HUNDREDS of National Servicemen who died while serving their country have been all but forgotten by authorities, according to a WA Nasho campaigner calling for their names to be formally recognised.
David Butterfield, WA coordinator for National Servicemen 1965-1972, says although the men weren’t killed in active combat in Vietnam, they still deserved recognition.
Mr Butterfield says his campaign is based on a 2011 study by military researcher and former National Serviceman Neil C Smith which included a detailed listing of National Servicemen who died while serving from causes including training and vehicle accidents in Australia and elsewhere.
• WA’s Nashos might be ageing, but there’s still plenty of fight left in them. File photo
The Royal Australian Regiment Association’s bibliography describes Smith’s research as covering 380 young men who died while serving either on part or full-time duty, noting that they were not found on conventional honour rolls.
Mr Butterfield says Smith’s research identified 181 Nashos who did not serve in Vietnam but died during training or corps unit accidents, motor vehicle accidents, suicide, grenade incidents, sickness and other causes.
He says he has since tried to obtain the names and details through freedom-of-information applications to the National Archives of Australia and the Department of Defence, without success.
“It is a national disgrace that 181 confirmed Nasho deaths has never been made public,” he said.
“These men were trained to fight in Vietnam alongside Regular Army troops and have been totally disregarded and forgotten.
“It’s as if these men never existed – they are most certainly the men Australia forgot, or the men successive federal governments chose to forget!”
Mr Butterfield wants the men recognised on the Australian War Memorial’s Roll of Honour and on memorial plaques, with their names, ages, army units and service numbers recorded.
“These men must be recognised for their service, just the same as the 210 Nashos who lost their lives in Vietnam,” he said.
His campaign has gained support from the example of Queensland, where a plaque was unveiled at Wacol earlier this year honouring 32 National Servicemen from the 1965 to 1972 intakes who died while serving in Australia.
The plaque was unveiled by Queensland governor Jeannette Young.
“These unsung heroes are owed a deep debt of gratitude too for serving our nation through National Service,” Mr Butterfield said.
He says the issue is particularly important because National Service was compulsory, with about 864,000 20-year-old men required to register.
About 63,000 were conscripted, with around 19,000 serving in Vietnam, while others served in Australia, New Guinea, Malaysia, Singapore and Borneo.
by STEVE GRANT