badge

https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=1280027&c=VIETNAM

From John Burrows

MY DEAREST FRIEND

Yesterday was one of the saddest days of my life.
One of my dearest friends and compatriots in this sometime chaotic advocate’s life that I lead very sadly passed away yesterday after a long battle with cancer.
He was not only a fantastic mate and confident but a genuine fellow who loved life, his wife and his family and had immense feelings for his colleagues and comrades.
David Christie was one of a kind and the best advocate that I’ve ever known, and our Association has ever had.
His commitment to looking after soldiers and their families, fixing the problems that they had and fighting the system to make it better was unsurpassable, immense, and unmeasurable, I couldn’t have wished for a better partner, advisor, and mentor.
The times that we tackled the injustices and joined views on many issues that confronted veterans, and their families went on for many years and it was always gratifying and encouraging that he endured the many frustrations that the system and its foibles threw at us.
On many occasions we had the pleasure and satisfaction of winning, beating the system yet he always remained humble and benevolent.
When we lost, we commiserated, sometimes cried but at the end of the day his effervescence and humour had us renovated into having another go.
My God I’m going to miss his happy laughing voice, his wisdom, patience, and calming influence.
My Dear Mate,
Rest in Peace, I will never forget you!
JB

From Wayne Jones
President
Australian Special Air Service Association (NSW Branch)

The passing of Dave Christie was a profound loss for the SASR family and the wider association, marking the departure of a remarkable leader and mentor who dedicated his life to service. Dave's legacy is woven into the very fabric of the SASR community, embodying values of courage, resilience, and unwavering loyalty. His commitment went beyond the battlefield; he was a guiding force for countless individuals within the SASR, leaving an indelible impact on the lives he touched through mentorship and friendship. Dave championed the importance of camaraderie, mental health, and the welfare of veterans, ensuring those who served would never feel isolated in their journeys. Personally, Dave was the first person I met from the ASASA when I moved to Sydney after discharge from the Defence Force, he was driven to help veterans understand their own worth and entitlements available to them post discharge and will be missed by many. RIP.