Yalangur flood victim identified as former Roma RSL president and Vietnam veteran
A 73-year-old Roma man whose body was retrieved from floodwaters north of Toowoomba has been identified.
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A 73-year-old man whose body was retrieved from floodwaters in Yalangur, north of Toowoomba, on Wednesday morning has been identified as former president of the Roma Returned Services League and Vietnam veteran Robert Menz.
Longtime friend Glyn “Dogga” Dare said he met Mr Menz in the early ’90s when they had shearing contracts in Birdsville, Bedourie, Innamincka and Thargomindah.
Mr Dare said he would often go fishing and used to have a drink with Mr Menz, his “great little mate” at the local pub in Thargomindah after work.
“He was very well-liked and just an all-round, honest bloke,” he said.
The 2nd Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment Association also posted a tribute to Facebook on Thursday afternoon: “It is with a very heavy heart that I advise of the tragic passing of Pte Robert Thomas MENZ. May he rest in peace.”
Rick Avery, who served with Mr Menz in Vietnam from 1970-1971, said the former signaller was a “real character”.
“He was just one of those blokes that was always the life of the party and great fun to be around,” he said.
Mr Avery said the pair reunited at a barbecue about 10 years ago after losing contact for “several decades”.
“We would often check in with each other but I think the last time I saw Bob was at the 50th anniversary of our return to Australia earlier this year,” he said.
Queensland police revealed on Wednesday that a council worker had desperately attempted to stop Mr Menz from entering raging floodwaters outside Toowoomba.
Just moments before, the council worker’s own vehicle had been taken by the fast-flowing water at Yalangur.
Goombungee police officer-in-charge Michael Lingard said the male driver of the council vehicle managed to remove himself from his vehicle after it was caught in floodwater.
“He was actually trying to wave down and stop this other motor vehicle from entering the water,” Sgt Lingard said.
Hours later, specialist diving crews from Brisbane located the body of a 73-year-old Roma man inside the vehicle.
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