Private John Walter Desnoy – Vietnam

RSL Victoria remembers the sacrifice of Private John Walter Desnoy who gave his life in service of his country during the Vietnam War at the Battle of Coral-Balmoral.

John was born in Melbourne on 15 August 1945, to Herbert and Elma Desnoy. He was the middle child of three with an elder sister Robyn and younger brother Graeme.  His grandfather, Henry Desnoy, had been prominent in the trade union movement in Ballarat as Vice President of the Painters union and a member of the Eight Hours Work Committee.

John’s father Herbert had followed his father into the trade and, after marrying Elma in 1938, had moved to a three-bedroom house in Sandham Street Elsternwick, near the Ripon Lea Estate. Here John and his siblings were born and raised, his mother staying and home and caring for the children while his father worked as the sole maintenance painter at the Exhibition Buildings in Carlton Gardens. The world heritage listed building was so large he had to paint it almost continuously, and was responsible for having it in pristine condition before the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in the 1950’s.

The family were very close and attended church regularly, John and the other children going to Sunday school every week. They were a much-loved family in the Elsternwick community. After finishing his schooling John chose to go into the printing industry where he worked as a guillotine operator before being called up for National Service in April 1967 when he was 21 years old.

After completing training, he joined 3RAR and was stationed at Woodside South Australia. Sadly, his father died in September 1967 leaving his mother a widow with three adult children.

After his father’s funeral John and the other members of 3RAR prepared to deploy to Vietnam, finally arriving in the war zone on 20 December 1967. The Battalion was based at Nui Dat and were part of the response to the Tet offensive by the North Vietnamese at the end of January 1968.

By April the Australian forces were engaged in attempt to block communist forces withdrawal after their largely unsuccessful offensive. Following an attack of Fire Support Base Coral in mid-May, John was with 3RAR as they established Fire Support Base Balmoral nearby.

In what became known as the Battle of Coral-Balmoral the base came under mortar attack and then ground assault in the early hours of the morning of 26 May 1968. The North Vietnamese attackers entered the base through gaps in the perimeter wire where tanks normally entered and exited. They then came across open ground where they were cut down in great numbers by Australian machine gun fire and mortar rounds.

While the North Vietnamese attack was repulsed three Australians were killed in the battle, including John Desnoy.
Back in Elsternwick, on the morning of 26 May, the family had attended a church service and met the Senior Army Chaplain, unaware that at the same moment their beloved son and brother was being killed. That night the Senior Army Chaplain attended their house with a Warrant Officer to tell them of the terrible news.

A friend of John’s serving with him in Vietnam, only identified as Roger, wrote to Elma and John’s siblings in the days after John’s death expressing the condolences of all his mates in Vietnam. Initially the family were too upset to respond but their next-door neighbour, Mary Nagle, wrote back telling them of the funeral that was held for John when his body was returned to Australia.

“The church was full to capacity with mostly young people,” Mary wrote. “Some his close friends and school pals formed a guard of honour from the church steps to the carriage. Then in full entourage we followed the long trek to Springvale, where again the boys formed their guard of honour and followed John’s body into the chapel….Mrs Desnoy gave her permission for your letter to be read by the Padre to those present during the church service, and I think, Roger dear, its contents expressed the feelings of each and everyone present.”

Mrs Desnoy herself responded to Roger in July. She wrote:

“It was a very bitter blow to us all, we all loved him very much. We can only be thankful that he didn’t suffer. He went to Vietnam with a good heart to fight for his country and now has given his life for it, I only hope some good may come out of this…..May God take care of you and all John’s other mates with you and bring you back home safe and well…..He (John) is with his father now also, who would have been very proud of him had he been with us. We are a very small family now, but very close…”

Elma passed away in 1988, twenty years after her beloved son.

RSL Victoria pays tribute to Private John Walter Desnoy, his family and all those who have sacrificed in the service of their country.

Lest we forget.