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Former dairy farmer proudly served nation

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Vietnam Vet and former Busselton farmer John Cutbush.
Camera IconVietnam Vet and former Busselton farmer John Cutbush. Credit: Cally Dupe

Among those who marched to one South West service today was 73-year-old John Cutbush, who served in the Vietnam war in 1967.

The former Busselton dairy farmer, who lives at Yoongarillup, spent three months in Vietnam in 1967 after being plucked from his job as an accountant in Perth and placed into the army as a National Serviceman at age 20.

Mr Cutbush answered the call to join the army in February 1966, by going to the Western Command Personnel Depot in Perth before flying to Puckapunyal in Victoria for basic training.

He spent two years with the army, between 1966 and 1968, and was sent to Vietnam in April 1967.

Of his two years in the army, he spent six months with the 8th Battalion, and six months with the 7th Battalion.

“I did a pioneer course and was sent to the eighth battalion in Queensland ... about a year into it, I got a call saying ‘Return to Victoria, because you are now in the 7th Battalion (Royal Australian Regiment) and you are going overseas’,” Mr Cutbush said.

While his time spent in Vietnam isn’t something he thinks about often, Mr Cutbush said it was heartening that with every Anzac Day, a growing number of people gathered at services to honour those who fought for their freedom.

“I find Anzac Day quite moving,” he said.

“The thing is, if these traditions are forgotten, the people that gave their lives so you could have freedom, have wasted them.

“It has been said that they gave their tomorrow, so you could have your today.”

These days, Mr Cutbush lives at Yoongarillup, on the last 137 acres of the once 640ha dairy and beef cattle farm he has called home since 1976.

Mr Cutbush served as the WAFarmers Vasse zone president between 1996 and 1998.

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