3. Repatriation of War Dead

Vietnam War – Repatriation War Dead

Saluting their Service - Grahame Old

Australian Government Policy- Burial of War Dead

Prior to the Vietnam War the Australian Government policy on war dead was that deceased soldiers were buried overseas. There are over 66,000 Australian war dead in identified graves around the world and another 35,000 commemorated on Memorials to the Missing. This policy was overturned in 1966 during the Vietnam War. Australia deployed over 60,000 servicemen and women to the conflict in Vietnam between 1962 and 1975, during this operational commitment, 521 Australians lost their lives, including two ‘Collie Boys’, the majority of these were repatriated to Australia for burial and commemoration. ‘Collie Boys’, L/CPL Keith Ivan Dewar and Pte James Mungo Thomas White, are buried in the Collie Cemetery.

The Move to change the Policy

On 10 September 1965 a member of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) died from wounds received while accompanying an ARVN Battalion on an operation in Quang Tin Province. Warrant officer 2 R. A. Scott, RAINF became the second member of the AATTV to be killed by enemy action.  His death started a movement which resulted in the Australian Government reversing its long standing policy of interring war dead in cemeteries overseas. During the early days of the Vietnam War families could have their son’s body returned home only if the next of kin or a benefactor were prepared and able to pay the cost of the repatriation. If families could not afford this, the deceased were buried in the Terendak Military Cemetery in Malaysia.

Warrant Officer Class 2 Ronald Allan Scott

WO2 Scott arrived in Vietnam in March 1965, married, his wife and 2 children lived in Sydney NSW. His fellow advisor was United States Master Sergeant Eugene Jordon, they were attached to the 3rd Bn 6th REGT 2nd ARVN Div, in TAM KY the capitol of Quang Tin Province. Scott and Jordon became firm friends, protecting and supporting each other on operations. As with many unit advisers each knew they would not leave the field of battle without his friend. Scott had once confided with Jordon that if he was killed he would like to be buried in Australia. Jordon had assured him he would be an escort.

On the 10 September 1965, during a routine search of a village, Scott was severely wounded with a gunshot wound to the head. Jordon tended his mate until a medevac helicopter evacuated him to a US Marine Corps aid station at Chu Lai. Sadly WO2 Scott died there later in the afternoon. Jordon, remembering his friends request to be buried in Australia, sought leave to accompany his mate back home. He then found that unlike the U.S. policy, which allowed for the return of deceased soldiers to the U.S., the Australian Government existing policy was that Scott was to be buried in the Terendak War Cemetery Malaysia. Jordon sought assistance from US higher command to fly Scott back to Australia however they would not oppose Australian policy.

Jordon then returned to Da Nang and set about organizing a collection from fellow advisers to enable the return of his friend to Sydney, the members of the AATTV hearing of the collection to send their fellow Australian back home began their own collection. Jordon then accompanied his friend back to Sydney on a QANTAS flight on 19 September 1965. He refused to have his fare paid from the collection and insisted money left over from donations be given to WO2 Scott’s widow. 213006 WO2 Ronald Allan Scott was buried in the military section of Rookwood Cemetery, Sydney, on 22 September 1965. For his actions Master Sergeant Eugene Jordon was commended by the Australian RSL and several local Army Units before his return to Vietnam. The Australian media obtained information surrounding the return of WO2 Scott and articles appeared in the Australian press stating that Australians had to pay to have soldiers killed in action in Vietnam returned to Australia for burial.

Back in Vietnam the training team then took for granted that any further advisers killed would be returned to Australia for burial if their next of kin requested and costs were met by the family or a benefactor. Two months later two more AATTV advisers, WO2 K. A. Wheatley and WO2 R. J. Swanton, were killed in action. The training team arranged for their bodies to be flown home to their loved ones in Australia for burial.

Policy Change 1966

In January 1966, the Australian Government then announced that the policy of burying Australian Soldiers overseas would be reversed. Australian servicemen who died would now be returned to Australia for burial at public expense. The actions of a U.S. Master Sergeant who had fulfilled a promise to his Australian mate had helped in the resultant policy change.

Repatriation of Soldiers Killed prior to 1966

On 25 May 2015, 40 years after the Vietnam War, the Australian Government extended an offer of repatriation to the families of 36 soldiers who had been killed prior to the 1966 policy change and had not been returned home. They were buried in the Terendak Military Cemetery in Malaysia, and the Military Annex of the Kranji War Cemetery in Singapore. 33 families accepted the Government’s offer. The repatriation was funded by the Government and conducted by the Office of Australian War Graves (OAWG).

On 2 June 2016, the nation welcomed home the remains of the 33 Australian soldiers in a repatriation ceremony at the Royal Australian Air Force Base Richmond, Sydney. Following the ceremony, families held private re-internment services at locations of their choosing. Three Australian casualties of the Vietnam War remain buried in the Terendak Military Cemetery. Their graves continue to be maintained by OAWG.

                                         ‘Lest we Forget’

‍