THEIR RIGHTFUL PLACE
Tha“I’m hoping t with all the boys who come and march, there’s going to be a sense of pride.”
When the Townsville Anzac Day parade steps off at 9am from Strand Park on Tuesday it will be the Vietnam Veterans and their descendants leading the way.
The honour marks the 50th anniversary of the declaration of cessation of hostilities in the Vietnam War in January 1973, a conflict that Australian Defence personnel were involved with from August 1962.
Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia Townsville Sub Branch president Peter Hindle hopes to see up to 200 veterans answering the call to march in what could be the last time they march together as one through the streets on Townsville under one bannerto cheering crowds.
It is a far cry from the reaction some Veterans received after returning from Vietnam after the war and Hindle remembers hishomecoming.
After docking in Sydney aboard HMAS Sydney, known as the ‘Vung Tau Ferry’, he was told to pull on a nondescript shirt over his uniform if he was travelling on public transport so he would not be recognised as a soldier.
“I think there’s more resentment on how we retreated by the public in those days some spitting on us and so on because in those days we were called child killers and all sorts of crap,” Mr Hindle said.
Although he left the army in 1975 it was not until 1999 that Hindle marched for the first time in an Anzac Day parade.
However he said the tide of sentiment and fully turned and Vietnam Veterans were now welcomed.
“But this day and age, a lot of the people in Townsville say they love the Vietnam veterans.
“If we get 100 or 200 Vietnam veterans I believe the local people in Townsville will love it.” He said 60,000 Australians served in the Vietnam War, with 523 killed and about 2400 wounded. “There’s only about 19,000 that are left - the rest have passed.”
Mr Hindle said with many Veterans getting older this march may the last time they all get tougher in Townsville.
“I’m the youngest right, I’m 71 in July but when I out (to Vietnam) I was 19 in July 1971 and came home and the got the Vungtau Ferry out on March 9th 1972.
“A lot of veterans are heading g towards 79 to 85 and many y more are over that of course.”
He is hoping to muster 200 for the Townsville march asking Vietnam Veterans to forsake their usual corps they march with thisyear and instead march together with other Vietnam Veterans.
“It is a good way to get all the boys back together again and have a yarn and march.
“I’m hoping that with all the boys who come and march, there’s going to be a sense of pride.”
The Vietnam veterans will form up at 0830 at Strand Park for 0900 step p off next Tuesday. y