A Brief History of MMVVG

On the 18th August 1998 the first Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Service was conducted in the City of Mandurah and was organised by RSL member Mr Kevin Fowler.

Following that inaugural Service Bob Coker, Bob Stewart, Gary Mildwaters, John Dodd, Rick Ryan and Terry Gott held a meeting and decided that they should prepare for future services by forming the Mandurah Murray Vietnam Veteran’s Group.

They met regularly to discuss the way ahead with a BBQ and a beer. They were joined on some of these occasions by Pat Mcgrellis, Allan Seal, David Westlake and Doug Wyness.

It was decided that they should march under their own MMVVG banner in the up-coming Anzac Day parade in 1999 and so each contributed $50 towards the cost of a banner.

This banner was displayed in the Mandurah Mail by Gary Mildwaters and John Dods on Thursday April 22nd 1999 and is still the banner of the Group today.

In June of 1999 an advertisement was placed in the local paper (The Mandurah Mail) asking for Vietnam Veterans who would be interested in forming a group to attend a meeting to be held at the RAAF Club. At that meeting the proposed objectives for such a group were explained, those being to have fun, look after your mates and no politics.

Approximately 50 couples attended. At that meeting the following were elected to take office – Bob Coker, Bob Stewart, Gary Mildwaters, Rick Ryan, Terry Gott, John Dods, Keith Doncon, Pat Mcgrellis, Dave Westlake and June Ramsay. No one put their hand up to be President. Approximately two weeks later Bob Coker announced he had found someone to be our first President and Brien Bush was elected. In the July 99 newsletter it was mentioned that there were 126 Veterans and Widows on the Group’s mail out list.

On the 18th August 1999 the second Vietnam Veterans Memorial Service and March was held in Mandurah under the auspices of the newly formed Mandurah Murray Vietnam Veteran’s Group, a tradition that continues to this day.

Compiled from information supplied by Gary Mildwaters.

Letterhead of the very first Newsletter put out by MMVVG.

Design and compilation of the initial Newsletter was the work of Vietnam Veterans, Rick Ryan and Bob Coker. After a few Newsletters in this format and on the election of a Committee for the Group, the Newsletter became ‘DAT’S NEWS’ and the new format was designed by Reg Opie. Although not a veteran, Reg performed the duties of Editor for the Group admirably.