I was opposed to the Vietnam War from the outset, Ho Chi Minh had been an ally against the Japanese and was deserving of our respect and support.
I was also opposed to conscription for political purposes and when there was no threat to Australia.

More deserving than Townsend was William "Bill" White who "...was a Sydney school teacher during the Vietnam War. In July 1966, White defied a notice to report for duty at an army induction centre.
White was the first Australian to be a public conscientious objector to the Vietnam War. Both this initial application for total exemption and subsequent appeals were rejected. White was removed from his classroom and ordered to report to Army quarters at Watsons Bay. He refused to comply... He was jailed just before the 1966 election, and continued to seek conscientious objector status until he eventually succeeded on 23 December 1966...Quote
Firstly, I am standing against killing - the taking of human life... Morality, to me, is based on the respect for life. I respect people, I respect their feelings, I respect their property and I respect their equality, on the basic conscientious assumption that they have, as I have, the unquestionable right to live.
Secondly, I am standing against the war itself as a national and international policy. As war, by definition, has always incorporated killing, I would have been opposed to any war on this basis.
On the third front I am opposed to a state's right to conscript a person, I believe very strongly in democracy and democratic ideals—and I believe that it is in the area of the State's right over the life of the individual that the difference lies between totalitarian and democratic government. My opposition to conscription, of course, is intensified greatly when the conscription is for military purposes. In fact the National Service Act is the embodiment of what I consider to be morally wrong and, no matter, what the consequences, I will never fulfil the terms of the act."
It was these words that contributed to the memorable Moratorium Marches of 1970.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_White_(conscientious_objector)

White famously claimed to have been tortured whilst an Army prisoner, the Army strenuously denied this but White won his point when he called a serving Officer who was the Army's expert on torture and who gave evidence that the sensory deprivation that White had been subjected to was torture and that he (and the Army) used it in training soldiers to resist torture.

Thanks Issy, for the story of Bill White, you jog my memory, I had a cousin killed in Vietnam, which reinforced my opposition. You and I have had several lively discussions about war(s), but I must say I certainly respect your position on Vietnam. The Vietnam War is as hard to justify as the World War 1914-45.

Paul,

I should add that though I opposed the war I did my best as an Armourer in the Dept. of Defence to support the blokes in the field.

I wonder if Sportsbet is taking bets on Trump's impeachment trial?

Should I put my winnings from Biden's election win all up on Trump to get found guilty or not guilty? I'll have to watch where the smart money goes.

Hi Mopi

Looks like bookies think Trumpsy's Impeachment in the Senate is unlikely

http://betting.betfair.com/politics/us-politics/donald-trump-impeachment-odds-former-president-unlikely-to-be-convicted-260121-171.html