RSDS Seymour Base | The Salvation Army Australia

Our representatives

Majors Jo and Kenny Delamore have served with The Salvation Army in both Australia and New Zealand. They are parents of three and grandparents of four, and love spending time with their family and camping.

They joined the RSDS team in 2001 at Puckapunyal and re-joined the team in 2013, supporting units across Australia. Their shared appointments have included supporting the following units: 2RAR, 3CER, 2/14, 7CSSB and RMC/ADFA. They’ve also been appointed to RMC/ADFA twice.

From 2026, they were again appointed to the Puckapunyal Military Area, where they minister to defence personnel and their families. They are committed to offering genuine care to strengthen morale and make connections among defence personnel and their families.

Captain Joanne Delamore

Senior Representative

Call 0417 723 731 or email me

I have been a Salvation Army officer since 2011. I love to quilt and do patchwork.

While at the Puckapunyal Army Training Facility the first time, I served the Army Logistics Training Centre (ALTC) and the Community Centre.

Deployments: Operation Bushfire Assist to the Bega area 2019 and 2020.

I enjoy most about my work with RSDS is the freedom of ministry and the opportunities that arise.

Captain Kenneth Delamore

Senior Representative

Call 0417 964 93 or email me

At Puckapunyal the first time, I served 26 Transport Sqn, Schools of Armour and Artillery and Army Logistics Training Centre. I’ve also been an ARES Chap for 4/3 RNSWR.

Deployments: Manus Island 2013 as chaplain to the Regional Processing Centre and the defence civilians and contractors onboard HMAS Choules. Middle East 2017. Operation Bushfire Assist to the Bega area 2019-2020.

I love a good book, exploring bush trails and being 'out bush' combined with ministry around the truck.

The Salvation Army began working here in World War Two

One of the best-known military camps in Australia, Puckapunyal Camp, widely known simply as ‘Pucka’, opened in November 1939 to accommodate troops of the 17th Brigade of the 6th Australian Division. It was one of several new camps built for the concentration and training of the Second AIF because existing military facilities were already occupied by militia units.

Initially 5714 hectares of grazing land were compulsory acquired just to the west of the town of Seymour (96 kilometres north of Melbourne). Seymour had been a site for military training since the late 1800s.

Pucka

The camp's name was derived from the name of a large hill within the field training area, today known as Mount Puckapunyal.

Puckapunyal is an English rendering of an Aboriginal word — the meaning of which is obscure. It has been variously translated as "death to the eagle", "the outer barbarians", "the middle hill", "place of exile", and "valley of the winds".

Camp facilities

The camp facilities at Puckapunyal were spartan at first — consisting primarily of unlined, windowless corrugated iron huts — but were progressively improved as the war continued. Both AIF and militia units were trained there, and the camp was also home to several Army schools.

Puckapunyal remains in use by the Australian Army today and the field training area now encompasses almost 40,000 hectares. Since the Second World War, a wide array of regular and reserve units have been based at Puckapunyal or used for training. It remains best known, however, as the home of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps, the first units of which moved there in February 1941.

The Salvation Army began working at Puckapunyal during World War Two.

Initially a tent was set up from which a Salvation Army officer worked. From there more permanent ‘HOP IN’ recreation centres were allocated in the barracks area and visits to the range area were commenced.