Honouring Our Vietnam Veterans

Story courtesy Proserpine Historical Museum. Long Tan Memorial photo sourced from Bribie Island Vietnam Veterans’ Association Facebook page.

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This year, August 18 marks 60 years since the Battle of Long Tan, officially commemorated in Australia as Vietnam Veterans' Day. During the Vietnam War, “523 Australians died, more than 3000 were wounded or injured, over 60 000 served, and many others were traumatised by their service.” (Sir Peter Cosgrove, “The Sunday Mail”, August 13, 2023)

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Young men from Proserpine who served in Vietnam were Peter Roberts, Ian Lade, Barry Parnell, Jeffrey Korn, Les Stevenson and Kevin Bluck.

On May 29, 1965, Peter Roberts, a 20-year-old private in 1RAR, sailed to Vietnam on HMAS “Sydney” after just nineteen months in the Army. 1RAR later joined the American 173rd Airborne Brigade. Peter served from May 27, 1965 to June 1, 1966, then returned to Vietnam as a section commander after 18 months in Malaysia as a corporal with 8RAR. Following a mate’s death, he was promoted to sergeant, a responsibility he described as a heavy burden. His second tour ran from November 18, 1969 to November 12, 1970. Peter later founded the Airlie Beach RSL Sub-Branch and has long served Legacy in Proserpine, including as president.

Private Les Stevenson (1st Australian Reinforcement Unit) enlisted on September 29, 1965, rather than wait for a possible call-up. After three months’ training at Kapooka, he was posted to the newly formed 7th Battalion RAR at Puckapunyal. Deployed on February 5, 1967 to 1ARU for special service at Nui Dat, Les returned to Australia after his tour and was discharged on September 28, 1967.

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A National Service call-up saw friends, Jeff Korn, Ian Lade and Barry Parnell complete basic training at Singleton. Jeff and Ian were transferred to Townsville’s 6th Battalion – Ian to Alpha Company and Jeff to Delta Company, the same company that fought the Battle of Long Tan three years earlier. Sapper Barry Parnell joined the Royal Australian Engineers in the 1st Field Squadron at a different base. He was the first of the three friends to be deployed and served in Vietnam from December 2,1968 to December 10,1969.

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In May 1969, Lance Corporal Jeff Korn and Private Ian Lade were shipped to Vietnam on HMAS “Sydney”, a voyage which made the 6th Battalion the first to leave Townsville since WW2. Being that it was also the 13th trip to South Vietnam with troops for HMAS “Sydney”, rumours abounded aboard the “Sydney” that it would sink on that trip. Thankfully it didn’t. Jeff and Ian both served in Vietnam until April 2, 1970.

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As a Delta Company 6RAR soldier, Jeff Korn attended the 1969 Long Tan dedication in Vietnam, where a cross was erected at the battle site. After returning to Australia, he was active in the RSL and helped create the Bribie Island replica of the Long Tan Memorial Cross, now a widely recognised symbol of Australia’s Vietnam War heritage.

On Ian Lade’s return to Proserpine, he served the RSL Sub-Branch as secretary and treasurer for over thirty years, including more than twenty consecutive years as RSL Club president. Through Ian’s perseverance, the Proserpine Historical Museum now features a dedicated Military Room, providing a secure home for an historically significant display.

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Private Kevin Bluck served in the 3rd Battalion RAR from February 15,1971 until October 13, 1971. Maurice Beasley, a Bowenite, was called up at the same time as Jeff, Ian and Barry. He had been working as a sugar chemist at the Proserpine Sugar Mill at that time and travelled with them to Singleton for training. (Temp) Corporal Maurice Beasley was a section commander 8 RAR and served in Vietnam from November 17,1969 to October 1,1970.

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We thank them for their service. Lest we forget.

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