The Royal United Services Institute of New South Wales

Fabian Cohnen: Fabian Cohnen was born in Rhodesia and was called up for National Service in 1979 like most other school leavers. He underwent basic infantry training in Bulawayo and transferred to the Rhodesian Light Infantry Training Troop in Salisbury, following which he went to officer selection in Gwelo. Fabian graduated in the last Regular Rhodesian Infantry Officers Course in 1980 (Inf 25/23) and was posted as 2^nd Lieutenant to the Rhodesian African Rifles (RAR). The Bush War was in transition at that point and the retraining and amalgamation of the Rhodesian and guerilla forces was starting (mostly) under regular army supervision with light assistance from the British Army. Before leaving Zimbabwe for South Africa in 1981, Fabian was Officer Commanding C Company 3RAR as a Lieutenant. 3RAR was then rebadged as 33 Infantry Battalion under the Zimbabwe National Army.

Fabian has a Master of Commerce from the University of South Africa and subsquent to migrating to Australia gained a Master of Management at the Macquarie Graduate School of Management, Sydney. He currently works as business development manager at a major electricity supply company.

Growing up in Rhodesia, being surrounded and having personal experience of the Bush War and becoming part of the military left Fabian with a lifelong interest in all aspects of military history. Fabian is a member of the RUSI of NSW.

Source: MHS of NSW and Linkedin

Sir Peter Cosgrove: Born into an Army family, Peter Cosgrove attended Waverley College in Sydney before graduating from the Royal Military College Duntroon in 1968. His first deployment was in Malaysia with the 1^st Battalion RAR and later in Vietnam he commanded an infantry platoon. He served as Commander of INTERFET in East Timor in 1999 overseeing that country's transition to independence. Then promoted to Chief of Army and later Chief of the Australian Defence Force. He retired from the ADF in 2005 serving on several boards before becoming a Knight in the Order of Australia when sworn in as Governor-General in 2014 and serving until June 2019. Sir Peter was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order by Her Majesty the Queen in August 2019. In April 2023 Sir Peter was commissioned by His Majesty King Charles III at the recommendation of Prime Minister Albanese to serve when required as the Administrator of the Commonwealth Government of Australia.

In retirement, he remains involved with defence, health and other charitable organisations. Among his other charitable involvements, Sir Peter accepted the voluntary role as chairman of BizRebuild the business-led initiative, developed by the Business Council of Australia, to provide practical and on the ground assistance to small and local businesses left devastated by the 2019/20 and subsequent bushfires and floods. In 2022 he become the inaugural national patron of the Australian Defence Force Cadets. Since 2023 he has served as Ambassador for the commemorations of the 50^th Anniversary of the end of Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War.

Sir Peter's memoir You shouldn't have joined ... was published in October 2020.

Sir Peter is also an avid sports fan with a particular interest in Rugby and Cricket. Married to Lynne since 1976, they have three sons and delight in their four young grandchildren.