Bob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Science and Personnel) Share this | Hansard source

On 7 February I attended the dedication of a national servicemen’s plaque at Stroud conducted by Jim Olsen, President of the Dungog National Servicemen Association’s sub-branch. I was proud to participate in honouring those sons of Stroud who had served our nation well as national servicemen from 1951 to 1972. I congratulate John Bowen and Jim Bratfield for the work that they have done in organising the funding and research for the memorial. National service was certainly not popular. The wearing of a uniform and regulation haircuts was always a battle—most conscripts hated being lumped together and made to look alike—but we see them now as proud old blokes on parade wearing their national service gong on a blue jacket over grey trousers, wearing the tie and the black beret and belonging together. How ironic that the majority now believe that national service should be reintroduced for their sons and grandsons to instil discipline.

When you look back at the history of conscription, one thing does stand out—that is, every young Australian who donned the uniform, be it conscription or regular, served with absolute distinction. The roll of honour is long and very distinguished. Between 1951 and 1972, of the 287,000 young men called up for service in the Navy, Army and Air Force, sadly 212 died on active service—two in Borneo and 210 in Vietnam—and 1,279 were wounded. The majority of these Nashos posted to fighting battalions did not stay behind in Australia when their unit was posted to Vietnam. They trained with them and they died with them. The courage and skill of the Vietnam diggers came to the fore on 18 August 1966 in Long Tan. Of the 124 diggers of D company, 6RAR, 64 were Nashos and 60 Regulars. Death did not discriminate. Of the 18 military personnel killed in the Battle of Long Tan, 11 were Nashos and seven were Regulars. Later that year the diggers triumphed in the battles at Fire Support Bases Coral and Balmoral. They fought together and they died together as one in these enormous battles.

For those who did not have the opportunity to participate in active service, let me say that without their service we as an Australian force fighting overseas would not have survived. No matter where they served, they made many sacrifices: families, girlfriends, jobs, income. This was recognised some years back with the introduction of the national service medal, and they should be very, very proud to wear it.

It is good and well for diggers to meet at times like those, to look back at their achievements and the history and be able to say, ‘Together then, together again.’ I look forward to addressing our national servicemen this anniversary day, Saturday, 14 February at Foster, and paying my respects to these sons of Australia.

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