YOUR SAY: RSL responds to Vietnam War Memorial claims

Inclusion of names on Jubilee Park cross explained

Mackay Vietnam War Memorial.

Memorial concerns

ON BEHALF of the veterans of Mackay and region, I am very concerned about the recent article printed in the name of Adriaan Van Moolenbroek (DM, December 5, 2019 – ‘Fury over plaques on cross’).

The number of inconsistencies are of real concern: Adriaan maintains that no Vietnam veteran was consulted over the placing of names on the cross. I have confirmed that there were two Vietnam veterans on the subcommittee which approved it and I am certain that he was aware of that.

The cross in Mackay is a replica of the Long Tan Cross. It was manufactured by apprentices at MRAEL and dedicated and erected on August 18, 1996, in Jubilee Park as a memorial to those who served, suffered and died in Vietnam between 1962 and 1973.

The committee that overlooked the erection of the local replica cross, formed a subcommittee to consider placing names on the cross – 20 years had passed since the erection of the cross and no local residents were lost at Long Tan – and 43 years had passed since the end of the Vietnam War.

The subcommittee decided to place the names of the only local residents to have died in Vietnam (at Battles of Fire Support Coral and Balmoral), as a gesture to their families and with the blessing of those families. The names were placed on the replica cross in 2016.

Adriaan stated that his friend, Ian Brown, who died in Vietnam, was one of the names on the cross. Ian Brown was a native West Australian and I presume that his memorial lies in that state. His name is certainly not on the cross.

The six are:

THOMPSON, Donald Leslie (2RAR);

HOARE, Frederick William (6RAR);

SMITH, Paul Leslie (5RAR);

BLACK, Trevor Ralph (9RAR);

FEWQUANDIE, Francis John (2RAR); and

YOUNG, Brian Thomas (1RAR).

At the October 2018 meeting of the RSL Mackay Sub-Branch, Adriaan raised his objection to the names being placed in the cross. The meeting voted not to discuss this matter any further. However, following persistent agitation by Adriaan, I agreed to reconsider the RSL’s attitude, provided he gained permission from the families to have the names removed.

Since this has not transpired, I am of the view that the families declined his request. In that event, the RSL’s motion still stands.

Reay Tuck, president, RSL Mackay Sub-Branch

Editor’s note

ADRIAAN Van Moolenbroek has said the way he understood the consultation with Vietnam veterans was that not every Vietnam veteran in Mackay had been contacted about the changes. He said he had been the instigator of the memorial, not the Mackay RSL Sub Branch.

“I put that memorial up, they all know me, why wasn’t I asked?” he said.

Mr Van Moolenbroek added that if he needed to go to the families, he would, but he believed it should be the responsibility of the people who made the decision to place the names on the memorial.

Correction: The Daily Mercury incorrectly reported that Ian Brown’s name was included on the Mackay Vietnam War Memorial. Only the six names listed above appear on the cross.

Fireproof bubble

AS BATTALIONS of flames march relentlessly across the country, destroying everything in their path, will the Muppets stay cocooned inside their Canberra Bubble? Will the automatons spin out of control? For want of an army, will the battle be lost?

Margaret Wilkie, Peregian Beach

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