Veteran plans to honour them all

By Nicole Williams
FOR John Wells, Anzac Day is a day of celebration and recognition of all those who pulled on the boots, regardless of where they were from.
Mr Wells, president of the Dandenong-Cranbourne RSL and a Vietnam War veteran, said the Anzac Day march in Dandenong was a multicultural affair.
“It is a very important day, not just for Vietnam Vets, but for anyone who pulled on the boots for whatever war.
“We march in Dandenong with Turks and Italians and Vietnamese – it’s quite a multicultural march.
“These wars were years ago, they are now old men who pay their taxes here, who love Australia, they’re our mates and part of the community.”
For Mr Wells, Anzac Day is full of celebration and chance to talk “rubbish” with his mates.
“It’s a chance to be among good men with simple values and simple relationships, we’re mates and that’s it, it doesn’t need any more than that,” he said.
“On Anzac day, I spend the day among mates and we’ll talk absolute rubbish and lies about what heroes we were.
“It’s socially great, emotionally great and culturally good.”
But for Mr Wells, Anzac Day is more than just a celebration; it is a chance to demonstrate mateship, honour, care and pride to younger generations.
Mr Wells served in Vietnam with two of his brothers, the only Australian family to have three brothers there, and a third felt like he had missed out when the war ended.
“While it was a bad experience in a lot of ways, and there were a few moments when I was absolutely terrified, by and large it was a good experience – an adventure,” he said.
“I thought one night I was going to breath in a bullet – it has stuck in my mind since but I have thought what a silly thing to think.”
“It was an exciting time, a time when you really did feel invincible.
“A great many of us went for the adventure but a great many of us also thought we were doing a good thing – we thought would stabilise the country.”