Remembering those who served and died in battle is a sacred duty today for East Maitland RSL sub-branch president Brian Boughton.
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Mr Boughton, 65, a grandfather of two, has known a fair number of soldiers who paid the ultimate price for their country.
He was once the Regimental Sergeant Major of the Australian Army, the highest non-commissioned rank in the service.
He knows a lot too about the values that motivate a soldier.
And as a rifleman who served in Vietnam, he can never forget the terror of combat – nor the support soldiers gave to others in peril.
So as Australians pause on Wednesday to remember heroes from their past, Mr Boughton said he was glad to realise the values that upheld the warriors of World War I were identical to those of soldiers now.
And he will be thinking of many when he attends the Remembrance Day service in East Maitland.
“Remembrance Day is every bit as important as Anzac Day,” Mr Boughton said.
“Today we will be remembering the horrors of war, the stark reality of that conflict and the courage of those who served,” he said.
“But we will also be paying tribute to the core values of our army – courage, initiative, teamwork and respect.
“These are the same values our soldiers had in the trenches 100 years ago, the ones that continue to guide are army in conflicts today.
“When we honour those who service and who did not come home, we are also honour the values they upheld and which the military value today.”
Mr Boughton believes Remembrance Day carries a message that is particularly important to all politicians.
The RSL message Lest We Forget should be a guide to them all, he said.
“After World War II, we had a lot of politicians who had served and understood what it meant for people to be committed to a war.
“Today, unfortunately, we don’t have many politicians who have served in the military and who know what this means to families in the Australian Defence Force.”
His service in Vietnam as a rifleman with the 5 and 7 Royal Australian Regiments was a time of big change in his life, he said.
“I grew up a lot.
“I think Vietnam was typical of most wars, with long periods of boredom and tedious repetition coupled with short periods of frantic activity.
“In the jungle, you would suddenly come up against someone jumping out of a bush 20 metres away who let loose with an automatic weapon.
“These were moments of terror and fear, where you could not bring in supporting artillery and mortars to help you.
“They were also moments where soldiers displayed the ultimate in courage and in caring for their mates – the same as their fathers and grandfathers have done in previous conflicts.”
His views on Australians fighting in Vietnam have changed today, compared to those he once held.
“At that time, I thought we were dong the right thing for the right reasons, to help the Vietnamese people,” Mr Boughton said.
“With hindsight, as is probably well documented, we were not there for the right reasons.
“But that should not take away from the fact that our soldiers over there did the best they could in very difficult circumstances.”
Mr Boughton still has memories of being spat on and called a baby killer back in Australia.
“That did hit home,” he said.
Did he believe Australia had the army it deserved?
“Undoubtedly,” he said.
“Its core values of courage, initiative, teamwork and respect are the same values the army has had from the very early days.
“They are the very values our soldiers had in the trenches of World War I and, to me, they give great meaning to Remembrance Day.
“I think solders today are every bit as good as their fathers and grandfathers were,” he said.
“But I often think the Australian people are not aware to the many good things our servicemen and women do to help those in other countries.
“While Aussie soldiers are tough, they also have a tender side that is not well known.
“I am thinking, for instance, of the soldiers who sent books to schools in Timor because the children there had none,” Mr Boughton said.
As for the role of the “much feared” sergeant majors, Mr Boughton said their place in the Australian Army was vital.
“When soldiers ask why they are doing a dumb thing, it is important information a commanding officer should know about,” he said.
“Sergeant majors are carriers of messages.
“They are able to take issues that come from grass roots to senior leadership.
“This is a vital factor in the Australian Army, something that does not exist in civilian life.”
As for today, the memories of two friends who died recently will be on Mr Boughton’s mind.
“This will be a very special time for all of us, where we honour those who gave us so much,” he said.