As members from HMAS Sydney’s ship’s company walked through the hallways of a school in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, they felt like celebrities.
More than 1000 children who attend Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) SANZAC asked for photos and signatures as the sailors in grey camouflage passed by.
The school was started by Australian and New Zealand soldiers in 1969, based on their shared history fighting alongside each other in World War 2.
The visit, as part of Indo-Pacific Endeavour, focused on community engagement and helping the school.
Forty Sydney personnel built a pergola, painted and repaired the Anzac memorial and a classroom, planted trees and baked Anzac biscuits.
After the activities, members of the crew walked around to different classrooms to meet students. In one classroom, assistant marine engineer officer Lieutenant Cody Mulady gave an impromptu lesson on gas turbines in science class.
Able Seaman Felipe Crispim Dos Santos, who helped build the pergola, said he enjoyed interacting with the Royal Malaysian Navy members and SMK SANZAC students.
“It was an amazing experience and I think it was really engaging as the people to people aspect and connections garnered from these events bring us all closer,” Able Seaman Crispim Dos Santos said.
To commemorate the visit, Commander Indo-Pacific Endeavour Commodore Michael Harris planted a tree and exchanged gifts with Royal Malaysian Navy Captain Mohammad Fairuz Hassan and SMK SANZAC Principal Ajmal Haji Jumah.
Seaman Tyler Dolman said her favourite part of the day was experiencing her first Anzac memorial service overseas.
“Getting amongst all the kids, taking photos and just talking to them was pretty cool,” Seaman Dolman said.
“I like getting out there, helping people and doing things for the community. Giving back and being able to do it here was amazing.
“Hopefully, I get to go back in a year or so to see what the trees have become.”
A selection of students from the school toured Sydney, where they continued establishing people-to-people links between the Australia-Malaysia community, including asking insightful questions of the crew.
