Born on Anzac Day

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them." -- from "Ode of Remembrance" *** This is the story of Vietnam veteran Allan 'Aldy' Aldenhoven, who was born in Darwin, the capital city of Australia's Northern Territory. His mother was of "The Stolen Generation" - Aboriginal children removed from their families and placed in institutions - while his father was a descendant of German settlers. Growing up in Adelaide, Aldy was conscripted to fight in the Vietnam War. He was with the 7 RAR (Royal Australian Regiment), where his fighting spirit was legendary. Upon his return, Aldy became a professional boxer, a star in television's "Ringside," and the Australian Welterweight Boxing Champion. He was a friend of Australian rock stars, while also being considered a 'larrikin, ' loving his fame and notoriety. The treatment meted out to Vietnam veterans angered Aldy, and he struggled with his war demons and the psychological scars they inflicted. He became involved in a world of drug dealers, gangsters, and crooked cops. He was part of Adelaide's underworld and was involved in the kidnapping of a heroin dealer in a plan hatched by rogue South Australian police. Shortly afterwards, he died under mysterious circumstances at the age of 30. Allan 'Aldy' Aldenhoven had a short, eventful life, with bursts of glory and a squalid ending. He was one of the many Vietnam veterans who found civilian life, the denigration of their service, and their memories hard to manage. His story is revealed in this book, titled Born on Anzac Day. [Anzac was the name given to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps sent to help the British forces in World War I. Anzac Day goes beyond the anniversary of the landing on Gallipoli in 1915. It is the day on which Australians and New Zealanders remember Australians who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations. The spirit of Anzac, with its human qualities of courage, mateship, and sacrifice, continues to have meaning and relevance for Australia's sense of national identity.] *** Librarians: ebook available on ProQuest and EBSCO [Subject: Biography, Australian Studies