Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

On Tuesday the 5th of March 2024, Year 12 Victorian Certificate Education (VCE) Vocational Major students from John Paul College in Frankston had the honour of hearing about the Vietnam War and asking questions on leadership and teamwork from one of the true ANZAC Heroes, Brendan Kincade. Brendan aims to educate students about the ANZAC spirit and the futility of war. The following biography was completed by three of the John Paul College students:

Brendan Robert Kincade was born in Hampton on the 4th of January in 1947. He grew up in Brighton in Housing Commission. They had no car so it goes to show how different are times were. His mother would always take him and his brother to the beach after school. He also loved to play footy and Brendan was so good at it that he was playing with seniors too sometimes three times a week. Brendan had football teams knocking on his door asking him to play for them – one of which was Footscray.

He went to St Finbar’s, a Catholic Primary School and Christian Brothers College in St Kilda. Brendan was expelled at 13 for standing up for himself to a bully. He brought his first car at 16.

When Brendan was 20, he registered for national service thinking nothing of it. When Brendan first found out he got drafted in 1967, he was 20 years old. He found out by a letter in the mail saying you have been drafted. He straight away proposed to his girlfriend at the time and before he left for Vietnam, he had a going away and engagement party. Brendan was shipped off to Canungra Jungle Training Centre in Queensland for 3 weeks and then served in the Reinforced Unit for 3 weeks. Brendan and all the other men were screamed at in the first minutes upon arrival, this setting the tone for what the rest of his basic training was going to look like. Brendan stated that the “harder it got, the more I enjoyed it”.   

When the training times was up Brendan put down what part of the military, we wanted to serve in. He wanted to be a truck driver, but got put into the infantry, meaning he would be amongst the heaviest of the fighting and replaced a man called ‘Polly’. Brendan encountered many horrific things in Vietnam including guerrilla warfare tactics like sharp bamboo sticks at the bottom of a trap hole and herbicide attacks where he got rashes from spilled Agent Orange. Although he experienced such horrible conditions and scenes, Brendan said that “you never complained because we (his comrades) were all in the same situation”.

Brendan also said that his army mates became closer than family. He talked about the need for communication and teamwork when he was serving and how it was the best team he was in. They relied on each other to keep themselves alive. They keep in touch to this day.  

Brendan served as an infantryman (private) in the Royal Australian Infantry Corps, first in the 1st Australian Reinforcement Unit from the 2nd of July 1968, then the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment from the 10th of August, 1968. Then Brendan went into the 9th Battalion on the 15th of November 1968. His service number was 3792535 and he returned to Australia in January, 1969.

Brendan was awarded 6 medals for his service in Vietnam including National Service, Australian Service. He later received the Order of Australia from the Queen for service to veterans and their families.

When the war was over, Brendan tried going down to the local RSL but when the administrator there found out he was from Vietnam, he ripped the papers away from Brendan and told him to come back once he’s been in a real war. A lot of people didn’t like the fact that the Australian military went and contributed to a civil war of another country. Coming home wasn’t easy for Brendan as he suffered with some mental health problems including PTSD, he was also unable to sleep in a bed for some time because he would feel claustrophobic.

It was hard for Brendan to find a job because nobody wanted to hire a Vietnam Veteran because of the stories they heard about them. Luckly for Brendan there was a job opportunity at Allision Monkhouse for a mortician, which is a person whose job is to prepare dead people to be buried and manage funerals. The bloke who was running the joint was a World War Two veteran and understood the situation Brandan was in and hired him over the other candidates. Brendan spent 30 years there. He also joined a veteran’s motorcycle club where he earned the nickname Tombstone.  

Polly the man he replaced had a family that Brendan and the friends from his platoon insisted on meeting. They wanted to meet Polly’s little sister who Polly would write to often. Polly’s sister and Brendan later got married. Brendan became the State Vice President of Vietnam Veterans in Australia.

This is what the Year 12 VCE VM students have learned about teamwork and leadership from Brendan Kincade.

Brendan Kincade fought for Australia to provide future generations with a safe country. I want people to know the struggles Brendan went through fighting for Australia and then coming home to a country that didn’t appreciate his efforts during the Vietnam war. When fighting in Vietnam, teamwork and communication was essential and the soldiers had to rely on each other to survive. They worked and lived together as a unit and the team had to be considered in everything they did.

Brendan talked about the teamwork and communication that they had to use to stay alive but I believe he showed leadership even coming to our school and the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) he received is evidence of his leadership throughout his service in Vietnam. I think not being afraid about standing up for the people you care about is a quality that Brendan showed that I want to be able to show throughout my life.

Even though I met Brendan for a short time he is a big inspiration. I have a huge amount of respect for anyone who fights in a war. Personally, I think he has made a big difference in a lot of lives while fighting the war and after. I’m sure he has brought a lot of happiness to many people and supported many through tough times. No medal can be given to show how much he has done for others such as being in the war and saving innocent South Vietnamese people as well as being a mortician embalming people so that their family can see their loved one for the last time and remember them fondly.

Thank you, Brendan Kincade for your service and bravery in the face of danger and the willingness to put yourself in harm’s way to protect peace and freedoms. It is essential for future students to be grateful for the sacrifices and challenges veterans like you have gone through. Your experiences provide valuable lessons about the importance of courage, resilience, and sacrifice in the pursuit of a better world. These stories that you shared; we will pass on.

Brendan Kincade in 2024 is the Vice President of the Vietnam Veterans Association Of Australia, Victorian Branch

MEDAL (OAM) OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA IN THE GENERAL DIVISION

Mr Brendan Robert KINCADE, Hastings Vic 3915

For service to veterans and their families.

Service includes:

Victorian Branch, Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia: Vice-President, since 2017.

Lead Education Officer, current.

Member, Advisory Commemorations Committee, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, 2015-2016.

Rotary Club of Frankston Sunrise:

Sergeant at Arms, 6 occasions.

Member, since 1997.

Former Funeral Director.

Volunteer Pensions Officer, Noble Park Returned and Services League Club of Australia, 1998-2008.

Former Local Branch Manager, John Allison Monkhouse Funeral Directors.

Awards and recognition includes:

Recipient, Paul Harris Fellowship.

Recipient, Intra Club Rotarian of the Year Award, Rotary Club of Frankston Sunrise.

Source: https://www.gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-02/qb18_media_notes_-_oam_f_-_l.pdf