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“RED RAT” NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2019 Hello to all members.Here we are, beginning of another year and thank goodness we are all getting younger!! Trust you and your loved ones are all in good health and spirit. Bob Sutton is finally out of hospital with his multiple leg and hip problems along with blood clots in his lungs and some internal bleeding in the leg. Hopefully, the crutches can be chucked out now. Thanks to Helen (Bob’s wife) for looking after him.The next (May 2019) issue will have full details of the Canberra reunion in October 2020. The commemorative dinner is confirmed to take place at the Museum of Australian Democracy / Old Parliament House. This is the building where the decision was made to involve Australia in the Vietnam War. I received a very nice letter from Robert (Groucho) Allen a few weeks back (he served two tours of duty in SVN – Sept-Dec 1969 and Sept 1970-Sept 1971). Enclosed was his two year subscription, three poems written by him late 1990’s and a generous donation for HQ1ATF Association - thanks Groucho, much appreciated. In this issue of the Red Rat is one poem (Lest We Forget) and the May / August issues will feature the other poems.Eddie Tricker has sent in a most fitting memorial on Larry Hayward who you may remember, died 5 February 2018. Larry served with D & E Platoon in 1970. There is one thing in life that we are unable to cancel – our move one day to that big parade ground in the sky. There is a fact sheet on the DVA website which may be of interest in some forward planning: Factsheet MRC50 - Compensation for Dependants under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004. The following link will take you there. www.dva.gov.au/factsheet-mrc50-compensation-dependants-under-military-rehabilitation-and-compensation-act-2004
Now, let’s continue with this theme! Another file is worth downloading for you to complete sometime in the next 30 years or so! It’s called Planning Ahead: A guide to putting your affairs in order.www.dva.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/publications/health/Planning_ahead/P00063-2019.pdf
So now you definitely will all want to come to the next reunion and have a great time. Your committee is planning these bi-annual reunions for the next 20 years so stay healthy and fit. Staying on the good stuff there is a website www.oversixty.com.au that details discounts and special deals for people over 60. Again it’s worth looking at. The photos of our 2018 Phillip Island reunion are on our website: www.hq1atf.org
You should be able to upload any that you want. A big file so be patient please.Dot Cunningham, that lovely lady who tried to keep BlueDog in order at our Commemorative dinner last November, sent me details on an award bestowed on Graham Christie, which I promptly misplaced, so here it is. Apologies to Graham and Dot.After receiving the award, Graham responded saying:
“At the Remembrance Day Service in Melbourne (while I was MC at Queenscliff) the Victorian Veterans Council and the Shrine Trustees made it known that I had been awarded their Shrine of Remembrance Medal for 2018 in respect to Service to the Veteran Community. I remain most honoured to receive this wonderful Award."
As do we all Graham. Naturally at the 2020 reunion drinks are on you!On a sad note, Col. Stan Maizey (RTD) passed away on 18 June 2018. RIP, Stan, you will be remembered by all. On a similar note, it is with regret that we record the death in late January 2019 of Sharelle Read, wife of member, John Read. John Verhelst(President Reunion Committee and RED RAT Editor)
OPEN ARMS VETERANS & FAMILIES COUNCELLING The Veterans Line is open 24 hours a day across Australia for crisis support and free and confidential counselling. Phone 1800 011 046.
PENSION TYPES AND RATES. For updates and DVA services, see websites below:www.dva.gov.au/pensions_and_compensation/pensions_and_rates/Pages/index.aspx www.dva.gov.au/contact_us/dva_offices/Pages/index.aspx#
RAMBLINGS FROM THE EDITORI don’t know if any of you have ever passed by the Menindee Lake system north of Mildura and south of Broken Hill. It is a water storage system on the Darling River before its confluence with the Murray River at Wentworth. We saw the Darling at Bourke some years back. For those of you who remember this outback town, the river has high sides and the ferries and other trading boats used to ply this river, travelling down through Tambo and Wilcannia to Menindee Lake. Millions of fish and wildlife. Helen and I saw so many pelicans there during a visit in 2012. It’s a crime what is now happening. A recent meeting was attended by not one of the ruling State Government party in New South Wales. I recently found the following article by well recognised author, Peter Fitzsimons.
A Dead Fish Rots from the Head: Heads must RollBy Peter Fitzsimons, Sydney Morning Herald, 13 January 2019
“So, are we really asked to believe that no-one is at fault for the reported million dead fish now clogging up the Murray Darling, some of them a hundred years old? It is all simply because of the drought, as claimed, and nothing to do with the federal and state ministers of water responsible for the Murray Darling’s health, nor the various irrigation bodies? All of them were in strong agreement this week: it’s not us, it’s just the long lack of rain at the top end of the river system.Well, what else are they going to say? But what seems obvious to me is that when you are taking 3780 giga-litres of water out upstream – enough to fill Sydney Harbour eight times – and fish start dying en masse downstream for the first time in recorded history, we have an issue.And I well recall the infamous words of Barnaby Joyce back in 2017, when he was water minister, secretly recorded in a pub talking to irrigators of how he was the one that had got them more water, at the expense of the environmentalists: “We have taken water, put it back into agriculture, so we could look after you and make sure we don't have the greenies running the show.”
And now here we are. But the subsequent abrogation of responsibility is not remotely good enough. A dead fish rots from the head down, and when you have this many, heads must roll”.
Let’s not start talking about the Coorong in South Australia where the Murray-Darling finally trickles into! Perhaps our local HQ1ATF Association member, Graeme Pulford, will have some stories to add!
ANZAC DAY: SYDNEY AND MELBOURNEANZAC DAY, SYDNEY: (from John Verhelst) We will meet up in Bligh Street at 1000 hours as the Order of March in 2019 has us again near the front of the Vietnam Veterans contingent (not behind the RAR’s and SAS) – please ensure you and your mates are aware and know where to look for our HQ1ATF banner. After the March all HQ1ATF and D & E Platoon veterans and families will (or can) adjourn to the East Sydney Hotel, Cnr. Crown & Cathedral Streets, East Sydney, for some food and refreshment. If I can get an idea of numbers it would assist.
ANZAC DAY, MELBOURNE: (from Ian Palfery) We plan to replicate last year’s activities for Anzac Day 2019 - the Order of March has yet to be released at this stage, but am assuming it will be pretty much the same as last year: so meet @ same place (SE corner of Swanston & Collins Streets - City Square side opposite Melbourne Town Hall) and same time (1000 hours). Afterwards at our now usual watering hole of The George South Melbourne hotel corner of Cecil & Coventry Streets South Melbourne - all welcome. Any changes will be notified in my annual March letter to Victorian members to be sent out next month.
LEST WE FORGETBy Robert (Groucho) Allen: November 1999Lest we forget, that’s what they sayIt’s said in the RSL at the end of each dayI tried to forget when I came homeBut when I slept, back to NAM I’d roamI’d wipe myself out with drugs and boozeAnd still I’d dream of the mud and oozeMy sleep was disturbed with ghosts from the pastUntil with a start I’d wake up at lastFlashbacks and nightmares ruled my lifeAnd the booze and the drugs only got me in strifeMy wife and I split probably just as wellFor 7 years I probably gave her hellLike Vietnam Vets who came back from the warsI’d come in rashes that turned into soresAnd I’d think it was only me that suffered like thatI then found out we were nearly all like thatSo I sought help at the Repat in Seventeen WardHad a bit of a time there, never really got boredI met other Veterans with the same problems as meThen I knew we really were out of our treeI don’t have so many nightmares now, I’ll sayBut flashbacks I still get nearly every dayMy temper’s adjusted I’m now quite goodDon’t go around punchy like a local hoodLest we forget is what they sayHow can we, that’s what I say
How can we forget what we sawWalking around on the jungle floorThe pieces of people blown apartOr the one with the bullet straight through the heartThe all-night ambushes behind my gunYes man, it wasn’t much funLest we forget, what? Forget my mate?He got 6 months before heaven’s gateOr forget the 500 who died over thereAs if I’d forget, as if I’d dare
SOME LIGHT HUMOURHow Adam Got Eve (from Peter Boorman):Nothing like a good Bible story to make your day.Adam was hanging around the garden of Eden feeling very lonely.So, God asked him, "What's wrong with you?"Adam said he didn't have anyone to talk to.God said that He was going to make Adam a companion and that it would be a woman.He said, "This pretty lady will gather food for you, she will cook for you, and when you discover clothing, she will wash it for you."She will always agree with every decision you make and she will not nag you, and will always be the first to admit she was wrong when you've had a disagreement."She will praise you!"She will bear your children, and never ask you to get up in the middle of the night to take care of them."She will NEVER have a headache and will freely give you love and passion whenever you need it."Adam asked God, "What will a woman like this cost?"God replied, "An arm and a leg."Then Adam asked, "What can I get for just a rib?" - And the rest is history!!
Meet the Reunion Committee for 2019-2020President : John Verhelst (also RED RAT Editor) PO Box 685, Merimbula, 25480437 212 121 [email protected]
Secretary: Brian Harper OAM 25 Charles St South, Sth Launceston, 7249
0417 074 616 [email protected]
Vice President: Bob Sutton 19 Correa Place, Inverloch, 39960400 825 386 [email protected]
Treasurer: Dr Helen Lange (wife of John V) 0412 089 224 [email protected]
Committee SA: Graeme PulfordPO Box 174, Clare, SA 54530418 422 [email protected]
VIC: Ian Palfery 11 Dunsterville Street, Sandringham, 31910404 040 343 [email protected]
NSW: Norm Austin PO Box 389, Moss Vale 2577 [email protected] 0427 854 141
WA: Rob Hepburn 140 Holland Street, Wembley, [email protected] 096 971
QLD: Don Aldous OAM 4 Prunus Place, Caloundra, 45510417 766 [email protected]
Webmaster: John Eller [email protected]
A Memorial to Larry Ronald Hayward
© Copyright 2019 - Eddie S. M. Tricker
Larry Ronald Hayward was a fourth Intake 1969, National Service man. Born in January 1949, in Murray Bridge, he spent a lot of his time growing up in, around and on the Murray river and Coorong in South Australia.
Like his father before him, and his brothers, Larry was a professional fisherman working the Coorong and Lake Alexandrina.
Moving out of his local town of Meningie, which is situated on the south-east side of Lake Albert, many, many years ago, Larry purchased a property and house on the bank of the Coorong, some 16 kilometres out of town. A place where he retired to with his life partner, Marion.
The Coorong is a beautiful, quiet, and peaceful location to be. Good for the soul. He could sit in his lounge dining area of a night, with a beer in one hand, with his television on, and watch the bird life and activities of the Coorong, which was only 50 to 75 metres away from the house.
Added benefits to his life style were the cool breezes off the waters of the Coorong in the afternoon, which could bring about a temperature drop of up to 10 degrees during those extremely hot summer days.
A peaceful life style that was good for the soul, restful, quiet and yours for the making.
Larry and myself were amongst a group of about a dozen young soldiers, who were trucked from the 1st Australian Reinforcement Unit, [1 ARU], on the afternoon of Thursday, 18 June 1970, to the Headquarter Company lines. At the time, we did not know one another. We were in the main, young nameless faces to each other, about to face an unknown future.
Larry ended up as a Rifleman in 1 Section, Defence and Employment Platoon, Headquarter Company, 1st Australian Task Force, [D&E Platoon, HQ Coy, 1 ATF], whilst I ended up in 2 Section, also as a Rifleman, but as ‘tail-end Charlie’.
[Larry with a large Murray Cod caught on Lake Alexandrina.]
At the time of us joining D&E platoon, its commander was Lieutenant Peter John Cosgrove, the current Australian Governor-General. As Mr. Cosgrove and the Platoon were “out bush” on operations, we had a couple of days to settle into our new tent lines, and get our gear ready for the bush. On the platoon’s return, Lieutenant Cosgrove walked through the lines introducing himself to all his new soldiers, and in each case had a short discussion with each of us.
Within days the platoon was sent out on operations around the area of Xuyên Mộc.
During our second operation with Lieut. Cosgrove we were involved in securing the location of an Australian Huey chopper that had crashed. Not an easy job, for it was still burning fiercely on our arrival, with machine
gun ammunition going off in all directions. An all-day job we remained there whilst RAAF investigators carried out their work, and towards the end of the day, the wreckage was removed.
With the arrival of our next Platoon Commander, 2nd Lieutenant John Burrows, the Platoon’s workload and variations as to the type of work carried out increased rapidly.
During July and August 1970, the platoon’s work consisted of the installation of those “secret listening devices”, with D&E accompanied by ‘Sensor Specialist’ soldiers installed Unattended Ground Sensors [UGS] throughout the Suoi Chau Pha river valley; followed days later, with a long dark, wet and dangerous night march into the same area, through enemy territory; which concluded with the successful ambush of a local Viet Cong food supply unit, which had activated the same UGSs installed by the platoon.
On the first day of Operation ‘Massey-Harris’, (29 August 1970), Larry Hayward was also, unfortunately, one of those young soldier’s sitting on the Armoured Personnel Carrier [APC], callsign 13Alpha; nicknamed ‘The Nympho’ which while rapidly reversing in a circular direction between APCs and Centurion Tanks ran over an estimated 30 pound, (14 kilogram) mine. The blast combined with its direction of travel lifted the APC in the air, causing to land on the back-fuel tank of a nearby Centurion tank!
Fortunately, all of the Australian soldiers on this car were not killed as this APC had had an armour plate fitted to its under body just days prior to the commencement of the operation.
However, this incident saw all these D&E platoon soldiers medevac’d home to Australia on 7 September 1970, where they underwent further medical care to recover from their various and numerous injuries.In Larry Hayward’s case he was discharged from the Repatriation General Hospital, Daw Park, (Adelaide), South Australia on the 24 December 1970. So, he had Christmas 1970, with his family.
This hospital discharge was followed a month later, (21 January 1971), with discharge from the Australian Army as ‘being medically unfit’. A common fate for all young injured National Servicemen of this era.
So, in a very small nutshell, that was the D&E platoon service of Larry Ronald Hayward.
I personally caught up with Larry again in the year, 2000, or thereabouts.
From there our personal relationship with shared common experiences took off again. We often had long and interesting reminiscant conversations on the telephone about our shared Vietnam War / D&E platoon experiences.
These talks, Marion, his wife, told me very recently he enjoyed very much. For I was someone he could talk with about the war and his experiences. Someone he could closely identify with.
On more than one occasion over the many years till his death on 5 February 2018, I had a standing invitation to stay with him at his home on the Coorong. During one such stay, we jumped into his big ‘tinny’ and he gave me a personal guided historical tour of the Coorong, where he also introduced me to his mates, the Pelicans and Shags, (Cormorants). He knew the Coorong better than the back of his hand! On following visits, we always went out in his ‘tinny’ to get a feed of fresh fish for tea that night.
Such was the type of bloke, Larry Hayward was to me, one and all. A very good mate.
A quiet bloke, who once he made up his mind about something was as stubborn as a mule, in changing it.
Invited to his wedding of 28 February 2009, which was attended by his family and friends, it was a large laid back and casual affair, held on his wife’s parents farm. Fortunately, at the time I took a video camera with me and got
the whole event and after party on tape. Something valuable to remember him by.
Unfortunately, many years earlier on, Larry contracted Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and at one stage looked like he wasn’t going to ‘make it’. During a telephone conversation around about this time, he informed me that he had not received all of his service medals and awards. Lodging an application through the normal channels to Canberra was carried out, but would he be alive to receive them.
Contact was made with the then Chief of the Defence Force, General Peter Cosgrove, and within a matter of days, Larry had all of his service medals and badges due to him.
Subsequently after everything was starting to fail, a bone marrow transplant was carried out. It worked and took off. Larry was able to finally overcome the NHL, albeit subject to regular monitoring by specialists in Adelaide.
But much, much later, another form of the ‘big dancer’ occurred. Treated to hold it at bay, rather than have drastic surgical intervention, was Larry’s decision
Larry Ronald Hayward stayed at his home on the Coorong until the last moment, where he was looked after by his wife, Marion, who is a trained nurse. He died in the Meningie hospital, surrounded by family members, on the afternoon of 05 February 2018.
It is worth mentioning here, that as busy as he is in his present role, the Governor-General, General Sir Peter Cosgrove rang Larry’s daughter and offered his condolences to her and the family.
Cremated, Larry’s ashes were scattered where he had wished from his written instructions. His instructions were that his ashes by scattered at one of his favourite fishing spots on Lake Alexandrina.
[The photo above was taken on 28 February 2009.]
Trouble was, only his elder brother knew exactly where this spot was! So, all board his brother’s fishing craft, we set off until by a process of triangulation with familiar shore landmarks, Larry’s elder brother determined that we had reached the spot.
With a small group of family and his friends, we scattered Larry Hayward’s ashes on the 27 January 2019.
You are sadly missed mate, by all of us. I shall miss you and our long phone calls.
Lest We Forget.
