Craigieburn’s Brian Coward opens up on brutality of Vietnam War

‘IF A bullet was going to kill someone, it wasn’t going to stop and ask what service you’re in, it didn’t matter, we were all there’.

Brian Coward, a Vietnam veteran who fought at the Battle of Coral Balmoral, in front of the Craigieburn War Memorial. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

IT TOOK Craigieburn’s Brian Coward many years to come to terms with the brutality he saw as a medic during the Vietnam War.

“The levels of wounds and death you see, I didn’t know how much they had affected me at this stage,” he told the Leader ahead of Anzac Day.

Mr Coward and fellow servicemen will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Coral Balmoral at the Craigiebrn War Memorial on Wednesday.

After joining the army as a 19-year-old, Mr Coward’s service career spanned more than 27 years. Being a medic on the frontline didn’t mean he was out of danger.

Brian Coward at work during the Vietnam War.

“If a bullet was going to kill someone, it wasn’t going to stop and ask what service you’re in, it didn’t matter, we were all there,” he said.

Once back in Australia, the Vietnam veterans were greeted with hostility.

“It was like being worlds apart. Paint was being thrown at us, we were called killers and we weren’t getting support,” he said.

Mr Coward, now 71, underwent counselling for post traumatic stress for 12 years.

Brian Coward in Vietnam.

“I think I managed to cope by staying in the army, the brotherhood of everyone was like a family and you knew you could trust them, not to sound too cheesy,” he said.

Mr Coward considers his service to Australia as just doing his job.

“People say we were doing something special and I suppose in the grand scheme of things we were,” he said.

“You have to question though, what good is war really?”

The Battle of Coral Balmoral was fought over a 25-day period between May and June in 1968 at fire support bases, 20km north of Bien Hoa city.

Brian Coward on service in the Vietnam War.