Anzac Day breakfast sees veterans share in memories abroad

Despite serving overseas in Vietnam, a group of Manjimup Diggers were still able to keep up with the local gossip thanks to newspapers from home every few weeks. On Thursday, those memories rose to the surface as the veterans reflected on their time away during an Anzac Day breakfast, hosted by the Manjimup RSL club. RSL president Wayne Hughes and Alexander “Cuppa” Coffey shared personal stories of their time during the war as community members gathered to listen. Stomach’s full of bacon and eggs, and rounds of coffee on offer, Mr Hughes told the Times his mum would send four or five copies of the paper from Manjimup over to Vietnam during the war. Then, he said, the “boys” would sit around having a laugh about the local gossip. “Every two or three weeks we’d get the mail,” Mr Hughes said. “They could not wait get the Manjimup-Warren Times to read the local gossip — you know the little columns,” he said. “Jane just had a baby,” said a voice in the background giving an example of the gossip. “Yeah — John went to church last week,” Mr Hughes said. “They loved it — the football, the hockey. “That’s all we were getting. We didn’t get any information — I’ll always remember it - it was good.“ During the breakfast, some reflected on less positive times. From war games at seven-years old-to joining the army at age 17 in 1954, Mr Coffey said he didn’t write to his family for six or eight months due to being unable to write at the time. Mr Coffey highlighted the importance of monuments to remember those who served, but also to bring forth untold stories. While subdividing 16 hectares, Mr Coffey chose to name two streets in Manjimup after fallen soldiers. Tobin road is named after Pemberton-born Vincent John Tobin, killed in action in south Vietnam on August 18, 1966, at age 20. The second is Aldersea Drive, named after Richard Alfred Aldersea, also killed in action August 1966, aged 20. When the street names were decided, Mr Coffey received a letter from Tobin’s sister thanking him for naming a road after her brother.