Qld: Veterans march by any means neccessary

AAP General News (Australia)
04-25-2007
Qld: Veterans march by any means neccessary

By Evan Schwarten

BRISBANE, April 25 AAP - Some required the aids of walking sticks or wheelchairs while
others were chauffeured in Jeeps, taxis and golf buggies - but still Brisbane's veterans
turned out in great numbers to mark Anzac Day.

Organisers estimate up to 10,000 people took part in this year's march while thousands
more lined the streets to watch the parade.

Children waved flags, their parents cheered and applauded as the parade wound its way
through Brisbane's CBD for more than two hours.

Though there were no World War I veterans left to march and the population of World
War II veterans is dwindling, the parade continues to grow in popularity, much to the
delight of diggers.

"It's great. I've noticed over the years the crowds are getting larger and larger,
the spirit is getting better," Vietnam Veteran Ray Baxter, 70, said as he marched with
his medals on one breast and those of his father-in-law, a Gallipoli veteran, on the other.

World War II veteran Laurie King, 88, needed the help of a wheelchair and son Greg
to march this year, but was clearly delighted to be back at the parade after several years'
absence.

"It's really important, it means a lot. You think of all the boys who didn't come back,
especially your comrades," he said.

Mr King, who served for about three years on Bougainville, said he was happy to see
the large number of young people attending.

"It's good that the younger generation now are appreciating all our boys who went west."

This year's parade took on added significance for retired Lieutenant-Colonel Rick Culpitt,
with the discovery last week of the bodies believed to be those of two of his men missing
in action for more than 40 years.

Human remains, believed to be those of Lance Corporal Richard Parker, of Sydney, and
Melbourne's Private Peter Gillson, were uncovered in a timber plantation 60km from Saigon
- now Ho Chi Minh City.

Both men died in the battle of Nui Gang Toibut and their bodies could not be retrieved.

The bodies have yet to be officially identified, but Mr Culpitt said the discovery
had lifted the burden of many of his former soldiers.

"I'm delighted the remains have been found. It's always been a very difficult thing
for my troops to handle emotionally," he said.

"For us it's been 40 years (of waiting)."

Earlier today, Prime Minister John Howard attended a dawn service at Greenslopes Private
Hospital in Brisbane's inner south. He told the crowd of about 1,000, that Anzac Day would
retain its "hallowed" position well into the future.

AAP ews/cjh/cdh

KEYWORD: ANZAC QLD MARCH LEAD (PIX AVAILABLE)

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