SHARE your memories was what was asked of Vietnam War veterans at this year’s commemorative service at Rosewood RSL sub-Branch.
Carmel Luetchford, Rosewood RSL sub-branch secretary, said five of the 12 veterans at the service spoke to a crowd of 75 people.
Five decades on and society has made some headway in showing the respect and appreciation to these veterans that should have been there from the start.
As the decades pass, firsthand accounts are lost to time and circumstance.
“Some of the veterans told how they built a nursery and staff accommodation for a nearby orphanage,” she said.
“They also gave sewing machines to an indigenous village and taught them how to use them so they could make their own clothes.
“Sometimes at night the soldiers had to go into ditches between their accommodation huts when there were airstrikes.
“When that happened, someone would grab a slab from the canteen on the way there.”
The reception the veterans received when they returned home from Vietnam was what’s stuck in their minds.
“This war was probably the first one that came into people’s loungerooms because owning a television was more common,” Carmel said.
“People didn’t like what they saw and I’d imagine it was the same elsewhere in the world, too.
“Some people didn’t think Australia needed to be involved in the war and couldn’t understand why troops were being sent there.
“Now people look back and can see how those soldiers were wrongly done by.”
One veteran said he arrived in Sydney late at night and his flight to Brisbane wasn’t until the following day.
No accommodation arrangements had been made and he slept at the airport.
“They were also told to take off their uniform when they arrived home or risk being yelled or spat at,” Carmel said.
“It was horrendous and an awful time to be coming home.”
A poem titled ‘Welcome home, it is never too late to say it’ was read aloud at the Rosewood service and afterwards those gathered were served a barbecue lunch.
The catafalque party was provided by No. 35 Squadron from RAAF Base Amberley.
“We’d like to thank everyone for attending, particularly the veterans because they are the most important part of the commemoration.”
