2023 ANZAC DAY SCHOOLS COMPETITION �THE VIETNAM WAR AND CAMPBELLTOWN NSW

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ST. PATRICK’S COLLEGE FOR GIRLS, CAMPBELLTOWN NSW

HISTORY CLUB

THE FOUR COMPONENTS OF THIS PROJECT:

1 Anzac Day School Assembly with the theme - ‘Remembering the Vietnam War’

2. Interviewing Vietnam Veterans from Campbelltown

3. Creation of a website ‘The Vietnam War in Campbelltown’

4. Campbelltown and Camden Anzac Day Marches

Sapper Mick Lace 1970 of Campbelltown

Christopher Clark of Campbelltown – killed in 1966

Protester Nadine Jensen of Campbelltown throws red paint on the 1^st battalion

Students interviewing Vietnam Veterans

�1. Anzac Day School Assembly with the theme - ‘Remembering the Vietnam War’ �

‘Remembering the Vietnam War’ was a student led presentation. Students ranging from Years 7-12 each educated their audience about an aspect of the Vietnam including causes, the Vietcong, Agent Orange, the Anti-Vietnam movement and the treatment of soldiers on return from the war. A video of footage from the war was played.

Students who belonged to Army or Air Force cadets formed a catafalque party

Student explaining Long Tan

Student discussing the conscription lottery

Student describing Agent Orange and napalm

Student discussing the ‘Domino Theory’

Student explaining guerrilla warfare and the techniques of the Vietcong (left)

While the assembly educated students about the nature of the Vietnam war it also explained the issues on the homefront such as the moratoriums and protests. We were able to discuss how people from Campbelltown were involved in such protests, for example, Nadine Jensen, a 20 year old who smeared red paint on returning soldiers in Sydney in 1966 (see left)

Paying tribute in the assembly to the 5 men from Campbelltown killed in Vietnam

Kevin ‘Dasher’ Wheatley VC killed 1966

Christopher Clark killed 1966

Student outlining the lives and deaths of the men killed from Campbelltown

Raymond McGuire killed 1969

Trevor Petith killed 1969

Bryant Hansen killed 1969

2. Interviewing Vietnam Veterans from Campbelltown

Students held two sessions at the College where Vietnam veterans were interviewed and video taped them. Each student was responsible for asking a question. We found the veterans to be very open with their answers and several said they had not talked of some of these topics since they returned from the war. Snippets of these videos appear in the website created by the students. Our Local Library lacks oral history from the Vietnam War so these interviews will go into its oral history collection.

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Denis Wass –Royal Australian Engineers (Sapper) service 1966-67 – Denis recalled being in Vietnam in the early stages. As part of the engineers, he was involved in building the Australian base at Nui Dat.

Raymond Ezzy – Royal Australian Infantry Corps (Corporal) service 1970-71 – Raymond explained to the students the perils of going on patrol in Vietnam. He experienced first hand combat and recalled mates being seriously injured and killed. Raymond was also able to recall how he had been treated badly by members of the public on return from the war

Colin Noonan – Royal Australian Engineers (Lance Corporal) service 1971 – Colin was able to recall his experiences in Nui Dat, Vung Tau and in the construction corps. He also described the PTSD issues of veterans

Interview with Elaine Monkcom –wife of a local Vietnam Veteran

Students wanted to gain the perspective of a woman on the homefront whose husband went to Vietnam. They also wanted to find out the long term consequences of service for veterans and their families. This interview was video taped and will be added to the Oral History collection of the Local Studies section of Campbelltown Library

Elaine’s husband, Bob, who was regular army and served in Vietnam 1968-69 – he was part of the Royal Corps of Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

Some interesting aspects of Elaine’s interview:

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• Elaine married Bob just before he left before Vietnam and fell pregnant
• Elaine was a teacher while Bob was away – she said due to the anti-Vietnam feeling that she was too awkward to mention to anyone her husband was in Vietnam.
• When Elaine gave birth, she lobbied hard to the Army to give Bob leave. He was given 5 days leave – enough to hold his baby and then return to the combat zone
• Elaine recalled every time one of their children was born, Bob would examine them and check they had all their limbs because he was concerned of his exposure to Agent Orange
• She recalled how Bob (and the family) have been affected by his service

3. Website ‘Campbelltown and the Vietnam War’

Students working on the website

Students used a plethora of primary material including oral history interviews, Australian War Memorial Collection, Anzac Portal and Trove to create this website.

The main menus on the website-

- Campbelltown veterans’ accounts

-Campbelltown’s casualties

- Kevin ‘Dasher’ Wheatley VC

-Local Casualities

-Return of Christopher Clark’s Body 2016

- Anti Vietnam Protests

-The Men from Campbelltown

-Women and Vietnam

-Campbelltown’s Other Connections to the Vietnam War

• PLEASE CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE WEBSITE -

THE VIETNAM WAR AND CAMPBELLTOWN

4a. Anzac Day March & Service - CAMPBELLTOWN

Year 11 student, Caitlin R, gave the address at the Campbelltown service. She spoke of her great grandfather’s service

Our school contingent in front of the Campbelltown War Memorial in Mawson Park, Campbelltown

Above – some of our History Club members wore various Australian Army nurse uniforms spanning from World War I to the 1980s to commemorate the role of women in service

4b. Participation in Anzac Day March �& Service –Camden

Vietnam veteran, Roy Corlett, marched with our school contingent – pictured here with his granddaughters

Students marching in Camden with a parent, Commander O’Keefe RAN. College Army cadet and students in historical uniforms at rear

4c. History Club conducted Anzac Day Service at Carrington Care Nursing Home, Camden (24 April)

The day prior to Anzac Day we were asked by the Vietnam veterans at Camden RSL sub branch to conduct the Anzac Day service at Carrington, an aged care facility in Camden. Students read out all parts of the service and a Year 11 student did the address. The students were well received by the veterans.