Charlie Rook’s diary of his National Service 1968/69

Tuesday, 6 February 1968
Puckapunyal
What a long and tiring but enjoyable day.  We went on an antenna exercise to Healesville.  Up at 5:00 AM and back at 10:00 PM.  We went in a Land Rover with various radios, and stopped 5 or 10 miles and tried to establish communication back to base.  The further we were away from base the more difficult the link ups became.  In the end we had to put up big antennae, tune them and have them pointing in the right direction.  It was all pretty interesting and showed how it all really worked.  I was very tired and dirty when we got back.  We’ve got our final practical exam tomorrow.

I got more mail today too.  A letter from Mum, one from Annelies, and a parcel from Jeanette with my camera, slides and studs.  She’s tying up all the loose ends and doesn’t want to have any more to do with me.  Doesn’t she see that I need her now more than ever?  I feel so lonely and rejected, and so helpless about it all while I’m over here.  I just wish I could talk to her.  I’m sure that would fix it all.

Wednesday, 7 February 1968
Puckapunyal
It’s been a very nervy sort of day with the final practical radio exam.  I didn’t do too badly, but not too well either.

I went to the Bank and started my account, and bought 100 AMI shares.  I also bought a slide projector and screen from Sergeant Delaney who brought it back from Vietnam.  I looked at all my slides and so longed to have Jeanette back.  The slides of her just added to my longing.  We had such fun together, and she’s such a terrific bird.  I just can’t understand what went wrong.  How could it all change so quickly in just four weeks.  Whatever happened to women keeping the home fires burning while the men went off to war.

Thursday, 8 February 1968
Puckapunyal
We had an RSM parade today, and the RSM said I was “a well turned out soldier.”  I did Wing Admin all morning, and nothing much in the afternoon.  We got our final theory results back and I got 97%.  I’m quite pleased with that.  We’ve now finished our 5 week radio operator’s course, and march out of Radio Wing tomorrow.  We start our 5 week Driving & Servicing course next week.  John and I went to the boozer and had a few beers.

I had another look at my slides of Jeanette again and I feel very sad and lonely and longing for her.  Still no mail from her.

Friday, 9 February 1968
Puckapunyal
We finished our radio operator’s course today.  I came 13th out of 43 and got a C grade pass.  We all had another interview with the Commanding Officer, and I was recommended for NCO.  I’m quite pleased with all that.  Thought I’d go to Melbourne for the weekend to Wicksie’s place and check out the talent.

Saturday & Sunday, 10 & 11 February 1968
Melbourne
Stayed at Tony Wick’s flat for the weekend and wanted to get out and party.  Judy Freeman was otherwise engaged so Tony and I went on a pub crawl to check out the talent.  It was great weather for it, very hot with all the birds in bikinis and pretty summer dresses.  We didn’t do any good though, and I just got stonkered.

I hitched back to camp on Sunday afternoon.  There were three letters, from Mum, Rick, and the stock broker, but nothing from Jeanette.  I looked at the slides again, especially the ones of Jeanette at Cradle Mountain, and I felt so very, very lonely.  I could see no reason to keep living.  Women are all sluts and molls, but Jeanette is such a very nice and beautiful bird.  I hope to hell she comes back to me, and soon.  I must forget her though and get on with other things.  I wonder who is doing what with her now.  I can’t even bear to think about it.  Hell I miss her.  I want to be out of the Army, but I MUST do my time, and I must do it well.  She might have me back when I’m out, particularly if I’ve done well.  This is all such a mess, and at such a bad time.

Monday, 12 February 1968
Puckapunyal
We started the five-week Driving and Servicing course with Sergeant Savage today, and I’m not all that wrapped up in it.  (This is most unusual, as I had been looking forward to driving around in armoured personnel carriers and learning how to handle them well.)  RSM inspection tomorrow, and I must look good.

Still no mail from Jeanette.  I need friends like her like I need a hole in the head.  However, I did get a letter from a Narella Jones, who wrote to me in reply to my note cancelling my car insurance.  I’d added a note to see if there was any young female who might like to write.  Talk about a surprise to get a reply.  The boys all thought it was great too.

Tuesday, 13 February 1968
Puckapunyal
I woke up this morning feeling very grumpy.  I haven’t been able to sleep well, what with the heat and the bust up with Jeanette.  We had the RSM parade which went off without a hitch, and then got started on the driving and servicing course for the M113 armoured personnel carriers with Sergeant Savage.  He seems a real bastard, and I don’t think I’ll enjoy this very much.  We have an inspection tomorrow, so must scrub the floor tonight.

I got a letter from Jeanette, just a normal “newsy” type of letter.  So I wrote back to her immediately, and I’ve got all my hopes on that one letter.  Gee I want her back.  I had a cry in bed and I just don’t know what to do.  I also wrote to Froll, and sent an Army card to Narella Jones.  Gee I hope Jeanette comes back to me.

Wednesday, 14 February 1968
Puckapunyal
Continued the driving and servicing course with Sergeant Savage.  It’s a lousy course.  I went swimming for sport in the afternoon, did my washing and had a haircut.  Pay day tomorrow.  John went home to Melbourne for the night.

I wrote another letter to Jeanette.  I just hope I don’t lose her altogether.

Thursday, 15 February 1968
Puckapunyal
Gee this driving and servicing course is a lousy course.  Thank goodness it was pay day today, as I was broke again.  I had a few beers with John Meredith and the other boys.  Got my bank book, and a letter from the stock broker about my $100.

Friday, 16 February 1968
Puckapunyal
Went for my first ride in an armoured personnel carrier today.  Gee it was fantastic.  I’m really wrapped in this course now.  Those things will go anywhere, and there’s quite a knack to driving them.  Wowee.  It’s still really hot, 115 degrees today.

Got letters from Jeanette and Henry.

I went to Melbourne to Tony Wicks’ place, and went to the Chevron at night, but there was nothing much doing.

Saturday & Sunday 16 & 17 February 1968
Melbourne
Stayed at Tony Wicks’ place for the weekend, and went to Brighton Beach during the day.  Lots of gorgeous birds about.  Went to the Winston Charles at night and was supposed to meet up with John Meredith and his girlfriend, but they didn’t show up.

I went to church on Sunday and prayed that Jeanette and I could get back together again.  Hitched back to camp and got cleaned up ready for another week.  It’s been very hot lately, 100 degrees and more all the time.

Monday, 19 February 1968
Puckapunyal
Continued the driving and servicing course, and had my first drive of an armoured personnel carrier today.  Gee they are a fantastic machine and it’s really exhilarating to drive them.  So much power at your finger tips, and they will go anywhere.  They will do 40 miles an hour, and they will swim as well.  They weigh 11 tons and can carry a section of Infantry, and they’ve got plenty of fire-power with various combinations of 50 and 30 calibre machine guns.  Wow.  They are terrific.  The day just flew.  I had a few beers with John, and had another look at my slides.  Gee I love Jeanette so much and miss her very much.

No mail today, but I wrote a letter to Mum.

Tuesday, 20 February 1968
Puckapunyal
This driving and servicing course is terrific.  We were driving all day today.  It was very hot and dusty, but oh so exhilarating.  Had to do more washing tonight as everything gets so dirty while driving.  I wanted to write home, but there was no time.

Wednesday, 21 February 1968
Puckapunyal
We did a weekly service of our armoured personnel carriers this morning, and swimming for sport this afternoon.

Thursday, 22 February 1968
Puckapunyal
We had to drive the armoured personnel carriers through an obstacle course today, up ridges, through creeks, and race over mounds.  It was great fun but very difficult.  It’s really exhilarating.  Then we had a swimming carnival this afternoon.  I came in last.

I got another letter from Jeanette today.  Yippee.  Gee I love her and hope I can get her back.  It was a big long letter, just the sort I wanted.  I sent her a tape to let her know how I feel about it all.  I think I can explain it better in a tape than I can in writing.  Also got a letter from Judy.

Friday, 23 February 1968
Puckapunyal
More driving on the obstacle course today, but I forgot to put my seat belt on and so I had to sit in the back all afternoon.  I was very annoyed with myself for that, and won’t forget that again in a hurry.

I got letters from Annelies, and Bruce and Di.

I went to Melbourne again for the weekend, to Tony Wicks’, but didn’t get there until very late.

Saturday & Sunday 24 & 25 February 1968
Melbourne
Spent the weekend in Brighton with Tony Wicks and his girlfriend Jackie.  Judy came over and we went to the beach and had a few beers at the local pub before going out that night.  I took Judy home to Sunshine by train and then missed the last train back to town by 30 seconds.  I was broke, so had to walk from Sunshine to East Brighton, where I caught a cab with my last 95 cents.  Arrived back at Wicksie’s at 5:00 AM.  It was a stinking hot night too, but I did manage to get laid.  I hitched back to camp on Sunday and was dog tired, then still had to do my washing.  I doubt that I’ll ever get used to this heat, it’s oppressive, not soothing.

Got a letter from Froll.

Monday, 26 February 1968
Puckapunyal
Continued the driving and servicing course and went driving all day.  We did tactical and formation driving.  I was very tired and sunburnt.  No mail.

Tuesday, 27 February 1968
Puckapunyal
Continued the driving and servicing course. More tactical and formation driving, and learning how to get through rough terrain and obstacles.  It’s still hot.

No mail.  I wrote to Annelies and the stockbroker.

Wednesday, 28 February 1968
Puckapunyal
We did the weekly service on the armoured personnel carriers in the morning, then had an inter-Unit swimming carnival in the afternoon for sport.  It is still stinking hot.  Had two beers with John Meredith at night, and now I’m flat broke.

No mail.  Wrote to Froll.

Thursday, 29 February 1968
Puckapunyal
More adventures on the driving and servicing course today, we took the armoured personnel carrier’s swimming today at Lake Epalong.  We got up at 4:30 AM and drove along the highways and byways to get there.  These things are really terrific.  11½ tons of APC swimming at 4 knots.  These things will go anywhere.  We had a picnic lunch beside the lake, and all the local kids came around to have a look.  It was all very civilised and just like a family picnic.  John shouted me a few beers at night as we watched the Rose vs Harada fight.  John had short sheeted my bed during the day.  He is doing the tank gunnery course while I’m doing the driving course, so he had ample opportunity while we went on our swimming picnic.

Got two letters from Judy.  This augers well on leap year’s day.  Not too sure what I should do about her.

Friday, 1 March 1968
Puckapunyal
More fun and excitement on the driving course today, we had to bog the vehicles in the sewerage farm, and then get them back out.  It was a filthy dirty job, but pretty exciting.  Then we had to learn how to drive over knife edges.  There’s a real knack to that.  You’ve got to race up to the point of balance, then ease over and race away.  If you miss the timing the thing whacks down with one hell of a thud which rattles your teeth.  It’s all very demanding and very exciting.

Went to Melbourne for the weekend, but also had to do about 3 hours of homework over the weekend.

Saturday & Sunday 2 & 3 March 1968
Melbourne
Stayed at Wicksie’s and I sat outside in the shade (not the sun) doing my homework.  Went out with Judy to Sierra’s on Saturday night and got laid.

Hitched back to camp on Sunday.  While travelling to the outskirts of Melbourne by tram, I saw a man have a heart attack and die at a tram stop in Coburg.  It’s only the second dead person I’ve seen, the other being my father when I was only 8 years old.  The man was well dressed in a suit and white shirt with no tie, and must have been about 40 or 50 years old.  He was dark and looked Greek or Turkish.  He just fell over and collapsed in the gutter, and his family all scurried around him.  He looked terrible.  His face was an awful bluey-grey colour.  I’d been sitting half asleep on the tram and was suddenly bolt upright and wide awake as I watched this drama unfold before me.  I didn’t know what to do, whether to stop and help, look away, or just keep going.  It was horrible and there was nothing I could do.  The women in their black dresses and shawls around their heads were crying and pulling at his arms to get him out of the gutter and into the shade.  And he just lay there dead.  I’m supposed to be a soldier and dead bodies aren’t supposed to worry me, but this one certainly did.  It was terrible and I don’t want to see any more.  Is this what it’s going to be like in Vietnam?  Oh my God I hope not.  Driving armoured personnel carrier’s is fun, seeing dead bodies is not.  I was quite shaken by the incident.

Got a letter from Denis and Maree Meehan.

Monday, 4 March 1968
Puckapunyal
Continued the D&S course with Sergeant Savage.  We took the tracks for highway driving to Yea and Strath Creek and along all sorts of main roads.  It looked great, five armoured personnel carrier’s hurtling down the road.  All the people in the cars going by turned to look.  It must have been a very impressive sight.  While the APC’s are pretty easy to drive, you really have to stay on the ball to keep them on the road at speed.  We also practiced blackout driving with the hatch closed and looking out of the periscopes.  It’s getting colder now, thank goodness we are through that terrible heat wave weather.

These APC’s are terrific vehicles.  They weigh 11½ ton, are powered by a V6 GM diesel with a 3 speed automatic gearbox.  They run on rubber padded tracks and are steered by two steering arms which are really brakes on either track.  They can do 40 miles per hour, and with the pivot brakes, can be turned in their own length.  They can swim at 4 knots and can cover any sort of terrain.  They’ve got infra-red lights for driving at night without being seen, and can be driven fully closed down while the driver views the way ahead through periscopes.  They are made of 2 inch armoured aluminium and can push down trees and walls which are in the way.  They’ve got a variety of 30 and 50 calibre machine guns for fire power, and two or three radio sets for communication.  They have a two man crew, a driver/signaller and a crew commander/gunner, who are in communication through a two-way intercom.  They generally move around in three’s, which is a section, with an alpha and a bravo vehicle.  The alpha usually leads, bravo is tail end Charlie, and the section Sergeant drives in the middle.  Each carrier can take an Infantry section of 9 men, and an APC section of three carriers can carry an Infantry Company.  APC’s are used for troop movement, reconnaissance, movement of supplies, fire support, and ambushes.  And they are just bloody terrific.

Another letter from the stockbroker.

Tuesday, 5 March 1968
Puckapunyal
Last day of the driving course today, then we go on to gunnery.  I went fairly well in my driving tests and think I’ll pass and get my licence.  We went infra-red driving at night, which was amazing.  The infra-red headlights can’t be seen, and the driver wears special infra-red goggles which makes everything look green, but you can see quite clearly.  It must be very confusing to the enemy to hear the tracks roaring all around but not be able to see their headlights.  The only trouble is you get no depth of field through the infra-red, so you can’t distinguish between shadows, pot holes and bloody great big holes, so you can be driving along and think it’s only a shadow across the path, when in fact it’s a huge crater and you drive straight into it.

I’ve started to get to know some of the other blokes now too, and they’re a pretty good bunch.  Some of them are a bit rough, but they are pretty good mates.  We all share our things with our mates like no civilians would.  Some of the blokes I’ve got to know are O’Callaghan, Youngie, Chinnick, Polkinghorne, Stanton,, Heaney, Purcell and Smithy.  They are all bits of larrikins, but good blokes, and we try and take the mickey out of the instructors and out of each other.  I never know whether they are fair dinkum or just having me on.

Wednesday, 6 March 1968
Puckapunyal
John gave me a cup of tea in bed this morning at 5:00 AM.  He had to get up at that time to go firing the tank guns at the live firing range.  We had our final driving exams today.  I think I went fairly well, and we start gunnery tomorrow.  That should be fairly interesting too.

No mail.  I haven’t heard from Jeanette for two weeks now.  I do hope she writes soon.  I’m starting to feel funny inside, getting bitter and twisted.  I think I’m losing the ability to love anyone, and becoming an animal just out for a screw.

Thursday, 7 March 1968
Puckapunyal
We started our gunnery course this morning and then had swimming for sport this afternoon.  John went home to Melbourne for the night.

No mail again.  I wrote to my old work mates at the sawmill at APPM, and wrote to Rex and Val Smith.  I feel bloody lonely and homesick, and would love to be home with Jeanette.

Friday, 8 March 1968
Puckapunyal
Continued the gunnery course today on the 50 calibre machine gun.  I was feeling very lonely and home-sick, so I asked for and got an interstate leave pass.  I got a ride to Melbourne and caught a plane home to Burnie, where I stayed with Froll and Geoff.  It was a surprise visit, and they were pleased to see me.

Saturday, 9 March 1968
Burnie
I rang Jeanette this morning, but she can’t see me.  Some other bloke was staying there for the weekend.  I was bitterly disappointed.  I was at a loose end, so dropped around to visit John and Pauline Kalbfell, Rex and Val Smith, and Brian and Robyn Batchelor, all rugby mates.  I felt a real goose having come all this way and not being able to see Jeanette, and I felt very hurt and lonely, but I do love Jeanette very much.

Sunday, 10 March 1968
Burnie
I rang Jeanette again and went to church.  I saw Henk and Annelies, and waited for Jeanette.  She came out at last and I was ever so happy.  I spent an hour with her and there is still a faint hope for me.  I flew back to Melbourne on the last plane with a heavy heart, and hitched back to camp.  I went into the church and prayed for Jeanette and me to get together again.  I love her and miss her so much, and can’t bear to think of life without her.  But I can’t take much more of this sort of treatment.  I do so hope she comes back to me full of love and affection and never wanting to leave again.

Monday, 11 March 1968
Puckapunyal
Continued the gunnery course.  We finish up here on Friday and go to B Squadron 3rd Cavalry Regiment at Holsworthy in Sydney.  Another move and further from home, but I am getting to see a fair bit of Australia.  I did my washing and had a few beers with Peter Polkinghorne.  He’s a farmer from South Australia and a nice bloke.  John went home to Melbourne for the night.

No mail.  I wrote a letter to Judy to let her know I was leaving, and wrote a long letter to Jeanette.  Gee I love Jeanette, and by just writing to her and explaining how I feel about her and the hope and trust I have in her has boosted my morale no end.  I hope to get some mail tomorrow.  I read the Bible in bed at night to try and find some comfort.

Tuesday, 12 March 1968
Puckapunyal
We spent the morning on the live firing range firing the 50 calibre and 30 calibre machine guns.  They were very impressive and I would certainly hate to be on the wrong end of them.  We also saw the Centurion tanks firing too.  Wow, were they ever impressive.  I then spent the whole afternoon trying to get a ¾ inch socket.  Talk about Army red tape, it’s a joke.  Packed up in the evening getting ready to move to Holsworthy, with a new life starting in New South Wales.  Had a few beers with John Meredith, and I’m a bit sad to be leaving Pucka.  I’ll miss my mates who aren’t coming with us, and my contacts in Melbourne.  I’ll have to start all over again in Sydney, and I don’t know anyone there.

I got a letter from Mum, which made me feel a bit better, and wrote another letter to Jeanette.  I hope I get a letter from Jeanette tomorrow.  I’m really very much in love with her and can’t do anything about it.

Wednesday, 13 March 1968
Puckapunyal
Our last full day at Pucka, we march out tomorrow.  We spent all day cleaning up the Driving and Servicing Wing.  I went to the boozer with the boys for our last night, John, Terry, and Polky.  I hope it’s going to be alright at Holsworthy.

No mail, and I was so looking forward to getting a letter from Jeanette.  I do so hope she comes back to me soon, but I’m starting to lose my confidence now and I worry about her a lot.  I want to finish my National Service and finish it well, but I also want Jeanette.  Why do I have to get involved with a girl like her?  Why couldn’t it have been someone who is loyal, faithful and dependable?  Only time will tell, but I want to marry her NOW.

Thursday, 14 March 1968
Puckapunyal
Last day at Pucka today.  We had an RSM parade, got paid, and handed all our Q store issues back.  We got our course reports and I came 3rd out of 23.  My report said I needed watching for my servicing.  That’s not true.  Sergeant Savage made us stand out on the parade ground in the heat for ages.  He’s a real bastard.

I’m all packed and ready to go to Holsworthy now.  Had a last few beers with John Meredith, my room mate, and I’ll miss him.  He’s been a good Pommy mate, and we got on well together.  We left Pucka at 5:00 PM and boarded a train in Seymour for Albury.  We had a few more beers in Seymour, and took a few cans on the train with us.  I stuck with a couple of the mates from the driving course, Polky and Cal.  There were lots of civilians on the train as well and we sky-larked around a bit on the journey.  One of the blokes, Andy Murphy, offered one of the civvies a beer.  The bloke declined.  Andy opened the can and it sprayed all over the bloke in his suit.  He wasn’t very impressed.  We changed trains in Albury for Sydney, and went and had a few more beers and replenished our supplies for the journey.  We must have been a bit rowdy as the cops came onto the train at 2:00 AM and told us to keep it quiet or we’d all be in the cooler.  We stayed up all night and arrived at Central Station at 8:00 AM a little the worse for wear.  After hanging around for a while, a truck came and picked us up and took us to our new camp at Holsworthy.

Holsworthy
Friday, 15 March 1968
Holsworthy
We arrived at Holsworthy at 11:00 AM.  Very nice new three storey brick barracks which look more like a motel than an Army barracks.  It’s a huge spread out camp with all sorts of other Units here as well.  It’s hotter here than in Pucka, still about 85 degrees, while Pucka had already started to cool down.  We got our Q store issues and I was allocated a room with O’Callaghan, Strudwick and Lyons.  We unpacked and were given the weekend off.  Hey, this is not bad, you get to see a bit of Australia this way and check out all sorts of places.  I’ll go in to Sydney for a bit of a look around.  I stayed in camp to get settled in and catch up on a bit of sleep first though.

Saturday, 16 March 1968
Holsworthy
Got up early and caught the train from Liverpool to Circular Quay, and then caught a ferry to Manly where I went swimming.  Gee this is a terrific place.  Lots of action and things to do, lots of people, and lots of hustle and bustle.  I think I’ll enjoy it here.  This Army is full of surprises and it gets better all the time.  Nothing like recruit training at all.  I went to Kings Cross in the afternoon and ran into Terry O’Callaghan so we teamed up together.  We went to the Kings Cross Hotel, the Rex, and Strip Paradise.  This place just never stops.  It’s packed with people at night, and everyone is out for a good time.  The birds look terrific and there’s strip joints and hustlers and call girls everywhere.  Terrific night clubs with lots of gorgeous birds, but a bit out of my class and finances.  Cal and I had a terrific time and caught a train back to Liverpool at 3:00 AM, then by taxi back to camp.  The trains keep running after midnight, and we could get into camp without being challenged.  What a grouse place.  This is bloody terrific.  I’m going to enjoy my time here alright.

Sunday, 17 March 1968
Holsworthy
Got up at 6:30 AM and went to Dee Why to church.  I thought that would be a good way to get to meet some Sydney people.  But after church I got shy and didn’t wait around at all to get to meet anyone, I just went straight back to Manly, and then caught a hydrofoil back to Circular Quay.  I felt rooted and so went straight back to camp for a kip.  We went back into town again that night and went in and saw a strip show.  I was picked out of the audience to help the girls strip, and got an autographed photo of Sandra Nelson and Sandra Hilder for my efforts.  You bloody beauty.  A real Super Trooper.  This is just a mind blowing terrific place.

Sent quick notes to Jeanette, Mum, Froll and Geoff, and Judy.

Monday, 18 March 1968
Holsworthy
Wow, this is the life.  We did nothing but potter around all day.  We cleaned up our rooms, did an emu bob, and a bit of drill.  I thought this was going to get harder and harder as we went along, but it’s getting easier instead.  Great place to live, good meals, easy life style, regular pay, close to some terrific night life.  What more could a bloke want.

Wrote to the Kalbfell’s.

Tuesday, 19 March 1968
Holsworthy
Interviews with Lieutenant Manton this morning, the physical training in the afternoon.  This is a very slack place.

No mail as yet, but I hope to get some soon.  I wrote to Jeanette and Mum.  I love Jeanette very much and hope to hell she comes back to me very soon.

Wednesday, 20 March 1968
Holsworthy
Another easy day.  We went to the rifle range for some firing practice in the morning.  Volley ball in the rain for sport in the afternoon.  It’s quite humid but I’m getting used to it.  We cleaned our rooms and polished our floors ready for an inspection tomorrow.    Lyons and Strudwick counted the tiles and cleaned their own little bits.  Gee they are jack.  Cal and I worked together and got ours done in half the time.  He’s a good bloke Cal.  I did the washing for Cal and I, but used a bit too much blue.  All our clothes have got this heavy blue tinge.  Gee we laughed, but we’ll probably get into trouble for it later.

Got a letter from Froll, but still nothing from Jeanette.

Thursday, 21 March 1968
Holsworthy
OC parade this morning which was a bit of a giggle.  They all tried to be serious, but some of the older blokes just larked around and took the mickey out of them.  We all got through OK, but we had to do some extra drill and learn to behave like real soldiers.  An Infantry lecture and pistol drill in the afternoon.  Being in Armoured Corps we get pistols as our personal weapons instead of rifles.  That’s great.  They are much smaller and therefore much easier to keep clean.  They are 9mm Browning automatics and are a beaut little firearm.  The SSM thinks we are getting a bit slack, so made us do more PT in the afternoon.  There’s a huge boozer here in the camp, so Polky, Cal and I went in and checked it out.  With the hot humid weather and all the running around we had been doing, we were pretty thirsty, and finished up with quite a skin full.  The Boys were talking about the night life around the place, especially Kings Cross and Chapel Lane.  Sounds grouse.  Must check it out.  I’ve also caught a cold, yet the temperature is around 80 to 85 degrees every day.

No mail again today, and I do want some badly, especially from Jeanette.  I do hope she writes soon.  I want her back even though I don’t deserve her.

Friday, 22 March 1968
Holsworthy
Weapons drill with pistols and the F1 submachine gun, then an emu bob in the morning.  There was a big march out parade as one of the Infantry Battalions is going to Vietnam.  Prime Minister Gorton came to the parade in a helicopter to take the salute.  It was all pretty stirring stuff, and I felt proud to be one of them.  Also had to go to the dentist.  I did the washing and managed to reduce the shade of blue from our clothes by another few shades.  I’ve got the flu and feel lousy.

Got some mail at last, from Mum, Tony Wicks and Peter Bird, but still nothing from Jeanette.

Saturday, 23 March 1968
Holsworthy
Had a relaxing morning at camp.  You can sleep in as long as you like here at the weekends, or at least as long as the boys will let you.  I went to Sydney with Polky in the afternoon and we had a ripper of a time.  We went to Manly first for a bit of a recce, then as night came we went back to the Cross.  It was hot and humid and there was an endless throng of people until all hours.  We checked out the Rex Hotel and Hyde Park, Town Hall and the RAAC Club.  By that stage we felt game enough and horny enough to check out Chapel Lane.  It was full of birds in doorways, good looking birds too, and streams of young blokes walking past.  I’ve never seen anything like it, but we didn’t go in, I wasn’t game for that.  Got back to camp hot and sweaty and tiddly and dry.

Sunday, 24 March 1968
Holsworthy
I got up early and went to church in Dee Why.  It’s a good two hour trip just to get there.  I hung around after church and was invited home by lots of people.  That made me feel really good.  I went to Judy’s for coffee, and then to the Rutger’s for dinner.  It was nice to have a home cooked meal again for a change, and to be in civilised company.  They took me for a drive to Palm Beach, where all the rich people hang out.  It was a lovely relaxing and civilised day, in marked contrast to the day before.  I must say I enjoy both of them.  Got back to camp in time to catch up on a bit of sleep.

Polky’s car is a write off, pranged by one of his mates.

No mail.  Haven’t heard from Jeanette for 16 days now.  That’s a long time to be hanging out for a letter.

Monday, 25 March 1968
Holsworthy
We got a whole new batch of clothes this morning from the Q store, our winter dress.  It’s still far too hot for that, but We’ve got to get them all ready and sew our shoulder flashes on.  We went driving in the armoured personnel carrier’s all afternoon through Little Forest practicing troop and section tactics.  It was great fun.  It was very hot and humid, and suddenly the skies opened and it just poured with rain.  We all got drenched.  I was very tired when we got back, the heat and humidity just knocks it out of me, so I had an early night.

No mail.

Tuesday, 26 March 1968
Holsworthy
We went to get our winter service dress this morning, but none of it fitted anyone, except Purcell, and he’s a bit of an odd shape.  The rest of us were just measured up and we will get them later.  They look pretty snappy, with silver Armoured Corps buttons and badges.  It will really piss them off that we are supposed to have this winter uniform, but haven’t got it.  I’m sure we will all get them at different times, and so we will all have good reasons for not being able to wear it.  We will all be dressed differently and look like a shower of shit.  That will really piss them off.

We took the APC’s for a run all afternoon.  Great fun.  I’m on bloody mess duties tomorrow.  I’m also really broke, and have only got 26 cents to my name.

I got letters from Mum and Froll, and I wrote letters to Froll and Denis and Maree Meehan.  Still haven’t heard from Jeanette, so I must put that behind me.  She won’t come back now.

Wednesday, 27 March 1968
Holsworthy
It was a hard day’s work today.  Up at 5:00 AM to do mess duties, I was the veggie and hygiene boy.  Worked through to 8:00 PM.  It was hard yakka.  Cal cleaned and polished the room for me, he’s a good bloke.  Chinnick pranged his Aunty’s car at the weekend.  A big Humber Super Snipe.  They were following some birds home to a party.  The girls were in some sort of snappy sports car and took off at great speed.  Chi tried to follow in the big lumbering Humber, but lost control at the first turn and headed straight for the ditch.  All the steering geometry was all stuffed up with the wheels just hanging there.  His aunty is getting it fixed up for him, as he said he had a blow out.  He could get away with murder.

We got our needles for overseas, and had our passport photos taken.  Everyone is broke, and we’ve barely got enough between us for a packet of cigarettes.

I feel listless and very indifferent to everything at the moment.

Thursday, 28 March 1968
Holsworthy
Mess duties again.  I’ve been promoted to plate washer.  Those needles from yesterday have really knocked the stuffing out of me, and my arm is very stiff and sore, and I can barely move it.  I went to the boozer with Polky, and ran into Dave Keating, my mate from recruit training.  He’s in Infantry, 5 RAR.  So we had a few beers with Dig, and then took a few cans back to the lines with us.  It sounds like much harder yakka as a Grunt, but little Dig is thriving in it.  They have to go every where on foot carrying all their gear, then have to dig holes to sleep in at night.  Rather him than me.

Got a letter from Denis and Maree, and sent Annelies a tray and forks for her wedding anniversary.

Friday, 29 March 1968
Holsworthy
We had to do the weekly service on the APC’s today, and I had to change the track pads on mine as well.  Then filling sandbags which weren’t required after all.  The Army really stuffs you around.  It’s the most disorganised organisation going.  It’s worse than a circus.  Went to the boozer with Polky and Cal, and brought some grog back into the lines.

Saturday, 30 March 1968
Holsworthy
Another weekend off in Sydney.  I went to the local town, Liverpool to do some shopping, bought a birthday present for Janine and booked a plane ticket home for my next leave in April.  Spent the afternoon in the Mainsbridge Hotel with the boys.  It all got a bit boisterous.  We all went in to the Cross at night, where I met two young Dutch girls.

Sunday, 31 March 1968
Holsworthy
Went to Dee Why to church, then to the Rutgers for the day, Judy van Zwieten was also there.  Judy and I went to the Manly-Warringah League Club for a look, and went to see Rev and Mrs van de Staal and their son Theo.  Went back to camp and wrote to Jeanette, Mum and Janine.  I’ve only got $6 left from my pay on Thursday, and that has to last me almost two weeks.

Monday, 1 April 1968
Holsworthy
We had map reading and 50 calibre machine gun practice today.  It was hot so we most of it outside under the shade of a big gum tree.  The Squadron Sergeant-Major Hughes took the machine gun session.  He was busy up the front pulling it all to pieces and reassembling it.  Mick Chinnick was sitting on the ground at the back of the group, lay down and went to sleep.  When Hughes finished putting the machine gun back together again, he turned around and saw Piggy fast there asleep and he hit the roof.  “Are you paying attention Trooper Chinnick?”  “Yes Sir,” said Piggy.  “Well then, what’s the cyclic rate of fire of the 50 calibre machine gun?”  “Don’t you know?” said Piggy.  “Of course I bloody well know,” said Hughes.  “Well what the hell are you asking me for then,” replied Piggy.  We all laughed.  “See me after this session,” said Hughes.  That Piggy, he can get away with anything.

We got three more needles as part of getting ready to go overseas.  We take the APC’s swimming tomorrow, with a 5:00 AM start.  I’ve got bloody guard duty this weekend, and I’m supposed to be taking Judy out.  I said I’d cook for her, so I spent some time in the mess with the bait layers to learn how to cook chicken chow mien.

Got letters from Peter Bird, John Kalbfell and Narella Jones and feeling pretty pleased with myself.

Tuesday, 2 April 1968
Holsworthy
Up at 5:00 AM and took the Carriers swimming in Sapper River.  I met a Brigadier there, who asked me how I liked the Army.  I felt sick all day from those bloody needles, and my arms were so stiff and sore, it felt as though I had golf balls under each arm pit.  Went to the boozer and had a few beers with Cpl Pulinger.  He’s not a bad bloke.

Sent a birthday card to Maree Meehan, and a letter to Judy Freeman.

Wednesday, 3 April 1968
Holsworthy
It’s all starting to get pretty fair dinkum now.  We had a lecture on South Vietnam, the people, its culture and its history, and another lecture on Viet Cong weapons, followed by a lecture on the Carl Gustav, which is an anti tank RPG or rocket propelled grenade.  Sport in the afternoon.  We had to scrub our rooms again, after which I went to the boozer and met up with my rookie mate Dave Keating.  I’m on guard this weekend, and working in the mess over Easter.  Only 78 weeks and 3 days to go.

No mail again today.  I haven’t heard from Jeanette now for 26 days, and I miss her terribly.  I do still love her.  Will I ever be able to win her back, marry her and settle down.  Life is so interesting and exciting, full of puzzles, hopes and disappointments.  It’s just wonderful to be alive, healthy, loved, young, financial and free.  I wonder whether it will stay like this and what I can make out of my life.

Thursday, 4 April 1968
Holsworthy
Another OC parade this morning.  We all tried to stand next to Pig Pen Chinnick, because next to him you look pretty good.  We’ve got to go to the Jungle Training Centre at Canungra before we go to Vietnam.  It’s pretty tough to get through JTC, so we’ve had to start getting fit again.  We had a two mile run and did an obstacle course.  We also practiced map reading and radio voice procedure.  I’m on guard duty tomorrow and all weekend.  Ray Way comes back here tomorrow too, it will be nice to catch up with him again.

Received a letter from Jeanette.  It’s definitely all over.  I started a letter to John and Pauline Kalbfell, and will finish it over the weekend.  It’s such a pity about Jeanette, but STIFF.  I still love her very much and miss her dearly, But I’ll just have to try and control my feelings and look else where for greener pastures.

Friday, 5 April 1968
Holsworthy
PT this morning, and then they stuffed us around playing at jungle training.  We had another medical check, and I then nicked in to Liverpool to arrange my travel home.  I’m on bloody guard all weekend.

I got two letters from Annelies and one from Mum.  I started letters to Mum, Froll and Annelies.

Saturday, 6 April 1968
Holsworthy
On guard all weekend.  I’m tired and crabby and want to go home.  And I want Jeanette back.

Sunday, 7 April 1968
Holsworthy
On guard.  It’s two hours on and four hours off.  Very boring and tiring.  Ray Way arrived and it was nice to catch up with him again.  I went to church in Liverpool during my four hours off.

Monday, 8 April 1968
Holsworthy
I’m on mess duties for the week.  I’m sure I only get all these duties because my name is easy to spell.  Polkinghorne, Chinnick, and O’Callaghan never cop any duties, the bloody regs can’t spell their names!!  A reg Corporal painted all the fire buckets and painted FIER on all of them.  He did about 20 of them.  We all laughed and took the mickey out of him.  They can’t spell hard names (not that fire is so hard to spell!!), but they can spell ROOK, so I cop all the bloody duties.  It’s not fair.

We got two more needles, and I went and had a few beers with Ray Way, David Atkinson and McCormick.  Back at the barracks I showed Ray Way some of my slides of the party at Bruce and Di’s place, and I got very homesick and lovesick for Jeanette.  She’s a lovely bird, and I know I won’t find any other girl I’ll love more than her.  I just hope she is waiting for me when I get back, or Ill remain a bachelor all my life.  What a bastard, getting so wrapped up in a bird who won’t wait and isn’t faithful.  But I won’t write to her again, at least for a while.  She’s on the Miss Tasmania organising committee for Jenny Knott.  No good can come from that.  I love Jeanette, and I love Tassie, and the two go together.

I got a letter from Froll, and an Easter egg from Mum.  A box of slides also came.

Tuesday, 9 April 1968
Holsworthy
I went up to do my mess duties, but was sent back to bed because I was too crook.  I had a temperature of 104.  It was from those bloody needles.  Anyway, it was nice to have a day off.

I sent Geoff a birthday present, and Annelies sent me a cheque for my birthday to go towards my airfare.

Wednesday, 10 April 1968
Holsworthy
Mess duties all day, and then we had to scrub and polish our rooms ready for a big inspection tomorrow.  Dr Martin Luther King was buried, and the peace negotiations with North Vietnam are big news today.  America seems to be on a very delicate point of balance.  Ray Way went home today for Easter.  I hope I can go soon too.

No mail, so I went to the boozer.

Thursday, 11 April 1968
Holsworthy
Mess duties all day, but there’s hardly anyone here, they’ve all gone home for Easter.  So mess duties is a bit of a bludge.  Those of us left in camp had to go to Tempre to pick up some Carriers, but they weren’t there.  Typical Army stuff up.  We got back just in time to miss tea.  We’ll have to go again tomorrow.  Had a few beers with Hobbsie.  There are some good blokes here, they are fun to be with and I get alright with all of them.  It doesn’t feel like Easter.  I should be home.  But I’m a soldier now, so rough.

I got letters from Narella and Merridee, and very welcome they were too.  I rang Judy van Zwieten, and arranged to take her out on Monday night.  That could prove interesting.

Friday, 12 April 1968
Holsworthy
We went and picked up some APC’s, and drove them 20 miles through Sydney from Sydenham back to camp.  They were very impressive, and everyone waved at us as we drove along.  It was grouse.  I also had to do mess duties, but there is hardly anyone here, so everyone just fends for themselves.  I had a few beers with Youngie and Hobbsie, and I’m looking forward to going home soon.  I need a good bird badly, not just for a screw, but someone nice to be with.  There is no hope left for getting back with Jeanette.

Saturday, 13 April 1968
Holsworthy
Mess duties.  I practiced cooking chicken chow mien again, as that is what I’ll cook for Judy.  Went to the Motor Club with Howey, got plastered and slept in Howey’s hotel room.

Sunday, 14 April 1968
Holsworthy
Went to church in Dee Why and then stayed at Judy’s place all day.  Got back to camp at 2:00 AM.  I’m nearly broke and I’m supposed to take Judy out tomorrow.

Monday, 15 April 1968
Holsworthy
Mess duties.  I was supposed to take Judy out, but couldn’t make it.  I was broke.  Polky came back today and we had a few beers together.  I sent a letter to Merridee.

Tuesday, 16 April 1968
Holsworthy
We pottered around cleaning Carriers all day today.  We’ve also shifted rooms to upstairs, sharing with Polky, Cal and Howey.  We get on well together so that should work out fine.  Most of the blokes came back today, and work starts again tomorrow.

I should be going home to Tassie this weekend.  I’m really looking forward to that.

Wednesday, 17 April 1968
Holsworthy
I drove a carrier to Ingleburn today for special cleaning, then had to clean some machine gun tripods.  Had to clean our rooms.  I’m very broke, and have to pick up my plane ticket tomorrow (payday).  No mail

Thursday, 18 April 1968
Holsworthy
Spent the day cleaning 50 calibre machine guns.  I cleaned them once, but used the wrong oil so had to do them again.  We also had to clean and polish our rooms again, as they weren’t good enough.  I think they are trying to knock us in to shape a bit and let us know we are still in the Army.  I got my plane ticket for home for this weekend.  You little beauty.

I got an Easter egg from Froll, and a letter from the Meehan’s.  Ray Way also brought me a watch from Mum for my birthday.

Friday, 19 April 1968
Holsworthy
Home to Tassie today.  Spent the morning doing a 2,000 mile service on the APC’s, then left at dinner time for Tassie.  Flew to Melbourne then Launceston, and stayed at Bruce and Di’s for the night.

Saturday, 20 April 1968
Burnie
Hitched from Launceston to Ulverstone and saw Henk and Annelies, then on to Burnie to Froll and Geoff’s.  I visited the Kalbfell’s and Rex and Val Smith.  I was very excited to be back home again with my friends, but I was also very lonely and felt out of place.  I couldn’t sit still for a moment.  No one was doing anything on Saturday night, so I stayed home at Froll and Geoff’s and sank a few beers.  It was terrible.  Jeanette had her photo in the paper with the Miss Tasmania Quest, and I longed for her but know I can’t have her.  I’m just so terribly lonely and confused.  What the hell is really going on!  I’m surrounded by people, by friends, yet I feel lonely and left out.  I’m not really part of it.  Everyone is married or going steady, and I’m on my lonesome.  I’m terribly confused and need help from somewhere.  It’s eating away at my guts and killing me, this useless waste of a good healthy life, living for nothing.

Sunday, 21 April 1968
Burnie
What a bleak and lonely day.  I went to church.  What’s happening to me?  I’m home with friends and relatives yet I’m still lonely and by myself.  It was better back at camp.  I so much want Jeanette back, but I know I’m a fool, and must keep looking elsewhere.  I’ve got an absolutely lousy life at the moment.  It’s so complicated, lonely and frustrating.  Doesn’t anyone want me.  I desperately need someone like Jeanette to love me and who I can rely on during this difficult time.

Monday, 22 April 1968
Burnie
I had Froll and Geoff’s car for the day and kept myself busy all day.  Bought some desert boots, went to the Pulp dentist for a filling, got my bank book from Jeanette, went to the Tractor shop to see the blokes where I’d done my apprenticeship, saw Danny Neilson about making up my pay, and went to the Carpenter’s shop to get a nice wooden box made for my camera.  I rang Peter Bird, but he’s not there.  John Kalbfell’s got a daughter, so I had a few beers with him.  I saw quite a bit of Jeanette as I was doing my things during the day, I’m still rapped in her, but she’s very cold towards me.  I must get over her soon and put all that behind me.

Tuesday, 23 April 1968
Launceston
It’s my birthday today, 23 years old.  I’m an old man and I feel it.  I hitch-hiked to Launceston in uniform and wandered around town.  I bought some trousers and shorts at Fletcher Jones and rang Di at home.  I took Narella out to St George, but had to meet her father first.  I was pretty nervous.  Had a pleasant evening and stayed at Bruce and Di’s.  Narella’s a nice girl and I must see more of her before I go back.  What a way to spend my birthday.  I just feel so restless and just don’t fit in anywhere.

Wednesday, 24 April 1968
Hobart
Hitch-hiked from Launceston to Hobart and went home to Mum’s.  Didn’t do anything much, just pottered around and talked to Henry and Rick.  I should be happy to be home, and I’d so much wanted to go home, but I just felt out of place and didn’t really want to be there.

Thursday, 25 April 1968
Hobart
I went to the ANZAC service in Kingston.  I wore my uniform and felt so proud to be part of the history and tradition, Henry and Rick came and watched me march, and a lot of the old Dutchies marched too, Jim van de Mollen, and de Puit.  I was a bit over-awed by it all, and also felt a bit out of place and a bit of an imposter.  But my turn will come and I will be doing the right thing.  I went to the RSL Club after the service and lost $5 on the two-up.  It was all the money I had.  I ran into Adrian Kuilenberg, we’d been friends for years, and wagged school together in Sulphur Creek.  We laughed about the old days, the picnics on the point, and how sunburnt we got when we wagged school, and the day the Truant Officer picked us up as we were hitch-hiking off on some escapade.  They were wonderful carefree days.  I visited Denis and Maree Meehan and spent a pleasant evening with them.

Friday, 26 April 1968
Launceston
Spent the morning doing some quick social calls to Dave Keating’s parents and girlfriend in Snug, and Ray Way’s parents and girlfriend Tess in Blackman’s Bay.  I also visited the van de Bom’s.  I felt very restless and headed off to Launceston to see Narella.  She was going to a ball.  What a bastard.  I couldn’t win a rigged raffle at the moment.  I felt very out of place and wished I was 1,000 miles away in my lonely misery.  But I’ve still got 42 years to go, and you never know what life has in store for you.  I go back to camp on Monday and my leave will be over.  What a waste of a leave.  I think I’ll give birds a big miss, but then I run the risk of becoming an old alcoholic.  Life seems so tough when you are young, just when you should be making the most out of life, but who knows what’s over the next hill.  It couldn’t be much worse anyway.  Stayed with Bruce and Di, and got a letter from old Pom Meredith.  Good old John.  I also sent Jammy Jones, Jeanette’s grandfather, a birthday card.  He must be 84 this year.

Saturday, 27 April 1968
Burnie
I hitched from Launceston to Burnie and stayed at Froll and Geoff’s.  Jeanette’s sister Libby is getting married today, and Jeanette is a bridesmaid.  She’s just a few miles away having a great time, and I’m sitting here writhing in loneliness.  Ah shit.

Sunday, 28 April 1968
Burnie
Went to church in Penguin with Froll and Geoff, and visited Pauline Kalbfell in hospital.  She’d just had a daughter, Catherine.  Henk and Annelies came over and we spent a pleasant afternoon and evening, but it is all so empty and lonely without Jeanette.  Back to camp tomorrow, and I’m looking forward to getting out of here.  This has been an absolute disaster.  At least I’ve got the boys to play with back at camp.  I don’t think I can fit back into civvy life.

Monday, 29 April 1968
Holsworthy
I don’t know what I want.  I want to get out of here, but I don’t want to leave here either.  It’s all too hard.  I got a haircut and some more money out of the Bank, then Froll and the kids took me to Wynyard to the airport.  I cried on the flight to Melbourne.  I met John Meredith in town, with his girlfriend Loy, also Buzz, Beryl and Kay, and we had a few beers.  I rang Judy and Merridee, they seemed pleased to hear from me, but I couldn’t stay.  I should have come to Melbourne for my leave.  Flew to Sydney and caught a taxi back to camp.  It was great to be back with the boys again.  Someone had short-sheeted my bed.  I had lots to do as we are off to Canungra, the jungle training centre tomorrow.  That’s going to be hard yakka.

There was lots of mail waiting for me.  Letters from Mum, Annelies, Froll including a shirt for my birthday, Adrian Kuilenberg, and the Meehan’s.

Canungra
Tuesday, 30 April 1968
Canungra
Plenty of excitement today.  We are off to Canungra, the jungle training centre.  Every one has to pass through that before they can go to Vietnam.  It’s a three week course and very tough.  It’s supposed to be a very hard physical slog, and you are on the go non-stop.  We are all a bit apprehensive, but if we stick together we should be alright.

Up at 5:00 AM and on the bus ready to go by 9:00 AM.  We travelled all day and all night by bus to Canungra, which is in Queensland, about 30 miles inland from the Gold Coast in the Tambourine Mountains.  We managed to get a bit of a look at northern New South Wales and southern Queensland.

Wednesday, 1 May 1968
Canungra
We arrived at Canungra at 10: AM.  It’s smack bang in the middle of the bush up high in the mountain ranges.  At least the weather is mild, not too hot and not wet.  We are living in tents and sleeping on stretchers, so it’s all pretty primitive, but it’s a bit like a Boys Own adventure.  There are lots of rumours about this place, we get double rations because they work us so hard we need them; one or two people are killed up here each year; they fire at us with live ammunition.  We’ll see.  It seems OK so far, they’ve given us the day to settle in.  It’s only for three weeks, they can’t do much to us in that time.  It’s Perc’s birthday today.  Poor bastard.  There’s a boozer here, which they say we won’t get to see very often, so we had a few beers for Perc and to help us settle in.  It all starts tomorrow.  It’s all a bit rough, but should be good training.  We have to carry our rifles with us everywhere we go, loaded with blanks, and can not be more than one step away from our weapon at any time, including bed, shower and toilet.  It’s 50 push-ups if you do.  Poor Perc got sprung as soon as he stepped off the bus.

I wrote letters to Mum, Froll, Peter Bird and Narella.

Thursday, 2 May 1968
Canungra
It’s all go.  Up at 5:00 AM, and a two mile run before breakfast.  A lecture on jungle warfare, pushups before, after and in the middle of everything.  First time through the Battle Efficiency course, which is lots of running, climbing over walls and up cliff faces, crawling under barbed wire, running over slippery logs over creeks, and finally getting to a rifle range and firing at a target.  It’s hard yakka.  We’ve got to do it in under 20 minutes to pass, and it took us almost an hour to do it this time.  Finished up with target practice on the range, and we have to pass that as well.  Late tea, more pushups, clean gear and to bed.  We are all exhausted, but it’s not too bad, as long as it doesn’t get any worse.  I’ve got very sore feet.  I hope they last the distance.  If you fail the course, you have to do it all again later.  I’m looking forward to getting some mail soon.

Friday, 3 May 1968
Canungra
Up at 4:30 AM for a two mile run and PT before breakfast.  Practiced motor transport ambushes all morning, which means we all drive along in the back of a truck and the enemy fires at us in an ambush.  We then have to deploy off the truck, fire back, and over-run their position.  We were on and off those trucks all morning.  Hard yakka.  We did field signals and patrolling all afternoon.  The instructors are built like greyhounds and can run all day.  We are flat out trying to keep up, and half the time we haven’t go a clue as to what is going on, it’s all happening so fast.  We had a lecture and a film on South Vietnam at night.  It was all propaganda.  What a load of bullshit, even a 12 year old could see through it.  Got to bed at 9:00 PM.  Absolutely exhausted.

Saturday, 4 May 1968
Canungra
Up at 4:30 AM for PT and a two mile forced march.  We did the grenade assault course, where we all had to scamper from cover to cover and throw 5 hand grenades into bunkers and through windows as though in action.  It was all pretty exciting but also pretty frightening stuff.  Then the Obstacle Course, which we have to do as a section and so involves team work.  You have to clamber along ropes, over log walls, cross roads, go over cargo nets, and up a cliff face, all as a section, with fire protection.  It was tiring, but very interesting and a lot of fun.  It’s surprising what you can do if you have to.  An introductory shoot with the SLR and Owen machine gun, followed by a three mile forced march in 24 minutes in the afternoon.  Then night firing with the aid of mortar flares at night.  This is great.  It’s all very interesting and exciting.  All in all, a very tiring, interesting and satisfying day.

Sunday, 5 May 1968
Canungra
Another terrific day.  Up at 4:30 AM for PT and a two mile run before breakfast.  We did map reading all morning, and that’s pretty hard in this bush where you can’t get a fix on landmarks.  If you get lost you have to walk further until you can work out where you are and then get on with the job, so it pays not to get lost.  Then we did a course on mines, anti-personnel and claymores.  We did the Obstacle Course in 27 minutes, and then they put us through the Confidence Course.  The Confidence Course is done individually and involves crossing a creek, running along logs, swinging on ropes over the creek, through a hole, swinging on monkey bars, crawling through a tunnel, crawling under barbed wire through water, sliding along a rope to cross the creek, clambering over a log wall, through a smoke-filled maze, over another wall and into the bear-pit, over a cargo net, another wall, jump over barbed wire, run across a swinging bridge, and jumping off a 25 foot tower into the river.  It’s all great stuff, and it’s surprising what you can do when you’ve got instructors yelling at you at every turn.  Had a few well-earned and enjoyable beers with the boys.  Did they ever go down well.  A very good satisfying day.

Monday, 6 May 1968
Canungra
I’m aching in every muscle of my body, very stiff and sore.  Up at 4:30 AM, PT and two mile run before breakfast, that gets some of the stiffness out, but does little for the soreness.  Lectures on South Vietnam first thing this morning, and Viet Cong organisation and battle tactics.  You beaut, no running.  We could just sit and listen.  Trouble is it only lasted until 10 o’clock, then we had a Battle Efficiency test, consisting of a two mile run, sliding along a rope, jumping over a ditch, carrying someone your own weight for 200 yards, and climbing over a wall, all with pack and webbing and carrying your rifle.  It’s bloody hard yakka.  I’ll be as fit as a scrub bull when this is over.  Contact drills lecture and practice in the afternoon, followed by a lecture and practice of fire control.  Had a few beers with the boys at night.  We are doing a night harbour tomorrow night, and that could be a bit rough.  We are sleeping in tents here, on five-foot stretchers.  It’s about 90 degrees during the day, and drops to 35-40 degrees at night.  It’s raining now, so that should help cool it all down a bit.

Wrote a letter to Mum.

Tuesday, 7 May 1968
Canungra
More of the same.  Up at 4:30, PT and two mile run before breakfast, followed by a lecture on Viet Cong history and training methods.  More battle tactics lectures, on Platoon harbours, jungle patrols, and night harbours.  Then we had to go and put it all into practice.  They dropped us off in the middle of nowhere in thick jungle, and we had to work out where we were, and move to a set position and make camp.  This meant scrub bashing (on foot and with all our gear on our backs), getting lost, getting tangled in “wait-a-while” vines, all on ready alert and in patrol formation.  When we got to where we were supposed to be, we had to make camp, which meant digging holes to sleep in with tiny little spades, pitching our hutchies, and cooking our meals.  A few blokes had to be on guard at all times.  During the night we were each supposed to spend 2 hours on guard, 4 hour off, but the “enemy” were trying to infiltrate, and you would barely get to sleep when someone would start firing again, and we would all have to stand to, that is be on guard.  Just to make things worse, it started pissing down with rain, which kept up all night.  What a bloody mess.  It wasn’t funny any more.  It was just like a kids game of “warries”, except the kids have got enough sense to go home when it starts raining, we just had to soldier on.  Piggy and I were on the machine gun and had hardly any sleep at all.  What a miserable night.  If this is war, then they can have it, you get too tired and wet.  Let’s all just go home and play again another day.

Wednesday, 8 May 1968
Canungra
A wet, miserable sleepless night out in the jungle.  Up at 4:30 AM for stand to, they say the hour before sun rise and after sun set is the most vulnerable for attack, hence the stand to.  Cold shave, breakfast and cleaned weapons out in the J, then a debriefing and lecture on platoon defence.  We straggled back to camp, dirty, wet and miserable, and must have seemed a sorry lot.  They gave us two hours to “make and mend” our gear, then an easy afternoon cleaning our tents and around the lines.  We had a few beers at night, and I wrote a letter to Jeanette.

Thursday, 9 May 1968
Canungra
More of the same routine.  Up at 4:30 AM, PT and a two mile run before breakfast, only this time in the rain.  It didn’t seem to matter much we were so buggered.  Continued on with the hard physical slog of Confidence Course, Obstacle Course, and muscle toughening.  It’s not too bad if you can learn to switch off and just keep plugging along.  More lectures too on the geography, climate, and people of South Vietnam.  Also what pay we get there.  (Also an entry of “TOET’s”, but I have no idea what that means.)  We are all so tired we constantly run the risk of falling asleep during these lectures, particularly when they are held at night, but you get 50 push-ups if you are caught sleeping in a lecture, and then have to stand up for the rest of it, so we all tried very hard not to fall asleep.  We got paid today, so we all went down for a few beers.  It rained all day today, adding to our misery, and to top it all of there was no mail.

Friday, 10 May 1968
Canungra
The usual routine of up at 4:30 AM, PT and a two mile run before breakfast.  Field craft and fire control lecture in the morning, then more contact drills and a Viet Cong booby trap course.  These booby traps are a bit of a worry, they are simple and ingenious, but very deadly.  We played Grunts all day, and I was not amused by it at all.  We had to do a compass march at night.  There was hardly any moon, and what there was , was constantly blocked out by the clouds.  We got hopelessly lost on the very first leg of our compass march, and spent ages wandering around aimlessly trying to find out where we were and where we were supposed to be.  The others couldn’t have done much better, as we were the second lot to come in.  We even had enough time for a quick beer after we got back to camp.

No mail.  I’m still wondering about Jeanette, and I think I do still love her.

Saturday, 11 May 1968
Canungra
Usual morning routine of rise at 4:30 AM, PT, and a two mile run before breakfast with webbing and rifles.  Tropical Ranges course in the morning, this involved lots of firing with the F1 sub-machine gun.  A shooting gallery at targets as they popped up, snap shooting at targets as we raced through a jungle path, and an observation shoot which I’ve forgotten what that was.  It rained all day and we were just wet through with water everywhere in the J.  We then spent the whole afternoon crossing a river tactically as a platoon with fire support, and did a night firing.  We didn’t get back to camp until 10:30 PM.  A long wet and tiring day.  I’m pretty crapped off with this course, but I’m getting quite fit, and I’m starting to feel lonely again and missing Jeanette.  I really need someone like her to hold onto at a time like this.

Sunday, 12 May 1968
Canungra
More of the same.  Up early for the usual PT and run, then contact drills, obstacle course, confidence course, river crossing, three mile forced march, rifle assault course, and live firing.  I wrote to the Advocate, the local Burnie paper to get it sent to me daily, so I could keep up with what is happening back home.  Had a few beers with the boys in the evening.  It’s bloody well raining again.

Monday, 13 May 1968
Canungra
Normal morning routine.  Up at 4:30 AM, PT and two mile run before breakfast.  If you think this is boring as an entry each day, you should try doing it.  Lecture and demonstration by the instructors on how to search a Vietnamese village, watching out for booby traps, weapons hidden in tubs and pots of rice or water, and how to look for tunnels.  We also had lectures on how to traverse obstacles without getting lost, and a lecture on ambushing.

We had to set up a night ambush, to spring the Instructors, and it was successful.  We must be doing something right.  They weren’t all that happy to be sprung, and we were allowed to go back to camp then rather than sleep in the bush.  Great.  It is still raining.  Queensland is not what I really expected, it’s been raining for over a week now.  Cleaned the SLR and showered before going to bed just after midnight, and slept like a log.

Still no mail.  I would just love a letter from Jeanette.  I’m very lonely and lonesome, and spending too much time and money in the boozer.  But what else is a bloke supposed to do?

Tuesday, 14 May 1968
Canungra
Usual morning routine of rising at 4:30 AM, PT and two mile run before breakfast.  We did the obstacle course in 18 minutes, and I did the confidence course in 16:15 minutes.  Both good times.  A lecture on tropical hygiene followed by weapons handling.  Tropical ranges shoot, with snap, sneaker and gallery shoots.  I went quite well.  An evening patrol and night lecture.  Gee it’s hard to stay awake in those, we are just so buggered after the day’s work.  We didn’t get to bed until midnight.  It rained all morning and was bloody cold, down to 40 – 45 degrees.  It is always one extreme or the other.  We get a day off tomorrow, I’m going to have a look around Brisbane.

I got my first letter in over a fortnight from te Strake’s.  Very welcome it was too.  It was terrific just to hear from someone.

Wednesday, 15 May 1968
Canungra
A day off in Brisbane today.  We still had to do our morning PT and run, but we were ready to go before 9:00 AM.  Most of the boys went to the Gold Coast, but I thought I’d have a look at Brisbane.  I didn’t know what to do when I got there, and it all suddenly felt very strange to be on my own.  I sent Terry Willcox (my nephew) a birthday present and telegram.  I felt very homesick and lonely, so I went and sat in a church for a while and cried and prayed.  I felt so fit and healthy, just rearing to go, but go where?  Do what?  I just wanted to go home.  I wandered around aimlessly and found a movie theatre so I saw To Sir with Love.  It was a good movie but made me miss home even more.  I ran into Youngie so we went into a pub, the Acadia for the night.  I drank Johnnie Walker and got plastered.  We managed to catch the bus back to camp in time, and were about the only ones who made it back.  The others straggled back in dribs and drabs, all the worse for wear, and all with incredible stories of what they’d done on their day off.  We hardly got any sleep, as everyone was running around trying to raise money to pay of the taxis.  We’ve got a bivouac tomorrow.  We should all be in fine form for that.

Got a letter from Rev van der Reest, which was very welcome, even if I did have to pay an extra 34 cents for postage.

Thursday, 16 May 1968
Canungra
I’m exhausted and we are all just going through the motions.  Up at 4:30 AM for the usual PT and two mile run, and it was bedlam.  Blokes grunting and groaning and chucking every where.  Every one seemed half dead.  And the bloody instructors just pushed us harder.  What a disaster.  After breakfast we went out bush on a bivouac.  At least they drove us out on a truck, so we didn’t have to walk, but they played silly bugger games with us with ambushes and silly crap like that.  They dropped us off in the middle of nowhere, and we had to organise a platoon attack on an enemy position, then attack and search a village.  There were booms and bangs and smoke going off everywhere and we just didn’t give a damn, we just did the best we could.  We were supposed to set up camp and dig in, but most of us just died under the stars.  To add to our woes it pissed down with rain.  Ronny Ronan was about the only one in decent form and he tried to cover for us all.

Friday, 17 May 1968
Canungra
A miserable wet night under the stars with harassing attacks and stand to’s.  We are all dog tired but at least we have recovered from our day off.  We followed blood trails up and down huge mountains and through the jungle, then went through the observation and deduction lane.  It was hard yakka, and you had to stay on the ball.  If you missed something you could be dead, at least figuratively.  Another night out in the bush in a tactical night harbour, but at least we managed to get a bit of shelter up this time.

Saturday, 18 May 1968
Canungra
It doesn’t take much for spirits to rise.  We all felt much better today and inadvertently managed to give the instructors a hard time.  We had to do a fan patrol, and Doughboy the cook was told to swing around.  He got it all wrong so the instructor told him to swing like a gate.  Poor old Doughboy didn’t have a clue, and the more agitated the instructor became the sillier the response from Doughboy.  We all sat back and laughed.  Poor old Doughboy was told he’d fail the course and would have to do it all again.  He blinked from behind his big glasses and almost burst into tears.  Poor old Doughboy.  Polky and I went up and showed him what he was meant to do, but that only got the instructor even more agitated, which we thought was even funnier.  I hadn’t had such a good laugh for ages.

We then had to do a creek patrol, and somehow every stuff up seemed hilarious.  Blokes caught on snags, falling in, AD’s (accidental discharges – an accidental shot from your rifle), lost gear, lost blokes, we had the lot, and we couldn’t stop laughing.  But an all night ambush wasn’t all that funny.  The instructors came at us again and again so we hardly got any sleep.

Sunday, 19 May 1968
Canungra
Another sleepless night with ambushes and a clearing patrol in the morning.  More scrambling about in the bush during the day, but by this time we were so tired and immune to it all that it was all just a bit of a joke.  We eventually got to where we were supposed to be and set up camp again for the night.  We are getting quite good at putting up a bit of shelter quickly and without too much effort.  A non-tactical night, so we could all get a bit of sleep.  Cal said it was his Birthday, his 21st, so Polky found a little flask of Johnnie Walker and we all had a swig for Cal’s 21st.  What a hell of a way to put in your 21st.  I remembered my 21st back home at Sulphur Creek, which rolled on from one party to the next over about two weeks.  It’s not right that a bloke has to have his 21st in this bastard of a place with nothing to mark the occasion.  It’s been very cold here at night.

Monday, 20 May 1968
Canungra
We broke camp and went on the tropical ranges shoot, then were force marched 7 miles back to camp.  We did it in 1 hour 8 minutes.  I’m very tired, but it was great to get back to our tents and stretchers again and have a shower and a cooked meal.  Heaven.  I’ve never been so pushed in all my life, nor have I ever been so fit.  All my muscles and joints are sore, but you can keep on going indefinitely, and you recover very quickly.  I’m all muscle and it feels quite sensuous just moving, with the muscles rippling up and down my arms and legs.  I must try and maintain this level of fitness.  It’s our last day tomorrow and we are all in pretty high spirits.  We went and had a few beers with Cal for his 21st.

Tuesday, 21 May 1968
Canungra
Last day at Canungra today.  We did our battle efficiency two mile run at 5:00 AM and we all passed easily.  We then had our battle inoculation test where they fired live rounds over our heads and real explosives going off around us as we did our battle efficiency course crawling through barded wire and running over logs and climbing over walls.  We all passed that too.  We did our final BE tests with ropes, jumps, walls and carrying someone.  No one fell off or got hurt.  We did the obstacle course in 14 minutes and passed the confidence course.  Perc can only swim under water, so when he jumped off the 25 foot tower, he swam under water to the bank and climbed out.  The rescue divers thought he had drowned, so they were all in their looking for him.  Perc saw all the commotion, so wandered up and asked what was going on.  They said they were looking for someone who had drowned.  We all milled around for a while when Perc asked who had drowned.  “Trooper Purcell,” they said.  “Hey, that’s me,” said Perc.  We all cracked up.

We all passed everything, even Doughboy the cook, who learnt to swing like a gate.  We were all relieved that it was over, and I felt quite proud of myself for having got through it all.  We all went down to the boozer for to celebrate, and it all ended as a rather rowdy night.

They work you to the utter limit of your physical, mental and temperamental capacities here.  It’s nice to know that everyone who goes to Vietnam goes through here first, so you know that everyone is up to scratch, and I don’t think there is anything else they could have done to us or any better training anywhere else.  I’m trained and ready to go.  I’m physically rooted, but I could run and lift and jump all day.  While I’m pleased I’ve done it, I wouldn’t want to ever come here again.

I miss Jeanette very much.  Fit and trained as I am, life just seems worthless without her.

Wednesday, 22 May 1968
Canungra
Up at 5:00 AM, no runs or PT today, just 50 pushups for anything and everything.  But 50 pushups are now a breeze.  Packed up and ready to go by 7:00 AM, but the bus doesn’t arrive until 11.  Typical Army – hurry up and wait.  We stopped at Coolangatta for dinner, and Grafton for tea.  The bus brakes failed going down one of the hills, which added to the excitement of an otherwise dull 23 hour trip.  We all slept and joked and laughed and carried on, but mostly we slept.  We stopped for breakfast at Parramatta, and got to Holsworthy at 10:00 AM.

Holsworthy
Thursday, 23 May 1968
Holsworthy
At last we got back to camp from Canungra.  We were all fighting fit and proud of ourselves for having successfully passed course.  We had the rest of the day to unpack and clean up.  I caught up with Ray Way, and we went to the boozer for a few beers.  Most of the boys had gone in to Sydney to catch up on a bit of night life, so I decided to join them.  I caught up with Polky and Cal and the other boys in the Cross, so we kicked on for a bit.  When we eventually got back to camp I realised I’d left my starched greens in the canteen, so I went back to get them but fell over a barbed wire fence while taking a short cut.  Well wouldn’t it bloody well root ya, survive Canungra and then fall over a barbed wire fence in the dark.  The boys thought it was a great joke, but I was not impressed, least of all because I’d lost my good starched greens in the process.

While in Sydney, Polky had put his clothes in the boiler to wash.  When we got back the copper was dry and the clothes were all burnt, so he swapped them for some that were already dry on the washing line.  They happened to belong to Strudwick, who wasn’t very impressed the next day either, to find some burnt strips of cloth with buttons on it hanging on the line where his clean clothes were supposed to be.  That led to a constant round of clothes swapping, a bit like pass the parcel, the loser finishing up with the burnt tatters.  Piggy even went so far as to swap his dirty clothes for clean ones, which did lead to some surprised looks in the morning when blokes went out to get their clean washing off the line only to find Piggy’s filthy dirty clothes in its place.

Friday, 24 May 1968
Holsworthy
Another day of cleaning up at camp.  I washed my gear and wrote some letters, then went in to Sydney with Polky.  Back to camp then back to Sydney with Ray Way, Howey and Bones.  We went to the Motor Club and chatted up some nurses from the Mater Hospital.  Spent the night talking to them.

Saturday, 25 May 1968
Holsworthy
After staying out all Friday night, I spent all Saturday in bed sleeping.  We all left to go to the Motor Club in our recently acquired Dodge Dart, but I tore my suit trousers while climbing a barbed wire fence.  I was very pissed off and went back to camp.  I seem to be having a lot of trouble with barbed wire at the moment.  The boys all went, and had a great time.  That seems to be the place to go at the moment, the Motor Club.

I feel very angry and pent up at the moment.  Nothing seems to be going right and I’m just totally frustrated and out of sorts.  There seems to be a grey pall over everything, and I am so on edge.

Sunday, 26 May 1968
Holsworthy
I got up at 6:00 AM and went to church at Blacktown where old Rev van der Staal was based.  Went back to the van der Staal’s for dinner, then to the Learman family for the rest of the day.  A very enjoyable “family” day, just what I needed to touch base with reality again.  They drove me back to camp and came and had a look at our rooms.  I got a Civil Defence letter, which was a spoof and a great laugh.

Monday, 27 May 1968
Holsworthy
We were stood down for the day, so I cleaned my gear, wrote a few short letters, and went shopping in Liverpool.  No mail.  I had another look at my slides and felt homesick.  It’s very cold and windy today.  Back to work again tomorrow.

Tuesday, 28 May 1968
Holsworthy
Back to work again today.  We had an SSM parade with SSM Hughes, and then went off to do a mine warfare course at SME.  I bought a tape recorder for $69 and started a tape for Mum.  No mail.  I started a letter to Jeanette.  A very slack day.

Wednesday, 29 May 1968
Holsworthy
Mine warfare course.  It’s all pretty easy and pretty slack.  I wrote a letter to Jeanette, and I do still love her a lot.  I went to the boozer with Polky.  Tried to buy a small tape to send home to Mum, there’s no way I can fill a big half-hour tape, but they didn’t have any.  No mail.

Thursday, 30 May 1968
Holsworthy
Mine warfare course.  Very slack.  Cleaned up the LAD hangers.  Went to the boozer with Polky, Youngie and Cal.

Friday, 31 May 1968
Holsworthy
Mine warfare exam, clean the kitchen, went to the bank, and got a short note from Annelies saying they were coming through on Sunday and Monday.  I chased around everywhere to get Monday off duty, and eventually succeeded.  Made a tape for Mum, and went to the boozer with the boys.  I had a few too many.

Saturday, 1 June 1968
Holsworthy
St Kilda played Carlton at the Sydney Cricket Ground today, and I went with the boys.  We took along 5 dozen beers!!  Were we ever intent on having a good time.  Lo and behold who should we run in to but Geraldine Lade from Sulphur Creek, with Helen Clingleffer, the daughter of my boss at the Pulp, and Maree Broadby from Burnie.  What a small world.  We teamed up together and had a boisterous afternoon and evening together.  Some of us kicked on at the Motor Club, and I didn’t get back to camp until 5:50 AM.

Sunday, 2 June 1968
Holsworthy
Woke up rather seedy and pottered around camp for most of the day, then went to the airport to meet Henk and Annelies.  We had a bit of a look around Sydney.  They brought me an apple cake from Mum, which I took back to camp and shared with the boys.

Monday, 3 June 1968
Holsworthy
I got the day off because my sister was in Sydney.  (I think they were on their way to Europe.)  I went in to town and spent the day with Henk and Annelies.  We went to the Stock Exchange, Botanical Gardens, Opera House, Zoo, Manly ferry, and train rides.  A lovely day off.  Went back to camp and did my washing.  Got a letter from John Meredith.

Tuesday, 4 June 1968
Holsworthy
Pottered around camp all day.  Got a letter from Di, she said Jenny Knott had been running me down.  On guard duty tomorrow.

Wednesday, 5 June 1968
Holsworthy
We went rifle shooting today.  I scored 29/40 with the SLR.  Not bad, but not too good either.  We played Aussie Rules for sport and I twisted my knee.  Got a letter from Mum and Annelies.  On guard duty tonight.

Thursday, 6 June 1968
Holsworthy
Serviced the APC’s and did some troop training exercises which were a bloody shemozzle.   We got paid and I got my back pay for group 5, the trained trooper level.  Went to the boozer with Ray Way and sent a tape to Froll.

Friday, 7 June 1968
Holsworthy
Water training with the APC’s.  Got a short note from Froll.  Went to the Hume Hotel and Motor Club with Ray Way and Geoff Guest.  Back to camp at 4:00 AM.

Saturday, 8 June 1968
Goulburn
The boys all went to Piggy’s place in Canberra in the Dodge Dart for the long weekend.  I decided to strike out on my own and not be part of the pack.  I went in to Sydney and bought myself a new suit, then hitched down to Goulbourn for the weekend, to do a bit of exploring on my own.  I booked into a cheap room in the main hotel, and went to the RSL/Workers Club for the night.  It was like a big old Ball from Tassie, with lots of old time dances and music at a level where you could still hold a conversation.  Just what I wanted.  I’d had a few beers, in fact quiet a few, and got caught up in a progressive barn dance, and was fair bursting to go to the loo, but couldn’t get off the dance floor, so had a slight accident.  How embarrassing.  Chatted up a young lady – Robyn Hobson – and we had a terrific time.  Didn’t get to bed until 5:30 AM.  It was a great inexpensive night, but very, very cold.

Sunday, 9 June 1968
Goulburn
Went to the Workers Club with Robyn for brunch and a heart starter.  A terrific cheap meal.  Visited Rex Smith’s mother, and went home with Robyn for tea and a pleasant evening.  Got back to the hotel at 3:00 AM.  Very cold again, but a terrific friendly place.  Must come here again and bring Polky with me.

Monday, 10 June 1968
Goulburn
Robyn took me sight seeing around Goulburn for the day, and went to her place for dinner.  We went to the Workers Club and by the end of the evening I was broke.  Hitched back to camp at 10:00 PM and arrived back at 1:00 AM.  A good weekend.  The boys had also had a terrific time in Canberra, and we swapped yarns well into the night.

Tuesday, 11 June 1968
Holsworthy
Did my washing, drew my last $17 from my bank account, and wrote to my bank in Tassie to transfer some more money.  Worked on the brakes of the Dodge Dart – our luxurious cruiser – and sent Tim some books for his birthday.

Wednesday, 12 June 1968
Holsworthy
Another OC parade.  We all tried to stand next to Piggy, because next to Piggy you look great.  Piggy wore a dirty tank suit, and when the OC inspected him, the OC said, “Is that a clean tank suit Trooper Chinnick?”  Piggy replied, “Yes Sir!”  Well, what could old Ocker say.  He just shook his head and moved on.  But Hughes the SSM said, “See me after this parade Trooper Chinnick.”  We all laughed.

They decided to look after our spiritual needs, so we all had to go to the Chaplain’s hour after the OC’s parade.  So naturally, Piggy conveniently “forgot” to report to the SSM, and lo and behold Hughes forgot about it too.  He leads a charmed existence.  Cal acknowledged that he had been an alter boy, so was roped in to help the Chaplain.  Poor old Cal, he felt so embarrassed and looked so out of place.  Once all the ho hah was over we jumped in our APC’s and scooted out of their as quickly as we could before something else came up, and spent the day out in the bush doing troop training.

The OC had said our rooms were a pig sty, so we were all supposed to clean our rooms that night, but we all went to the boozer instead.  I sent Jeanette some flowers for her birthday, along with a card and a letter.  It was a rather late night and we were all a bit boisterous.  I hope it all goes well tomorrow, we could all be in deep shit for not having done our rooms and things.  I scored bloody guard duty again for the weekend.

Thursday, 13 June 1968
Holsworthy
Well what do you know, nothing happened.  They didn’t check our rooms, they just assumed we had all done as we were told!  I think we’ve worked out a way to beat the system.  We did water training all day.  Pretty slack as we only had four Cars.  Wrote to Bruce and Di.

Friday, 14 June 1968
Holsworthy
Troop training all morning, weekly service all afternoon.  Another slack day.  I’m on guard duty all weekend.  Wrote to Mum and Narella.

Saturday, 15 June 1968
Holsworthy
It’s Jeanette’s 21st Birthday today, and I’m stuck here doing bloody guard duty.  I felt very angry and frustrated.  All the boys are going out on the town and I’m stuck in here.  Guard duty was pretty slack, so I took a punt and went to a party at 7:00 PM.  Didn’t get back until 5:00 AM and went straight back on the beat and woke the Duty Sergeant.  No one had missed me!  I won a heart at the party – Nola.  Must take her out again.

The boys had one hell of a hectic night.  They got plastered, flicked the sides out of beer glasses at the pub, the pub caught fire, lost a jacket, ran out of brakes and pranged our Cruiser, and ran out of money.  What a night.

Sunday, 16 June 1968
Holsworthy
On guard and feeling pretty smug about having beat the system last night.  I slept most of the day, and so did the boys after their adventures.  I welded the bake pipe on the Dart, but it finished up with no brakes at all on the front right wheel.  However, it shouldn’t leak any more and run out of brakes altogether.  The brake pipe was leaking and the boys had to fill up the master cylinder each time the brakes had been used 5 times.  They filled it with beer, whiskey, milk they had knocked off from some one’s door step, and they even tried pissing in it.  I rang Nola and am taking her out again on Tuesday.  I’m pretty happy in the Army at the moment, plenty of excitement and things happening.  What a laugh.

Monday, 17 June 1968
Holsworthy
I’m still on guard duty, and missed the morning parade while I was on the phone.  No one missed me.  Another good lurk.  Hand in CES (I have no idea what that means).  We had weapons handling and a 2 mile run.  They want to try and keep us fit after Canungra.  Went to the Sundowner with Polky, and rang Nola and teed her up for tomorrow night.  Got a letter from Annelies.  I’m quite enjoying this Army life.  It’s pretty interesting and exciting once you learn how to play the system.

Tuesday, 18 June 1968
Holsworthy
Parade in the morning with extra drill for good measure.  Clean SAL’s (I don’t remember what that means, but I think it refers to the showers and toilets), lectures on South Vietnam and MT documents (I don’t remember what that means either.  Medical check and X-rays, and a two mile run.  A nice slack day.

Took Nola to the Brighton le Sands in the Dodge Dart, and a good time was had by all.  The car performed well, as did Nola, so it’s now broken in.  Got back to camp at 3:30 AM.  No mail.

The Dodge Dart is a story in its own right, and deserves a bit of description.  It was a huge monster of a thing, weighing 1 ½ tons.  It was a mid 1950’s model, painted a duck-egg blue colour.  We bought it off one of the blokes who was going to Vietnam for $40.  Five of us bought it – Piggy, Polky, Youngy, Cal, Howy and me – I know that makes six, but Piggy was broke, so it cost us $8 each.  And what an investment.  It gave us more thrills, spills and excitement – and got us into more trouble, than any other $8 investment we ever made.  To start with, it had no brakes.  Well, that’s not quite true because it did have some brakes some of the time.  But the right front brake line leaked, and after three to five applications of the brakes, there was no fluid left, and hence no brakes.  Its quite a sobering experience to be driving a 1 ½ ton vehicle in Sydney traffic and to have no brakes.  Nor did it have reverse gear.  Well, it did have reverse, but you had to crawl under the thing and jiggle the gear linkages a particular way in order to get it to work.  You could do this from under the bonnet if your arms were 12 feet long with two extra elbows.  It was easier to park in such a way that reverse was not needed, or if it was needed, that you parked it on a slope so that gravity would do the reversing for you.  Then there was the steering.  There was a bit of slack in the steering – about 1 ½ turns of the wheel.  The hand brake came out in our hands, unattached to anything the first time we tried it, so we kept a brick on the floor in the back for an emergency park brake.  The window winder had a mind of its own.  Sometimes you touched it and the window just fell down, and other times it jammed up and required all your strength to move it, a difficult thing to do when trying to keep the thing on the road.  The speedo cable was frayed, so would slow down as the frayed wires were caught and wound up, then would suddenly fly forward as the tension became too much.  This resulted in a wavering speedo, the faster you went the greater the waver, with 10-90 miles per hour being the top speed.  The front passenger door was also a marvel of security.  To open the door you had to pull the handle partly down twice until it caught the mechanism, lift it up partly and quickly push it right down, then, while holding the handle down you had to push and lift the door about two inches and then whisk the door open, which was always done with a flourish.  The floor had holes rusted through it, which came in handy as an ashtray.  Company policy was to never clean the car, so the floor in the back became piled high with empty bottles, cigarette packets and hamburger wrappers.  Murph had chucked out the front passenger window – not a proper chuck but a feeble dribble that trickled its way down the door.  As he wound up the window, a 3 inch stripe was dragged up each side of the window.  For weeks we could easily pick our car – it was the one surrounded by flies.  No one wanted to drive the thing, so it used to be a sprint down to the car park to sit in the back – the furthest from any likely point of impact – the last one in having to drive the car, except when Youngy came.  He didn’t have a licence, so couldn’t lose it, so when he came, he had to drive.

Wednesday, 19 June 1968
Holsworthy
Kit check and Vietnam diseases lecture in the morning with sport for the afternoon.  We had to clean our rooms for an inspection tomorrow.  I’m very tired from the late nights.  A hard day.  No mail.

Thursday, 20 June 1968
Holsworthy
A nice easy day pottering around camp for the day.  Dave Keating came over so we went to town together and finished up in the Cross.  We thought we’d check out Chapel Lane, which was crowded.  A gut full of booze and the dark street lights made those girls look gorgeous.  We did a lap to check it out, another lap to make our pick, a third lap to confirm our pick and in I went.  Dave went next door.  Ten minutes and $10 later we were back on the street having accomplished our mission.  Perhaps pay day is not such a good time to go down there.

Friday, 21 June 1968
Holsworthy
Radio voice procedure and a weekly service of the APC’s.  Polky, Cal, Youngy, Howey and I went to the Brighton le Sands and I took Nola along.  We all had a terrific time, and the boys went on to the Motor Club.  We didn’t get back to camp until 4:30 AM.

Saturday, 22 June 1968
Holsworthy
Piggy, Polky, Cal, Dusty and I went to Canberra in the Dodge Dart.  We gate crashed various parties and had a terrific time.  We stayed at Piggy’s place.  His folks are real dears.  His father pottered around and made meals for us.  I’m not sure they knew what hit them when we arrived.  Dusty parked the car out in the middle of the road and then flaked behind the wheel.  We had to lift him out in order to get the car off the road.

Sunday, 23 June 1968
Holsworthy
Went to the War Museum and toured Canberra for the day.  Drove back to camp and arrived back at 5:00 PM.  A full an exciting weekend.

Monday, 24 June 1968
Holsworthy
Weapons handling with 50 and 30 calibre machine guns, then firing down at the range.  I took my 9mm Browning and practiced with that.  It’s a great little weapon for personal use.  I’m in the bloody mess again for a week tomorrow.  Did my washing.  Got letters from the Meehan’s and Froll, who told me off for being silly about Jeanette.

Tuesday, 25 June 1968
Holsworthy
Started working in the mess, then at 11:00 AM was told to get ready to go to Wallsend, where I was to be a batman for officers doing a Major’s course.  I was very dark about this, and had to work until 8:30 PM getting gear ready for the officers.  I couldn’t take Nola out, so had to ring and cancel our date.  I’m here for the next two weekends, and have to work nights as well.  I’m sick of this.  I cop all the duties because they can spell my name.  I’m going to complain about it.  Our OC, Dave Lawrence is one of the officers doing the course.

Wednesday, 26 June 1968
Holsworthy
Worked in the officers mess at Wallsend all day.  They have good tucker, so we ate well, but that doesn’t make up for getting all the shit jobs.  Went back to Holsworthy to see the boys, but they’d all gone out.  Got a card from Annelies.

Thursday, 27 June 1968
Holsworthy
We have to wake the officers in the morning by bringing them a cup of tea in bed.  We clomp up and down the passage in the fibro huts and make as much noise as possible.  We pour their tea and try and give it to them while they are still lying down so that they can’t get up.  We manage to catch a few, but usually only once.  Made the officers beds all morning, then spun a yarn to get in to Liverpool to get some money out of the bank.  Managed to spend the afternoon in Liverpool before going back.  Got back just in time to miss serving tea.  Spent the night at the boozer.  Could be alright here if I try hard at bludging.  Could gain some experience.

Friday, 28 June 1968
Holsworthy
We cleaned the rooms a bit today, and packed the officers gear away in the wardrobes.  It’s not a bad job really, you don’t have to do much, but I just don’t like being someone’s lackey.  Took Nola to the Hurstville RSL club.  We snogged on the couch at her place, and her old man told me to leave at 2:30 AM.  He almost sprung us.  What an embarrassing predicament.  Got back to camp at 3:30 AM.

Saturday, 29 June 1968
Holsworthy
Up at 5:300 AM after just 2 hours sleep to bring the officers their cup of tea in bed.  Made the beds and cleaned the rooms.  Went back to Holsworthy to get the car.  Rang Nola, but not welcome there at the moment.  Went to Blacktown – close to Wallsend – and went to see the film Robin Hood, then on to the local Miller’s pub for a few beers.

Sunday, 30 June 1968
Holsworthy
Pottered around doing Batman duties in the morning, all done by lunch time.  Rang Nola and went to her place.  Her old man told me off.  Went to mass with Nola as a sign of good faith, and back to Wallsend.

Monday, 1 July 1968
Holsworthy
Up at 5:30 AM to do the usual rounds of Batman duties.  Cup of tea in bed for the officers, stoked the fires, made beds and cleaned rooms.  All done by 11:00 AM.

Tuesday, 2 July 1968
Holsworthy
Batman duties for the Major training course at Wallsend.  All finished by 12 noon.  Had to move some of them to other quarters in the afternoon.  It’s a bit of a bludge, but I miss the other boys.  Listened to the Rose-Sukiaka fight.  Rose won.

Wednesday, 3 July 1968
Holsworthy
Batman duties at Wallgrove, finished by noon.  Slept all afternoon.  Did the washing and had two beers.  Flat broke now.

Thursday, 4 July 1968
Holsworthy
Batman duties at Wallgrove.  Went to Holsworthy and watched the Rose-Sukiaka fight with the boys.  Rose won again!

Friday, 5 July 1968
Holsworthy
Batman duties at Wallgrove.  Went out with the boys at night to the Mayfair, Rex and Congo Club at the Cross.  The Congo Club is a real dive.  We had a ball and didn’t get back to camp until 4:30 AM.

Saturday, 6 July 1968
Holsworthy
Put in a hard day doing Batman duties.  I didn’t get to bed last night.  Slept in the afternoon.  Took Nola to see Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines for a quiet night out.  I think that is such a funny film.

Sunday, 7 July 1968
Holsworthy
Batman duties in the morning.  Went to church in Liverpool and went to Koster’s for tea.  Met a nice young woman there – Maryanne.

Monday, 8 July 1968
Holsworthy
Another easy day at Wallgrove.  Spent the night back at Holsworthy with the boys and went back to Wallgrove the next morning.

Tuesday, 9 July 1968
Holsworthy
Another easy day at Wallgrove.  It was the last day so we packed everything up.  Went back to Holsworthy.  Sent Rick a tie-pin and card for his birthday, and sent John Meredith a tape.

Wednesday, 10 July 1968
Holsworthy
Wouldn’t it bloody well root ya.  I’ve just done two weeks of duties as a Batman, and now I’m on mess duties for the week.  I hate this bloody place.  I’m sure it’s just because they can spell my name.  Went to the boozer with Howey and got plastered.  Howey wanted to got in to the Cross once the boozer closed but I had to get to bed.  I couldn’t jump out of the car quickly enough before Howey took off.  So I put my hands over his eyes to make him stop, but he kept going.  We mowed down a sign in the car park and put the fan through the radiator.  Howey wanted to fight me but I went to bed.  I was really queasy and chucked out of the third floor window.  Unbeknown to me, the cook Corporal on the second floor had his window tilted open, and my chuck landed all over it.  Not a good night.

Thursday, 11 July 1968
Holsworthy
What a shemozzle.  Got up at 5:00 AM to do mess duties with a hangover, when Piggy comes in wanting a ride to Richmond airbase.  He was on CB (Confined to Barracks) for some misdemeanour, and was leaving for an exercise in South Australia early this morning, so didn’t have to parade this morning.  So he took the night off after his last parade at 11:00 PM and went in to town to shack up with his latest true love.  He told the taxi driver to come and pick him up at 4:30, but didn’t specify AM, so the taxi didn’t show up and Piggy slept in.  Given that we’d pranged the car last night, I couldn’t take Piggy to Richmond, so we sent him in a cab.  He arrived just in time to see the last Hercules take off down the runway.  He’s in big shit.  AWOL while on CB.  My God.

The cook was mad because some one had chucked over his window.  Thank God he couldn’t pin it on me, but he was most annoyed, and there was hell to pay for the damaged sign in the car park.  The Corporal was running around looking for a car so high off the ground as that was the height of the flattened sign, but there were so many dings and bingles on the Dart that they couldn’t really pin it on us.  Eventually Howey owned up, but we threw the whole system into confusion when they wanted to know who owned the car.  We said it belonged to all five of us, and they couldn’t really cope with that.  We were fined $20 for the damage.

Friday, 12 July 1968
Holsworthy
Thank God, a quiet day in the mess doing mess duties.  It’s not a bad place to be to ride out a storm because they don’t think of looking for you there.  The boys came back from an exercise at Gospers and were a bit dark about the pranged Cruiser.

Saturday, 13 July 1968
Holsworthy
Mess duties.  Went to Chris Carmody’s 21st with Nola.  Got a ride back to camp with her swinging aunty Helen.  A nice homely night.

Sunday, 14 July 1968
Holsworthy
Mess duties.  Went to church in Liverpool in the evening and saw Maryanne.  Got a letter from Narella Jones, she’s got a steady now.  Nice girl, I hope she’s happy.  Finished reading Island in the Sun, an excellent book.

Monday, 15 July 1968
Holsworthy
Still working in this bloody mess, but my complaining must have paid off.  I’d been rostered to do Victoria Barracks guard for a week, but have now been assigned to do a mortar course with Ronnie Ronan and some grunts.  The 11th intake arrived today, and includes Normie Rowe.  He’s a fairly well known singer.

Tuesday, 16 July 1968
Holsworthy
Mess duties again.  I’m in strife with L/Corporal Strudwick (but at this time have no idea what that was about.)  The Taroona High School students held a demonstration (no idea whether that was pro or anti Vietnam or pro or anti the Postal strikes).  No mail.  I’ve been thinking about Jeanette all day.  I do really love her and miss her, and just long for us to be together again.  What is she doing?  Who is she going out with?  What does she think of me?  I just hope I can win her back after national service is all over.

“Bootlace”, one of the LAD (Light Aid Detachment who do our mechanical work) has been killed in Vietnam.  That’s rather sobering and brings the war back home.

Wednesday, 17 July 1968
Holsworthy
Mess duties again.  I went and saw Lt Crossdale about a Corps transfer to RAEME as I’m sick of getting all these duties.  I’m sure I only get them because they can spell my name.  He wasn’t all that sympathetic but said he’d look into it.  I don’t really want to transfer, but I do want to be treated like the others and not constantly singled out for duties.  Went to Liverpool to donate blood and took the opportunity to spend a couple of hours wandering around.  Polished the room, and wrote to Don Hill for a trade reference, and Mum for my trade papers.

Thursday, 18 July 1968
Holsworthy
Mess duties again, including an inventory of the kitchen.  Everything had to be pulled out and counted.  The OC saw me about my request for a Corps transfer and tried to talk me out of it.  I’m not really sure what I want to do, but I’m sick of all these duties.  Went to a WRAAC’s fancy dress party with Youngie, Cal, Polky and Dufty all in McManus’ mini.  I got plastered and conned on to Hiawatha.  We all went back to Polky and Cal’s room at Ingleburn where they are doing a mortar course, where we sank a few more “aras” (bottles from Aristotle).  Dufty chucked all the way back, and we were all somewhat under the weather.  We got back to camp at 2:30 AM.

Friday, 19 July 1968
Holsworthy
I was all big and delicate for mess duties this morning, and took it all nice and easy.  Took Nola to the RSL club.  I don’t know what she sees in me, but she’s not a bad sort.  Got back to camp at 1:30 AM.  Going to a party with Nola tomorrow night.

Saturday, 20 July 1968
Holsworthy
In to Liverpool to look at cars, and into the Mainsbridge for a few beers with the boys.  Then on to the Oceanic at Coogee in the prime mover with the boys for a few more beers.  The to a birthday party with Nola.  Late night.  Very seedy.

Sunday, 21 July 1968
Holsworthy
Did my washing, wrote a letter to Froll, and went to church.  Got on quite well with Maryanne.

Monday, 22 July 1968
Holsworthy
Prepare tracks for training with 5 Battalion.  Leaving at 7:00 AM tomorrow.  Got a letter from Pom Meredith.  Peter Wruck was killed in a car accident.  A very cold wet and miserable day.

Tuesday, 23 July 1968
Holsworthy
On exercise with 5 RAR driving Steve Cameron.  This is more like it.  I had 4 rides in a helicopter.  Sleeping in the tracks.  Very cold.  We look very “warry” with our pistols and all.

Wednesday, 24 July 1968
Holsworthy
Second day of “Broken Ridge” exercise with 5 RAR, and a very easy day for us.  At 9:00 PM we had to take the hot boxes back, and then we had to collect them again at 1:00 AM for breakfast at 3:00 AM.  The poor old grunts had to dig holes, pitch hootchies and sleep on the ground, while we had it easy by sleeping in our APC’s.  It was very cold here at night though.  I managed to get my APC up to 45 mph, which is really hiking in those things.

Thursday, 25 July 1968
Holsworthy
Third day of exercise “Broken Ridge” with 5 RAR.  We were up at 12:40 AM to get breakfast at 3:00 AM.  The poor grunts had to shift camp again, fill in their old holes and then dig new ones.  The weather is pleasant during the day, but bitterly cold at night.  We went scrub bashing with the APC’s which impressed the grunts no end.  Iriquios helicopters are always at hand and seen very impressive.

Friday, 26 July 1968
Holsworthy
Broken Ridge exercise with 5 RAR.  Did nothing all day.  Met up with Dave Keating, my little grunt mate from rookies.  Watched the grunts dig more holes and took some warry photos.  Gave the grunts some food and water.  I’m glad I got into Armoured Corps.

Saturday, 27 July 1968
Holsworthy
Last day of Broken Ridge exercise with 5 RAR.  I knocked a sniper out of a tree with my carrier.  He was very dark about it.  Back to camp.  Did my washing.  Got a parcel from Mum and a letter from Annelies.  Took Nola to the pictures.

Sunday, 28 July 1968
Holsworthy
Went to Kosters and to the Sydney Reformed Church, then to Petersons with Maryanne and Hetty.  Church again at night and teed up Maryanne.  Had a lovely family day.

Monday, 29 July 1968
Holsworthy
Started a mortar course at Ingleburn with Ronnie Ronan.  I wanted to do a parachute course but I got this instead.  It’s pretty good though.  We are working tomorrow night, so I won’t be able to take Maryanne out tomorrow.  I scrubbed and polished the room and am very tired.

Wrote letter to Mum.

Tuesday, 30 July 1968
Holsworthy
Continued on the mortar course, including evening lectures and practice.  Managed to eventually get away and took Maryanne out to Brighton le Sands Hotel and RSL club.  I got lost bringing her back home in the Prime Mover, and came back through Sutherland.  I didn’t get her home until 4:30 AM.  Her old man was ropable.  Got back to camp at 4:50 AM and was rooted.  She’s a nice girl.

Wednesday, 31 July 1968
Holsworthy
Slept in until 7:30 AM and was in a bit of a daze all day.  I was really rooted, but went through the motions on the Mortar Course.  Did a bit of washing after work, and had an early night.

Thursday, 1 August 1968
Holsworthy
Another day on the Mortar Course with 5 RAR.  Pay day so I went out with the boys to the Sundowner for a few beers after duty.  I rang Maryanne, but will have to try and smooth things over with her folks.  Big show-down tomorrow night when I go and pick her up.

I got a letter from Mum with my Diesel papers, and I wrote to Froll to get the rest of my papers sent over so that I can transfer to RAEME.

Friday, 2 August 1968
Holsworthy
Another day on the Mortar Course with 5 RAR.  We did plotting and aiming today, quite interesting, just like surveying.

I went to the Koster’s to face the music about getting Maryanne so late home the other night.  We had to wait for hours for the folks to come home.  It was pretty much a standard routine – the old man all big and dark, and me humble and contrite.  Things are pretty much smoothed over now.  Maryanne seems rather nervous and neurotic.  I’m sure Jeanette is the only girl for me.  I’m still rapped in her and will definitely try and win her back.

Saturday, 3 August 1968
Holsworthy
Mortar course in the morning, to Stano’s with the boys for the afternoon and night.  We took Youngy’s TV set over for Stano’s missus to keep her company.  To the Sundowner Hotel for a resupply run, then back to Stano’s for a farewell party for Howey, Asquith and Brooker.  They are off to Vietnam soon.  We conned on to two birds – Coral and Chris.  Polky and Cal flaked.

I wrote to Nola and started a letter to Jeanette.

Sunday, 4 August 1968
Holsworthy
A bit groggy this morning.  In to the bush with the grunts for a 10 Fire Support Base exercise as part of the mortar course.  Very slack day.  I slept in the back of the truck.

Monday, 5 August 1968
Holsworthy
Out in the bush on 10 FSB exercise.  Very slack day.  Sleeping in bunkers tonight.  We expect an “enemy” attack tonight.  Nice sort of weather – clear sky and cool.  Been doing POL all day (I don’t remember what that means).  We have to dig our own bunkers tomorrow.

Got a letter from Tante Lena which really boosted my morale.

Tuesday, 6 August 1968
Holsworthy
Ronny Ronan and I had to dig our own bunkers today.  That was hard yakka with those silly little fold-up shovels.  Thank goodness it cool clear weather.

Got a letter from Jeanette.  You bloody little ripper.  I feel on top of the world.  I will go back to Tassie when all this is over and try and win her back.  Must say a little prayer for her tonight.  I’m still rapped in her.  She’s the only girl for me.

Wednesday, 7 August 1968
Holsworthy
This is crap.  Digging bloody pits all day and got overhead cover on.  Very hot day.  Choppers flying around all day.  The OC checked the pits.  I’m not going to go to RAEME, I want to be with my mates where there’s a bit of action, not stuffing around at some base doing what I could be doing in civvy street.  Capt De Vere had a yarn with us, he’s expecting an “enemy” attack tonight.

Got letters from Mum and Rick.

Thursday, 8 August 1968
Holsworthy
Still buggering around in the bush.  Placed a cover over our bunker, spread dirt so you couldn’t see where we’d been, and filled sandbags.  The enthusiasm is starting to wane greatly.  Last night in this stupid fucked out hole.  OC seems impressed with our work.

Friday, 9 August 1968
Holsworthy
Packed up on 10 FSB exercise.  Filled in our bloody hole and filled more bloody sandbags.  This grunt work has got knobs on it.  Did a weekly service on Sergeant Dwyer’s track.  Had a hair cut and booked a plane home to Tassie for next weekend.  I’m ringing Jeanette tomorrow.  Gee I love her.  I hope she comes back to me.  The boys came back again.  (I have no idea where they had been.)

I wrote to Te Strake and Mrs Jones.  I hope I do well with Jeanette.

Saturday, 10 August 1968
Holsworthy
Still on that mortar course.  I wanted to do the parachute course, and they gave me this instead.

I rang Jeanette but she didn’t seem too happy about what I was proposing.  I don’t know whether to bother going home or not.  I went to the pictures with the boys.  I feel very, very lonesome and homesick.  I don’t know what to do.  I really love Jeanette.  God please send her back to me.

Sunday, 11 August 1968
Holsworthy
Went to the Church of England service and prayed for Jeanette.  It’s about all I can do from here.  I took Nola to the national park where we scored.  Had tea at the Carmody’s.

Monday, 12 August 1968
Singleton
To Singleton for the mortar course.  Very cold and wet.  Prayed for Jeanette.

Tuesday, 13 August 1968
Singleton
Firing mortars and night firing.  Very cold and wet, and my ears hurt.  The mortars are very impressive, and it’s exciting setting them all up.  Prayed for Jeanette.

Wednesday, 14 August 1968
Singleton
Still raining.  Out on the range all night and day.  Back to camp 9:30 PM.  Letters from Nola and Annelies.  I’m being sent home on pre-embarkation leave.  I hope I come back alright.

Thursday, 15 August 1968
Holsworthy
Mortar course exam.  Arranged travel home.  All set to go.  Looking forward to seeing Jeanette.  I hope I can win her back.

Friday, 16 August 1968
Tasmania
Flew from Sydney to Wynyard.  Saw Jeanette.  She won’t have anything to do with me.  I went to the RSL club in Burnie and had a few beers.  This is not how I expected things to be.  I’m bitterly disappointed.  This is my pre-embarkation leave.  This is not how it is supposed to be.  I’m unwanted and don’t belong.  What the hell is going on.  Went to Froll and Geoff’s, Punchy Smith, John and Pauline Kalbfell’s, and to the Regent Hotel to a cabaret.  Jeanette was there but wouldn’t even look at me.  This is killing me, eating out my guts.  I’ll just have to give her a big miss.

Saturday, 17 August 1968
Tasmania
At Froll and Geoff’s.  Made chicken chow mien.  John and Pauline Kalbfell came for tea.  I tried to con on to Jill Burgess, but no go.  I feel so very lonely, unwanted and misplaced.  I just want to be out of here.  What a way to spend my pre-embarkation leave.

Sunday, 18 August 1968
Tasmania
Went to church in the morning.  Saw Harry Venema.  Felt very restless.  Went to church in Ulverstone and went to van Wyck’s.  Very good sermons, which made me feel a bit better.  I must learn to guard my heart and mind from wicked things.  I hope the feeling lasts.  I need something to live for.

Monday, 19 August 1968
Tasmania
I hitched to Smithton and stayed at Peter Bird’s.  Had an enjoyable day and visited Evenhuis.  Sampled Birdies’ wine cellar and we got plastered together.

Tuesday, 20 August 1968
Tasmania
Hitched to Edith Creek to visit te Strake.  Spent a very enjoyable day.  Saw Max and Helen, and te Strake’s new house.  They were all very friendly and we talked about old times.  I was very pleased I went.

Wednesday, 21 August 1968
Tasmania
Hitched from Edith Creek to Burnie.  Went to Froll’s, the Tractor Shop where I’d done my apprenticeship, and the Saw Mill.  Visited John and Pauline, Rev van der Reest, the Jones’, Danny Nielsen, and back to Froll’s.  I hitched on to Launceston and stayed with Bruce and Di, and had a few beers at the RSL Club.

Thursday, 22 August 1968
Tasmania
Hitched from Launceston to Hobart.  Went home to Mum’s.  Visited Mrs Keating and Mrs Way.  Saw Adrian Kuilenburg.  I was very pleased to see Henry and Rick.  Mum not very impressed with Army life.

Friday, 23 August 1968
Tasmania
To Hobart to fix my ticket back to camp.  Saw Tessa, got sozzled and met a nice barmaid.  Came home.  Mum big and dark.  Took Tessa out, she cried on my shoulder and I tried to comfort her and tell her about life.  We had an enjoyable evening and I didn’t get home until 4:00 AM.  Wrote to te Strake and AC Goode.  I borrowed Henry’s Mini.  He seems to have been robbed in buying that car, but I wouldn’t tell him that.

Saturday, 24 August 1968
Tasmania
Still on Pre-em leave.  Got up late, did nothing much.  Rang Tess who teed up a blind date, Sue Scott.  Got mum’s car and went to the RSL club.  Good time had by all.  Went to the Shoreline and got plastered.  Could settle down with her.  Mum big and dark.  Got home at 2:00 AM.

Sunday, 25 August 1968
Tasmania
To church, Kuilenburg’s, John K’s, and home.

Monday, 26 August 1968
Tasmania
Borrowed Henry’s car and went to Hobart.  Looked for Sue, and took Tess for lunch at St Ives.  Had a good time.  To the Battery Point pub with Sue, then the Brazil, and to the top of Mt Wellington.  Nx2,  She’s a nice girl, a very pretty blonde.  Must send her a birthday card from Vietnam.  DoB 3/12/46.  Sue Rose Scott.  Quenn Alexandra Hospital.  Eldest of 6 children.  Canadian Australian.  5’7”, 8stone 5 lbs, 35-24-35.  She’s reading Now You’ll Think I’m Awful.

Tuesday, 27 August 1968
Tasmania
To town.  Did shopping.  Saw Max Prins.  Went to the Way’s for the evening.  Very enjoyable day.

Wednesday, 28 August 1968
Tasmania
To Meehan’s, town, saw Cathy again, home, to Kuilenburgs, van der Bom’s and Keatings.  Chased after Cathy but couldn’t find her, then to the Lewis’s.  Read most of Now You’ll Think I’m Awful.  Good book.  Very good day.

Thursday, 29 August 1968
Melbourne
Last day of pre-embarkation leave in Tassie.  Flew to Melbourne.  Tried to catch up with John Merredith but couldn’t find him.  Took Judy out for dinner and back to the London Hotel.  3xN.  Good score.  She seems quiet rapped.

Friday, 30 August 1968
Holsworthy
Flew from Melbourne to Sydney, and back to camp.  Saw the boys and got paid.  To the Sundowner and the MotorClub with Stano and his missus, Polky, Cal, and Ray Way.  We got plastered and back to camp at 4:30 AM.

Saturday, 31 August 1968
Holsworthy
I was pleased to be back in camp and away from the ghosts of the past back in Tassie.  I just don’t feel that I belong there any more.  An easy day back at camp.  We went to the Coogee Bay and Oceanic Hotels with Stano and his missus, Youngie and his girlfriend Murph, Cal, Polky, Ray Way and Dusty.  We had a good night out and got plastered.

At the Oceanic we were upstairs in the carbaret room and Youngie had a big fireworks cracker in his pocket.  The bottom bar was full of big brawny rugby chaps.  Youngie suggested throwing the cracker out the window onto the street below and watch the rugby boys react.  It seemed like a good idea at the time, so tow of the boys went down stairs to watch the action.  Youngie lit the fuse from his cigarette and waited until the cracker was about to explode, then heaved it out the window.  The cracker smashed into the back of the hotel sign out on the ledge, and bounced back to just under our window.  Youngie frantically tried to reach it, bit his arms were too short.  He sat back down, picked up his beer and said, “Make out nothing is happening.”  Suddenly there was a huge explosion.  The window flapped up and down and small pieces of brown cracker-paper blew around in the turbulent after-math of the explosion.  Gun-powered smoke wafted into the room and mixed with the cigarette smoke.  The music stopped, the people froze in their tracks, and their was silence.  Everyone turned around to look, and we were quietly sitting there sipping our beers as though nothing had happened.  As we were escourted from the premises, Cal picked up a huge silver ice bucket, tipped out the ice and put it on his head like a hat.  He wore it like that unnoticed and presented it to Stano’s wife as a souvenir of a memorable night out.

Sunday, 1 September 1968
Holsworthy
Worked all day on my gear and the tracks, then went to church and to Koster’s place at night.  We are going to Rockhampton for an exercise on Tuesday, flying up with the Carriers in Hercules aircraft.  Should be good.  I haven’t been that far north before.  Then we go to Eastern Command Personnel Depot (ECPD) on the 30th, and to Vietnam on 7th October.  I won’t see Annelies again.

Monday, 2 September 1968
Holsworthy
Prepared my track for the Rockhampton exercise – Exercise Rifle Bird.  I drove the track to Ingleburn for weighing and then to Richmond airbase for loading onto the Hercules aircraft.  Got back to camp at 8:30 PM.  Saw Dave Keating for a few minutes.  I won’t see him again until he reaches SVN.  Rang Nola, and had a drink with Ray Way.  I won’t see him until SVN either.  It makes you feel sad when you won’t see your mates again for a while.

Youngy got locked up for leaking outside the cop shop.  Silly young bugger.  Cal and Polky left for Rockhampton this morning, and Youngy and I are off early tomorrow.

Rockhampton
Tuesday, 3 September 1968
Rockhampton
Up at 4:00 AM and on to Richmond airbase.  Loaded the carriers on to a monstrous Hercules aircraft – you can fit two APC’s their crews and infantry on board, and flew up to Rockhampton.  The weather here is about 80 to 90 degrees F and just great.  We went swimming in the pool all afternoon after we had unloaded the tracks, and out on the town all night.  Lousey night life here, perhaps they’ve all locked up their daughters while we are in town.  This exercise seems like a fairly slack thing, and I’m pleased I’m with the boys again – Polky, Cal, and Youngy.  Sent cards to Mum, Froll, Annelies, Judy, Cathy, and Sue.

Wednesday, 4 September 1968
Rockhampton
The camp is called Pink Lily just out of Rockhampton.  Worked on the APC all morning and went swimming all afternoon.  To the boozer at night with Polky.  We stowed a few beers in our tracks for ‘ron (later on).  We are all big and happy.  This could be a bloody good little exercise.

Thursday, 5 September 1968
Rockhampton
Up at 6:00 AM.  Moved out of Pink Lily at 6:30 AM for Raspberry Creek.  We drank a few bots on the way.  Very dry and dusty trip.  Polky broke an engine liner.  Got some grog from the canteen and drank it with the boys.  This could be a good little exercise.

Friday, 6 September 1968
Rockhampton
War has started!!  The exercise is on.  Up at 6:00 AM and then waited until 10:00 AM to pick up a load of grunts.  We took them for 14 miles in the day, and got lost twice!  What a bloody schmozzle.  Just one big fuck up.  If this is how they run the war God help us.  Camped at last at about 8:00 PM, having travelled all of 14 bloody miles.  It would have been quicker to walk.  Drank the rest of the grog on board and slept.  It rained while I was on picquet, but generally the weather is excellent.  Lousy job I’ve got, doing nothing.  Hot dusty and tiring day.

Saturday, 7 September 1968
Rockhampton
Up at 6:00AM to help cordon off a “play” village for the grunts.  Big bludge.  It rained after noon, and so I had a shower in the rain.  We got our track horribly bogged and had to abandon it for the night.  It rained all night and I was soaked with little sleep.

Got a letter from Henry saying I’d annoyed a Superintendent of Police in Hobart.  He’s a good kid.

Sunday, 8 September 1968
Rockhampton
At last we got the Carrier out of the swamp after two others got bogged trying to pull us out.  Thank hell it was only an exercise.  We drove a Major-General around and bludged all afternoon.  I wrote a letter to Robyn and Brian Bachelor, who had a son, and to Nola.  We had to sleep outside again last night and were attacked by some grunts but managed to drive then off.  It was all very exciting and seemed like a good little war.

Monday, 9 September 1968
Rockhampton
We took the Artillery up and down the road towing their 105mm Howitzers to practice ambush and road block drills.  It was a very hot day and we took it pretty easy.  I took some “warry” photos and wrote a letter to Henry.  At 5:30 PM we had to drive some grunts to a harbour position.  We were lost most of the time but managed to get within 500 yards of the position by 8:30 PM.  Then we brewed up and had a Major in for dinner.  Lots of snakes here, the grunts saw two today.  We knocked off a bottle of Johnnie Walker, and were allowed to sleep in the tracks.  Marvellous.  At least we didn’t have to dig holes again at night.

Tuesday, 10 September 1968
Rockhampton
We took some grunts to clear a road block.  It was chilly in the morning so I did stand-to in my sleeping bag and dozed off in the driver’s seat.  Took some Kiwis for a burn in the tracks and they loved it.  Gave a couple of them a drive.  Did a recce of a new area and went to 3TFMA to camp for the night.  Went to the boozer, had a shower and did my washing.  We had a bit of a sing-along at night which made me feel quite homesick.  The whole thing is still big and slack, and we are due overseas soon.  When do we really learn how to fight a war.

Wednesday, 11 September 1968
Rockhampton
Continued the recce and got lost umpteen times.  Sergeant Grieg broke his finger and cut his hand badly.  We had to call in the “Dust Off” helicopter to evacuate him for medical attention.  A bloke can get hurt in this war.  We eventually got to where we were going – a creek crossing – and then drove back to the Glen for the night.  Arrived back at 8:00 PM too late for tea, so scrounged some tucker off the cooks, for which we had to give then a ride around the block.  It’s a funny old game.

Thursday, 12 September 1968
Rockhampton
Scrounged some more rations, got paid, rationed, and did a canteen run.  Youngie is in hopital, and they say Polky is back.  I drove Sergeant Stuart for a while today and eventually caught up with Polky again.  We sat up and spun warries and told yarns most of the night.  Got a letter from Pom Merredith and Judy Freeman.  Very morale boosting.  Drank a bit of piss and had an enjoyable night.

Friday, 13 September 1968
Rockhampton
Shifted some grunts from A to B, a distance of 4 miles.  Did nothing all day.  Beautiful weather – about 100 F.  I’m getting crapped off with doing nothing.  This is a lousey fucked our war, and no wonder the Vietnam war is taking so long.  No cunt knows what is going on and we are all running around in circles.

Saturday, 14 September 1968
Rockhampton
Did a cordon and search with the grunts.  Had a big bludge and sun-baked just about all day.  Wrote to John and Pauline Kalbfell and Annelies.  Drove grunts around at night and made brews for them.  I read Prudence and the Pill, a good book.

Sunday, 15 September 1968
Rockhampton
Shifted some grunts, had a shower and bludged all day.  Protected the Artillery boys at their new Fire Support Base.  Did stand too and then had to do a piquet.  Got a letter from Froll and Henry has written off his car.  Annelies and Henk should be home by now.

Monday, 16 September 1968
Rockhampton
Did nothing all morning.  Wrote to Froll, Bruce and Di, and Judy.  Took a load of goods to the grunts and spent the night with them.  We had a few cans of grog and it was bloody hot all day, but then rained all night.

Tuesday, 17 September 1968
Rockhampton
Annelies’ Birthday today, and it rained all day.  Shifted grunts again.  Blue Coleman was injured by a tree and had to be choppered out.  Had to clear a landing zone.  Crewed for Stano.  Wet as hell.  Broke a universal joint and spent the night out in the mulga – non tac.

Wednesday, 18 September 1968
Rockhampton
Fine weather again.  Shifted the artillery to a new fire support base.  Very shity this morning – the grunts knocked over my brew.  We had to take more stores to the grunts, we got lost (again!), hit some make-believe mines, and camped out in the mulga.  We were attacked twice during the night.  A bloody great schomozzle.  If this was a real war we would all be dead by now, or hopelessly lost.

Thursday, 19 September 1968
Rockhampton
We moved early.  I was very happy and singing all the way.  We threw a track and had to put it back on, no trouble.  Made a beautiful breakfast and bludged all day.  The make-believe war has really started, and we have just won it.  I don’t know how, but that’s what we’ve been told.  Two weeks and it’s all over and done with.  Drove back to the last fire support base and camped there for the night.  I’ve caught a cold, bugger it.

Friday, 20 September 1968
Rockhampton
Did nothing so far.  Polky and 3 section took the artillery back to Raspberry Creek.  We got some piss and headed off to Rockhampton.  Two carriers broke down and were left by the road side.  We were rooted around when we first got back, but managed to go out.  Went to the Lionleigh with Polky, Stano, Youngy, Stewy and Floss.  Got rather pissy and did no good with the local birds.

Saturday, 21 September 1968
Rockhampton
Drank grog, cleaned tracks, and then took a carrier to the swimming pool.  We took some birds and kids for a bit of a ride.  Went to the RSL club, did a bit of a pub crawl to check out the local talent, then went to the YMCA.  The boys got into a bit of a blue at the Lionleigh.

Sunday, 22 September 1968
Rockhampton
Woke up with the shits.  Went to Yapoon by cab ($8) and went to church.  Then beach, session, beach and session again before going back to camp.  I had the trots which made it all rather awkward.  In and out of bed all night with the trots, bugger it.

Monday, 23 September 1968
Rockhampton
To the RAP for the trots.  They gave me some plaster of Paris to eat.  My ring gear was fairly burning.  To the airport where we loaded the tracks and flew back to Sydney.  It was great to get back to the barracks again.  I was very tired and dirty, still had a cold, but had a nice soak in a hot bath and slept in a bed.  Those little comforts are really appreciated when you haven’t had then for a while.  I’ve got to do a lot of washing and clean up my gear and my locker.  No mail, which was a bit of a blow.

Holsworthy
Tuesday, 24 September 1968
Holsworthy
Back at camp again.  On parade, then back to Richmond to pick up our carriers.  Did a DPI interview in the afternoon, had a hair cut and did some washing.  I’m on fire fighting stand by with Polky.  I wrote my Will, leaving everything to be split up amongst the family.  Got a postcard from Annelies.

Wednesday, 25 September 1968
Holsworthy
Cleaned our tracks all day.  Got a letter from Henry and a parcel of smokes from Annelies.  We were told we were getting 7 days of pre-embarkation leave.  Cal and Polky were going to come home to Tassie with me on the Empress .  You beaut.  That was knocked on the head because the Empress sailed too early.  I was very shitty about that.  We went to the boozer and I had a few beers with Polky, Cal, Youngie etc.  Rang Froll and had a yarn to her.  I feel shot and very happy even though everything is ballsed up.  Bugger the boat trip to Tassie.  I should ring them up and tell them there’s a bomb on board to delay the sailing time.

Thursday, 26 September 1968
Holsworthy
Assembled tracks, got DP1 gear, got paid, and got ready to go on leave.  It took ages to get our leave clearance.  Once you are ear-marked to go overseas, you have to get clearance from everything to go on leave.  We just couldn’t get it all done in time.  So I went to the Mainsbridge Hotel with the boys, and then to Martins Place with Cal and Polky.  We got plastered and decided to head for the Motor Club, but were refused admission.  Cal got very shitty about this.  We got back to camp at 2:30 AM.

Friday, 27 September 1968
Holsworthy
We eventually got our leave pass clearance and then our leave passes.  On the road at 10:30 AM hitching to Melbourne in uniform.  Very easy to get rides.  Three rides and I was in Melbourne at 9:30 PM.  Went to Tony Wicks’ for the night.

Saturday, 28 September 1968
Melbourne
Rang Judy but she wasn’t available, so I rang Meridee Baker and teed her up for the night.  We went to the Wiskey-au-Go-Go and had an enjoyable night.  I mozzied around Melbourne during the day and got stonkered.

Sunday, 29 September 1968
Melbourne
Judy rang and came over for the day.  We went for a drive to the Dandenong Mountains, and stopped at a beautiful restaurant with fantastic gardens, views and atmosphere.  Back to Wicksie’s place for the night but didn’t score.

Monday, 30 September 1968
Burnie
Flew from Melbourne to Wynyard and had to sit next to a religious crank.  Saw Froll, Annelies, Henk and John.  Annelies came up for the night.  She seems to have enjoyed her trip to Europe – I hope I enjoy mine to Vietnam.  Burnie seems very quiet and I’m just raring to go.

Tuesday, 1 October 1968
Burnie
Paid my driver’s licence, drew out some more money and got a “sickie” from old Doc Edison.  Saw Tom Butler, my old trade instructor, and Harry Morgan, Punchy Smith and Pauline Kalbfell.  I went to John & Pauline’s for tea, and then to Punchy & Val’s while John was at Tech.  Lousey weather.  Burnie is very quiet and not what I expected.  I miss my own girl – Jeanette – very much.  Its just not the same without her.

Wednesday, 2 October 1968
Burnie
Off to town and then on to Devonport to get Tim some guinea pigs.  He loves them.  Went to the Regent Cabaret and saw Jeanette with Jenny Knott, Clarice Gaffney and PBM.  Jeanette looks lovely and I felt so lonely, but she wouldn’t talk to me.  I got drunk and wet the bed at Froll & Geoff’s.  How embarrassing.

Thursday, 3 October 1968
Burnie
Went back to the Pulp to get a box made for Tim’s guinea pigs.  Wandered around town then went to Henk and Annelies’ for tea.  Borrowed John’s car.  Henry is coming up for the weekend.

Friday, 4 October 1968
Burnie
Went to the Burnie Show.  Saw Brit and Leonie Jones.  Looked at all the animals and borrowed John’s car for the weekend.  Went to the Penguin RSL Club, then on to Ulverstone.  Nothing much happening, so I went back to the Menia Hotel where I conned on to two nurses – Jill Burge and Eleanor Schmidt.  Elly is a very beautifu bird.  Went to a soccer party where Jill got very drunk.  Went parking with Elly and got home at 5:30 AM.

Saturday, 5 October 1968
Burnie
Went to the Burnie Show with Elly and Jill and Ferguson Beard.  We did childish things like rides on the chains and the ghost train.  Elly had to go back to the hospital to work, so Jill and I went out for dinner.  Picked up Elly again at 11:30 PM and we went to a rugby party, but I got a bit upset about Vietnam and other political issues.  Went parking with Elly and got back home at 6:00 AM.  Tim was already up.  Saw Henry and John Sikkema.

Sunday, 6 October 1968
Burnie
Went to the Church of England at Ulverstone and then to Henk and Annelies for dinner.  Saw Henry.  Took the car back to John and Pauline’s and saw Punchy Smith.  To the airport but the plane was delayed so missed my connecting flight to Sydney.  Went to the Oxford Hotel and rang Judy, but no go.

Monday, 7 October 1968
Melbourne
No entry.
I must have made my way back from Melbourne to Sydney.

Tuesday, 8 October 1968
Holsworthy
The SSM gave us extra drill after the parade, and then we had to start getting our documentation ready for Vietnam.  We went to town and decided to go to Chequers nightclub where Cilla Black featured.  She was tops and Polky fell instantly in love.  It wasn’t as expensive as we thought it might have been, and Andre the head waiter looked after us.  I’m not sure whether that was as a precaution or just good-will and support for the Army boys.  The boys gave the man in the toilet who held out the towels a bit of a hard time.  When Chequers closed we dropped in to the Motor Club for a few hours, then headed back to camp a little the worse for wear.  We finish here on the 26th and go bush again on the 9th.

Eastern Command Personnel Depot
Wednesday, 9 October 1968
Eastern Command Personnel Depot
We finally left Holsworthy for the Eastern Command Personnel Depot at Rose Bay, and arrived there just in time to miss out on lunch.  So much for going bush, we finish up here in the posh part of town.  We settled in and got ourselves organised for a night on the town with Hobbsey and Cal.  We wandered around the Cross and finally finished up back at the Motor Club.  I went for a wander down Chapel Lane and was as frisky as hell.  Not a bad night.

Thursday, 10 October 1968
Eastern Command Personnel Depot
Only managed three hours sleep last night as we were out on the town.  More medical checks this morning and getting our gear organised.  We had to do an emu-bob, and then went swimming in the afternoon.  I’m exhausted.  We decided to go to Martinz Place for the night, where we had a few beers.  I conned onto Margaret and took her to the Motor Club for a drink and supper, but her big sister and girlfriend decided to come along as well.  A Yank got us a few beers, and I got back to ECPD at 4:00AM.

Friday, 11 October 1968
Eastern Command Personnel Depot
A day to remember.

Only two hours sleep.  Cleared lantana vines for a few hours and that was the sum total of our work for the day.  Jumping-Jack Lyons scored duties – there is a cosmic balance of right and wrong after all.  We went bowling at Rushcutter’s Bay, then on to the Rex Hotel at the Cross and down Chapel Lane.  I was feeling rather frisky.  Then we hit the Congo Club, and what a bloody night!!    What a dive!  It was dark and noisy.  There was a big fat sleazebag of a Manager who was chomping food all night and a big Bouncer with the IQ of a white ant.  We were told, “Don’t be too rough on him,” as though we wanted any trouble!  And there was a young recruit who kept calling the Bouncer “Hey Fatso!”  There was an old stripper in her house-cleaning dress and glasses.  She was fifty if she was a day, and blokes were trying to con on to her.

One old drunk asked, “How much for a beer?”  “One Dollar,” said the Manager.  “Whaat!  Five Dollars?” said the drunk.  “No, one dollar,” said the Manager.  “Whaaat!!  Fifty Dollars??” said the drunk.  “NO!  One bloody dollar!” said the Manager, “What’s wrong, can’t you understand bloody English?”  They both had strong Mediterranean accents.

Some more blokes came in and didn’t know they had to pay a $2 cover charge.  “$2, what for?” they said.  “For food,” said the Manager.  “Ah beauty,” they said, “Some tucker.  Just what we need.”  But no food arrived.  Polky also wanted some tucker, but they only had soup, so he ordered that.  But it didn’t arrive.

Then the action started.  The vera lyn’s started arriving.

One old ugly vera sat behind us and took a shine to Cal.  She said, “Isn’t this a cunt of a place.  A person comes down from Queensland and looses her fucking virgin last Saturday.  But what is a person to do – a bloke had my cases and he says – “Give me your cunt or you don’t get your cases back.”  Now what in the fucking hell is a person supposed to do hey?  So I let him have my virgin.”

Then we went upstairs to the Cabaret and things really started to hot up.

The grog was off for a while and then this bloody ugly old stripper gave a piss weak floor show.  She had a great fat gut on her with a huge appendix scar and elephant skin on her thighs.  What a clapped out show.  The old vera was dancing and Cal kept feeling her up.  She lifted her dress to give Cal a peep show, and tried to act sexy.  Cal then got her up for a dance and she grabbed him by the stalk and said, “I bet I could fuck you to death.”  Cal followed up with his usual suave repartee, and scored three huge passion berries on his neck from another vera.  Cal slagged up the curtain and we then watched this huge greeney slowly inch its way towards the floor.  Polky fell asleep in the corner, and the bouncer came and said, “Wake up mate.  Someone might pinch your prick.”  Very nice place it was.  More piss weak floor shows with lots of confusion amongst the dancers, they were abusing each other and grabbing at stalks and twats.  Cal was flicking bottle tops around and people struck by then wanted to pick a fight.  Drunks were yelling abuse and falling over, and birds were going off.  All in all one hell of a place for a nice social evening’s entertainment.

Eventually Cal and I took two veras home by mutual consent.  They looked shit-hot in the dark, but were as ugly as sin in the street light.  I took mine off to get something to eat, and then by cab to her room.  After much rooting around we got into bed which was a mattress on the floor, and were hard at it when Cal and his lady-love arrived.  There was more scurrying around as more bedding was put on the floor, and eventually we all settled down again.  After a torrid session, my bird yells out to her friend, “His name is Charlie, he loves me and he’s sexy,” while I’m hard at it on the job.  I was as frisky as hell, and bull-shitted and even kissed her in the throes of passion.  Cal’s bird yelled out, “Hey Sharon, got a towel?” and away they both scampered to tend to their personal needs.  Eventually I fell asleep and woke up a few hours later feeling like death warmed up.  The place stank like mortien or kerosene and was etching itself in my airways.  But the lusts of the flesh took no notice, but I couldn’t kiss her again – not in daylight.  Cal woke up net door, got dressed and said,” I’m going to the toilet,” and bolted out the door.  So I immediately did like-wise.  The front door banged as I sneaked out, so I sprinted the first 50 yards to escape the place.  I met up with Cal again at the bus-stop and what a sorry sight we were.  We jumped on a bus together and sat there smelling of metho, kero and chuck.  Al the other passengers avoided us, and we sat there laughing and giggling and swapping yarns.  We got back to ECPD and spent half an hour under the shower trying vainly to remove the stench, but it was in the pores of our skin.

What a night that was.  No one would believe it, so Polky and Cal signed and vouched for it.

T O’Callaghan.

This is the honest to goodness truth so help me God.  P W Polkinghorne.

Saturday, 12 October 1968
Eastern Command Personnel Depot
The night we met Little Patty.

We got out of bed at 9:00 AM after the hard night before, and caught a cab to the Eastern Suburbs RSL Club for a sauna.  It was crash hot – about 122 degrees F with eucalyptus in the hot steam.  It cleared the head and lungs, and also the pores of the skin.  Just what we needed after last night.  We went swimming in the indoor heated swimming pool, and then up to the bar for a few beers.  Little Murph – Youngie’s bird – did our washing for us, and then ironed it all for us.  She did a good job too.  What a great little bird.  We then went back to camp for chomp, and flaked on the bed.  Cal woke us up at 8:00PM  and we shot through to the North Bondi RSL Club where Little Patty was appearing.  We had a grouse time and were shoutd drinks by the Manager, Secretary, Social Secretary, the band, and just about every man and his dog.  Cal got unto a scholling competition and won, which earned us another round of drinks – schooners of course.  Geoff Harvey was the compare, and he was a grouse bloke.  He’s channel nine’s musical director.

When Little Patty had done her act she came over and said “Hello” to us, which was bloody crash hot.  The show finished at about 2:00AM and we went back to camp at ECPD.  Gee the people were friendly, and they really made us feel right at home.  We were all as drunk as skunks, and so was Geoff the compare.  He abused the shitter out of us the next night for getting him drunk.

Sunday, 13 October 1968
Eastern Command Personnel Depot
We went to Bondi, had a sauna and a few beers.  Saw Youngie and Stano and bck to ECPD.  Everything is so handy here.  We went back to the North Bondi RSL Club and got another warm reception.  Lots of beers and old birds wishing us luck, shaking our hands and slobbering all over us.  They want to send us fruit cake.  Cal scored 195 coasters, each of which is worth 3 schooners when we come back and hand them in.  That works out a about 18 ½ gallons.  We sang some songs and then headed down to the Motor Club for old times sake.  We were all as drunk as skunks but Cal and I stayed until stumps.  Polky and Hobbs left earlier.  We conned Norm Miller the compare to buy us booze.  I lost my bloody beret.

Monday, 14 October 1968
Eastern Command Personnel Depot
Last day in Australia.

On parade, then the chaos and confusion started.  Forms to be filled in and queues to be stood in.  To the pub, Ronnie Ronan’s shout.  The rest of us were all broke.  Ronnie would only get us lemon squashes.  He said this was too serious a matter.  We were all too seedy anyway.  To Rose Bay, and then back to ECPD.  Eventually out to the airport.  Youngie, Stano and his missus, Murph and his missus, Blue , Dusty, and Little Murph were all there to see us off.  I rang Froll and then Annelies – both reverse charges.  It was all rather sad, particularly the farewells and then the waiting.  At 11:00PM we took off, and at about 2:30AM we landed in Darwin for about an hour.  Millions of fucking yanks there.  Very hot and we were very tired.  Good supper on the plane.

Vietnam
Tuesday, 15 October 1968
Vietnam
Landed at Singapore at 6:00AM for 2 hours.  We weren’t allowed to go anywhere, but we had a good breakfast.  I’m rapped in these noggie birds – will go right off with these.  Beer cost 45 cents Australian or $1.35 Singapore, bloody atrocious.  Landed at Saigon, what a dump.  Planes everywhere.  Ton Son Oyt airport.  Had a lovely packed lunch, the noggies were after the scraps.  Very embarrasing and humiliating.  Hot and humid.  It rained like all hell.  Shanty town.  US airforce plane to Nui Dat.  It was like a ride in a truck.  We sat on canvas seats each side of the plane, and the tailgate was open as we took off.  Very rough flight.

Nui Dat was an airfield and some tents in the middle of a sea of green with red mud.  Lousy camp.  Tents and thick red mud.  Very primitive.  Beer is rationed to 2 cans per man per day perhaps.  Saw Piggy and Howey.  Wrote to Mum.  On road run tomorrow.

Wednesday, 16 October 1968
Nui Dat
On road run to Thei Tien to escort a Yank convoy.  Noggies everywhere.  We went through about 12 villages to the pickup point, including Baria, the capital for the province.  Very dirty but interesting.  Very rich land, everything so lush and green.  The roads were used by water buffalo, little Honda motorbikes, three-wheeled Lambretta bus/scooters, real buses, and trucks, as well as us hurtling along in our Armoured Personnel Carriers.  The conditions are amazing.  We went through to Baria to pick up a return convoy, but it didn’t turn up.  While we waited, a lady set up a stall on the side of the road, and kids were selling Coke.  Arvon troops were everywhere.  Wrote to Froll and Punchy Smith.  I’ve definitely got a load.  Must be from the Abo bird in Sydney.

Thursday, 17 October 1968
Nui Dat
To the RAP and 8 Field Ambulance for a check up.  No pus so I have to come back again tomorrow.  Bludged around for the rest of the day and helped Howey assemble a new track.  We had VD lecture and film.  It was repulsive, and a bit late for me.  I’ve still got a dribbley dick and must be making history as the first bloke to ARRIVE in country with a load.  RAP again tomorrow.  Wrote to Henry.

Friday, 18 October 1968
Nui Dat
To RAP for a smear test.  Positive.  Got jabbed with a huge needle in the buttock.  It’s very hot and wet.  Did my washing and bludged around.  Cal scored himself a mobile armoury.  Got my first mail – church letters from Rev van der Reest.  Wrote to Nola, vd Reest, Mrs Way and Narella.

Saturday, 19 October 1968
Nui Dat
Lined up for my two needles per day of 4cc of penicillin for gonorrhea.  Bludged around all morning, then worked on a tent in the afternoon.  No real mail yet, just the church Contacts from vd Reest.  Polky did another road run.  Wrote to Judy.

Sunday, 20 October 1968
Nui Dat
Two more needles, then worked on the tent and in the mess.  Squadron party this afternoon with good tucker and lots of beer, but I’m only allowed to have two cans as it will interfere with the penicillin.  Wrote to Denis and Maree Meehan and enquired about studying matric English and Social Studies.

Monday, 21 October 1968
Nui Dat
Ronny Ronan and I had to re-make the perimeter bunkers.  It was very hot and humid so we pottered around.  No rain.  Had my last needle.  Had an interview with Capt Regtop and told him my first impressions of Vietnam.  Some Red Cross birds came to entertain us.  Slack stupid yank birds, but still, it’s better than nothing.

Tuesday, 22 October 1968
Nui Dat
Had my gonorrhea check up and all clear now.  Shifted tents and am now in with Flash and Smithy.  Worked on bunkers again and while shifting old sandbags I was stung on the finger by a scorpion.  It was very painful and sent a fire up my arm, paralysing as it went.  I yelled out and held my arm out.  I could feel the effect going up my arm through my elbow and then my shoulder.  I thought it would spread across my chest and when it got to my heart my heart would be paralysed and I would die.  I was very frightened and raced up to the RAP.  He gave me an aspro and said not to worry, it would be alright.  We went to C Squadron to get some stores and went passed the firing range so dropped in to test our weapons.  I fired about 100 rounds through my armourlite, it’s a great little weapon.  I’m on piquet tonight.  Might see Pom Meredith tomorrow.  I’m going on a convoy with C Squadron to fire support base Wilkinson and taking some Husky Alpha’s, which are 155mm artillery on a tracked base.  Big bastards.

Wednesday, 23 October 1968
Nui Dat
I was the observer/radio operator for Craig Haydock on 11.  We escorted a section of centurion tanks from C squadron and some Husky Alphas to a new fire support base.  It was a good job.  Hot humid weather.  It was a good job we weren’t fired at.  We drove through Bien Giers, a Roman Catholic town and everyone was very friendly.  They changed the money today.  All the old Military Payment Certificates were made valueless over night as new MPC was issued.  The nogs would have lost a bit there.

I wrote to the blokes at work and to Elly Schmidt.  No mail.

Thursday, 24 October 1968
Nui Dat
Worked on Craig’s track.  Warned for Operation Harvest tomorrow.  Very hot.  Wrote to Jeanette, Bruce and Di, and te Strake.  I bet Oom Piet a box of cigars that Helen would have a boy.

Friday, 25 October 1968
Nui Dat
Out on Operation Harvest.  Very hot and slack.  VC fired on a chopper.  Grunts set up an ambush and killed one VC.  One grunt died of shock.  We had to go and cas-evac him out at night.  I was very “keyed up” and ready for action, but nothing happened.  Did piquet with a star-light scope, but nothing happened. I was very keyed up and looking forward to my first kill.  Wrote to Tess, Annelies, and Froll.

Saturday, 26 October 1968
Nui Dat
Back to camp by road run.  I’ve now been assigned to drive an Armoured Command Vehicle (ACV) for Task Force Headquarters.  I’m not very impressed with that.  I came here for some action.  TFHQ will be terribly frustrating.  All those Officers will want to be molly-coddled, and we will have to salute and all that crap.  It should be safe unless there is an RPG or Mortar attack.  But we will have to dig in and dig fox holes.  Also, I want to stay with my mates.

Got a letter from Sue Scott.  Yipppeeee!  I wrote to Sue and Froll, and got a watch for Henry.

Sunday, 27 October 1968
Nui Dat
The new ACV’s arrived, and we had to get them ready for their first operation.  Went to a concert at the music bowl, a bit of a stage and shelter for the performers.  It was a terrific show, with nice birds, and a comedian who sang “Ooktaloi, Cheap Charlie,”  It was a scream.  Saw John Merredith and Chris Nation.  John is getting married as soon as he gets out, the lucky bastard.  No mail.  Saw the movies at an open air “sit-in” for the first time.

Monday, 28 October 1968
Nui Dat
Up at 8:10.  Driving ACV’s now.  Saw my new carrier – the Signals Centre – and it needs a lot of work on it to set it all up.  We all got a pep talk from the major, and I worked on stowing.  We will be going out on operations for 4 to 6 weeks at a time.  I was exhausted and slept for 2 hours at dinner time.  We saw the Red Cross birds as they did their rounds of the camp.  Wrote to John Kalbfell, and went to sleep very early.  Totally exhausted.

Tuesday, 29 October 1968
Nui Dat
Continued fitting out the ACV’s.  Did a piquet in the Command Post.  It is in a buried bunker with lots of radio sets to keep in touch with all the troops out on operations as well as all the Units back in the Dat.  It’s pretty busy in there, with about half a dozen blokes on duty, including Officers.  Went to the movies at the open air “sit-in”, and wrote a letter to Jeff Harvey.

Wednesday, 30 October 1968
Nui Dat
Continued fitting out the ACV’s, and did a piquet in the Command Post.  You can’t see anything from the CP, just hear what is going on, but not involved in any of the action.  I’ve completely lost my appetite, it’s too hot to eat.  Went to movies.

Thursday, 31 October 1968
Nui Dat
Continued working on the ACV’s.  Got a letter from Mum.  Thank heavens for mail.  I’d die without it.  I wrote to Mum, Pete and Jenny Bird, and a note of condolence to Jeanette on the death of her Grandfather, and Birthday wishes for her Grandmother Anderson.

Friday, 1 November 1968
Nui Dat
Worked on ACV’s.  Saw the film “Half a Sixpence” with the artillery firing.  I was very upset.  I wrote to Mum and Jeanette.  I’m feeling very lonely and have nothing to live for.

Saturday, 2 November 1968
Nui Dat
Worked on ACV’s.  We are moving out tomorrow to Fire Support Base Lion for Operation Capital.  Sounds like it’s going to be hard work.  Went to the movies

Sunday, 3 November 1968
FSB Lion
Up at 5:00 AM and moved out at last.  We drove up in convoy with APC escorts, and reached FSB Lion at 2:00 PM, 35 miles away from the Dat.  We formed a cross with the ACV’s, and set up the annexes so that they all joined together.  We had to surround the set-up with wire netting to act as an RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenade) shield.  It was hard yakka.  We slept outside the tracks, as they are a hive of activity and in constant use.  This makes us rather more vulnerable.  The batteries in the ACV’s couldn’t cope with the radio demands, and are buggered.  Not a bad night for our first ever use of ACV’s.  It is very hot.

Monday, 4 November 1968
FSB Lion
Worked hard in setting up the Command Post (CP).  Dug a hole for the auxiliary generator, which charges the batteries, and covered it with sandbags to help muffle the noise.  There’s a risk that it might now over heat, as it is air cooled, and not enough air can get in.  It’s very hot and humid.  I got a letter from Nola, and wrote one back to her.

Tuesday, 5 November 1968
FSB Lion
The batteries are stuffed again, and the auxy-gen over heated.  We had to remove some of the sandbags at night.  Put new batteries in the ACV’s, they can’t handle the load from the radios.  We had to dig holes for a piss-a-phone and thunder-box for the CP.  This is hard yakka, and not the sort of work I was expecting to be doing.  It’s very hot and sticky, and I had to shave off my handle-bar moustache.  I’m rather shitty about it all.  Got a letter from te Strake.

Wednesday, 6 November 1968
FSB Lion
General CP work.  We have to keep the batteries charged by starting the auxy-gens for half an hour every two hours, and do two-hour shifts every six hours.  We now have to sleep underground, which means we have to dig fox holes, sand bag them, and sleep underground in a hot , humid and confined space.  This is not what I had in mind, and I’m quite shitty about it all.  We sat up and listened to warries from Ken and Pat.  This seems to be one of the biggest operations we’ve ever had here.  No mail.

The other blokes with the ACV’s as I recall were Blue Dewar, Dog Dore, Stretch Wagner, Corporal Ness, and a Sergeant.

Thursday, 7 November 1968
FSB Lion
Dug fox holes.  Hard yakka.  Very hot.  No mail.

Friday, 8 November 1968
FSB Lion
Slept all morning, bludged all day.  Worked on fox hole.  Read a book.  No mail because of a strike by Posties against our involvement in Vietnam!!  

Saturday, 9 November 1968
FSB Lion
Bludged all day.  Worked on sand bags.  Very hot.  No mail.

Sunday, 10 November 1968
FSB Lion
Day of rest.  Wrote to Annelies, Mum, Rick and Froll.  Went to church service and took communion.  B52’s bombed targets at night.  Those fuckers do an awesome job.  We could see the flashes, hear the rumble and feel the ground tremble.

Monday, 11 November 1968
FSB Lion
Big bludge.  Had a winter shower by standing out in the rain.  It’s hot and wet and humid.  I got Crossy to get me 3 Vietnamese dolls to send to Nola, Elly and Sue.  Saw a POW with his arm shot off with an M15.  Wrote to te Strake, but still no mail.

Armistice Day passed without notice.  Rather ironic.

Tuesday, 12 November 1968
FSB Lion
Big bludge. Went on a “Possum Run” delivering supplies around the Fire Support Base.  Very good trip.  It gave us something to do to break the boring monotony.  It took all afternoon.  At last some mail has got through.  I got letters from Mrs Venema and Henry.  Henry said that Mum got the letter saying I had a load.

Wednesday, 13 November 1968
FSB Lion
Nothing much has happened on this Operation.  Big bludge.  I wrote to Mrs Venema.

Thursday, 14 November 1968
FSB Lion
I read all day.  Mark Twain’s A Yankee Connecticut in King Arthur’s Court.  No mail.

Friday, 15 November 1968
FSB Lion
I did nothing much all day.  I wrote to Henry, and stamped “Secret” all over the envelope.  I took some warrie photos.  Half the Task Force were playing volley ball this afternoon.  Strange war!

Saturday, 16 November 1968
FSB Lion
I got some mail from Denis Meehan and Tineke vd Woude.  You bloody beauty.  I wrote to Froll to get me some shares in Repco, and started a letter to Denis and Maree.  I worked on the pit, and played volley ball.  I can’t stand that bloody Corporal Ness, the bludging, buck-passing, crawling bastard.

Sunday, 17 November 1968
FSB Lion
Wrote a long letter to Denis Meehan, and one to Tineke.  Sent some Charlie Browns to Jeanette and Di.  Went to church and took communion.  Started sending Charlie Browns to everyone.

Monday, 18 November 1968
FSB Lion
Did nothing much today, except a bit of reading and writing.  Quite a few contacts yesterday, and it now appears that we will stay here even longer than a month.  Wrote to Mum, and asked her to get me 500 shares in Basin Oil at no more than 20 cents a share.

It was my brother Henry’s Birthday today and I didn’t notice.

Tuesday, 19 November 1968
FSB Lion
The usual bludge with stationary ACV’s.  Operated the switchboard for a while.  Talked to the Yank Lieutenant for a while.  Most of the world’s problems seem to be because of attitude, and the newspaper has a lot to do with that.  The speed and facts of the news are so concise, sensational, graphic and speedy, that people everywhere know about everything, and then demonstrate about something they know nothing about, causing unwanted, incorrect policies to be taken.  Only bad news hits the headlines.

Elly Schmit had her photo in the paper, the Advocate, she looked gorgeous.

Wednesday, 20 November 1968
FSB Lion
Usual routine with ACV’s.  A Lieutenant-General came for a while.  Something must be brewing.  I’ve been mixing fairly well with the other blokes.  I get on well with the Signals boys, but the other Cavalry boys are very childish.  The Yank Liaison Officers are pretty good too.  I’ll be going back to Nui Dat tomorrow.

No mail.  Wrote to Denis Meehan and Annelies.

Thursday, 21 November 1968
FSB Lion
Usual routine.  Got some mail through the postal strike from te Strake and Nola.  Oom Piet had a letter in the Advocate about the farmer’s plight.

Friday, 22 November 1968
Nui Dat
Usual daily routine with ACV’s.  Re-read my letters, and got a card from Tess.  Wrote to Nola and Punchy Smith.  I was receptionist for a while on the switchboard to help break the boredom.  Got paid.

Back to the Dat for the night for a break.  Saw Polky, Cal, Howey and Piggy.  We all got plastered.  I helped Flash write a letter to his girl-friend, and had a big chuck.  Howey had a mine incident 2 days ago.  He was very lucky.  They brassed up the jungle in response, but don’t think they got anything.  He’s back on the road run now doing convoy escort work.  Polky went to Vung Tau for the day.  He had a terrific time and said it was a grouse place.

Saturday, 23 November 1968
FSB Lion
At the Dat.  Woke up very seedy.  Got a letter from Mrs Way.  There’s a storm warning for a typhoon.  Back to FSB Lion.  Took some photos from the chopper.

Sunday, 24 November 1968
FSB Lion
Back to the usual routine with the ACV’s.  Went to the church parade, only 2 other blokes there.  The typhoon was not as bad as they thought it was going to be.  Wrote to Mum, Judy and Rick.  Beautiful sunset.  There’’ been a bit of action.  The VC’s had 7 KIA (killed in action)and 2 WIA (wounded in action), we had 2 KIA and 3 WIA.

Monday, 25 November 1968
FSB Lion
I wrote a poem, a sonnet on Paradox when I couldn’t sleep.  Usual ACV routine.  We are leaving soon, but not sure where we are going as yet.  Those Signals are good blokes.  There’s been a stir in Parliament about the Punch a Postie on RTA stickers.  Wrote to Denis Meehan and te Strake.

Tuesday, 26 November 1968
FSB Lion
Usual routine.  Last day in the J.  Got ready to pack up.  Busy day tomorrow.  Those Sigs are good blokes.  No mail.  Read James Bond’s Casino Royale.

Wednesday, 27 November 1968
Nui Dat
Up at 5:30AM to break camp.  Mac the Sig came with me in my track.  Lots of rations left over, which we gave to the kids on the way back to Nui Dat.  Unusual people, cadging and begging with hopeful friendliness.  Very dusty, but it rained in the afternoon.  Got my tax cheque and a letter from te Strake.  Wrote a letter to Mum.  Got Rick and Henry a radio each from the PX.  Watched a movie.

Thursday, 28 November 1968
Nui Dat
To 104 Signals Squadron to check and service the radios and supervise the cleaning of the ACV’s.  Operation debrief by Major Keltie.  Usual clean-up afternoon servicing the ACV’s and resupplying, ready for the next call-out.  Got absolutely pissed and wrote a very abusive letter to Jeanette.  Had a big argument on the purpose and meaning of life.  What a bloody life this is.  Hard luck stories all around.  Had a blood test.

Friday, 29 November 1968
Nui Dat
Woke up in the toilet on the cement floor and in the raw at 4:30AM.  I was a real write-off and crawled in to bed.  Up at 8:15AM.  Very lucky not to get caught.  I scored Squadron Blowfly for the day and did the rubbish run.  Jammed my finger, shit it hurt.  Very seedy all day.

At last some more mail has got through.  Parcel from the Kingston Youth Club with books and cigars, and a parcel from tante Lena with koek.  Also a letter from Annelies.  Wrote to Mum..

I had trouble on piquet.  Lyons was flaked, so was Booth, and so was Cal.  I was too buggered to continue, so I got Ronnie Ronan to take over.  Piggy’s father is dying of some rare disease, and Piggy wants to go home for R&R.  There’s a bit of an Army blue on that case.

Saturday, 30 November 1968
Nui Dat
I seem to be in a constant state of frustration and rage.  At last I’ve been shifted back to 1 Troop with my mates.  The ACV’s were giving me the shits.  Shifted tents again back in with 1 Troop.  Hot as usual.  Doing road run tomorrow.  Had a Troop party with fancy tucker and some free booze.  Polky flaked.  Sent radios to Henry and Rick.

Sunday, 1 December 1968
Nui Dat
The mail got through!!  I got booku mail from Annelies, Elly, Tess and Denis.  Went on road run, escorting convoys.  The Vietnamese are strange people.  The kids are adorable and work like hell.  It is rice harvest time, and everyone is out in the fields working.  We had a Squadron Party tonight, with good tucker of prawns, crabs, turkey and chicken, and booku grog.  But we need something here, there is no other social life.

Monday, 2 December 1968
Nui Dat
Wouldn’t it bloody well root ya!  Now I’ve scored mess duties!  To the Australian Task Force for an Orders group.  We are off on operation Goodwood tomorrow, so I’m relieved of mess duties.  You beaut.  But I’m back on the ACV’s.  You can’t win in this place.  Went to the Signals Centre to load up the ACV’s.  Went to the Sig Centre boozer, and then on piquet.

Tuesday, 3 December 1968
FSB Julia
Up at 5:30AM.  Moved up route 15 to Phu My and set up Fire Support Base Julia.  It’s a small base, much smaller than Lion.  Worked hard in setting up the Command Centre with their tents, put up the RPG screen, and worked on my fox hole.  The ground here is very, very hard.  Corporal Barry Ness really shits me, the rotten low down cunt.

Wednesday, 4 December 1968
FSB Julia
Worked around the Command Post.  Got my fox hole started, then borrowed an excavator to finish it off.  Sharing the hole with Childsy.  Worked with Graham Amber, a Sig, who is having trouble with his wife.  He’s a very nice bloke.  Got a cake from Bruce and Di, a parcel from Tess, and a letter from Venema.  It’s very hot and dry, and I took some warry photos.  It’s lovely to get some mail and some parcels.  Tess sent a book, speculaas, King peppermints, zoute drop and cognac chocolate.  Di sent a cake.

Thursday, 5 December 1968
FSB Julia
Worked hard on the CP and fox hole.  It’s the King of Thailand’s Birthday today.  I had a chat with the Thai Liaison Officers, and helped Graham Amber set up his camp.  He’s a good bloke.  I got more parcels, from Della and Leonie Jones, and Adrian Kuilenberg.  I wrote to te Strake.  I managed to scrounge a comfortable chair to use out here.

Friday, 6 December 1968
FSB Julia
Worked hard on the CP and surrounding area.  The trick is to keep busy.  Things aren’t going well, they want more done every time.  The place is getting very touchy.  We could be attacked here soon.  Wrote to Froll and Henry.

Saturday, 7 December 1968
FSB Julia
Usual CP routine.  Got letters from Mum and Nola, and sent letters to Mun and Bruce and Di.

Sunday, 8 December 1968
FSB Julia
Went to church parade, and usual CP routine.  Wrote to Elly, Denis, Tess, van der Reest, Faber and Punchy.  Got letters from Colleen, Nola, van Dam, and Ann Franks.

Monday, 9 December 1968
FSB Julia
Yippee!  Got a letter and parcel from Jeanette and immediately wrote her a return letter.  Gee I so love Jeanette.  I’m getting booku mail, from Nola, de Vries, Meehan, te Strake and Punchy.  Sent return letters to them, with my description of Vietnam.  Polky came out with 1 Troop and we caught up.  I’d love to be back with the boys rather than being stuck in this place.

Tuesday, 10 December 1968
FSB Julia
Usual CP routine.  A Centurian tank hit a mine, and then 13A hit a mine.  Dave Pierre and Dave Taylor.  The boys were hurt a bit and the carrier is a write off.  Played draughts with Graham Amber, and read “When she was bad she was popular.  Polky, Cal, Howey and the others are out here, and I caught up with them.  It’s getting a bit dangerous out there.  No mail.  I do so love Jeanette.

Wednesday, 11 December 1968
FSB Julia
RPG fired at 12 Section.  No result.  A little girl about 7-9 years old had her leg shattered by chopper fire.  She dragged herself in to FSB Julia and she got a dust off (an emergency medical helicopter to hospital).  Poor kid.  The wrecked carrier from yesterday, 13A, was loaded up and taken back to Nui Dat.  Lost 5 games of draughts to Amber.  Got Christmas card from van Wyke, and sent cards to Froll and Annelies.

Thursday, 12 December 1968
FSB Julia
There’s a lot of VC action around the place.  We expect to be attacked tonight.  We sand-bagged the top of the ACV’s to help protect them from mortar or artillery shells.  Played draughts and read James Bond.  Big rains came, about 2-3 inches in half an hour.  Everything flooded, our fox holes and the auxy gens.  Got a letter and postal order from John Kalbfell.

It was my father’s Birthday, but I made no mention of it.  Perhaps I didn’t notice.
Friday, 13 December 1968
FSB Julia
Black Friday.  Jeanette sent back my abusive letter, which really upset me.  I lay on my bed in the fox hole and prayed and cried.  I do love her so dearly.  What a mess.  I wrote to her, and to John Kalbfell, so he could help persuade her to contact me again.  I will try and send her some flowers tomorrow.  I played draughts and chess with Polky, and caught up with Pom Merredith.  He’s lost a lot of weight.  Wrote to Jeanette again at night.  Had a few beers with Tom Foster, the yank LO.  Went with 1 Troop on a thunder run.  No attack.

Saturday, 14 December 1968
FSB Julia
Played draughts and chess with Graham Amber – lost every time.  Got a card from Nola and a letter from Dave Keating and the Victorian Education department.  I can’t do matric subjects.  A tank was blown up by a mine, the driver KIA.  Pom Meredith is in that troop too.  I saw Pom and Chris Nation.  There have been a lot of contacts, about 15 VC KIA.  Cobras (Air Cav Silver Spurs) and gunships are all the rage.

Sunday, 15 December 1968
FSB Julia
I went to church and saw Pom Meredith.  Beat Amber at chess – three times!!  Then lost to a Yank and a Thai.  Got mail from Rick, Mum and van Dam.  Wrote to Venema and sent flowers to Jeanette.  3 Cav sank a few sampans and flogged 4 bikes off the nogs.

Monday, 16 December 1968
FSB Julia
Letters from Meehan, van der Bom, and biscuits from te Strake.  Wrote to John Kalbfell, Dave Keating and van der Bom.  Played chess with Graham and Lieutenant – lost them all.  Worked with Major Munroe and Captain Hamilton on namming the carriers.

Tuesday, 17 December 1968
FSB Julia
Usual routine.  Letter from Annelies.  Saw Colin Campbell and had a yarn with him.  The boys went out again today.  A VC Lieutenant-Colonel defected to us on the chew hoi program.  Wrote to Nola.

Wednesday, 18 December 1968
FSB Julia
General Daly paid us a visit.  Played chess with Polky and won.  Got a card from old Mrs Venema.  Youngy, Dusty, Stano, Floss etc arrived.  Had 3 beers with Polky and the boys at night.  Lawrence is now our Troop Leader.

Thursday, 19 December 1968
FSB Julia
Got Xmas cards and sent them.  New Warrant Officer in charg of us – Roberts.  He seems alright.  Looks as though we will be here for Xmas.  Feel home-sick.  Wrote to van der Staal, Mum, Jeanette, Annelies, Rick, Terry and Froll.

Friday, 20 December 1968
FSB Julia
Parcels from Mum, Annelies, Froll, Mrs Way, Jaycettes, Kingston Church, diary from Venema, and books from Denis Meehan.  It’s very morale boosting to get all this mail.  Howy hit a mine today, two broken legs.  This is the third mine in a week.  We seem to be annoying Charlie very much, and he’s not too happy.  Saw Polky.  Could be going on a Med Cap run tomorrow.

Saturday, 21 December 1968
FSB Julia
Went on a Med Cap run to three villages.  Set up at schools to provide medical and dental services.  Beautiful kids.  Bought some nog clothes to send home.  Learnt to count in Vietnamese.  Was shown how rice is worked.  Went to a nog house.  Some of the fellows had a root.  Had some Ba Mie Ba – nog beer, and nog food.  Gave lollies to the kids.  I just loved the whole thing as I saw the people.  It’s the individuals who stuff it up.  35 KIA, 4 FW KIA.

Sunday, 22 December 1968
FSB Julia
Wrote to van der Bom, Mum, te Strake, Froll, Annelies, Mum again, and Denis Meehan.  Got Gum boots from Mum, and letters or cards from van der Reest, Annelies, Sue, Doodens, John Kuilenburg, te Strake, Kapinga, and Mensinga.  I spent all day writing letters.  No church service.

Watched Yank air strikes on VC surrounded by Thais about 5 miles away at night.  Very impressive and pretty.  Lots of lights, flares, bombs, rockets, choppers and gunships.

Monday, 23 December 1968
FSB Julia
Cards from Hartog, Hofmann, and letter from John Kalbfell.  Wrote to Kalbfell and Nola.  Spent a usual sort of day.

Tuesday, 24 December 1968
FSB Julia
Xmas Eve.  No mail.  Transferred back to 1 Troop.  11 operator again.  Xmas cease-fire breached by VC early at night.  Had a beer with Polky.  Feel very homesick.  Chin is locked up in Vung Tau.  He went down to see Howy, got drunk, smashed up a Bar, and was caught with drugs.  He’s really in the shit.  We all got a parcel from the Patriotic Fund of Queensland.

Wednesday, 25 December 1968
FSB Julia
Xmas Day.  Went to Xmas church parade.  Officers and Sergeants served us Xmas dinner.  NVA broke the truce again.  Got a Xmas card from the SVN Prime Minister.  Got Xmas cake from Mum.  Saw Pom.  Had booku beers with Polky.  Wrote to Mum and Rick.  Got letter from Rick.  Had headache.

Thursday, 26 December 1968
FSB Julia
Did nothing much.  Read a James Bond book.  Very hot.  I’m back with 1 Troop.  Don’t fancy this much.

Friday, 27 December 1968
FSB Julia
Went out on Civil Aid run to Xuan Moc.  Very good run.  Saw a blonde nog.  They didn’t try to rob us in Xuan Moc, only 20p for a coke.  Gave the kids dap-dap (lollies).  Did scrub bashing.  Driving 11A for Bob Lane.  Did 96 miles.  Got a book from Nola.

Saturday, 28 December 1968
FSB Julia
Went with Tango 33 (tanks) to the rhunsat (?).  Stayed there for a while and then came back.  3 section put in an ambush and got 1 sampan.  Got some beer from the Yanks.

Sunday, 29 December 1968
FSB Julia
Went on Thunder Run to Bien Son rubber, through Long Than with tanks, and back to Julia.  Still reading Leon Uris’ Armageddon.

Monday, 30 December 1968
FSB Julia
Got my carrier repaired.  Still reading.  Feel very strongly about our abuse of power.  The fat lazy complacency, which prevents us from giving so that we can receive.  The fallacy of the big bronzed ANZAC.  The apathy, immorality, praising vice rather than virtue.

Saw Chin, who got 14 days field punishment for his charges.  Didn’t worry Chin much.

Got letter from Annelies and from the Tasmanian Education Department.

Tuesday, 31 December 1968
FSB Julia
Last day of the year.  Wrote to Jeanette.  Did Thunder Run to Bien Son again.

1969
Wednesday, 1 January 1969
FSB Julia
Spent New Years’ Eve in the J.  Felt very homesick and wanted Jeanette.  Did a grunt lift to FSB Chestnut, and a scramble to the rhunsat chasing an NVA battalion.  Worked all day.  Wrote to Jeanette, Nola and Annelies.

Thursday, 2 January 1969
FSB Julia
Escorted convoy through Long Than to FSB Barbara.  Put new tracks on my carrier.  This was supposed to be our day of rest!!  Ha! Ha! Very busy.  No mail yet this year.  Saw Gus about a transfer back to ACV’s, and wrote to Tas Education Department.

Friday, 3 January 1969
FSB Julia
Put in a cordon around My Xuan (population about 600 people) for a cordon and search by the grunts, and then started setting up FSPB.  Very busy so far.  Carried grunts around for the rest of the day.  Did piquet with a Divisional Intelligence bloke.  He told me about SVN and VC and their tactics.  Dobbing each other in, wanting to be killed etc.  Very odd!!  Still no mail yet this year

Saturday, 4 January 1969
FSB Julia
Cordon and search of Phouc Hoa (population about 1,800 people).  Returned to Julia, and then back to Nui Dat to work on our carriers.  Saw