Nick Helyer getting ready for a day of mixed emotions

Sub-branch vice president Nick Helyer said for him, ANZAC Day brings a mix of emotions but there is a strong emphasis on looking out for his Vietnam comrades.

A week out from ANZAC Day, Mr Helyer has shared his thoughts, memories and observations on this day of remembrance.

For him, ANZAC Day is a time to reflect, catch up with mates and recount the good times without dwelling on the bad. "I've got a friend who passed away in a car accident about a year after we were in Vietnam together.

"I've also got a friend in Sydney who is ex-army. He's got serious PTSD and is on permanent medication to control it," Mr Helyer said.

"ANZAC Day is about remembering and recognising these people. I'll ring my friend in Sydney next week and see how he's spending the day," Mr Helyer said.

"My son occasionally rings me asking me to speak at his ceremony down in Victoria. In the last 10 years I've been guest speaker at Kingscliff, (Victoria). They must have liked me because they invited me back," he said.

Born in England, Mr Helyer joined the British Royal Navy in 1965 before transferring to the Royal Australian Navy in 1969. "Dad was in the Royal Navy for five years during WW2. He did 10 years in the Australian Navy after he came out to Australia in the 50's. He said I should join the navy and it seemed like a pretty good idea. I wanted to do engineering."

In the Australian Navy Mr Helyer would work aboard the HMAS Sydney ferrying troops to and from Vietnam during the war.

In total he would make six trips from 1971 - 1972.

"They called Sydney the relief valve of Vietnam in that going up it was two weeks of separation from family and friends where the troops could really concentrate on what's ahead of them - albeit in interesting surroundings," Mr Helyer said.

"Coming back they had two weeks to readjust before they stepped ashore.

"A lot of the troops flew up and flew back and they said that it was a real culture shock both ways."

Working as an engineer on the ship, Mr Helyer recalled that a big part of the crew's job was making the outgoing and returning as comfortable as possible given the situation.

"We tried to make it as pleasant for the guys as possible.

"I remember we used to do concerts for them on the ship, I was the MC of one of the concerts a long time ago," Mr Helyer said.

Mr Helyer remembered the trip over Christmas in 1972 was the last trip that the HMAS Sydney did bringing people back from Vietnam.

He said it was a bittersweet feeling.

"There were a lot of protests going on when we came back into the harbour when you thought they should have been cheering these guys as heroes really with some of the stuff that they've been through," he said.

"I felt a lot of confusion.

"There was no detail at all really until you pulled into port.

"There were a whole lot of cheering families and then there was a whole lot of other individuals protesting."

Following his time on the HMAS Sydney, Mr Helyer would go onto be the charge engineer of a smaller warship, the Vendetta in 1974.

Mr Helyer plans to mark ANZAC Day by getting up early and helping the Dungog RSL Sub-Branch set up their dawn service.

"I'll think about the friends that I've lost, that are no longer here. It will be tinged with sadness," he said.

One interesting thing that Mr Helyer has noticed is how the public opinion on Vietnam war veterans has changed over time to become more accepting.

"I was appreciated increasingly from 1993 onwards," he said.

ANZAC Day is taking place on Thursday, April 25. There will be a dawn service at Dungog RSL beginning at 5.30am as well as a march along Dowling Street beginning at 10.30am.