Tribute to veterans of Vietnam War

Veterans of the Vietnam War will gather and be remembered in Burpengary on Friday – Vietnam Veterans Day.

A short march and service are being hosted by the Caboolture Sub-Branch of the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia.

The march begins at 10.45am from Remembrance House in Progress Rd before a service from 11am at the memorial in Buchanan Park.

Guest speaker will be Major (Retired) Geoff Jones, who served two tours in Vietnam, the first with Charlie Company, 6 Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, as the Company medic.

The service will have added significance as 2023 marks the 50^th anniversary of Australian forces withdrawing from the conflict.

August 18 is the date of the one of the fiercest battles of the Vietnam War – the battle of Long Tan.

On that day in 1966, 100 soldiers of Delta Company was attacked by approximately 2500 North Vietnamese soldiers and Viet Cong soldiers.

Eighteen members of Delta Company died in the battle. On the following morning, 245 enemy bodies were found on the battlefield.

Norm Wotherspoon, President of the Caboolture Sub-Branch of the Vietnam Veterans Association, said his Charlie Company arrived the next morning to bury the enemy soldiers.

Long Tan Day officially became Vietnam Veterans Day in 1987, following an announcement by then Prime Minister Bob Hawke.

Around 60,000 Australians served in the Vietnam War, with about 3000 being wounded and 521 killed.