Veterans for the proper recognition and commemoration of the Australian Wars

The veterans listed below support the campaign by Defending Country to have the Australian War Memorial properly recognise and commemorate the Australian Wars. Their names will be listed on our Patrons and Supporters page.

Defending Country thanks these distinguished Australians for agreeing to be Supporters of our website and project. While each of them supports the objectives of the Defending Country campaign, they do not necessarily endorse every post or every word on our website - and do not necessarily agree with each other on everything.

‍

Bob HALL served as platoon commander, 8^th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (8 RAR), Vietnam 1969-70. Later served with the Pacific Islands Regiment, then in 2010 founded Operation Wandering Souls, to discover the burial sites of Vietnamese soldiers killed in action. Author of The Black Diggers: Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders in the Second World War, and other books and articles on the Indigenous Australians in the defence of their country in the Second World War.

Nick JANS OAM had 25 years’ service in the Army, including 12^th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, Vietnam, 1968-69, then in the Reserve up to rank of Brigadier. Awarded OAM for leading role in Marysville bushfire response, 2009.

Cameron LECKIE served 24 years in the Army, retiring with the rank of Major after peacekeeping deployments to East Timor and Solomon Islands and disaster relief in Sumatra. 

Greg LOCKHART served in the Pacific Islands Regiment in Papua New Guinea and the Australian Army Training Team in Vietnam. Since then he has published five books, including Nation in Arms: the Origins of the People’s Army of Vietnam (1989) and The Minefield: an Australian Tragedy in Vietnam (2007) and many articles.

Peter MICHELSON OAM MID, 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1 RAR), Vietnam, rising to rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Awarded OAM for service to the people of Vietnam through health and welfare programs.

John PHILLIPS served with rank of Captain, 3^rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, Vietnam, 1971.

Noel TURNBULL, conscripted, served as Second Lieutenant with 104 Field Battery, Vietnam 1968-69, before a long career in public relations, politics, journalism, academia and as member or Chair of public bodies. Secretary of Defending Country Memorial Project Inc.

Graham WALKER AM MID SVCG served 21 years in the Army, including with the Gurkha Rifles during Confrontation and then 8^th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (8RAR), Vietnam. Retired as Lieutenant Colonel. Many years’ work with the Vietnam Veterans Federation of Australia and campaigning on Agent Orange. Awarded ACT Senior Australian of the Year 2014 and AM 2015.

‍

Picture credit: Members of 5 Platoon, B Company, 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (7RAR), 25 August 1967, just north of the village of Phuoc Hai, beside the road leading to Dat Do. United States Army Iroquois helicopters are landing to take them back to Nui Dat after completion of Operation Ulmarra, the cordon and search by 7RAR of the village of Phuoc Hai (Public domain/Wikipedia/Australian War Memorial/Michael Coleridge)