Branch of Service

Navy

Humanitarian Mission

Indonesia (Operation Sumatra Assist II) (2005)

Gender

Male

Place of Birth

Canberra ACT

Address (at enlistment)

Canberra ACT

Occupation

Naval helicopter pilot

Next of Kin

Son of Ray and Carole Kimlin, Melba ACT and partner of Laura Ryan.

Final Rank

Lieutenant

Final Unit

HMAS Kanimbla

Died in the crash of a RAN Sea King helicopter, during Operation Sumatra Assist, on the Indonesian island of Nias on 2 April 2005 aged 29 years.

AWM Roll of Honour Memorial Panel 2, Canberra ACT

Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal awarded posthumously
Indonesian Medal of Honour (or Valour) awarded posthumously

Kimlin enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy in March 1996 as a pilot trainee. After graduating from the Australian Defence Force Helicopter School he joined with 723 Squadron and then 817 Squadron based in Nowra. From September 2000 to April 2001 he served with the United Nations force in East Timor and from March 2003 to July 2003 he fought in the Gulf War in Iraq as part of the crew of HMAS Kanimbla flying a Sea King helicopter. After the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004, HMAS Kanimbla was sent to Indonesia to provide humanitarian relief as part of Operation Sumatra Assist. After a three month operation the ship was returning home when it was diverted to Nias Island, Indonesia after another earthquake. Kimlin was piloting a Sea King helicopter on 2 April 2005 when it suffered mechanic failure and crashed.

The AWM collection records consist of equipment that belonged to Lt. Kimlin.

The Canberra Times - 4 April 2005 (p.1), 6 April 2005 (p.5), 14 April 2005 (p.3)
Photograph(s): The Canberra Times - 4 April 2005 (p.1)
AWM Remembrance Book http://www.awm.gov.au/rroll/
http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1118/topstories/story01.htm
AWM Collections Records : REL31865, REL31866, REL31867, REL31868, REL31869, REL31870, REL31871.001, REL31871.002, REL31872