On December 23, 1996, I received my first newsletter, and upon opening it a flood of memories came pouring back. Memories of a unit I had served with for twelve months. Over those twelve months we had become a family, we shared good times and bad times but it had molded us into a superb medical unit and changed our lives. 

What I didn’t realize, at the time, was that upon returning to Australia I would never see the majority of that family again.

Often I reminisced about those times and the mates I served with over those twelve months and felt a sense of loss that I would never hear from them again. After a time I suppressed these memories and got on with my Army career and I served with an assortment of units until I retired from the Army in 1989, but I never had the privilege to serve with 1st Field Hospital again.

Which brings me back to December ’96, and to the opening of ‘Call Sign Vampire’. Did I want to resurrect those memories of events and people that I had buried some 27 years ago? I must have read that newsletter at least 100 times over a week before I made my decision.

My next hurdle was feeling apprehensive about attending the 30th Birthday Reunion. Should I let the memories remain as I remember them 27 years ago? Could I pick up the past, having not seen these mates since returning from Vietnam? Had they changed? Had I changed?

As I walked through the foyer of the Motel, Bob Bell took my hand and welcomed me. As I hugged him I looked over his shoulder and, through misty eyes, I saw faces that hadn’t changed much over the 27 years. I then knew that I had done the right thing.

To all the Members of 1st (Aust) Field Hospital Association, and to Robert and Denise Bell, it’s nice to be part of a family again.

Ed: The author requested he remain anonymous, but thanks Spiderman for expressing the doubts and fears that most of us have felt on returning to the fold after so many years.