On Vietnam Veteran’s Day We Commemorated and Honoured All Australians who served in the Vietnam War. This year being especially significant as it was the 60th Anniversary of the battle of Long Tan. One of the many Commemoration Services conducted across the Nation was the one at Broome West Australia, where Vietnam Veteran and 31st Battalion Associations (Ingham Branch) member, Rick Butler, was holidaying. Rick takes up the story:
This year on the 18th of August, I happened to be in Broome with a group from Ingham, so we decided to attend the service commemorating Long Tan day ( Vietnam Veteran Day ), because I being a Vietnam veteran myself it was appropriate for me to attend the service at the Broome memorial Park. The president of Broome RSL approached people in the crowd and he found 7 Vietnam veterans, he decided that we all should place his wreath, so the 7 of us marched up and placed the wreath on cenotaph, the catafalque party was Broome Naval cadets, it was a very memorable day.
My 31st battalion career started when I was discharged from the regular army, my service with C Company 31 started in 1975 until 1996 and I served with some great soldiers.
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Ingham group with Broome Naval Cadets
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Rick Butler (right) and Gordon Schmierer (left) at Broome Cenotaph
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Vietnam Veterans Laying Wreath.
Thanks for the report Rick and thanks for your Service