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Mick
probably doesn't need any introduction if you served in
Vietnam. You would have come across Mick in any unit. He
was always one for a yarn. Some of his most entertaining
tales where based on fact ... maybe with a little
embellishment; others, if you'll believe me, completely
true.
Some were exaggerated to buggery or even straight out
lies that he made up as his story unfolded. The problem
was that most of us were at times left wondering which
was which. All his yarns were told with a serious tone.
He hated for you to interrupt him when he got into his
yarn. If you did, or worse, challenged a claim he'd
made, you got a sort of 'hurt' look and, as you shut up
Mick would simply continue where he'd left off.
Mick was a popular member of our platoon and it was his
second tour of duty with 5RAR.The first being in 1966.
Whether he was a 'Reg' or a 'Nasho' that signed on, I
never did find out. He knew the ropes and we welcomed
his experience. It was now 1969.
Mick told us he had got married after completing his
first tour, and as hed say, "I've got one little nipper
and one on the way. When I get back home I'm going to
put a house up on the few hundred acres I bought in
1966". Even as he told us this, we just wondered if we
were being set up for another one of Mick's doubtful
tales, or was this for real ... Time will tell.
You'll get to know Mick pretty well after you read a few
of his tales. As I recall, some of them get pretty long
winded, and usually without too much swearing except for
the occasional 'bloody'. Like most of us he smoked,
drank; but not to excess, and had a small flutter on the
horses on the rare times we weren't out 'scrub bashing'.
Most of all he was a good mate.
A 5RAR Digger
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