Moree veterans recognised with certificates of appreciation on Anzac Day eve

Kam Johnston-Wheeler received the certificates for her father, Eric George Johnston who was a National Serviceman and served with the 4RAR regiment in Vietnam in the early 1970s; her grandfather, Hugh Alfred Johnston, who was a volunteer with the CMF (Citizen Military Forces) and went to New Guinea and the Owen Stanley Ranges and her great uncle, Charles Leonard Johnston, who was in North Africa as a sapper with the 2/3 anti-tank regiment in the 9^th Division of the 2^nd AIF (Australian Imperial Force).

"These certificates mean a lot to us," Kam said. "It was awesome to get them. I have two other great-uncles who served in World War II and an uncle on my mother's side who died in a training accident in 1986 while he was in the army."

Eric Johnston's service with the 4RAR took him to Nui Dat, where he was involved in Operation Ivanhoe or the Battle of Nui Le. This was the last major battle Australian forces fought in South Vietnam, and it occurred on September 21, 1971.

When he returned from National Service to Moree, he pledged to continue to serve his community and country and was a volunteer rural fire-fighter for 10 years and with the State Emergency Service (SES) for 27 years.

Kam has followed her father's example and, later this year, will clock up 36 years in the SES.

"I wanted to join the army too, but my school marks weren't enough to get me in," she said.

Her grandfather, Hugh Johnston, joined the 33 Battalion and was then taken on in strength in the 10^th Division and the AIF.

He embarked on the ship Katoomba in Brisbane in mid-October 1943 and disembarked in Port Moresby on October 25. In 1944, he boarded the Gorgon in PNG and was shipped to Townsville, where he disembarked on May 29, 1944. There, he served with his unit until he was transferred to the regimental workshops in October of that year. He was eventually discharged on May 1, 1946.

"When Pop came home to Moree after the war he joined Case IH and worked as a mechanic using skills he learned in the army," Kam said.

"Even though they are no longer with us, it's lovely to have this memento to pass on to future generations, to remember the role they played in various conflicts.

Her great uncle, Charles Leonard Johnston served as a Sapper in the 3 Anti Tank Regiment in Tobruk, El Alamein, and Crete from 1940 to 1945 during World War II. For his service, he was awarded the Africa Star from 1939 to 1945, the 8th Army Bar, and the Australian Service Medal from 1938 to 1945.

The Member for Parkes, Mark Coulton said the nation is grateful for the dedication and sacrifice demonstrated by our veterans' service to Australia, and it's important to recognise this.

Certificates of Appreciation are available for veterans who served overseas in Australia's Defence Forces during the Second World War, in wars, conflicts, or peacekeeping operations since then, or on the home front during the Second World War.

More information about Certificates of Appreciation, including the guidelines and an application form, is available at www.dva.gov.au/recognition/certificate-appreciation or by calling 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372).