Yarrawonga Mulwala RSL Sub-Branch held a commemoration service for Victory in the Pacific Day and Vietnam Veterans Day at the Memorial Wall, ClubMulwala.
Unfortunately, due to the wet weather our two remaining WW2 Vets, Harold Wignell 102 years old and Desmond Jones 101 years old, were unable to attend. Both sent regretful apologies.
Vietnam Vet Ian Summers delivered the Vietnam Veterans Day address, acknowledging the weight of what they lived through, what they saw and what they felt.
“The nights that took on a sense of menace we never knew before, and the realisation that just as much could lie hidden in bright sunshine,” he said.
“Days mapped out in a mosaic of fear and monotony, aching for home but lifted by the camaraderie with our mates.
“All the while not knowing what each day might bring. Not knowing what, or who, it might take.”
The Vietnam Vets should have been acknowledged better by a nation then. “But the truth is, as a nation we didn’t,” Mr Summers said.
“Times have changed, though regrettably too slowly for many veterans who are no longer with us.
“But we have matured enough as a nation to embrace the truth that we can disagree with a war without that diminishing the respect we feel for every man and woman who puts on our uniform and serves in our name.
“Respect for your valour, your integrity and your character.” Mr Summers’s reference to respect for the truth “that you have all paid a price – a price that some are still paying”.
“Respect for the fact that you live with the memory of mates who never came back, and memories of all that you lived through. You upheld Australia’s name. You showed the Australian character at its finest.
“Let us say to every one of our Vietnam veterans, today and every day, we honour you, we thank you and we are sorry that as a nation, it took us so long to do so.”
RSL President Michael Hogan gave the VP Day address, commencing with: “At 8.44 am on 15 August 1945 the Australian Government received the news that Japan had surrendered, and the Second World War was over.”
According to one newspaper at the time, Mr Hogan said, the code word ‘neon’ was sent from the Australian High Commission in London to Canberra to indicate that the Japanese had surrendered, after which High Commissioner Stanley Bruce and his staff went out for a drink; the Australian Prime Minister, Ben Chifley, announced the end of the war against Japan via Radio 2CY Canberra at 9.30 am: Fellow citizens, the war is over. The Japanese Government has accepted the terms of surrender imposed by the Allied Nations and hostilities will now cease. The reply by the Japanese Government to the Note sent by Britain, the United States, the USSR and China, has been received and accepted by the Allied Nations.”
Our RSL Sub-Branch President continued: “Let us remember those whose lives were given that we may enjoy this glorious moment and may look forward to a peace which they have won for us.
“Let us remember those whose thoughts, with proud sorrow, turn towards gallant, loved ones who will not come back. On behalf of the people and the Government of Australia we offer humble thanks to the fighting men of the United Nations whose gallantry, sacrifice and devotion to duty have brought us to victory. Nothing can fully repay the debt we owe them nor can history record in adequate terms their deeds from the black days that followed September 1939 and December 1941, until this moment.
“We owe, too, a great debt to those men and women who performed miracles of production, in secondary and primary industries so that the battle of supply could be won and a massive effort achieved. Materials, money and resources have been poured out so that the fighting men would not go short. Australia’s part, comparatively, in terms of fighting forces and supplies, ranks high and the Australian people may be justly proud of everything they have.”
Following Saturday’s 11.00am service, comradeship was enjoyed by all at ClubMulwala.
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