You are entitled to your opinion, even when you are wrong. Ted ----- Original Message ----- From: "Maurie Tolley" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]>; "Val Harris" <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, February 17, 2003 2:44 PM Subject: Re: 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 > > > > > >