I couldn't find this on the net so I scanned it in...
TIGERS GET READY FOR WAR
By JON ANDERSON
SAT 25 APR 2009, Page 76
APRIL, 1970
In memory of Anzac Day, we wind the clock back 39 years to when four Richmond players were called up for national service.
1. IAN OWEN
From Echuca, Owen, 60, played 33 games with Richmond from 1969-72, including the 1969 premiership. He works as a HR consultant with the Department of Education in Dandenong.
A letter arrived at home instructing me to report to the Swan St barracks. I thought, 'Bugger this, it will stuff up my VFL career'. I was in the first intake of 1969 and was as fit as I've ever been after a pre-season on those hills at Portsea under Tom Hafey. Vietnam was a fair chance because a lot were still being shipped there. If you were in the infantry then you were a better chance to go, particularly if you could shoot.
It's fair to say I didn't perform quite as well as I could have in the shooting drills. We were shown footage of what was going on in Vietnam and in fairness they didn't try to sugarcoat it. But we didn't know what a total disaster it actually was.
The hardest part of the army was being told what to do every minute of your day. There was one lieutenant at Puckapunyal from Queensland who was an absolute s---. When he found out Royce Hart was a star footballer he gave him absolute buggery. Sheer hell. But Royce copped it. There were blokes doing national service straight from desk jobs who were being asked to hike 20 miles with packs on. But you know what, three months of the same thing today wouldn't do some harm to some of our youth. In fact, it would be a bloody good thing for society. A lot went to Vietnam after some very basic training. Some got shot up, some didn't come back, some came back in a very bad way. I still can't come to grips with Gallipoli, sending young men to stand on a beach and be blasted. That is surely our greatest atrocity.
2. LLOYD FRENCH
From St Marys in Tasmania, French, 61, played three games with Richmond in 1970-71 before joining Port Melbourne. He now lives at Yuulong near Port Campbell and does contract work for Parks Victoria.
I knew before leaving St Marys on the east coast of Tasmania that my birthdate had been picked out for national service. My dad, who is still alive in Hobart aged 95 and who marched (on Anzac Day) until two years ago, thought it would be good for me, and it was. Dad had served in WWII in the Middle East and Pacific but the army brought him home when he lost two brothers, one in Tobruk and the other in New Guinea. But I'm glad I went in because I met a great bunch of blokes. The only problem was I was at Puckapunyal with Rex Hunt. He wouldn't shut up.
One day he delivered a spray towards the Sergeant Major who wanted to know where it came from. We had to stand to attention in 40C heat until someone dobbed him in. About 10 blokes collapsed but we held our line. I'm still waiting for Rex to repay me. Vietnam was an option, but by that stage it wasn't compulsory.
I was at Bandiana near Wodonga at that stage then suddenly we were back in Melbourne. Richmond had a lot of pulling power, not to stop you from going to Vietnam, but in terms of getting you transferred. Then I was called to Watsonia and discharged. Just like that. In football I was a seconds player. The best I saw was Royce Hart. Haven't seen him for a long time but Tommy Hafey has invited me to his lunches which are great. Today I will go to a service at Beech Forest and think of those who gave their lives for this country
3. ROYCE HART
Hart, 61, played 187 games (369 goals) with Richmond from 1967-77, including flags in 1967, 69, 73 and 74. He won the best-and-fairest and goalkicking twice and played for Victoria 11 times.
He lives in Hobart.
I spent two years in the army after my number came out, and for much of it I was a chance to go to Vietnam. At one stage I was going to be stationed in Townsville and then sent to Vietnam but went to Puckapunyal and North Head in Sydney instead. At North Head in 1969 my training during football season was a 15-minute kick with Geelong stuff John Scarlett (father of Matthew) before flying down to play on weekends. We won the flag so it worked out, but I could have missed 1969 and further flags in 1973-74 because I might have been in heaven. I didn't enjoy my time in the army. I had grown up on a farm but it was very tough on some young kids who had never experienced anything like it before. One young bloke did a drill where you went behind a brick wall, pulled the pin on a grenade, counted to five and threw it.
He s--- himself and dropped it, but the sergeant ran around and threw it. There were kids who had never experienced anything like it. Two years ago the government sent me a medal to recognise my time in the army. In 1969 I was moved to Adelaide and played one game for Glenelg in the grand final against Sturt. I got knocked out early and we lost to Sturt. Is Anzac Day significant to me? Yes, because my father Bill served in Tobruk and New Guinea. He used to call us pretend soldiers, but never spoke about his time.
I will think of men like him today, people who did so much for us. They are the real heroes.
4. BRENTON MIELS
Miels was stationed in Melbourne on national service and played seven games in 1970-71, plus 200 between 1965-77 for Sturt including six premierships. He died, aged 49, in 1997.
