1969 – In A Far Off Place
The flag’s been raised, the anthem played, we’ve sung our last refrain
And I have finally made it here, to stand before your name
It’s been fifty years or so, since you in battle fell
Whether the pain will ever ease, only time will tell
We were both called up together, barely out of teens
When we embarked we looked the part, slouch hat and jungle greens
The veterans all had told us, just what lay ahead
We sat there captivated, by every word they said
The great unwashed saw us off, with their hoots and boos and jeers
But all we could remember, was our loved ones tears
We’d throw a party when we got back and paint the old town red
But sadly that for some of you, we’d have a wake instead
And that hippy girl with the banner stating, “Make love not war”
Well I married her and soon found out, what the sign was for
With all our kids and grandkids, how our family has grown
Little did she realise, she’d have a regiment of her own
We slogged through the mud and rain, remembering what the sergeant said
“There’s only two types of soldier son, there’s the quick and there’s the dead”
Our Lieutenant trained at Scheyville, a bit young but he was keen
A natural born leader, the best we’d ever seen
We had to let our hair down, we were all on the same team
So we went and found a shady bar, just to let off steam
We were drinking and yahooing and making a right din
Having such a good time, then the Provo’s all stormed in
We figured if they caught us, we’d be on the mat
But you have to get up early, to snare a tunnel rat
We knew every hidden passage, as we set off at great pace
To another off limits bar, in another off limits place
The Yanks they landed on the moon and went for their lunar roam
We were counting down the wakeys, till the day that we’d go home
Yet despite the hardships, our loyalty did not lag
For three generations, we’d proudly served the flag
In a village known as Binh Ba, the enemy made a stand
Backed by armour, artillery and gunships ,we fought hand to hand
Those who were to follow us, would recall our deeds with awe
Operation Hammer, now the stuff of lore
But life can be a fickle thing, when you trip a jumping jack
I wish I could have escorted you, on the Herk that brought you back
We stood there empty hearted, in humidity and the rain
As we recalled all the mates, we’d not see again
Now you are just a weathered name, on a small town monument
A fitting simple tribute, to the sweat and blood you spent
Maybe we’ll meet in a far off place and work out what it was about
And if we do, my dear old mate, it will be my bloody shout
By Tomas ‘Paddy’ Hamilton
28 August 2019
FILE PHOTO: Centurion tanks from 1st Armoured Regiment, and armoured personnel carriers from B Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, move along the main road of Binh Ba village. Over three days, armour and infantry dislodged a strong North Vietnamese Army group that had entered the village, for the loss of one Australian killed in action. AWM BEL/69/0389/VN. Binh Ba.
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