IN PICTURES: Vietnam War sacrifices remembered in Albany as part of Australia-wide vigil 60 years on

Vigils were held at the graves of three veterans killed while serving in Vietnam at Allambie Park Cemetery on Thursday. Small individual services took place near the graves of Pte Ronald John Bell, Sapper Alan Leslie Duncuff and Pte John Leonard McQuat and were attended by a crowd of about 50. The vigil was one of many Vietnam Veterans Vigils that took place across Australia to mark 60 years since army representatives arrived in South Vietnam on August 3, 1962. In Albany, wreaths were laid at each grave after those gathered were told about the people who had made the ultimate sacrifice while serving their country in Vietnam. Pte Bell was born in Albany and killed in action by a mine at the age of 22 in 1967 while in South Vietnam’s Phuoc Tuy Province. Pte Bell’s platoon commander, Mike Kinsella said when plans for the Australia-wide vigil were being made, he knew there was only one place he would want to be. “Ron has not been forgotten — he is certainly remembered, and the Ode says it all,” he told the service. Sapper Duncuff was born in Perth and worked as a coppersmith before enlisting in the army in 1968 at the age of 20. He served as a sapper before being killed in action at the age of 21 as the result of a mine explosion in the Phuoc Tuy Province. Despite being born in Dalwallinu, Pte McQuat spent many of his early years in Rocky Gully. He served in the 8th Battalion of The Royal Australian Regiment before he was killed in action in April 1970 at the age of 21. At Thursday’s vigil, Andy Roberts described him as “a good strong soldier”. The Reverend Canon Karen Cave led the vigils in prayer. More than 60,000 Australians served in South Vietnam between 1962 and 1975. There were 523 Australian casualties as a result of the war, and almost 2400 were wounded during the conflict. The Albany RSL sub-branch will hold its annual Vietnam Veterans Day Service on August 20.