“They
basically said, ‘Just another black coon’,” Mr Williams said. “They
didn’t want to know us. The fact that he fought for his country – nearly died
for his country – didn’t mean anything to them.
“They
left him to look after himself and he ended up hitting the booze and just
slowly deteriorating.”
This was
not an isolated experience. About 500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
fought in World War I and as many as 5000 took part in World War II, according
to Australian War Memorial records.
But while
they fought alongside other Australians in the trenches, on the battlefields of
Europe and in the jungles of Asia, those who
made it back often received little or no recognition of their efforts and
continued to face racism at home.
Next
Wednesday, despite criticism from the RSL, their unique experiences and
contribution will be recognised when hundreds of indigenous veterans and their
descendants march through Redfern in Sydney’s
first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Anzac Day parade.
Organisers
are expecting more than 300 people to attend the inaugural Coloured Diggers
march, which will pass along Redfern
Street to St Saviour’s church, where an indigenous
Anzac Day service will be held.
Mr
Williams, who served on HMAS Vampire during the Vietnam War, will join the
Redfern march after taking part in the traditional parade in central Sydney. He believes a
separate march for indigenous veterans is long overdue.
“When
you’re serving, things are pretty equal,” he said.
“You
do your job well, your mates respect you and you get promoted. It’s when you
get back that it gets hard on the black digger.
“We
need more people to recognise the contribution they made and the situation they
faced when they got back.”
The RSL
said yesterday it would prefer that indigenous veterans take part in the
established Anzac Day parade.
“They
appear to be conducting an alternative march, which is unfortunate,” said
the RSL national president, Bill Crews.
“They
could be part of any of the services and marches being conducted around NSW and
do not need to conduct any service of their own. It’s unfortunate they don’t
feel they will get the attention they need at those services.”
Mr Crews
also expressed concern over a call by the march organisers to have a separate
honour roll for indigenous war veterans placed in the Australian War Memorial.
“Our
honour roll contains all of those who served,” he said. “It doesn’t
distinguish in terms of background.”
The
organiser of the indigenous veterans’ march, Pastor Ray Minniecon, said there
was no intention to snub the RSL.
“A lot
of our people don’t march on Anzac Day and we’re simply trying to give them the
opportunity to be recognised and acknowledged in the same way that anyone who
served … should be recognised.
“While
our men were out there fighting in the wars their kids were being taken away to
the missions. When they got back they were still treated like second-class
citizens. They weren’t even allowed in the RSL, and the only way they were
marching was at the back of the line.”
Photo: “It’s
when you get back that it gets hard on the black digger” … David
Williams, who was on HMAS Vampire in the Vietnam War. Photo: Nick Moir
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/04/16/1176696757591.html?from=top5