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"The Nashos". A History of the 2 different National Service Schemes

'"We were called up to do a job, not to get a job"

NATIONAL SERVICE 

A BRIEF HISTORY    

Allen Callaghan B.A.        © October 2005

Between 1951 and 1972, a total of 287,000 young Australian men were called up in two separate schemes for compulsory training in the Navy, Army and Air Force. Of them, 212 died on active service in Borneo and Vietnam. National Service was part of Australia’s defence preparedness for three decades.

National Service was a product of the post-World War Two global and regional conflicts facing Australia. These began with the Berlin blockade by the Soviet Union in 1948; the first Arab-Israeli war the same year; Communist insurgencies in Malaya and Vietnam; Communist North Korea’s invasion of South Korea in 1950, the Suez Canal crisis of 1956, confrontation with Indonesia in Borneo in 1962 and the Vietnam War.   

The threat of nuclear war hung over the entire world.

The outbreak of the Korean war in 1950, coupled with the Malayan Emergency and the Viet Minh uprising against the French in  Vietnam, appeared to threaten Australia directly. Recruiting for the regular Armed Services proving  insufficient, the Menzies Government re-introduced conscription which had ended in 1945. 

The legislation had bi-partisan political support. National Service was in the Australian tradition since Federation in 1901 of volunteer forces for overseas service backed up by a pool of basically trained men in the Naval Reserve, the Citizens Military Forces and the Citizens Air Force. 

In the first scheme from 1951 to 1959, National Servicemen could nominate a Service preference but in practice most were allocated to units near their homes. The Navy and Air Force gave preference to family of former personnel or members of Cadet units and overseas service was automatic. 

A major change for the Army was that National Servicemen were given the option, at call-up,  to  volunteer for service  anywhere overseas if war occurred. Further training would have been needed. Most Nashos volunteered. World War Two militia had been restricted to Australia and territories in the south-west Pacific ‘associated with the defence of Australia’. 

The Korean armistice was signed in 1953 and no new direct threats developed during that decade, so the basic role of National Servicemen was seen as homeland defence.

 The second scheme from 1965 to 1972 for the Vietnam war involved two years full-time service integrated into expanded regular Army units, with overseas deployment where required.  

THE FIRST SCHEME 1951-59

In the first National Service scheme between 1951 and 1959, all young men aged 18 were called up for training in the Navy, Army and Air Force. A total of 227,000 served in 52 intakes.

Navy National Servicemen did their training in intakes named after Australian pioneers or explorers at HMAS Penguin in Sydney, HMAS Cerberus  at Flinders Naval Depot on Westernport Bay in Victoria, HMAS Lonsdale in Melbourne and HMAS Leeuwin near Perth. 

National Servicemen in the Fleet Air Arm trained at the Royal Australian Naval Air Station HMAS Nirimba at Schofields airfield in Sydney’s north-west and at HMAS Albatross near Nowra. Sea service was done on  ships of the Fleet.

Image from John Lancaster Edinburgh

 

Army was allocated the largest proportion of men and formed ten National Service Training Battalions. 

  • The locations of the  Battalions were: 

    • Queensland, 11 Battalion at Wacol; 

    • New South Wales, 12 Battalion at Singleton and Holsworthy, 13 Battalion at Ingleburn and 19 Battalion at Old Holsworthy and Holsworthy; 

    • Victoria, 14, 15 and 20 Battalions at Puckapunyal and Watsonia; 

    • South Australia, 16 Battalion at Woodside; 

    • Western Australia, 17 Battalion at Swanbourne; 

    • Tasmania, 18 Battalion at Brighton. 

The 11th Battalion, with 1500 trainees at its peak, was the largest. It served Queensland and Papua New Guinea. Trainees from the northern rivers of  New South Wales from Tweed Heads to Newcastle and the New England tableland were sent north to Wacol or south to Singleton and Sydney as required. Some National Servicemen from Canberra, Queanbeyan, Yass, Goulburn and other southern  NSW centres trained at Puckapunyal in Victoria. Northern Territory and Broken Hill National Servicemen trained at Woodside in South Australia.     

Air Force National Servicemen undertook their training in National Service Training Units and were allocated to Flights, corresponding to platoons, at the major air bases and depots throughout Australia.

  • This included 

    • Garbutt in Townsville, 

    • Toowoomba and Oakey on the Darling Downs, 

    • Amberley near Ipswich and 

    • Archerfield in Brisbane; 

    • Richmond, Rathmines, Williamtown, Bankstown, Forest Hill and Uranquinty near Wagga Wagga in New South Wales; 

    • Fairbairn in Canberra; 

    • Point Cook, Laverton, Frognall, Tottenham, Ballarat and East Sale in Victoria; 

    • Mallala near Adelaide and Pearce and 

    • Merredin near Perth. 

    • Trainees from South Australia and Tasmania also went to Laverton. 

National Service Instructors were drawn from all three Services and most had World War Two and Korean combat experience. National Servicemen in both schemes received the standard basic training for all new recruits.   

SERVICE NUMBERS

Navy National Service numbers were followed by NS and were in sequence from the first intake.  An A preceded Air Force numbers. 

  • In Army and Air Force numbers, the first numeral (i.e. 2/771128 or  A55100) usually indicated the State in which the trainee was called up:  

    • 1 Queensland, 

    • 2 New South Wales, 

    • 3 Victoria, 

    • 4 South Australia, 

    • 5 Western Australia, 

    • 6 Tasmania and 

    • 1 (later 8)  Papua New Guinea. 

    • First scheme Army numbers had an oblique, Vietnam-era numbers did not. 

However, this was not always the case. In the first scheme, some trainees from southern New South Wales had 3 prefixes and during the Vietnam-era some trainees were assigned numbers from other States. First scheme Army numbers had an oblique, Vietnam-era numbers did not. 

TRAINING PERIOD

Under the National Service Act 1951, all young men turning 18 on or after l November 1950 were required to undertake 176 days standard recruit training in the Navy, Army and Air Force, followed by five years in their respective Reserves. The first call-up notices were issued on 12 April 1951 and the first National Servicemen marched in during July.  

The Navy required its National Servicemen for 124 days continuous training and then thirteen days training each year for four years in the Naval Reserve. Army trainees initially were required to serve 98 days continuous basic training followed by 78 days part-time training in the Citizen Military Force over three years. Army Nashos without a unit near their home returned to Wacol to complete their obligation. The Air Force required its National Servicemen for a continuous 176 days training. 

Australians resident in Papua-New Guinea could fulfil their obligation in Australia or by six year’s service in the Papua-New Guinea Volunteer Rifles.   

In 1955 the Navy and Air Force reduced training to 154 days and discontinued National Service in 1957. In 1957, the Army reduced initial training to 77 days and part time service in the CMF to 63 days over two years.  It also reduced the call-up through a birthday ballot from the second intake of 1957. The last intake of the first scheme was in August, 1959. 

The Australian Government decided on 24 November 1959 to discontinue National Service and on 30 June 1960 all National Servicemen were declared to have honorably discharged their obligation. 

Those in the first scheme did not see active service, but National Servicemen were on Naval ships that visited Korean waters during hostilities and were at the atomic bomb tests in 1952 at Monte Bello Islands in Western Australia  and in 1956 at Maralinga in South Australia. RAAF National Servicemen worked on aircraft that had flown through atomic clouds. National Servicemen were placed on alert as part of a wider standby for active service during the Suez Canal crisis in 1956 but the crisis passed.

THE SECOND SCHEME 1965-72

With the outbreak of Confrontation with Indonesia between 1963 and 1966 and the Vietnam War, recruiting again was insufficient and the Government introduced the National Service Act 1964. 

In the second scheme men aged 20 were selected by a birthday ballot for the Army. The Navy and Air Force did not use National Service for Vietnam. An alternative allowed those liable to conscription to  elect, a year before the ballot, to fulfil their National Service obligation by six years service in the CMF. Some 35,000 did so until this option was abolished. 

Between 30 June 1965 and 7 December 1972, a total of 63,790 were called up for two years fulltime service  integrated into regular Army units. This was reduced to 18 months in 1971. 

Of them, 100 served in Borneo and 17,424 served in Vietnam. The other 46,366 served in support units in Australia, Malaysia and Papua-New Guinea. 

Click to enlarge
  • After twelve weeks initial training at 

    • 1 Recruit Training Battalion at Kapooka, NSW; 

    • 2 R.T.B. at Puckapunyal, Victoria; or 

    • 3 R.T.B. at Singleton, N.S.W.; National Servicemen were assigned to the many different Corps. 

  • About 1500 were selected for officer training at Scheyville in Sydney and were commissioned as Second Lieutenants. 

<<< Badge of 3 Recruit Training Battalion. More details.

Others who were teachers were promoted to sergeant and posted to Papua-New Guinea for 12 months to educate soldiers of the Pacific Islands Regiment at Port Moresby, Goldie River, Lae and Wewak.  

Most were allotted to the Infantry, enabling the Army to increase the Royal Australian Regiment from five to nine Battalions for the first time. 

During Confrontation with Indonesia between 1963 and 1966, the Government committed 3 Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment to Borneo in 1965, succeeded  by 4RAR. All Battalions were rotated through Vietnam between 1966 and 1971. Most units gave National Servicemen the choice of active service and most volunteered. Of them, two died in Borneo and 210 in Vietnam. They included six who enlisted upon call-up or re-enlisted and three voluntary National Servicemen. The casualty rate amongst National Servicemen was lower than amongst enlisted regulars.  

Confrontation ended in 1966. The McMahon Government withdrew Australian units from Vietnam in 1971. In 1972, the Whitlam Government, using  the expedient of ‘exceptional hardship’ ,  discharged National Servicemen from the Army and passed the National Service Termination Act in 1973. The Defence Legislation Amendment Act of 1992 repealed the National Service Act 1951 but the then Labor Government retained the power to re-introduce conscription in a time of war with prior Parliamentary approval.

NATIONAL SERVICE IN REVIEW

Australia had made training in the Citizens Military Forces compulsory at various times between 1910 and 1945. The 1951 National Service Act revived this with National Servicemen, after their basic training,  completing their obligation in their respective Reserves.  In 1980 the  CMF was reorganised as the Ready Reserve and then the Army Reserve. The Citizens Air Force became the Air Force Reserve. The Naval Reserve remained virtually unchanged. In 2001 the Defence Act was amended so that Reservists could be called up for overseas service. 

Despite the compulsion, National Servicemen of both schemes did their training, active and reserve duties well and honourably and most regarded it as a rewarding part of their lives. They served overseas with distinction in Vietnam, Malaysia, Borneo and Papua-New Guinea.

In 2001, the Australian Government recognised the contribution of National Servicemen to Australia’s defence preparedness with the award of the Anniversary of National Service 1951-1972 Medal.  The bronze medal is unusual in modern awards with a double-sided design and the recipient’s service number and name engraved on the rim. The front depicts the tri-service badge surmounted by the Federation star and the words ‘Anniversary of National Service 1951-1972’ and the other side the Southern Cross on a field of radiating lines inside a cog wheel representing the integral role of the armed services in the Australian community. Both sides are surmounted by the Crown. 

The distinctive ribbon uses the colours of the three Services during the National Service era - Navy white, Army jungle green and RAAF light blue - and Australia’s then national colours of blue and gold. The ochre strip represents the land.  

Because National Service was drawn from the entire community, many National Servicemen from both schemes later rose to high positions in politics, business, the professions and the community. They include Governors-General Bill Hayden and Dr.Peter Hollingworth; deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer and Federal Minister Wilson Tuckey; Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett; Queensland’s Chief Justice Paul De Jersey; Major-General Rod Fay, businessmen Lindsay Fox and Sir James Hardy; author and television personality Clive James; entertainer Normie Rowe, tennis player Lew Hoad, cricketer Doug Walters and car racing legends Peter Brock and Dick Johnson. 

However, the domestic divisions over the Vietnam War saw National Servicemen, particularly those who had active service, in the invidious position of not only being conscripted by a selective ballot but also subjected to public derision by some of the Australian public on their return. These divisions have seen both sides of politics reluctant to consider National Service to supplement chronic shortfalls in voluntary recruiting.

All National Servicemen are ex-servicemen. They march on Anzac Day, Remembrance Day, National Service Day, Vietnam Veterans and Long Tan Days and Reserve Forces Day in their own right.

No women were called up for National Service.

National Servicemen marched as a contingent in the Army’s Centenary Parade in Canberra in 2001

They wear a wide variety of Service and Corps badges on their hats, caps and berets and many are members of Unit associations in all three Services. 

The late Barry Vicary founded the National Servicemen’s Association of Australia in Toowoomba, Queensland, on 28 November 1987 to seek a better deal for Vietnam-era National Servicemen and a Medal recognising National Service. When Barry learnt of the earlier and larger National Service scheme he immediately widened  the organisation to include them. The Association now has branches Australia-wide and is the second-largest ex-service organisation after the RSL.  

National Servicemen added a new word to the Australian language – Nasho. National Service Day, 14 February, marks the day the last Nasho marched out of camp.   © NSAA November  2005  

THE ROLL OF HONOUR

of Australian National Servicemen

No.  NAME       STATE UNIT DIED

Borneo

M = Migrant, State of residence not specified  
5713692 Mills Geoffrey F  WA 22 Const Sqn  1966
3787083 (enlisted on call up) Bridgland Reginald N Vic 22 Const.Sqn 1966
      Total  Borneo 2

Vietnam

2786017   Abbott  Dal E  NSW    1RAR 1968
4718946 Abraham Dennis E SA 104 Signals Squadron  1967
4719565  Abraham Richard J SA 9RAR  1969
2784699   Allen Norman G  NSW 7RAR  1967
2784162    Annesley Frederick J  NSW  1RAR  1968
2788583   Archer Gary A   NSW   9RAR  1969
2781363 Arnold Peter J   NSW 6RAR 1967
1730888   Ashton William J  Qld  6RAR   1967
2794278   Attwood Trevor J  NSW HQ1ATF 1971
2786313 Bailey Errol J  NSW  1RAR  1967
6709107 Banfield David J  Tas  5RAR  1968
5715206 Barnett Stuart J WA  4RAR 1968
2782555 Bartholomew Glen T NSW  1 Field Squadron 1967
5718195 Beilken Brian C  WA   4RAR 1971
5714453 Bell Alec E    WA 7RAR 1968
5714249 Bell Ronald J WA 2RAR 1967
3176710   Binder Gerhard. M  9RAR 1969
2781899  Birchell Michael J  NSW  6RAR  1967
1734408  Black Trevor R  Qld  9RAR 1969
2782525 Bracewell Dennis H NSW 6RAR 1967
2782812  Brady Gregory V Qld   1 Field Squadron 1967
2789684 Bramble Peter J NSW 1 Field Squadron 1969
2785180 Brett William J  NSW 2RAR  1967
6708915 Brewer Kevin F Tas 4RAR  1968
3787889 Brooks Dennis L  Vic  1 Field Squadron   1967
3794895 Brown Allen R  Vic 6RAR   1969
3790530   Brown Lindsay N   Vic 3RAR    1968
2794031  Bullman  John H   NSW 1ARU  1970
2786525   Byrne Robert A NSW  4RAR 1968
2787278 Campbell John A  NSW   3RAR   1968
5716427 Cassano Nicola J    M  5RAR 1969
4719003  Caston Robert J SA 3RAR  1968
4721369  Chapman Rodney S SA 2RAR 1971
5713804   Clark Donald M SA 5RAR 1967
3794556  Clark Raymond D M   6RAR 1970
6708750 Coombs  Geoffrey J   Tas 1 Field Squadron   1968
1731426  Cox James G Qld 7RAR  1967
2787020  Cox Raymond J NSW 1RAR  1968
5716239 Crouch Noel V WA 7RAR 1970
2785238 Cutcliffe Timothy J  NSW 2RAR  1967
2788283 Davidson Barry N NSW  3RAR   1968
3788300 Deed Romon J D Vic  1 Field Squadron  1967
3791033   Desnoy John W  Vic 3RAR 1968
4718756 De Vries Van Leeuwen Thomas J M   3RAR  1968
5715633  Dewar Keith I   WA 3 Cavalry Regiment 1969
2792089 Dickson Stephen W NSW 7RAR 1970
3789770 Doherty John A   Vic 3RAR  1968
1730929 Drabble Glenn A Qld   6RAR  1966
2794265 Driscoll Roger W NSW  HQ1 Task Force 1971
3799249 Duff James  Vic 4RAR   1971
1735143 Duffy Kenneth A   Qld    6RAR 1970
2792150 Dufty Milton R NSW 7RAR 1970
5716228  Duncuff Alan L WA 1 Field Squadron 1969
1732701 Evans Paul Qld 1RAR 1968
3794256 Evans Thomas A Vic 9RAR  1969
3786921 Farren Leslie T Vic 5RAR 1966
2787344 Fisher David  J NSW 3SAS 1969
4718368  Fisher Roger L NSW 3RAR 1968
1731113 Fraser John  Qld  3RAR 1968
3793157 Gaffney Ronald J NSW 9RAR 1968
1730941 Gant Kenneth H Qld 6RAR Long Tan 1966
2789508 George Barry R  NSW 9RAR 1969
5715657 Gibbs Ian J WA 1RAR  1968
3790395 Gillard Robert J Vic 3 Cavalry Regt 1968
6708763 Godden Guy R Tas 3 RAR  1968
1734847 Goody Philip R Qld 8RAR 1972
2787716  Graham Samuel M 4RAR 1969
2782127 Green George B NSW 5RAR 1967
2791447 Greene John G  NSW  1 Field Squadron 1969
1730947 Grice Victor R  Vic 6 RAR Long Tan 1966
3791920 Hannaford Michael J Vic 1 Armoured Reg 1968
2781994 Hart Peter R NSW  6RAR 1967
3789232 Hawker Norman V  Vic 7RAR 1967
2794350 Hill Donald C NSW HQ 1 Task Force 1971
3786634 Holland Tony M  1 APC Squadron  1966
3794944 Holloway John W NSW 9RAR 1969
2787776  Houston Kenneth R NSW  3RAR  1968
2791326  Hurst Harold W   NSW  1 Field Squadron 1970
6708488 Hyland Francis A Tas 2RAR  1967
2789790 Jackson Peter J  NSW 5RAR 1969
2781847  Jewry Jack NSW 6RAR Long Tan   1966
4720992  Kavanagh Graham R SA 7RAR  1970
1733818 Kermode Raymond C  Qld 9RAR 1969
1734754 Kingston Ian W  Qld  6RAR 1969
1735712  Kowalski Peter F  Qld 2RAR 1971
2782226 Knight Gordon  NSW 6RAR  1966
2786939  Langlands Terrance E  NSW 1RAR  1968
2781704 Large Paul A NSW 6RAR Long Tan  1966
4720583 Larsson Stanley G  SA 7RAR 1979
1734491 Linton Matthew P NSW  5RAR ? - 1969
2791437 Lisle Anthony  Qld 1 Field Squadron  1969
3797086 Lloyd Allan L ACT 7RAR  1970
2784015 Lloyd Richard E NSW 5RAR 1967
3794096 Loughman Matthew NSW HQ1ALSG 1969
1730993 McCormack Albert F Tas   6RAR Long Tan 1966
1730994 McCormack Dennis J  SA 6RAR Long Tan 1966
2782440 McDuff Peter E NSW 2RAR 1967
2784478 McGuire Raymond A NSW  4RAR 1969
3795935 MacLennan Larry J  Vic 8RAR 1970
3794377 McMillan James C NSW 5RAR 1969
2785033 McMillan Ross C  NSW 7RAR 1971
5715701 McPherson Lyall H WA 9RAR 1969
5716533 McQuat James L WA 8RAR 1970
3793137 Manicola Joseph G Vic  1ARU  1969
1731467 Martin William H  Qld  1RAR 1968
2794496  Mathers Ian G Qld  12 Field Regt. 1971
5714739 Mathews Geoffrey F WA 3RAR 1968
2788798 Meredith Thomas F NSW  9RAR 1969
1731013  Mitchell Warren D Qld 6RAR Long Tan 1966
4717751 Mitchinson Kevin L SA 3 Cavalry Regiment 1967
3795756 Morgan John L Vic 2AOD 1970
1732186 Morrison Dayle W Qld 2RAR 1968
2787512 Muc Michael  M 4RAR 1968
2788085 Muller Hans L M  5RAR 1969
3795712 Munday Barry J Vic 8RAR 1970
2788524 Murray Peter E NSW 1RAR 1968
2792729 Navarre Paul J Vic 7RAR 1967
1735386 Neal Dennis W  Qld 2RAR 1970
4718427 Nelson Dennis E SA 2RAR 1967
3798081 Niblett Ralph J Vic 4RAR 1971
4717546  Noack Errol W SA  5RAR  1966
2787793 Noonan Michael J  NSW 4RAR 1968
2786748 O’Brien John A NSW 1RAR 1968
2782779 O’Hara John L NSW 1 Field Squadron 1967
5717657 Pengilly Bernard M WA 4RAR 1971
6709611 Penneyston Peter L  Tas 1 Field Squadron  1970
3789447 Perrin Robert G  Vic 7RAR 1968
2784043  Pearce John G S NSW 1RAR 1968
1733375  Petersen Victor N Qld 4RAR 1969
3790094 Pettit Noel C Vic 2RAR 1967
4719545 Phillips Reginald A  SA 9RAR 1969
3789448 Plain Douglas B  Vic HQ1 Task Force 1968
4719981 Plane Bruce J SA 9RAR 1969
3786644  Pomroy Victor I Vic  3 Cavalry Regt 1967
3795605  Poulson Daryl Vic  8RAR 1970
2790170 Power Robert E NSW 6RAR 1970
2782783  Powter Douglas R J NSW 6RAR 1965
1734329 Prior Kevin J Qld 9RAR 1969
3787580 Purcell Anthony T Vic 6RAR 1966
4719160 Quigley Anthony V  SA 3RAR 1968
1733037 Ramsay Joseph S Qld 4RAR 1969
2787069  Rands John M  NSW 1RAR 1968
3793403 Reidy Paul F Vic 9RAR 1969
4719818 Remeljej Alexander SA 5RAR 1969
3788172  Renshaw Terrence J Vic  1 Field Squadron 1967
2796378 Rhodes Maxwell R NSW 4RAR 1971
2781563 Rinkin Kerry P NSW 5RAR 1967
3796110 Richter Philip M Vic 8RAR 1970
3793978 Robertson Malcolm R Vic 1ALSG 1969
4718449 Rogers John SA  2RAR 1968
5715153 Roost Christopher W   WA 4RAR  1968
1731040 Salveron Douglas J Qld 6RAR Long Tan 1966
4719367 Scales Grantley J  SA 9RAR 1969
4720852  Schuit Martinus J M SA 17 Const. Squadron 1970
3791583 Scott Ian J Vic 12 Field Squadron 1968
1735424 Scott Ian N Qld  1 Field Squadron  1970
2781465 Sharp Gordon C NSW  6RAR Long Tan  1966
3790566 Sheppard Lawrence R Vic 1RAR  1968
2787074 Slattery John M NSW 1RAR 1968
3793566 Smith Baron F Qld 5RAR 1969
3794831 Smith John Vic 1 Field Squadron 1969
3797613 Smith Noel A Vic 21 Eng Spt Tpt  1971
2788912 Smith Peter C NSW 9RAR 1969
2790417 Sorrensen Gordon D Qld 9RAR 1969
2790070 Stanford Gregory Ian  NSW 6RAR 1969
5718122 Sprigg Roderick J WA 7RAR 1971
4719232 Steen David J  M 1 Field Squadron 1968
4719573 Sukmanowsky  Michael SA 1ARU 1968
3786696  Sullivan Paul C  NSW 5RAR 1965
3797623 Talbot Alan M 7RAR 1971
3787987 Taylor Leonard A NSW 3RAR 1968
2790880 Teeling Wayne E NSW 5RAR 1969
2786038 Thomson Ian J NSW 3RAR 1968
3791207  Tinkham John R Vic 4RAR  1969
4718991 Thomas William M SA 3RAR 1968
2789920 Thompson Barry J  NSW 5RAR 1970
5713739 Tomas Marian WA 5RAR 1966
2792254  Towler Michael  M  HQ1 Task Force 1971
3791291 Trimble Bevan M Vic 1RAR 1968
2792375  Tully Desmond J  NSW  2RAR 1970
4720253 Turner Timothy C SA 5RAR 1969
3787416 Tweedie Geoffrey L Vic 6RAR 1967
5715180 Van Rijsewijk Paul R  M 3RAR 1968
2787255 Wallis Alan J NSW 1RAR  1968
3786978 Warburton Graham F Vic   5RAR 1966
5716163 Waring Anthony E M 5RAR 1969
5713981 Waters Brian D SA 6RAR 1967
5713748 Watson Bryan P WA 5RAR 1966
5713986 Webster David R NSW 6RAR 1967
5713751 Webster James C WA 5RAR 1967
1731955 Weston Leslie J NSW 2RAR  1967
3787607 Whiston Colin J  NSW 6RAR Long Tan 1966
5715978 White James M WA 5RAR 1969
5715189 Williams Archibald S WA 1RAR 1968
3797671 Willoughby Garry I Vic 2RAR 1970
4717641 Wilsen Robert P SA 3 Cavalry Regt. 1967 
3411951 Wilson Kevin R Vic 2RAR 1968
4718082 Woolford Richard M  SA 2RAR 1967
3790784 Worle Jeffrey T Vic 3RAR 1968
1732408 Young Alexander H NSW  104 Signals Sqn  1968
1733095  Young Brian T  Qld 1RAR  1968
1733547 Young Robert G Qld 3 Cavalry Regt. 1969
NASHOS WHO ENLISTED UPON CALL-UP OR RE-ENLISTED  
4718097 Burns Robert M  4RAR 1968
2786682 Hollis Anthony E NSW 1 Field Squadron 1970
2783512 Jackson Robert J  NSW 8RAR 1970
4717754 Musicka Harold R Vic 9RAR 1969
4718855 Paterson David  SA 3RAR 1971
Total  Enlisted  KIA 5
VOLUNTARY NATIONAL SERVICEMEN  
2141115  Patten Raymond B NSW 7RAR 1971
217961 Pettit Leslie J NSW 5RAR 1969
1732899 Salzmann Ronald W Qld 3RAR 1971
Total  Voluntary Nashos KIA   3
TOTAL of NASHOS KIA, VIETNAM    210
  • Compiled: Allen Callaghan B.A.  October 2005 
  • Sources: 
    • The Australian : "500 - The Australians Who Died in Vietnam", Supplement August 18 1988
    • The Australian War Memorial, Canberra
    • The Army Central Records Office, Melbourne 
    • The Army History Unit, Canberra  
    • The Vietnam Nominal Roll, Department of Veterans' Affairs 
    • National Servicemen’s Association of Australia 
  • Most conscripts of the 2nd scheme did not go to Viet Nam. 
    • Most served their time in Australia.  
      • During the term of Selective National Service 804,286 men were eligible. 
        • 62,342 were called up. 
          • 15,381 were posted to Viet Nam.
Webmasters note. I am a 1968/70 Nasho. I often hear the cry "Bring back National Service and make men out of them". As appealing as that might sound at first it is just impossible. The regular army, who have to provide the instructors, could hardly handle the first National Service Scheme and keep a small Army in Korea plus a presence in Japan at the same time. The regular army of the early and mid 1960s really struggled with the logistics of training the normal number of ARA recruits, training the ARA/NS conscripts, expanding from 3 active Battalions plus supports to 9 active Battalions with supports, fighting a war in Vietnam and keeping a full Battalion in Malaysia. The regular army is now so small that we could not handle a comprehensive National Service Scheme, and the ghosts of Vietnam probably make it politically impossible anyway.
 

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