Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it’s much more serious than that.”
The quote is famously attributed to the former Liverpool Manager Bill Shankly, but could so easily apply to the depth of feeling Peter ‘Jack’ Trease has for the old dark Navy Blues.
Trease’s extraordinary tale, a throwback to the famous 1970 Grand Final, has come to light by way of an email he forwarded to the club from Magnetic Island, where the Victorian-born Vietnam veteran now lives with his wife Nancy.
Responding to a request for Members’ feedback, Trease submitted the following story;
“I would like to suggest a little issue that may be of interest to the publicity department, being the 50th anniversary of ‘The Battle of Long Tan’ in Vietnam, with much publicity and fanfare being conducted around Australia for this special occasion.
As an avid Blues supporter and Member, I sometimes travelled by train from Gippsland as a young teenager to watch games in the 1960s.
I was conscripted into the army in 1969 and after jungle training in North Queensland was sent as a machine gunner to Vietnam in 1970-71. During the VFL finals campaign of 1970 I was seconded to a platoon of South Vietnamese infantry for an operation against the Viet Cong. However, this period coincided with the weekend of the most famous Grand Final of all - the 1970 Grand Final and the great Carlton comeback against Collingwood.
Whilst on patrol in the jungle, I hid a little transistor in my pocket to listen to Radio Australia’s call of the famous Grand Final. However, the Vietnamese Officer in charge of the mission realised that I was listening to a radio with an earplug and not concentrating on the more important issues close by such as not being alert to the enemy in the dense jungle.
It was at about half-time of the Grand Final when I suggested to him that my team was hopelessly behind and if they won I would give him the damn radio - and more!
When the final siren rang we stopped for a usual leech check to remove unwanted ‘attachments’. I let out an almighty yell and was immediately threatened with a charge by the Vietnamese officer. However, nothing more eventuated as he was handed the transistor and also a Seiko watch!
Alex Jesaulenko has since phoned me for birthday wishes and he was related this story which he loved.
I thought this story, in this the Anniversary year, may make a good tale . . . an accompanying photo proves the authenticity of service in Vietnam.
I don’t want recognition, but thought you may like this tale of the greatest Grand Final EVER.
My darling wife and I now live in retirement on Magnetic Island, but follow the team with great pride and have gatherings at our house whenever The Blue Boys are playing. Best wishes to all for 2016 – we’re on the right path I believe.
Regards, Peter [Jack] Trease”
Peter Trease and wife Nancy. (Photo: The Northern Courier)
