INTRODUCING ALLAN PAULL: VIETNAM WAR ENTERTAINER AND LONG-SERVING VETERAN
Allan Paull, 91, is a Melbourne veteran entertainer and RSL member whose remarkable life bridges Australian military service and entertainment. From his mother’s World War II volunteer work at Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital to his own service as a RAAF National Serviceman and Vietnam War entertainer in 1966, Allan’s journey spans decades of dedication to Australia’s veteran community. A world-class accordionist who performed at Carols by Candlelight and former president of the National Servicemen’s Association at Box Hill RSL, his autobiography, Who the Hell is Allan Paull?, chronicles his extraordinary contributions to Australian entertainment and military history. Now a Camberwell RSL member and Order of Australia recipient for extensive charity work, his legacy endures.
How did your connection to the RSL and veteran support begin?
It all started with my mum during World War II. She’d volunteer at the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital in Melbourne every week to look after returned diggers. It wasn’t called the RSL back then, but it had the same spirit of service to Australian veterans.
What impact did World War II charity work have on your career as an entertainer?
After seeing a young accordionist perform at a charity concert for returned servicemen in 1945 at Camberwell Town Hall, mum asked me if I wanted to learn. A few days later, we bought a secondhand accordion from Hall’s Music Store in Prahran. I trained under a top Italian mandolinist, and eventually reached world-class level as an accordion performer. Later, I went on to entertain Australian and American troops during the Vietnam War.
What was your most meaningful performance as an Australian entertainer?
Probably Carols by Candlelight in 1958, the first performance on Channel 9 Melbourne. I had to open the show by myself, no orchestra, just me and my accordion. Phil Gibbs from 3KZ introduced me, then walked off, leaving me holding the can. I played Rule Britannia to 100,000 people, broadcast on Channel 9 and 3KZ radio. That was a thrilling moment for any Melbourne performer.
When did you do National Service in the RAAF?
I was called up for Australian National Service in January 1954. I had been performing at the Tivoli Theatre in Melbourne and wanted to travel to New Zealand with the show, so I applied for a deferral. The magistrate gave me a choice: six months in either the Royal Australian Navy or Air Force, and then I’d be free to travel. I chose the Air Force and spent six months at RAAF Point Cook. It was a life-changing experience that shaped my understanding of military service.
How did you become an official Vietnam War entertainer for Australian troops?
In 1966, I got a call out of the blue from Horrie Dargie, Australia’s top harmonica player. He was putting together the first official entertainment group for the Australian government to perform for troops serving in the Vietnam War. He’d seen me on television and they said I was the best accordionist in Australia. I was in immediately.
What was performing for troops in Vietnam like during the war?
We did three concerts a day for Australian and American troops, flying around in helicopters and bombers. It was tough performing in the Vietnam heat, with an accordion strapped to your back. We played next to bombers with engines roaring, ready to take off if needed. Landing on a US aircraft carrier with 4,800 sailors on board was a highlight of the Vietnam entertainment tour. We also did shows in remote combat areas like Sabah, British North Borneo, where we performed for Australian Army engineers building a road through the jungle.
What impact did live entertainment have on Vietnam War troops?
The Australian and American troops were incredibly grateful for live entertainment in Vietnam. At Bien Hoa, soldiers covered in dust came straight from the field, still in their battle gear, just to see us perform. We ate with them from tins, and they gave me Vietnam War souvenirs like the Vietcong crossbow and a GI helmet I’ve kept all these years. Those moments meant everything to morale.
How did you get formally involved with the RSL in Victoria?
After returning from the Vietnam War, I joined the Box Hill RSL in Melbourne. When the National Servicemen started forming an association there, I became president of the National Servicemen’s Association (NASHA) and ran it for quite a while. We put up a commemorative plaque in the gardens at Box Hill RSL and organized trips for Vietnam veterans to places like Phillip Island. I marched every ANZAC Day as a National Serviceman and Vietnam veteran, and while I wasn’t after the limelight, I was deeply committed to supporting Australian veterans.
What other Australian military and service organizations were you involved with?
I joined the Navy League of Australia through the American Embassy after the Vietnam War. After that I ended up serving on their executive for over 20 years, contributing ideas for the Royal Australian Navy. Through performing at functions and events across Melbourne I raised millions of dollars for charity and veteran support. I also became president of the Advertising Club, trustee of the Benevolent Fund, and did extensive fundraising through the Freemasons. In 2015, I was honoured with the Order of Australia (OAM) for my charity work and community service.
You have a powerful family connection to World War II history.
Yes, my dad had 13 siblings. His brother Mick joined the Australian Army in 1940 and left home the night before sailing. He and his mate had a final drink with Dad, and they agreed to save one bottle of beer for when he returned from World War II. Mick sailed out on the Strathmore to the Middle East the next day, and he was killed in action in 1941. I was only nine years old. That bottle of beer is still in my cupboard, unopened, from 1940. It’s my way of remembering him and honoring his World War II service. That’s RSL history and Australian military heritage, right there. I think of Uncle Mick all the time.
What advice would you give young performers about giving back to the veteran community and RSL?
Read about Australian military history and the sacrifices made by servicemen and women. Understanding what’s come before helps you appreciate how we got here as a nation. Embrace that history of service, and let it inspire you to give back to organizations like the RSL. It’s not just about performing; it’s about honouring those Australian veterans who’ve paved the way.
What are your current challenges as an aging RSL member?
I’ve had some mobility issues since I fell and broke my hip in May this year. It’s been tough, but I’m in rehabilitation at the Epworth Hospital in Melbourne. I also recently lost my driver’s license at 91, so my son’s helping me sort out transport through the taxi license scheme. I’m learning there are RSL benefits and veteran support services I haven’t been using, which would help me get to RSL functions, ANZAC Day commemorations, and community events at Camberwell RSL.
What would you want RSL members and the veteran community to know about who Allan Paull really is?
I’m a likeable sort of guy who talks too much, but I’m proud of what I’ve achieved for the Australian veteran community. More than anything, I think my mum got it right with her volunteer work at Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital during World War II. She taught me the value of service to returned servicemen and women, and that’s what I’ve always tried to carry forward through my work with Box Hill RSL, Camberwell RSL, entertaining troops in Vietnam, and supporting Australian veterans for over 60 years.
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