Paul died accidentally while bush walking in the Castle Crag area of McPherson Range Qld, in June 1980.
In R Aust Inf, he had reached the rank of Lt Col, following service with Pacific Island Regt, with 6RAR in SVN, and as CO 3RAR at the time of his death. In addition, he had two appointments with the Infantry Centre and one as Adjutant RMC.
He had a Master of Arts, played excellent tennis and squash, and was an accomplished mountaineer.
Paul was married to Fayne, and had 2 children, Nicholas and Hedda.
Below is a copy of the Eulogy to Paul, by John Essex-Clark, in June 1980.
Eulogy to Lieutenant Colonel Paul Anthony Mench
Late Commanding Officer, 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
by
Colonel John Essex-Clark, Royal Military College
27th June 1980
Last Sunday morning, a few days after his 37th Birthday, and while he was enjoying one of his favourite past-times, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Mench died in the rugged yet beautiful Castle Crag area of the McPherson Range in Queensland.
Even at this young age, he had lived a full life in which physical and mental challenge were driving forces.
He was a man of both Sparta and Athens: a warrior by profession, an Adventurer by vocation, and he aspired to be, in his own words, 'renaissance man'; and he achieved more than many of us do in a lifetime.
His Spartan persuasion probably started as a cadet under officer at Knox Grammar School where he was remembered, even then, as "an energetic and courageous bushwalker". He became an Under Officer, and BQMS, at the Royal Military College before serving in both battalions of the Pacific Islands Regiment and later, as a company commander, with the First Battalion of that regiment. He fought in South Vietnam with the 6th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, and was commanding 'Old Faithful' when he died.
Two appointments at the Infantry Centre and adjutant here at the Royal Military College rounded out his formal spartan career but, additionally, Paul was also challenging the elements. He was an accomplished mountaineer and had conquered peaks in Europe and New Zealand. Many of us, who were not privileged, qualified, or confident enough to join him in his climbing exploits, found that he was also a first class tennis and squash player.
As an Athenian he achieved much. He won the Queen's Medal for graduating first in his class at the Royal Military College and followed this up by gaining his Bachelor of Arts degree at the Australian National University. After initial studies at the University of Papua New Guinea he obtained his Master of Arts, with honours, at the Faculty of Military Studies of the University of New South Wales at this College. His interest in the politico-military mix led him to become a member of both the Council of the United Services Institute of the ACT and the Editorial Board of the Australian Journal of Defence Studies. This interest was also exploited by service with the Joint Force Headquarters of Papua New Guinea and the Joint Intelligence Organisation in Canberra.
His spartan and Athenian qualities were well melded at the British Staff College where he was considered to be "a thinking soldier who, amongst other things, showed an acute awareness of the delicate balance between military, political and liberal democratic considerations".
For all his athenian interests, Paul was nevertheless an accomplished Infantryman. He had a gift for the unorthodox, yet he had abundant common-sense. He had a nice sense of humour, and was never happier than when working with his team, whether it be a platoon, company or a battalion. One of his abiding interests was the development of the young officer and three weeks before he died he presented his paper, here, about the Australian Defence Force Academy, titled "Educating Officers: Balancing Athens and Sparta".
He was also a good teacher of soldiers, students, and even of children, as a tennis Coach, but above all, he taught much by personal example. He exemplified the message in this anonymous verse:
‘No printed word, no spoken plea,
Can teach young hearts when men should be,
Not all the books, on all those shelves,
But what the teachers are, themselves.’
Paul Mench, with his kaleidoscopic interests, made friends in many disciplines and activities throughout the world and we all offer to his wife, Fayne, their children Nicholas and Hedda, and to his mother, our deepest sympathies over the tragic loss of husband, father and son.
We will miss his elegant and unorthodox style, his energy and his striving for excellence, and his friendship. We Spartans would have liked to have had him with us in the future; but this was not to be.
There is a ringing stanza by Sir Walter Scott that Paul enjoyed:
Rodney Usback
Paul died accidentally while bush walking in the Castle Crag area of McPherson Range Qld, in June 1980.
In R Aust Inf, he had reached the rank of Lt Col, following service with Pacific Island Regt, with 6RAR in SVN, and as CO 3RAR at the time of his death. In addition, he had two appointments with the Infantry Centre and one as Adjutant RMC.
He had a Master of Arts, played excellent tennis and squash, and was an accomplished mountaineer.
Paul was married to Fayne, and had 2 children, Nicholas and Hedda.
Below is a copy of the Eulogy to Paul, by John Essex-Clark, in June 1980.
Eulogy to Lieutenant Colonel Paul Anthony Mench
Late Commanding Officer, 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
by
Colonel John Essex-Clark, Royal Military College
27th June 1980
Last Sunday morning, a few days after his 37th Birthday, and while he was enjoying one of his favourite past-times, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Mench died in the rugged yet beautiful Castle Crag area of the McPherson Range in Queensland.
Even at this young age, he had lived a full life in which physical and mental challenge were driving forces.
He was a man of both Sparta and Athens: a warrior by profession, an Adventurer by vocation, and he aspired to be, in his own words, 'renaissance man'; and he achieved more than many of us do in a lifetime.
His Spartan persuasion probably started as a cadet under officer at Knox Grammar School where he was remembered, even then, as "an energetic and courageous bushwalker". He became an Under Officer, and BQMS, at the Royal Military College before serving in both battalions of the Pacific Islands Regiment and later, as a company commander, with the First Battalion of that regiment. He fought in South Vietnam with the 6th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, and was commanding 'Old Faithful' when he died.
Two appointments at the Infantry Centre and adjutant here at the Royal Military College rounded out his formal spartan career but, additionally, Paul was also challenging the elements. He was an accomplished mountaineer and had conquered peaks in Europe and New Zealand. Many of us, who were not privileged, qualified, or confident enough to join him in his climbing exploits, found that he was also a first class tennis and squash player.
As an Athenian he achieved much. He won the Queen's Medal for graduating first in his class at the Royal Military College and followed this up by gaining his Bachelor of Arts degree at the Australian National University. After initial studies at the University of Papua New Guinea he obtained his Master of Arts, with honours, at the Faculty of Military Studies of the University of New South Wales at this College. His interest in the politico-military mix led him to become a member of both the Council of the United Services Institute of the ACT and the Editorial Board of the Australian Journal of Defence Studies. This interest was also exploited by service with the Joint Force Headquarters of Papua New Guinea and the Joint Intelligence Organisation in Canberra.
His spartan and Athenian qualities were well melded at the British Staff College where he was considered to be "a thinking soldier who, amongst other things, showed an acute awareness of the delicate balance between military, political and liberal democratic considerations".
For all his athenian interests, Paul was nevertheless an accomplished Infantryman. He had a gift for the unorthodox, yet he had abundant common-sense. He had a nice sense of humour, and was never happier than when working with his team, whether it be a platoon, company or a battalion. One of his abiding interests was the development of the young officer and three weeks before he died he presented his paper, here, about the Australian Defence Force Academy, titled "Educating Officers: Balancing Athens and Sparta".
He was also a good teacher of soldiers, students, and even of children, as a tennis Coach, but above all, he taught much by personal example. He exemplified the message in this anonymous verse:
‘No printed word, no spoken plea,
Can teach young hearts when men should be,
Not all the books, on all those shelves,
But what the teachers are, themselves.’
Paul Mench, with his kaleidoscopic interests, made friends in many disciplines and activities throughout the world and we all offer to his wife, Fayne, their children Nicholas and Hedda, and to his mother, our deepest sympathies over the tragic loss of husband, father and son.
We will miss his elegant and unorthodox style, his energy and his striving for excellence, and his friendship. We Spartans would have liked to have had him with us in the future; but this was not to be.
There is a ringing stanza by Sir Walter Scott that Paul enjoyed:
‘Sound, sound the clarion, fill the fife,
To all the sensual world proclaim,
One crowded hour of glorious life,
Is worth an age without a name.’