Gerald Anthony Cudmore as Padre of 1 RAR interviewed by Greg Swanborough for 'The sharp end'

Scene 6 Take 1; Catholic priest of the archdiocese of Melbourne ordained in 1958 and in 1960 asked to come into the Army reserve; he enjoyed it in the reserve and in 1962 was asked to serve for four years; he used to say that he was the first conscript to go to Vietnam; went to Portsea officer school and in 1964 posted to 1RAR at Holsworthy; asked to go to Vietnam with 1RAR; he felt that he was part of the system and enjoyed it; preparation to go to Vietnam; Army as good in that it told the troops about the customs, country, religions and politics; example of teaching methods a warrant officer was disguised as a university student to argue against Australia's involvement at one of the lectures; prepared them for criticism; realisation that there would be opposition and this came home to them on their return from serving in Vietnam; the protestor covered in red paint who ran into the Lieutenant Colonel Preece during 1RAR's welcome home march past in Sydney; role of the chaplain is to bring the men to God; the chaplain had a supporting role usually closely associated with a doctor available for the wounded and sick; as a non combatant important no to get in the way; incident when a soldier in B Company badly wounded one leg very badly damaged and the other one blown off; Take 2. most impressed by the attitude of man, Ross Mangano, seriously wounded with horrific wounds; Scene 8 take 1. before he went to Vietnam he was encouraged to carry a weapon as in Vietnam there was no clear delineations between the front and the rear; he did carry a pistol since he was told it was his responsibility to look after himself; he never fired the pistol; seeing the dead and wounded was a moving experience; young soldiers thinking of his family and future; he kept in contact with the families of those killed and wounded and also back in Australia when he returned; he gave as much help as possible to the families; why a chaplain would go to Vietnam is a question that puzzles people; Christian right to defence of self , country and others and given that a soldier has a right to the services of a chaplain; Take 2; of problem of chaplain carrying a weapon; firing practice on HMAS Sydney the correspondent Pat Burgess was on board an reported that 'even the Padre has strapped on a pistol'; soldiering is a young man's vocation but decision going to war is in other's hands; on Australian peace keepers serving in Cambodia.