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BAIRNSDALE ADVERTISER -FRIDAY JUNE 26 2009
Dennis and Carol Marsden
Travel sparks memories of Carol’s time in Vietnam
Carol Marsden exudes energy and a zest for life. The serene, peaceful surrounds of her lovely home overlooking McMillan Strait are in sharp contrast to her approach to life.
Delving into Carol's past brought forth a wealth of stories, none more interesting than her time working in the Australian Embassy in Saigon
(Ho Chi Minh City) during the Vietnam War.
Carol was born in the UK and grew up as a self-proclaimed 'navy brat', her father a long serving Royal Navy man, stationed around the Pacific as well as England. She attended 12 schools while growing up and the constant challenge of new schools as well as new countries, developed a self confidence and assurance she carries to this day.
One of her earliest memories is living on Sentosa Island off Singapore Island. This was post wartime and she recalls 30 Japanese POWs sent to the island to fix up the derelict house the navy family was to occupy.
As a young woman living in Melbourne in the 1960s she answered an advertisement for the foreign office to work in the secretarial pool. On learning that she spoke fluent French, she was then subjected to a "horrendously long interview" and sent to Canberra for a crash refresher course in French.

"I was asked where would like to be stationed and I said, anywhere but a war zone," smiled Carol.
"And yes, guess where they sent me,..Vietnam, and this was in 1964 when the conflict was in full swing."
As a 'garden variety secretary' Carol was one of 15 embassy staff, the Australian Embassy then located on one of the upper floors of the Caravelle Hotel, a colonial icon, in the main street of Saigon.
She had an apartment only a seven-minute walk from the hotel in the 'street of bars', but the constant harassment by the US soldiers flooding the city, as she walked to and from her work place, became too much to endure and by necessity she began travelling in a chauffeured car. She was one of very few white women in the city at that time.
Carol remembers Saigon as a truly beautiful city, the French influence creating a lovely ambience, the people very friendly. However, it was a country in the midst of a war and constant explosions echoed throughout the city. She recalls standing in the main street one day gazing up at a fleet of aircraft flying overhead be-fore admonishing herself with the realisation they could well have been enemy aircraft.
As is often the case in wartime, there were numerous parties and embassy functions - a merry time had by all. The embassy staff would literally 'thumb a ride' with the US troops to enjoy a weekend at a safe location.
Ever ready for an adventure, Carol accepted an offer to jump out of a Caribou plane, the huge lumbering aircraft having a rear-opening door. She and another embassy secretary were given very minimal instructions on the parachute operation, told to just 'hit this about 15 feet above the water and pull that when your feet touch water'.
The other secretary appeared to be thinking twice about the jump, hovering on the edge, so a nudge on her rear made the decision for her.
Carol met her first husband, an American serviceman, while working in Vietnam and when he finished his tour of duty they married and settled in the United States.
She found the religious fervour and restrictions of her husband's family difficult to live with and the couple migrated to Australia.
Carol's husband completed his masters degree in anthropology in Perth and later became the curator of the West Australian Museum's Aboriginal section.
Carol spent seven years in Perth before the marriage disintegrated and she came to live in Melbourne
Dennis began his working life on the family farm in Sarsfield before entering the booming mining industry, travelling all over the country and Pacific Islands. He then became involved - and still is - in subdivisions and various other interests.
The couple's energies these days tend to focus on planning yet another overseas trip. They have already enjoyed extensive trips to Alaska, the Caribbean, China, the Baltic Sea region, Spain, Russia, Morocco, Dubai, India and a number of trips to the UK.
A recent trip to Cambodia and Vietnam is still fresh in their minds with Carol expressing her disappointment on visiting Saigon again.
"I couldn't help but be disappointed. The Saigon I remembered is gone, the charm and Frenchness have disappeared even though the buildings are still there. "When I went to the Caravelle Hotel I fully expected the embassy to still be there, but soon learned it was now located in Hanoi"
Nevertheless, they enjoyed their stay in Vietnam, cruising on the Mekong Delta and the usual touristy things. Ever adventurous, Carol climbed down into the infamous Viet Cong tunnels. Their visit to Angkor Wat in Cambodia was a highlight of this trip.
New Zealand is on the current drawing board and next year a visit to Greece and Italy is planned. Dennis is keen to sail to the Antarctic and no doubt these intrepid travellers will one day enjoy the icy waters of the Southern Ocean.t
Island Identities