Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

MACNEALL Denis Patrick
Squadron Leader O56158
11 July 1945 - 12 July 2017


Denis was born 11 July 1945 in Morecombe, Lancaster, England and as a 15 year old in January 1961 joined the RAAF as A56158 Aircraft Engineering Apprentice, based in Wagga Wagga, NSW.

Refer Photo of Apprentices

Wagga Wagga 1961

Rear L-R: Peter Hill, Gordon Ruming, Bob Koger, Kevin Esposito, Gerry Cansick, Dennis Caesar, Graham Johnston, Bill Vandenberg, Denis Macneall, Doug Whawell

Centre L-R: Dave Martin, Mick Berryman, Miro Janco, George Newnham, Fred Adams, Ray Patterson, Jack Hardwick, Mick Bell, Dave Ryan

Front L-R: Ray Ashton, Geoff Unicomb, Gary Watson, Robert Rowe, John Gorrie, Bob Hood, Terry Morton, Doug Clark
 
In January 1964 he was posted to No 86 Wing, Richmond, a RAAF transport and air to air refuelling wing.

In Denis’s own words, he stated that in January 1965,

“I went to Vietnam aged 19. Flew civil air and travelled in civilian clothing because of the Indonesian confrontation and the possibility of diverting into hostile country. Travelled with 3 or 4 other RAAF members.

One of my travelling companions was repatriated in less than 3 weeks of arrival in Vietnam when he “went troppo” (as a child he was in Indonesia with his Dutch parents during hostilities). This was a rude awakening to the possible effects of war service.

Served as Instrument Fitter working on Caribou transport aircraft. I occasionally flew on operations as Assistant Loadmaster (basically helping to load and unload passengers and cargo). The standard work cycle was 6 days each week. However, working hours were “as required”. On one occasion I recall working continuously from 4:pm through to 3:pm the following day/
During flying duties, we occasionally took small arms fire from the jungle below, but the enemy was always invisible. The Loadmaster and the Assistant Loadmaster would remove the side doors before flight into an area deemed to be dangerous and man each doorway of the aircraft with an SLR. We were never able to determine even the general direction of the incoming fire but would dutifully “return” fire.

RAAF Transport Flight, Vietnam, was the only Australian military unit in country and apart from a pay NCO, and a medical orderly, there was no internal support. We stayed in the town in an old “villa” and cooked our own meals most of the time using supplies bought in the PX (post exchange) on the airfield, as there was no messing facility.
Each day we would travel to and from the airfield in the back of a truck. It was mandatory to carry an issued SLR and a reasonable amount of ammunition in case of ambush.
From time to time there were security alerts, and we adopted full guard shifts at the villa, otherwise our defenses consisted of an iron barred fence around the villa and a gateway guarded by a Vietnamese policeman. A single rostered Australian guard would “keep an eye” on the Vietnamese guard on the basis that if he “disappeared,” there was an imminent threat.
There was no organised recreation, but 3 surfboards had been donated by an Australian company. Occasionally, on a Sunday or after work, a truckload of us would go to one of the beaches and swim or surf. Otherwise, we would spend the evenings drinking at the villa in our homemade bar, or walk to town and travel from bar to bar drinking until curfew.

“I travelled with quite a few veterans as the Australian Army was now in Vietnam and a number of them were being repatriated. Arrived in Sydney to a hostile Customs and Immigration official. Caught a taxi to the city and was ripped off by thy driver who multiple booked and charged each veteran full fare! Found own hotel room in the city for the night and caught a flight home to Perth the next day.”

Next Posting during 1966 – 1967 was 38 Sqn Richmond, and during this period spent 2 months on detachment in New Guinea.

In March 1967 Denis returned to Vietnam as an Instrument Fitter.
“I was amazed at the increase in allied war effort. The RAAF now had support units at Vung Tau including HQ and BSQN. Messing facilities were provided at the villa and 9 Sqn was co-located. Accommodation was now required to cope with at least twice the numbers and each room now had 6 members whereas there were previously 2 or 3.

ADGs and RAAF police were present. The first 6 weeks or so after arrival were a complete curfew as the “Black Plague” was in town.

Duties were similar including the occasional deployment as Assistant Loadmaster. Detached to operate out of both Da Nang and Nha Trang at various times. In one week of operations out of Nha Trang, we serviced the following camps: Ham Tan, Phan Thiet, Song Mau, Phan Rang, Gia Nghia, Dalat, Bu Prang, Ban Me Thuot, Cam Ranh Bay, Khontum, Pleiku, Lien Huong, Cam Ly, Dak Pek, Tieu Atar, Bao Loc, Luscombe (Nui Dat)

I was troubled by the murder of my friend Tony La Grasta. He was stabbed only yards from our villa by a Vietnamese. I Drank much more on this posting. Recreation included soccer, model aircraft and painting by numbers (the latter provided by welfare).

During 1967 we moved from the villa onto the airfield. This was the end of our personal firearms; they were taken from us and held in a secure armoury.
Initially there was limited water for ablutions at our site and sometimes after duty we bathed in 44-gallon drums of water that were meant for Airfield Construction Squadron's concreting operations. The buildings were made of wood and ours was on the airfield perimeter. We manufactured sandbags and built a small revetment around the base of our hut. This was of minimal value as the hut was 2 stories tall.

In addition to taking occasional small arms hits to our aircraft in flight, hostile action in the area included several mortar attacks on the airfield including one that destroyed as US Army caribou located only a few metres from our hangar. Sporadically, shots were fired in town (usually by hostile “allies”). On one occasion there was a “Red Alert,” and we adopted defensive positions in our huts for the night BUT WERE NOT ISSUED WITH FIREARMS! Fortunately, as we were adjacent to the perimeter with no protection but a rusting wire fence, the threatened attack did not eventuate, This attitude by our leaders was most troubling.

Another issue that caused much angst amongst the troops was our pay. We understood that the US government had offered all allies a top up of salaries to equivalent US pay rates. The Australian Government refused this “charity” on our behalf. This led to a situation where Australian troops were referred to by the Vietnamese as “Cheap Charlie,” because they had nowhere near the disposable income of the Americans or South Koreans.

I borrowed $600 against my DFRB (RAAF superannuation fund) so that I could afford to go on R&R.”

In March 1968 Denis returned from Vietnam and was posted to 2 FTS Pearce.
“When my personal effects arrived from Vietnam, the padlock on my cabin trunk had been removed by customs to search my effects (without the opportunity to be present). Additionally, a large model aircraft in a wooden crate had been destroyed in an apparent search for contraband. The RAAF was not interested in compensating me.”
 
A Significant Change of Direction

A change for Denis occurred in July 1970 as he was successful in a remuster to cadet aircrew – Pilot Training. In September 1971 he graduated as a Pilot, married, and was posted to fighters.

Refer to Graduation Photo - Pilots

Back Row L-R: Barry Evans, Mal Donaldson, Steve Jorgensen, John Miller, Larry Mills

Middle Row L-R: John Mears, Mike O'Loghlen, Ray Whitehurst, Ian Woods, Stu Rushton, Adrian Bryant.

Front Row L-R: Geoff Rich, Sam Nicholls, Dennis Macneall, Laurie Evans, John Foley, Derek Whitfield.

In September 1972 Denis graduated as a Fighter Pilot, and in December was posted to 75 Sqn Butterworth as a Fighter Pilot.

Further Postings in his RAAF career included:

1974 Attached to 4 flight Williamstown for Forward Air Controller training.
1975 - Apr Posted to 1 Flying Training School (FTS) and attached to Central Flying School for flying instructor training. Flew as flying instructor on Winjeel and CT4.
1976 Nov Posted to 2 FTS as flying instructor on Macchi.
1977 Dec Posted to 77 Sqn as fighter pilot
1978 Dec Posted to 2 Operational Conversion Unit as fighter instructor on Mirage
1984 Mar Posted to 4 Flight (Forward Air Control).
1984 Oct Posted to 2 FTS as flying instructor on Macchi
1988 Feb Grounded (medically) and Posted to 25 Sqn as CO (temporary posting).
1988 Sep Retired from RAAF

In 1989, following his retirement from the RAAF he worked with the Commonwealth’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority, and became an Instructor in Saudi Arabia until 1992. He was then Chief Flying Instructor with the Kalgoorlie Aero Club.

From 1994 to 2000 he held various positions with general aviation and airline training appointments.

In 1997 he was awarded a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science.
Denis retired from fulltime work in 2000, retaining many interests with Gliding, general aviation, flying his Nanchang and running and owning Warbirds WA.

Refer to photo of Nanchang

Denis flying his Nanchang
Joondalup Times Newspaper 3 August 2017
 
A Plaque honouring the life and service of Denis Patrick Macneall is on North Beach RSL Sub-Branch’s Wall of Remembrance, adjoining the North Beach Memorial, Kitchener Street, North Beach, Western Australia.



HE SERVED HIS COUNTRY WITH PRIDE AND DISTINCTION