The service was at the South East Asian War Memorial where the Returned Services League invited all veterans and members of the community to remember those lost in the Vietnam War.

Hosted by branch president Haydn Madigan, the service drew a crowd of about 100, including students from John Pirie Secondary School, St Mark’s College and Mid North Christian College.

Pastor Ern Heyne led the gathering with the Prayer of Remem-brance and was moved by the presence of so many students.

“When I saw all of the young people arriving today, I could not help but think of the young soldiers who died during the Battle of Long Tan,” he said.

Fought between the army and the Viet Cong, the battle claimed 18 Aust-ralians, including Jim Houston, of Gladstone.

Mayor Brenton Van-stone spoke of the late veteran Ted Mertens who died in June. “Even as Mr Mertens’s health failed, he was helping to organise Vietnam memorials,” he said.

Aaron Hopgood took part as an Army Cadet. He became a cadet so that he could one day join the Australian Army, like his father Michael before him. He said that the day was a significant reminder of those who had given their lives for us.

CADETS...Members of the Australian Army Cadets mark Vietnam Veterans’ Day yesterday.

They are Lindsay Millard, left, Alex Peters, Nathan Dunning, Bradley Scarman and Aaron Hopgood.