Canungra veteran calls on community this Vietnam Veterans Day

Dave Day served as a national serviceman in the Australian Defence Force for two years from 1967 to 1969. At the start of his service, he was stationed across Australia while completing his course and jungle training before being posted to serve in the Vietnam War. 

“I was initially recruited to Singleton, New South Wales for infantry and course training, then was posted to my unit which happened to be the 3RAR in Adelaide. From there, we moved around a bit again and trained in all sorts of terrain including sandhills and jungle environments to get us used to combat in Vietnam,” Dave recalled. 

“After all our training was completed, we left for Vietnam in December of 1967.” 

Commemorated annually on 18 August – which is the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan – Vietnam Veterans' Day honours the significant contribution of Australian veterans who served in the Vietnam War.  

During his time in Vietnam, Dave was involved in a lot of patrolling and ambushes that aided battalions to conduct their operations.  

“We would go out for four or five weeks at a time, set up camps, patrol the bush and conduct any necessary combats on guerrilla bases that would advantage the battalions,” 

Dave says the longest battle he was involved in was the Battle of Coral-Balmoral. This battle was one of the most significant battles that Australians fought in during the Vietnam War, yet it has remained largely forgotten in official literature and unknown to most Australians. 

“Starting at 2am, we walked 40km until we got to the site at 5pm, dealing with a dozen or so contacts with the enemy along the way,” Dave remembered. 

“Once we got there, we set up camp by putting a bit of wire around us before they started attacking us that night around 1am. The fighting didn’t stop until the next morning when the enemy force took a break.” 

Back home, the Vietnam War became politically and socially divisive, which meant many veterans including Dave weren’t treated with the respect or honour they deserved upon their return home.

“It was difficult to readjust to civilian life after deployment, especially with all the anti-war protests some of us faced when we returned,” Dave says. 

"I was also dealing with a few physical and mental problems of my own, but the way I was treated by some of the public made me feel like I had to keep all my problems a secret.” 

Dave found it comforting to know that other veterans were dealing with similar challenges once he joined the Winton RSL Sub Branch, and found solace in the support and mateship he received.  

“I first joined Winton RSL Sub Branch while I was still working as a bank officer at the time. But as I had to move around a bit for work, I didn’t end up settling into a Sub Branch until I moved to Canungra where I decided to help out while looking after my family’s dairy farm.” 

Dave felt a strong sense of community in Canungra and wanted to ensure other veterans in the area felt supported like he did. Now as the Sub Branch President, Dave hopes to continue this sense of camaraderie throughout all aspects of the Sub Branch.  

This Vietnam Veterans’ Day, Dave and the Canungra RSL Sub Branch will be commemorating the service of Australians in the Vietnam War at the recently relocated Canungra Vietnam War Memorial on 18 August. This will be the first commemoration hosted at the site’s new location. 

“The memorial has been relocated to the entry of the Land Warfare Centre which was previously known as the Jungle Training Centre. This was the training base for all battalions before deployment to Vietnam, so it holds immense meaning for us Vietnam veterans” Dave says. 

“For its inaugural commemoration, we will be unveiling 20 new plaques that represent each of the Units who participated in the Vietnam War.” 

Learn More About Vietnam Veterans' Day