They are coming home

[bob10]

Australia

Media Alert
The Hon Dan Tehan MP
Minister for Veterans? Affairs
Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC
Minister for Defence Materiel


Australians Reunited ? Terendak Repatriation, 2 June 2016
On Thursday, 2 June 2016 Australia will welcome home 33 Australian service personnel and dependents, many of whom were casualties of the Vietnam War, from cemeteries in Malaysia and Singapore. It will be one of the largest single repatriations of Australian service men and dependents in Australia's history.

In May 2015, the Australian Government announced an offer of repatriation to the families of 35 Australian service personnel and dependents interred at Terendak Military Cemetery in Malaysia, and the Australian who died during the Vietnam War and was interred in the Kranji War Cemetery in Singapore. Thirty three families have accepted the Government's offer.

Two Royal Australian Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft will land around 10:20am on Thursday, 2 June at RAAF Richmond in Sydney, where a formal military repatriation ceremony will be held. There will be no public access to RAAF Richmond.

Veterans of the Vietnam War, including some who served with the returning service men, will also be in attendance. The formal ceremony will be followed by a private memorial service for the families of those being reunited with their loved one. There will be no media access to this private service.

At the conclusion of the memorial service, 33 hearses bearing the returning Australians will depart via a funeral procession from RAAF Richmond. The funeral procession is expected to be approximately 800 metres in length, and the precise route will be published closer to the day.

RAAF Richmond is an operating military base and access is by prior accreditation only. Media wanting to attend the repatriation must register their attendance by 5pm on Thursday, 26 May. Media who have not applied for accreditation by this date will not have access to RAAF Richmond on the day of the repatriation. Accredited media passes will be distributed at the media briefing on Monday, 30 May at the Department of Veterans? Affairs Sydney Office.

All arrangements have been made in accordance with the families? wishes and with respect for their privacy. With this in mind, and to allow the media to cover this important story, specific areas at RAAF Richmond will be set up for members of the media. A detailed media program is being finalised, and will be provided at a briefing for the media in Sydney on 30 May 2016.

N.B. Due to timing and traffic constraints it will not be possible for one media representative to cover both the repatriation at RAAF Richmond and the funeral procession travelling through Parramatta.



Media arrangements

Monday, 30 May 2016

11:30am: Media briefing ? Department of Veterans? Affairs Sydney Office, Level 2 Tower B, 280 Elizabeth Street

A summary of the proposed arrangements for the arrival of the Australians repatriated to the Richmond Airforce Base is as follows:

Thursday 2 June 2016

05:30am: Gate to RAAF Richmond open to media

9:00am: Media access to the Base closes

10:00am: RAAF C-17 Flyover

10:20 and 10:30am: 2x RAAF C-17 land and ceremonial ramp ceremony commences

11:00am: Private family service begins (not open to the media)

12:15pm: 33 hearse Funeral Procession departs from RAAF Richmond Airforce Base

13:00pm: Funeral procession travels through the Centre of Parramatta (media area to be advised)

Registration: To register, please email christine.doan@dva.gov.au on the attached media registration form.

For more information please call Dale Starr on 0428 805 578

[digger]

Anyone in that area, in that state even should be down there lining the road with Aussie flags out to welcome these fallen warriors home.

Included is a VC winner.

24 casualties of the Vietnam War are buried in the cemetery of the Terendak Garrison at Malacca, in Malaysia. They are:

Number. Rank. Name. Age. Date of Death. Unit

2786017 Private Dal E. Abbot 21 30 May 1968 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
2784699 Private Norman G. Allen 21 10 Nov 1967 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
2788583 Private Gary A. Archer 22 4 Feb 1969 9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
41400 Major Peter J. Badcoe VC 33 7 April 1967 Australian Army Training Team Vietnam
215349 Lieutenant Robert Birse 23 10 Dec 1967 4th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery
213151 Corporal Robert W. Bowtell 33 11 Jan 1966 3rd Field Troop, Royal Australian Engineers
14208 Sergeant Ronald T. Carroll 31 4 Aug 1968 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
311534 Gunner Thomas W. Checkley 28 5 Aug 1966 131st Divisional Locating Battery
215215 Private Christopher Clark 20 8 Jan 1966 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
214479 Private Ronald E. Field 22 9 Oct 1965 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
310089 Warrant Officer Two John Garrigan 40 27 Dec 1968 Australian Army Training Team Vietnam
43593 Warrant Officer Two Maxwell P. Hanley MM 31 20 Feb 1967 Australian Army Training Team Vietnam
40774 Corporal Reginald H. Hillier 26 29 Nov 1965 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
3786634 Trooper Tony Holland 21 7 Jul 1966 1st Armoured Personnel Carrier Squadron
215217 Private Neville W. Horne 19 8 Jan 1966 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
39510 2nd Lieutenant Allan D. Jellie 22 3 Dec 1969 161st Independent Reconnaisance Flight
26182 Warrant Officer Two Ronald V. Lees 37 13 Jan 1966 Australian Army Training Team Vietnam
2784043 Corporal John G.S. Pearce 22 14 May 1966 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
42352 Warrant Officer Two Thomas D. Phillips 38 20 Mar 1966 Australian Army Training Team Vietnam
212612 Lance Corporal Thomas Ross 25 12 Oct 1965 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
3410295 Lance Corporal Arthur Ruduss 29 12 Jun 1966 Headquarters, 1st Australian Task Force
36205 Gunner Thomas Simpson 27 9 Dec 1965 105 Field Battery, Royal Australian Artillery
37003 Corporal Francis J. Smith 25 21 Sep 1965 A Company, 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
213780 Private Mervyn A.F. Wilson 29 8 Jan 1966 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment

A further burial in this area is worthy of note.
Warrant Officer Class Two Kevin G. Conway, AATTV serving with US Special Forces and killed at Nam Dong in Thua Thien Province is buried in Singapore.

[bob10]

[COLOR="Navy"][SIZE="3"]

A further burial in this area is worthy of note.
Warrant Officer Class Two Kevin G. Conway, AATTV serving with US Special Forces and killed at Nam Dong in Thua Thien Province is buried in Singapore.

Received this from the Redcliffe VVA.

"From Our Honorary Padre, as you can see PDM has asked for any member from any Asscn who would like to attend please do so. This has been a long time coming and is relief for families that their loved one are now home.


Thanks for the update PDM



Many Thanks

Regards

Greg



Greg hello, (and to Neil as President)

As discussed yesterday, the mortal remains of Warrant Officer Class 2 Kevin Conway - RAR and AATTV (and the first Australian KIA in Vietnam - 1964 - may he rest in peace) are being returned to Australia for re-internment in Brisbane on 6 June 2016.

I am leading the graveside ceremony and I attach the invitation for RAR Assoc. members to attend. They are warmly invited by the family who I have the privilege to support too.

blessings

Peter


Greg Decker
Secretary
RAR Association (Qld)
0417464251
secretary.rarassociationqld@gmail.com
RAR Home Page (http://www.rar.org.au)
Alliance of Defence Service Organisations - ADSO - Home (http://standto.org/)


Greg Decker
Secretary
RAR Association (Qld)
0417464251
secretary.rarassociationqld@gmail.com
RAR Home Page (http://www.rar.org.au)"

[bob10]

More on Kevin Conway, he was recommended for the VC, but the Australian Government refused to award it because Australia was not officially at War in 1964. Click on " read more ".

https://rslvirtualwarmemorial.org.au/explore/people/654274

[Hogarthde]

Just a note, a seven digit number with 7 as second digit ,denotes a National Serviceman

As always,, thanks Bob.

[bob10]

Just a note, a seven digit number with 7 as second digit ,denotes a National Serviceman

As always,, thanks Bob.

Lest we Forget.

[Ausfree]

Just a note, a seven digit number with 7 as second digit ,denotes a National Serviceman

As always,, thanks Bob.

That's an interesting bit of information.:)

[nismine01]

Thanks Bob

Unfortunately one of our guys will NOT be returning!

2786017 Private Dal E. Abbot 21, KIA 30 May 1968 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment.

Dal was the last of 1RAR soldiers to die at 'Fire Support Base Coral', his family would not allow his name to go up on the 'Wall of Honour' at the War Memorial in Canberra because they were so much against the Vietnam War, Dal had volunteered. Dr Brendan Nelson over ruled everyone else and declared that the wall was to Honour the fallen and has had Dal's name included. Even now with both parents deceased his sister refuses to allow his repatriation.

On the number scene, yes 7 was part of the identification of being a National Serviceman, the other being the first number which denoted the state you were from. Dal being from NSW was 27, South Australians were 47 etc.

I will have the honour of being at Richmond Airforce Base to welcome my Section Commander Cpl John Pearce home at last.

'Lest we Forget'

Mike

[bob10]

Thanks Bob

Unfortunately one of our guys will NOT be returning!

2786017 Private Dal E. Abbot 21, KIA 30 May 1968 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment.

Dal was the last of 1RAR soldiers to die at 'Fire Support Base Coral', his family would not allow his name to go up on the 'Wall of Honour' at the War Memorial in Canberra because they were so much against the Vietnam War, Dal had volunteered. Dr Brendan Nelson over ruled everyone else and declared that the wall was to Honour the fallen and has had Dal's name included. Even now with both parents deceased his sister refuses to allow his repatriation.

On the number scene, yes 7 was part of the identification of being a National Serviceman, the other being the first number which denoted the state you were from. Dal being from NSW was 27, South Australians were 47 etc.

I will have the honour of being at Richmond Airforce Base to welcome my Section Commander Cpl John Pearce home at last.

'Lest we Forget'

Mike

There were two who will not come home. I assumed it was because there were no living relatives . However, if that is the wish of the family, it must be respected. Hard if it was one of your mates, I can not understand the reasoning behind it. It will be a very emotive time at Richmond. For those who don't know about Coral/ Balmoral, here is a heads up.

https://youtu.be/NzpRvzw1fFI

[digger]

There were two who will not come home. I assumed it was because there were no living relatives . However, if that is the wish of the family, it must be respected. Hard if it was one of your mates, I can not understand the reasoning behind it. It will be a very emotive time at Richmond. For those who don't know about Coral/ Balmoral, here is a heads up.

https://youtu.be/NzpRvzw1fFI

Max Franklin was the gun Sgt. who ran back to disable the gun.
He is a friend of mine, known in Andamooka as Qld Max he is always looking after the older or infirm when he is down. Haven't seen him for about 8 years but when I spoke to him after realising I'd read about him in Lex McAuleys book on FSB Coral he was incredibly modest. A top bloke.

Again though all who served deserve praise, those who were lost more so.

[Ausfree]

There were two who will not come home. I assumed it was because there were no living relatives . However, if that is the wish of the family, it must be respected. Hard if it was one of your mates, I can not understand the reasoning behind it. It will be a very emotive time at Richmond. For those who don't know about Coral/ Balmoral, here is a heads up.

https://youtu.be/NzpRvzw1fFI

Yeah it is a real shame they could not be with their mates, they paid the ultimate price and they should be so honoured. However, I guess the family's wishes must be respected.:(

[Narangga]

Category: | NT News (http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/northern-territory/only-nt-digger-killed-in-vietnam-laid-to-rest/news-story/7d99b1e093c6e5c47fa6c22d2752e6b5)

[bob10]

Category: | NT News (http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/northern-territory/only-nt-digger-killed-in-vietnam-laid-to-rest/news-story/7d99b1e093c6e5c47fa6c22d2752e6b5)


Bring them home was the initiative of Bob Shewring, VVAA NT. It was started by Bob & his mates to see if Reg Hillier could be bought home. At the time it cost 1/2 a years pay [ 500 pounds, $30,000 in today's money] to have the KIA buried in Australia. Bob's investigation found that up to nine were bought back at Government expense. Also, none of the men were buried in a British or Australian War cemetery. And, as for Kevin Conway, he was first buried in Saigon, then exhumed and buried at Ulu Pandan, Singapore. Then because of land develpment, exhumed again and buried at Kranji. Exhumed twice, buried three times.

So you see, Reg Hillier was the catalyst for this operation. And Adelaide River is only the second official War Cemetery in Australia, after the Unknown Soldier at the A.W.M. Welcome home, Reg., and all the others, finally it feels like the War is over.

OPERATION - (http://www.bringthemhome.org.au/operation-bring-them-home)

[bob10]

Media Release

The Hon Dan Tehan MP

Minister for Veterans? Affairs
Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC
Minister for Defence Materiel





Embargoed until 12 midnight 28 May 2016


29 May 2016




Military repatriation chance to welcome home Australians



Australia will welcome home 33 Australian service personnel and dependents, including 22 Vietnam War veterans, on Thursday, 2 June in one of the largest, single military repatriations in this country's history.


The returning Australians, 21 Vietnam veterans, three servicemen and eight dependents, had been interred at Terendak Military Cemetery in Malaysia, with the single other casualty of the Vietnam War still interred overseas returning from the Kranji Military Cemetery in Singapore.

A military repatriation ceremony and private memorial service will be held at RAAF Richmond in Sydney on June 2, after two Royal Australian Air Force Aircraft C-17 Globemaster aircraft bearing the Australians land at about 10:30am.

Minister for Veterans? Affairs Dan Tehan said bringing the Australians home was an important moment for the families and for the country.

?The return of these Australians will bring closure to their families who have grieved for lost loved ones,? Mr Tehan said.

?They will be welcomed home with a respectful and dignified return to this country.

?For every Australian this will be an opportunity to acknowledge the sacrifice of all those who have died in service to their country.

?Representatives of our Vietnam Veteran community will attend and for some of them this will be a particularly moving occasion as they served with the returning servicemen.?

Mr Tehan said the Australian Government last year made an offer of repatriation to 36 families of Australians buried and Terendak and Kranji.

?Several families made the decision not to bring their loved ones home, and I am sure Australians will respect that decision and appreciate it was not made lightly,? he said.

At the conclusion of the private memorial service for the families, 33 hearses bearing the returning Australians will depart RAAF Base Richmond in a funeral procession at about 12.15pm and travel to the centre of Parramatta, arriving about 1pm.

The funeral procession will proceed via a green light corridor and under escort of the NSW Police Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, with assistance from the Transport Management Centre.

Mr Tehan encouraged members of the public wanting to pay their respects to line the route of the procession.

It will travel from RAAF Richmond to Parramatta CBD via Church Street - George Street - Smith Street - Station Street - Parkes Street, where the public will be welcome to view the procession and pay their respects. Motorists using these roads at that time may experience some delays.

Reinterment services will then take place in every State and Territory, except Tasmania, over the following few weeks, in accordance with the families? wishes.



Media enquiries:


Minister Tehan's Office: Byron Vale, 0428 262 894

Department of Veterans? Affairs Media: 0428 805 578

[bob10]

War hero Christopher Clark finally coming home after 50 year wait
http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/99b1db208b3906d4659f52526db02841?width=650

Christopher Clark (right), was killed in action during the Vietnam War on January 8, 1966, while trying to save a mate's life.



After waiting for more than 50 years, the family of Campbelltown Private Christopher Clark will watch their dream come true when his body is finally returned home to Australian soil during one of the largest single repatriations of servicemen and personnel in the nation's history.

Pte Clark's two brothers, sister and their spouses will travel to RAAF Richmond on Thursday for the emotion-charged return of the 33 service personnel, many of whom were casualties of the Vietnam War, and had been buried for decades in cemeteries in Malaysia and Singapore.

Younger brother Kevin Clark said it has been a long road home for his brother, who was killed in action at age 20 during the Vietnam War in 1966, and the family was very pleased to be getting him and the other boys home for a proper burial.

?There will be sadness and tears and feelings that it's the end of a long road. We're finally getting him home,?? Mr Clark said.

?It's not closure, it's the end of a chapter.

?I feel very proud of him and of all the boys who served their country??



http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/ae7bc93e8bdc59957fee21e6473fac28?width=650

Private Christopher Clark was killed in action in Vietnam and buried in Malaysia.



Pte Clark, who was part of the Royal Australian Regiment 1st Battalion, was killed while trying to save a mate's life during an American search and destroy operation in Ben Cat in the Binh Duong Province, an area 56km north west of Saigon, on January 8, 1966.

He died two months shy of his 21st birthday and was buried at the Terendak Military Cemetery, in Malaysia, resulting in his family being unable to visit him and pay their respects.

Mr Clark said the family had no hesitation in accepting the Federal Government's offer when it was made to the families of personnel interred at Terendak and the Kranjii War Cemetery in Singapore.

http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/6f59fcce0a6f2f948f00f8f5f5a32c31?width=316&api_key=zw4msefggf9wdvqswdfuqnr5

Private Christopher Clark died two months shy of his 21st birthday.



?If Chris had been interred in France or in Gallipoli in the war cemetery with his mates, (we would not have accepted the offer) but he was left in Terendak and this is why we wanted to get him home,?? he said.

The service personnel will be given a hero's welcome and arrive on two Royal Australian Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft at RAAF Richmond where a formal military repatriation ceremony will be held.

The formal ceremony will be followed by a private memorial service for the families who are being reunited with their loved ones.

Mr Clark, who now lives in Melbourne, said Pte Clark will then be interred at Woden Cemetery in Canberra on Monday, June 6.

?It's a central point between where all the family live and a place where everyone, the cousins, nieces and nephews, can go and pay their respects,?? Mr Clark said.

Mr Clark said his brother joined the Army at age 19.

He was 16 when Pte Clark was killed and remembers him as a typical 1960s larrikin.

?He was not a trouble maker, he was a larrikin who loved his family, he loved our Mum Nelly and our Dad Stan,?? he said.

Mr Clark joined the Navy in 1965 and the two brothers used to write to each other during the war.

He said Thursday's repatriation would be the culmination of a lot of work by a lot of people and he was grateful for their efforts.

http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/db831dcaa668bf67e566d501d0b6d456?width=650

Private Christopher Clark was a member of the Royal Australian Regiment 1st Battalion.

[ramblingboy42]

I hope this event can be transmitted live or as much as possible to tv.

I also hope our political leaders attend big time and not make it a political stunt.

This should be national headlines for the next week...by far the most important event currently happening in Australia.

[digger]

I truely hope you are correct about a live broadcast.. Probably ABC24 ?

Question, are these fallen going to be given CWGC status and graves?
A lad who enlisted but died in training in WW2 is buried here at Ramco with the correct tombstone etc and a
Check is made annually to ensure the grave is correct etc apparently.

I would hope that these graves are treated as War Graves and hence not available EVER for "renewal" or reuse.




If you are anywhere near this route get out and get down there.

Wave the flag, show the respect deserved, these guys have waited near 50 years to get back to Australia.

Do it for yourself, do it for the families, do it for the fallen, do it for the veterans

But DO IT!

[nismine01]

Digger, certainly the Rookwood Cemetery is a forever war grave as it is owned and run by the commission. All others, wherever, will be retained by the Australian Government.

The nine NSW/Sydney based boys were interred there last Friday, 8 within 24 hours of returning home, I had the privilege of being at Richmond, the cemetery and speaking to family of one. His eldest nephew was named after John and was very interested to hear directly what had happened.

Importantly the burial parties were representatives (current serving men and women) of the units the fallen were serving in. Quote, "The RSM insisted, he would not allow a 1RAR soldier to be buried by anyone else." The comradeship runs very deep in the military.

1 RAR Support Company is travelling to wherever to re-inter their fallen, I'm proud to say.

We will never forget.

Mike

[Carzee]

The Canberra sky cleared up and the rain went away just before the service began on Monday at Woden.
RAR and RAAC diggers presented excellently.
Some 50 to 60 or so persons attended.

Lest We Forget.