HMAS ANZAC

Between 25 and 29 August 2008, the Australian frigate, HMAS ANZAC will be docked in Saigon.

Game on!

At 5pm on Wednesday 27 August, the Vietnam Swans will play an Australian Navy team from the HMAS ANZAC at RMIT University. It will be followed up with an Al Frescos BBQ and a few refreshments supplied by Tiger Beer and Jim Beam.

Up to 180 personnel from the frigate are expected to attend. Hopefully not all of them will be eligible to sit on the bench!

The ANZAC was commissioned in 1994. On 21 March 2003, HMAS ANZAC directly supported the British led assault on the Al Faw Peninsula in southern Iraq. This was the first time that an Australian naval ship had fired a gun in anger since the Vietnam War (“American War” as it is known as in Vietnam). That event has since become known as “5 Inch Friday” (due to the size of the ANZAC’s shells).

It is fitting that we will play the ANZAC as next ANZAC Day, the Vietnam Swans will travel to Kanchanaburi in Thailand to play the Thailand Tigers in their annual ANZAC Day match.

If you’re in Saigon at 5pm on Wednesday 27 August, come out to RMIT in District 7 to support either the Swans or the Sailors and follow it up with a bite to eat and something to wash it down with.