The granddaughter of a famous Sunshine Coast veteran who survived the defining battle of the Vietnam War has swapped corporate life for khaki to continue her family’s proud tradition.
Eby Drinkwater, 26, whose grandfather Laurie Drinkwater fought in the Battle of Long Tan — and has been immortalised in an Australian movie — was inspired by her pop to join the defence force.
Before signing up she worked events for active wear brand Lorna Jane and was a CEO’s personal assistant.
She has become the fourth generation and first female in her family to serve in the defence force and said her pop and his veteran friends influenced her decision.
“Poppy and I have always had a really close relationship. Ever since I was young, I was always interested in the Battle of Long Tan stories. I know all his Vietnam mates,” she said.
“They kind of influenced me in joining the defence forces. The mateship they have made me want to join.”
A number of veterans who fought Vietnam’s most publicised and intense battle live on the Coast and remain friends, including Harry Smith, who commanded Delta Company of the Sixth Battalion Royal Australian Regiment.
In torrential rain, in a muddy rubber plantation field, Major Smith led 108 men, who were outnumbered by at least ten to one, as they withstood a ferocious Viet Cong attack for three hours.
They suffered the heaviest Australian casualties in a single engagement in Vietnam, but prevailed against the odds.
That heroic fight became a defining action of the war and the story was turned into a movie Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan released in 2019, with actors playing Laurie and Harry among others.
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Eby can remember being interested in the army from when she was very young.
“I used to go to Poppy’s house and play army men with my cousin. My cousin would always win and I probably ran away crying,” she said.
Eby felt too young to join when she graduated from Siena Catholic College and decided to experience a bit more of the world first.
“I went and travelled, did a bachelor’s degree, started my post-grad. When I turned 24, I decided I wanted to join the defence forces and if I didn’t do it then, it wouldn’t happen,” she said.
She had visions of becoming an officer in the Army Reserve but then thought why go part-time if she could go full-time.
The application process which involves physical and aptitude tests, and more, did not faze her.
“I had Poppy that I could talk to and my partner is ex-defence. I never really struggled. It was probably a really easy transition because I was in a military family,” she said.
Now based at the Holsworthy barracks in Sydney, she has trained as ground crew but is currently doing COVID-related duties.
She hopes to make her poppy proud by one day commissioning as an officer and she would also like to be an advocate for women in the defence forces.
Eby is proud of being the first woman in her family to follow the Drinkwater defence force tradition.
Her dad, Ken her uncle, Blair, and her great-grandfather, Laurie’s father, Fred, were also in the army and her younger brother, also named Laurie, is currently going through the application phase.
Laurie senior, who joined up at 17 and was still involved with the army in the way of cadets at 60, was not surprised Eby joined up.
He well remembers her and her cousin borrowing his army reserve gear to play in the bush behind the house he lived in at Maroochydore before he moved to Bli Bli about 20 years ago.
The 82-year-old said the army provided a good future.
“It’s always been a thing in my life. I might not have been where I am today if not for the army. I’ve still got great friends that I knock around with,” he said.
Laurie was not worried about the army being dangerous, saying soldiers were given full training and confident before they deployed.
“There’s more people get killed on the roads every year than in action,” he said.
Laurie said Eby had always had the determination to succeed at whatever she put her mind to and the army would be no different.
“I’m very proud of her. I know that she will do well in whatever she wants to do. I’m sure she’ll make it and I love her very much.”
