An insult to valour !

Decades ago Australia engaged in an unpopular war. Our troops were sent to fight in Vietnam and support at home was less than enthusiastic.

On August 18, 1966 an Australian force was patrolling when it encountered a formation of over 2,500 regular Viet Cong infantry. Vastly outnumbered, a firefight ensued and resulted in eighteen of our soldiers killed and twenty-four wounded. When the Viet Cong withdrew they left behind 245 dead and an unknown number wounded. It was a classical victory of tactics and courage overcoming superior numbers.

For unknown reasons the Australian government chose to downplay this engagement. Despite it being an outstanding victory the army was ordered to release few details - and despite numerous recommendations for valour to be recognised few medals were awarded.

This has been an omission that has rankled the defence forces for decades. Repeated requests for the omissions to be addressed have been ignored - until recently !

The government has finally conceded that the battle of Long Tan was a classical action that belongs alongside similar famous battles from both world wars - and that medals won and not awarded should at last be recognised.

But this change of heart seems to have a grudging aspect - because the government has announced that the men who won those medals will be required to pay twelve dollars each to defray the cost of producing them.

What sort of message does that deliver ? In the long history of the Australian defence forces medals have been bestowed by a grateful nation - in many cases posthumously. Are we now entering an era where the relatives of the dead are to be asked to honour their sons and daughters by paying for their sacrifice ?

This act of bastardry will no doubt be promptly rescinded, but it shows that there are still bean counters who deny history in their attempt to portray the past as the way they would like it to be - rather than the way it is.