GG pays tribute to dead soldier

Australia's Governor-General, Quentin Bryce, has called on a memorial service for
soldiers who died on infamous World War II death marches to honour an Australian
trooper killed in Afghanistan.
Mrs Bryce paused before her prepared speech at the Sandakan Day Memorial Service to
call on the gathering of about 500 dignitaries and guests to observe a moment's
silence for trooper Jason Brown, who was killed last Saturday.
"Before I open my address, I invite you to share a moment's silence to honour the
sacrifice of trooper Jason Brown, our Australian solder killed in Afghanistan," Mrs
Bryce said.
Trooper Brown, 29, from the Perth-based Special Air Service, died during an
engagement with insurgents in Kandahar province on Saturday (Australian time). His
death brought the number of Australians killed in Afghanistan to 18.
The deployment to Afghanistan was the first for Trooper Brown, although he had
already seen service on three occasions in East Timor.
About 1000 Australian and British prisoners of the Japanese perished on death
marches that began in Sandakan in 1945.
The governor-general attended Sunday's service, marking the 65th anniversary of the
end of the war, along with dignitaries, military personnel, families of former
prisoners of war and members of the local community.