(For all the Vietnam Vets)

In the sixties Australian soldiers went to war,

They had to fight in terrain against a force never seen before,

Back home there were protests and rallies,

Against our soldiers in Vietnams valleys,

The soldiers were drafted and had no choice,

But this did not worry the protesters, or change the tone of their voice,

They had to fight the North Vietnamese Army, and the Vietcong,

Both armies were well trained and very strong,

Australians fought hard and died in various ways,

While protesters walked around in a drug induced daze,

The soldiers were sent overseas to do a job,

The crowd at home turned out to be just a rowdy mob,

When the soldiers had been withdrawn,

On arrival home they were met with hate and scorn,

The crowd said it is you we have grown to detest,

So the soldier could not walk with pride with medals on his chest,

It took twenty years for us to realise,

It was not the soldier that we should despise,

The bureaucrats of the day,

Are the ones that should pay,

Even though it is late and overdue.

Welcome home men and we are very proud of you,

Now that your war has finally ended,

I hope you find the hand of friendship extended.

 

Steve Corke

1989

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