Are We Burning Our Bridges? History is the soul of any proud nation Deeds in a never ending journey via many stations  A reminder of who we were and what we are now A legacy from those who strived with shovel, pick, horse and plough Recorded are the rights and wrongs and lessons to be […]

Address by George Mansford (Cairns 18 August 2017) Today throughout our nation there will be gatherings such as ours to reflect on our involvement in the Vietnam War and above all, to honour our fallen. In doing so, we also pay our deepest respect to yet another generation of our military currently on operations. It […]

A salute to all warriors, black, white and brindle who served together, fought together and for some, they also died together. Prologue Old soldiers from days gone by often wonder where their mates are and how they fared in the years that followed their discharge. At the reunions there is often the news of comrades […]

Two legged blinkered sheep play “follow the leaders” in busy streets Indifferent to amber signs of threat that our flock could soon meet Dressed in space age cloth, texting and asking ‘What’s in it for me’? Yesterday is forgotten and who cares of tomorrow in a land so free   There are gatherings where zealots […]

Each year there are gatherings throughout our nation to reflect on our commitment to the Vietnam War. These services coincide with the battle of Long Tan which is used as a focal point for this long and bloody campaign.   No matter when or where our military served in Vietnam, Long Tan represented the challenges, […]

      For all diggers, past,  present and future  A Day in the Life of a Soldier  Patrolling through the jungle green Searching for an enemy yet to be seen Smothering heat and saturated with sweat Terrible thirst but not to drink yet   A hand signal ripples down the single file It means a five […]

From George Mansford – Warrior Poet and Commentator on topical Events “An old warrior by the name of John Burns made contact to advise he and other veterans of his unit who fought in Borneo, post WW2, were soon  to return there to recognize the 50th   year since the end of the war against Indonesia, […]

Gibraltar Bunker, Pozieres August 1916 (courtesy Wikipedia) POZIERES* The Australians stormed the trenches in the town of Pozieres. They wrested it from the Germans, who had claimed the ground as theirs. But the enemy knew the lay of the land, and where each trench was set, So they poured in high explosive shells, from the […]

  FIRE SUPPORT BASE ‘ CORAL’ From late May 1968 , the 1st and 3rd Battalions of the Royal  Australian Regiment, with 102 Field Battery and 161 Field Battery RNZA fought a series of battles from the Fire Support Bases of ‘Coral’ and ‘Balmoral’ against a formidable force of North Vietnamese soldiers. Some of the […]

TWO POEMS  IN MEMORY OF PAUL LARGE   This photo reminds me of the terrible cost, When a young digger’s life is suddenly lost. Captured in time drinking from his canteen. As moving a photograph as I’ve ever seen. For young Paul was killed at the Battle of Long Tan. Facing the enemy as he […]