Mr Harris I think your attack on the "90 day wonders" and the "weekend warriors" is both spiteful and unwarranted. Many in both of these groups fought in every conflict in which Australia has been involved. To just name a few, Gen'l Sir John Monash (WW1), Major Templeton of Kokoda fame, Tim Fischer of Vietnam and the list goes on and on. I guess the tripe that has infected subsequent generations of veterans has not dimmed or diminished. The stigma that attached to AMF soldiers during WW2 is still felt today. Many AMF members tried to transfer to the AIF but were refused, many went on to fight valiantly and professionally in PNG and the South West Pacific theatre. Very few had the luxury of the many months of training enjoyed by AIF formations in the Middle Est but still acquitted themselves magnificently. The 39th Battalion, (chockoes, weekend wonders, koalas etc wrote a page in Australia's Battle Honours that would be hard to equal, curious that the 39th has not appeared in Australia's Order of Battle since they were disbanded. Jealousy, hypocrisy?)It brings to mind the patronising attitude directed at Vietnam Veterans by WW2 Veterans, Funny thing though, troops in Vietnam spent a greater percentage of their time in combat zones than any serviceman in previous wars. I guess those that are left grow old but, unfortunately some have grown bitter. M Tolley ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, February 16, 2003 8:47 PM Subject: AUS-MILITARY-D Digest V03 #39

unfortunately most of your reply is untrue 90 day wonders were National service men of the early 1950's so they did not fight in every conflict in which Australia has been involved. Monash was never a conscript. He joined as a private soldier and worked his way to the top as a VOLUNTEER EVERY soldier in WW2 was AMF. Some were AIF some were CMF some were both but every one was a member of the AMF If you think I don't know about the 39th look at http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-conflicts-periods/ww2/pages-2aif-cmf/39- battalion.htm Troops in Viet Nam did spend more of their time in combat zones than WW1 Diggers. That is an urban myth. Sorry. Ted ----- Original Message ----- From: "Maurie Tolley" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, February 16, 2003 10:47 PM Subject: Re: AUS-MILITARY-D Digest V03 #39 > Mr Harris > > I think your attack on the "90 day wonders" and the "weekend warriors" is > both spiteful and unwarranted. Many in both of these groups fought in every > conflict in which Australia has been involved. To just name a few, Gen'l Sir > John Monash (WW1), Major Templeton of Kokoda fame, Tim Fischer of Vietnam > and the list goes on and on. I guess the tripe that has infected subsequent > generations of veterans has not dimmed or diminished. The stigma that > attached to AMF soldiers during WW2 is still felt today. Many AMF members > tried to transfer to the AIF but were refused, many went on to fight > valiantly and professionally in PNG and the South West Pacific theatre. Very > few had the luxury of the many months of training enjoyed by AIF formations > in the Middle Est but still acquitted themselves magnificently. The 39th > Battalion, (chockoes, weekend wonders, koalas etc wrote a page in > Australia's Battle Honours that would be hard to equal, curious that the > 39th has not appeared in Australia's Order of Battle since they were > disbanded. Jealousy, hypocrisy?)It brings to mind the patronising attitude > directed at Vietnam Veterans by WW2 Veterans, Funny thing though, troops in > Vietnam spent a greater percentage of their time in combat zones than any > serviceman in previous wars. > > I guess those that are left grow old but, unfortunately some have grown > bitter. > > M Tolley > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Sunday, February 16, 2003 8:47 PM > Subject: AUS-MILITARY-D Digest V03 #39 >

Mr Harris I think you should remove your blinkers, 6, 7, 8 & 9 Divvies were AIF, the rest were AMF, AND a number of AIF soldiers did , and continue to, treat them as 2nd rate soldiers. 90 day wonders was also a term given the graduates from Scheyville during the Vietnam War, a number of whom did sterling work in Vietnam and some went on the command battalions. I never said Monash was a conscript, he was in the militia (a weekend warrior), an urban myth re the time spent in combat zones for Vietnam veterans, I suggest you are swayed by an urban myth. M. Tolley ----- Original Message ----- From: Val Harris <[email protected]> To: Maurie Tolley <[email protected]>; <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, February 16, 2003 11:35 PM Subject: Re: AUS-MILITARY-D Digest V03 #39 > unfortunately most of your reply is untrue > > 90 day wonders were National service men of the early 1950's so they did not > fight in every conflict in which Australia has been involved. > > Monash was never a conscript. He joined as a private soldier and worked his > way to the top as a VOLUNTEER > > EVERY soldier in WW2 was AMF. Some were AIF some were CMF some were both but > every one was a member of the AMF > > If you think I don't know about the 39th look at > > http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-conflicts-periods/ww2/pages-2aif-cmf/39- > battalion.htm > > Troops in Viet Nam did spend more of their time in combat zones than WW1 > Diggers. That is an urban myth. Sorry. > > Ted > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Maurie Tolley" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Sunday, February 16, 2003 10:47 PM > Subject: Re: AUS-MILITARY-D Digest V03 #39 > > > > Mr Harris > > > > I think your attack on the "90 day wonders" and the "weekend warriors" is > > both spiteful and unwarranted. Many in both of these groups fought in > every > > conflict in which Australia has been involved. To just name a few, Gen'l > Sir > > John Monash (WW1), Major Templeton of Kokoda fame, Tim Fischer of Vietnam > > and the list goes on and on. I guess the tripe that has infected > subsequent > > generations of veterans has not dimmed or diminished. The stigma that > > attached to AMF soldiers during WW2 is still felt today. Many AMF members > > tried to transfer to the AIF but were refused, many went on to fight > > valiantly and professionally in PNG and the South West Pacific theatre. > Very > > few had the luxury of the many months of training enjoyed by AIF > formations > > in the Middle Est but still acquitted themselves magnificently. The 39th > > Battalion, (chockoes, weekend wonders, koalas etc wrote a page in > > Australia's Battle Honours that would be hard to equal, curious that the > > 39th has not appeared in Australia's Order of Battle since they were > > disbanded. Jealousy, hypocrisy?)It brings to mind the patronising attitude > > directed at Vietnam Veterans by WW2 Veterans, Funny thing though, troops > in > > Vietnam spent a greater percentage of their time in combat zones than any > > serviceman in previous wars. > > > > I guess those that are left grow old but, unfortunately some have grown > > bitter. > > > > M Tolley > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: <[email protected]> > > To: <[email protected]> > > Sent: Sunday, February 16, 2003 8:47 PM > > Subject: AUS-MILITARY-D Digest V03 #39 > > >