The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) has produced a series of videos called Stories of Service. It celebrates the lives, experience and sacrifice of men and women who served Australia in the armed forces.

One of the stories is about Bill Coolburra, an Aboriginal man and Vietnam veteran from Palm Island.

He was born in 1945 and like his father and uncle before him, joined the Australian Army. He served as a ‘sapper’ with the Australian Engineers in Malaya, Singapore, Borneo and Vietnam.

In Vietnam, his troop was nicknamed the Tunnel Rats.

Their work was to enter and clear dangerous and complex tunnel systems constructed by the Viet Cong.

Learn more about Bill Coolburra and his best mate ‘Snow’ in this video narrated by Ray Martin AM.