“Combat Medic”, An Australian’s eyewitness account of the Kibeho Massacre

Terry Pickard

15-Sep-2008 21:31

A book has just been released in Australia. It is called “Combat Medic” and the author Terry Pickard’s personal account of one Australian soldier who found himself at the centre of events that shocked the world, and the personal toll that he paid.Terry Pickard a seasoned medic and soldier, was one of a 32 strong force of Australian UN Peacekeepers in Kibeho on the 22nd of April 1995 when more than 4000 Rwandans were massacred and thousands more injured. the horror and unimaginable tragedy of the Kibeho Massacre still looms large in the lives of the Rwandans and the people sent there to help them. Terry Pickard’s army career spaned nearly 20 years and more than 15 years after Rwanda he continues to struggle with Post Traumatic Stress. The book is available online at

www.bigskypublishing.com.au.

Combat Medic

An Australian’s eyewitness account of the Kibeho Massacre
Terry Pickard
“I was one of 32 Australian soldiers in the area. We were facing more than 2000 RPA soldiers. We were good, but not that good. The numbers were heavily in their favour. I was worried but I wasn’t scared. All I had were questions. How the hell had a medical mercy mission ended in such a horrific tragedy? How had it been allowed to even get to this? Why were we not allowed to fire our weapons, to defend these poor refugees? God, I thought, I hope we live through this day. And if we do, I tell you what, won’t I have a story to tell”
– Terry Pickard
On the 22nd of April 1995 more than 4,000 Rwandans were massacred and thousands more injured in a place called Kibeho. Terry Pickard, a seasoned soldier and medic, was one of a 32-strong force of Australian UN peacekeepers in Kibeho on that terrible Saturday. While the United Nations’ presence prevented the death toll from being even worse than it was, the massacre continues to haunt him.
The rules of engagement that stopped him from intervening in the senseless slaughter and the life and death decisions he was forced to make when dealing with the injured condemned him to more than a decade of recurring nightmares and debilitating flashbacks.
The horror and unimaginable tragedy of the Kibeho Massacre still looms large in the lives of Rwandans and the people sent to help the African country. No one who walked away from that day was ever the same again.
Combat Medic is a personal account of one Australian soldier who found himself at the centre of events that shocked the world, and the personal toll that he paid.
Terry Pickard’s army career spanned nearly 20 years. More than 15 years after Rwanda he continues to struggle with post traumatic stress triggered by his experiences.
In 2005 those who served in Rwanda and the UN peacekeeping mission were informed that their service had been upgraded to “warlike’’. Very few of them had ever doubted it.
Combat Medic will be available October 2008. Pre-order now.
Review(s)
Evenings with Steve AustinTonight the sobering story of an Australian Army medic who witnessed the massacre of 4,000 people in Rwanda in 1995. 32 Aussie soldiers were in Kibeho and were instructed by the United Nations not to intervene when it was clear that civilians were about to be slaughtered. The story of Terry Pickard is compelling and thought provoking.
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Australian Peacekeeper & Peacemaker Veterans’ AssociationReview by: Review by Gordon Traill, Iraq Veteran“COMBAT MEDIC” ‘An Australian’s eyewitness account of the Kibeho Massacre’ by Terry PickardCombat Medic by Terry Pickard is an eyewitness account by an Australian Army Medic who was at the “Kibeho Massacre” in Rwanda.“Combat Medic” is a fascinating story and a journey of one man’s life, pre and post Rwanda. Pickard is vivid in his descriptions of what it was like to serve on a UN mission. He is critical of how people have judged Peacekeeping service and the lack of bravery awards handed out to members of UNAMIR at Kibeho.
The powerful and confronting account of Pickard’s time at Kibeho will shock you. It will go some way for the reader to understand, why Pickard has struggled with severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for so many years since his return to Australia. Pickard definitely wears his heart on his sleeve as he deals with his illness.
The story of Kibeho needs to be told and be passed on to future generations of men and women who join the Australian Defence Force. “At last the old myth of Peacekeeping service with the UN being just a bit of a holiday and a good way of earning extra money was put away for good”. “We could only sit and watch in horror”. The scale of genocide that took place at Kibeho is mind numbing. The immense pressure and strictness of the Rules of Engagement (ROE) placed upon the Australians by the UN would have tested any man’s limits. The Rwandese Patriotic Army (RPA) tried everything to intimidate the Australians to open fire. Strict adherence of the ROE and personal discipline saved the Australians from being killed. SAS patrol medic Paul Jordan said years later “we are good, but not that good”. “There were around 2,000 RPA soldiers, all focused on killing, and only 32 of us”.
Pickard details what would have happened if they were caught taking photos. “The RPA would not allow anyone to take photos, let alone footage”. “George Gittoes, the war artist attached to us, had been threatened with death if he took pictures”. He was “determined to let the world know what was happening in Kibeho”. George’s photos have been seen all over the world in magazines and television stories about Rwanda.
Infantry provided security to the Australian Medical team who worked tirelessly with the “sea of humanity” that was estimated to be around 150,000 people. Pickard talks about his trust in fellow Australian soldiers. “We were treating about six casualties who were placed along a wall for protection when shooting started. I wasn’t sure whether I should continue treating them or take up a defensive position. I had a quick look around and saw our infantry blokes on the wire. As soon as I saw our blokes there I instantly knew I had nothing to worry about and was able to continue treating the casualties.”
Pickard sums up his time at Kibeho, “April 18-22 1995, was the most testing time of my life both physically and mentally. I believe I did ok. We saved who we could and did our best in the most atrocious conditions”.
The members who served as part of United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda (UNAMIR) were awarded the Australian Service Medal (ASM) for ‘non warlike service’. In February 2006, the Government of the day changed the reclassification of service to the Australian Active Service Medal (AASM) for Warlike service.
Terry Pickard, the ADF members who served as part of UNAMIR and George Gittoes are the real heroes of Kibeho. The Anzac legend lives on.

The Truth can be buried and stomped into the ground where none can see, yet eventually it will, like a seed, break through the surface once again far more potent than ever, and nothing can stop it. Truth can be suppressed for a “time”, yet it cannot be destroyed. ==> Wolverine