Swans National President, Phil Johns, presents the CEO of Odyssey Resources, David Carter with a pair of our footy shorts - with the Odyssey Resources logo

During the week, Vietnam Swans National President, Phil Johns, presented the CEO of Odyssey Resources, David Carter, with a pair of our footy shorts. Odyssey Resources, which provides professional accounting, tax and bookkeeping services to businesses operating in Vietnam and Australia, is the Official Sponsor of the Vietnam Swans.

Below, David shares some of his thoughts.

I follow the adventures of the Vietnam Swans football team and wanted to relate two stories which might interest your readers.

I was pleased to receive the speech from ex POW Bill Haskell (which he delivered at Kanchanaburi Cemetery on ANZAC Day 2009, prior to the ANZAC Day match between the Thailand Tigers and Vietnam Swans), as my great uncle Ken was a prisoner in the “F” force on the Thai Burma Railway. I have an extract from Alex Barnett, a mate of Ken’s, who wrote a couple of books about his time as a Prisoner of War. Alex writes:

Part of the Thai Burma Railway site near Hellfire Pass

Ken was a retiring person which was characteristic of POWs. I knew that he was sent with other POWs to make up “F” Force which was forced to work on the Burma Railway.

I know that he suffered many privations and illnesses which were associated with the area. I also know that he received the full brunt of the Japanese ire and that he was punished by them in the sadistic way they reserved for the white-man. I am almost certain that his punishment was being chained to a wooden cross and left to weather the elements.

He spoke very little about his ordeal to us prisoners. He suffered among many other things from Post Traumatic Distress. He was never a well man after his return.

The Black Saturday bushfires in Kinglake

Further, recently, I was chatting to the editor of the Australian CPA magazine and it turns out that she lives in Kinglake and was personally affected by the tragic Black Saturday bushfires in that area. She is yet to live in a house again, but was personally touched by the spirit and donations from the Vietnam Swans after I sent over the powerpoint presentation (the presentation was prepared following the Bushfire Fundraiser and Match between the Vietnam Swans and Bali Geckos on 27 – 28 March 2009).

Phil, I’d like to thank you for visiting the other day and presenting a pair of shorts emblazoned with the Vietnam Swans and Odyssey Resources logos.

I truly believe in six degrees of separation and the Vietnam Swans continue to touch people’s lives in a positive way – please keep up the good work!

Odyssey Resources Limited

The Vietnam Swans are delighted to have Odyssey Resources as our Official Sponsor of the Club’s shorts. We are also thrilled that Odyssey Resources is taking an active personal interest in the activities of the Club.

Odyssey Resources Limited holds the distinction of being the first Australian mover to open an Accounting Outsourcing Operation Centre in Vietnam, and since early 2006, has been providing a range of professional accounting, tax and bookkeeping services to businesses operating in Vietnam and Australia.