Rex Ward

by Terry Edwinsmith
Could I take you back to 1967 where rookies from the provinces descended on Kapooka for their Recruit Training. The intake was Number 7 and soldiers were finally formed.

Rex George Ward (2786058) was one of the recruits. He gave up his job at Knox College and reported for duty. After 3 months training at Kapooka, he applied for Artillery at Manly in NSW situated on North Head with views of Sydney Harbour nearby. It was an ideal setting with 6 inmates per room and weekends taken at your leisure.

Rex followed the gun school training and near the end of this session, he applied for Radio Training. This he did and the 10 weeks were filled with radio speaking and radio etiquette, remembering that the enemy was listening in. A surveyors course also ran at this time.

I must admit that I was a happy artilleryman doing the same course as Rex. Life was full. In his time off, Rex followed Rugby Union as a player and played half back.

At the end of the course, our group headed north to Wacol in Queensland.

Why have I singled Rex out of the group? He lived and played Rugby. This he did very well and in fact, he joined the Australian Combined Services Team. Wacol was a springboard for further games at Combined Services. Now Rex was not a tall man, say 160 cms, but he filled his position in the Rugby squad.

I remember going to Canungra in July-August for overseas deployment. This was for 3 weeks in total. Our group came back as ‘Supermen’. Live firing occurred at Tin Can Bay a few weeks later.

Was Rex with us? I doubt it. I don’t recall him at Canungra or Tin Can Bay.

Rex appeared at a game of Rugby at Ballymore playing the Queensland side in August. Our group went to the game. It was well attended but I suspect that the Queensland side won.

In the meantime, our group were signing our wills and other overseas papers.

We were placed on pre-embarkation leave in early September. My PNG call up came that week.

As for Rex, he did not make it. Rugby was in the Commander’s eyes.

With his usual style, Rex wrote to the Commanding Officer asking that, as his group were going overseas, he wished to join them in Vietnam. He was granted his wish and he arrived there just prior to the Tet Offensive in 31st January 1968.

Rex was there during the Battle of Coral and Balmoral, 12th May to 6th June.

A picture of him, he is in his jungle greens Vietnam style.

Enter Angus Hordern who edited the ‘Life on the Line’ podcast with “My Teacher, My Hero with Rex Ward”. Angus was a student in Knox College about 1980. The podcast consisted of material that was from Vietnam. Rex Ward was a signalman for a forward scout. Rex replaced a soldier in 4 Field Regiment. The regiment left Vietnam on the 13th April. 12 Field Regiment replaced the outgoing group.

From 14th April to his departure in 19th December 1968, Rex followed a different path. He is shown as a teacher with school children in the classroom. It seems that he taught Catholic school children in the morning (7am-12 pm) and state (public) school children following lunch, in the afternoon. His M16 rifle was at hand soon to be discarded. A 9mm side arm was then used.

Rex chose to stay on for the rest of his tour, possibly in a teacher roll.

Several photos are shown with these groups on the podcast. My guess is that Rex wore the Artillery signature rather than an Education badge.

In Angus Hordern’s words, Rex was a History Teacher at Knox College. He coached the top group in Rugby Union, this was a great educator. His inspiring, compassionate man was always well dressed. He never sort glory from his Vietnam days, always positive when you met him. He is motivated to give of his best.

A friend, David Lease (?) met up with Rex in a bar in Vung Tau. He was from Nui Dat and were old school friends. Their talk consisted little of Vietnam. Rex was very popular.

At the end of National Service, I heard that Rex was enrolled at Armidale University. On the Rugby field, he was placed into the 6th or 8th team, only to be moved to Number 1 team in a very short time.

Many years later, possibility now aged in his 50s, Rex appeared in a periodical promoting a certain product or idea. (CUSCAL?) This is the last time, other than this podcast, that I have seen him.

View the podcast by clicking Rex Ward – “Life on the Line”- Podcast.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories.

The following photos are extracted from the podcast.