Vietnam Veterans Day 2007

The grey in the beard has spread a touch further, the leg a little harder to swing off the bike, hands are a bit more gnarled than last year when they gathered here, and their faces bear more lines. But don’t read those outward signs, as ones of inner weakness; because it couldn’t be further from the truth, like the ribbon bars on their chests, they earned them all the hard way. With no pretensions, no show of false affection, they greet one another other with a handshake and an embrace, each of them glad to see the other has made it safely, they walk into a clubhouse adorned with an emblem the same as the one upon their backs, and are surrounded by other men and the memorabilia of their youth.

The emblem on the clubhouse is a skull wearing a slouch hat, the memorabilia inside is mostly militaria, the men and those within are all ex members from the three services, and, although a diverse group, there are two things that they all have in common, they are, the emblems upon their backs, and the reason why the men are there, those emblems are the colours of the Vietnam Veterans MC and the men who wear them have all gathered to honour their fallen comrades.

FSB Pearlbrook was the venue for this years VVMC NSW Chapter’s commemoration of National Vietnam Veterans Day and the 41st anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan, held under a sombre sky, somehow befitting the occasion, the audience of bikers, many of them also vets and ex services, were treated to a ceremony that is probably unique in Australia. The palpable silence of the crowd during the service, plus the pipers Lament, and buglers Last Post combined with smoke grenades and a recording of the fire-fight echoing off the surrounding hills, serve to create a lump in the throat and form a lasting impression on the mind. Good tucker for dinner, cooked up by members of the VVMC went down well, as did a support band, followed by the ever popular Johnny Green who rounded Saturday night off, add that to a hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs, well, I doubt that very many of the people attending would have gone home feeling that it had not been a more than worthwhile weekend.

Many thanks to Reggie from Skull Riders Central Coast for the two rows above.

Thanks VVMC for giving us a great weekend, and thanks to Australia’s servicemen, past and present, for giving us a country to enjoy it in.