I would like to introduce Clarry Rule, the Soldier.
In 1966, Clarry volunteered and was accepted for military service in South Vietnam, as a Citizen Military Forces Captain with an armoured unit, the Prince of Wales Light Horse Regiment, a unit with a distinguished history dating back to 1885.
AATTV was an elite unit of 200 men serving with the South Vietnamese Armed Forces, U.S. Special Forces and Montagnards as military advisors. They operated in ones and twos and were spread the length and breadth of South Vietnam, often into isolated outposts in the jungle and highlands.
In his story, Clarry talks very openly about the challenges he faced in Vietnam; it was clear from early days that staying alive was itself to be a huge challenge, as he saw many of his fellow soldiers killed often in brutal and savage ways. How he achieved this mentally is the main focus of his story.
Clarry will be at the Mornington Library on March 13th at 2pm, when I am giving a talk about the exhibition. This will be an opportunity for people to speak to Clarry in person about his experience in Vietnam.
I feel very honoured to have Clarry as one of the nine men in my exhibition.