JERICHO, Denis Leslie
| Service Number: | 4718797 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 2 February 1967, Recruit Training 2 RTB Puckapunyal |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR) |
| Born: | Barmera, South Australia, 12 February 1946 |
| Home Town: | Mannum, Mid Murray, South Australia |
| Schooling: | GLossop High School |
| Occupation: | School Teacher |
| Memorials: |
Vietnam War Service
| 2 Feb 1967: | Enlisted Australian Army (Post WW2), Private, 4718797, Army Training Units, Recruit Training 2 RTB Puckapunyal | |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Jan 1968: | Embarked Australian Army (Post WW2), Private, 4718797, 1st Australian Reinforcement Unit, Vietnam , HMAS Sydney 'The Vung Tau Ferry' | |
| 17 Jan 1968: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Private, 4718797 | |
| 17 Jan 1968: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Private, 4718797, 1st Australian Reinforcement Unit, Vietnam | |
| 22 Feb 1968: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Private, 4718797, 1st Australian Logistics Support Group | |
| 23 Feb 1968: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Private, 4718797 | |
| 22 Jun 1968: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Private, 4718797 | |
| 22 Jun 1968: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Private, 4718797, 3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR) |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by DENIS JERICHO
Denis Jericho
Denis grew up on a fruit property at Loveday. He read lots of comics, went bird nesting and generally avoideed work on the propery. He cut apricots at his uncle's place for pocket money, but was more interested in football, tennis and cricket. When he was 16 he was the youngest player to play in an A Grade tennis premiership for Barmera in the Riverland. He also won the junior Riverland Golf Championships that year.
After completing matriculation at Glossop High, he spent a year at Immanuel College doing Leaving Honours. He played A Football, A Cricket, and A Tennis. He won the Senior Boy's Tennis Singles and was awarded a College 'Blue' for tennis.
During his final year at Wattle Park Teachers' College, Denis was 'called up' for National Service.
He did recruit training at Puckapunyal and then infantry training at Singleton, and Ingleburn. While there he went AWOL for 3 weeks to attend his brother's wedding....he was in no hurry to get back in his little Mini, and took his punishment of loss of pay and 3 weeks 'confined to barracks'.
In January 1968 he embarked fot Vietnam on the 'Vung Tau Ferry....HMAS SYDNEY. He spent time at Reinforcement Wing at Nui Dat and about 3 months in Vung Tau doing guard duties and 'riding shot gun' on convoys to Nui Dat. In June it was his wish to be posted to B Company 3RAR at Nui Dat, where he was reunited with blokes he had trained with. Most patrols and operations were in thick jungle (or rainforests) at a vey slow pace. He returned home with the battalion and marched through Adelaide on return.
On his return to civvy life Denis was posted to Loxton North Primary School. In Loxton he met and married Athalae Schuster. He returned to Wattle Park and completed his Diploma.They had a daughter, Karen and a son, Greg. During his teaching career, he taught at Kingscote for 3 years, Mannum for 18 years, and Burnsude for 9 years.
He was involved in golf, tennis, table tennis, squash, volleyball and completed four marathons. Denis was a member of the RSL for over 50 years and took on the role of the President of Mannum Sub Branch in 2016.
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