General News
14 January, 2025
Butterworth vets continue to fight for recognition
A group of veterans stationed with the Australian Rifle Company at Butterworth in Malaysia met with Federal Member for Groom Garth Hamilton in Pittsworth before Christmas to discuss their continuing fight for recognition.
Mr Hamilton agreed to assist the veterans where he could, in their ongoing fight for recognition.
In October 2024, some of the team including Stan Hannaford from Oakey, met with Federal Minister for Veterans Affairs and Defence Personnel, Matt Keogh, in Canberra and discussions are continuing.
After the withdrawal of troops from south-east Asia in 1973 by Prime Minister Whitlam, the Royal Australian Air Force Base assets at Butterworth still required ground defence.
Although officially there under the guise of training, the group was required to defend the Base and its assets against communist insurgents and carried live ammunition and weapons
24 hours a day.
Mr Hannaford said Australian governments have since maintained through the years that it was a training role only in an area that was not a war zone.
In 2022, new information was released after 35 years, supporting their fight for war service recognition.
This recognition would allow them access to a gold card at 70 years of age.
Mr Hannaford said in the past, Defence’s official response to their argument was that they were not on active service in Butterworth, and therefore their service does not meet the criteria for war-like service, to receive recognition.
He’s been fighting for recognition for 32 years.
