Photos Aussies and Kiwi's in Vietnam

guest0001 · May 4, 2021

Extensive internal perimeter wire protects the tent lines of A Company, 5th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (5RAR). Belts of wire between each platoon were constructed by 5RAR to restrict an attack by Viet Cong forces. Note the rubber trees in the background.

guest0001 · May 4, 2021

South Vietnam. 1967-12. Private Jim Fletcher of Seacliff, SA, with a captured rifle captured from the Viet Cong. He is a member of 7th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (7RAR), based at Nui Dat.

guest0001 · May 4, 2021

Dat Do, South Vietnam. 1969-05. Tanks of C Squadron, 1st Armoured Regiment, and armoured personnel carriers (APCs) from B Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, form a cordon around the village, six miles south east of the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) base at Nui Dat. The Australians were called on to clear the village of two Viet Cong companies entrenched there, but by the time they arrived the enemy had fled.

guest0001 · May 4, 2021

'We a had mine that went off at Dat Do that killed 3 soldiers in 12 Platoon plus nearly all of 12 Platoon wounded. The evacuation was very traumatic. That night we [were] ambushed in Dat Do itself and contacted a number of VC. Unfortunately 3 of my platoon were injured. My job was to patch the wounded during the darkness under fire. My problem was not knowing the extent of the injuries to Waring who later died.' 2789986 Private (Pte) Stuart Courtenay Innes, 5th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (5RAR) sits in D Company area at SAS Hill after action on 15-16 June near Dat Do during Operation Esso. After the operation, members of 5RAR returned to Nui Dat and participated in the ritual of drinking to the fallen. Pte Innes' friend, 5716163 Pte Anthony Edward Loughran Waring, was killed on 16 June 1969 during this operation.

guest0001 · May 4, 2021

Nui Dat, South Vietnam. April 1971. Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2) Brian Harley of Stafford Heights, Qld, receives a traditional garbage man's last trip around Nui Dat in a landrover towed by some of his mates in the unit. Garbage men were known as `blowflies'. He is waving goodbye with his white `garbo's' helmet. WO2 Harley had been responsible for the cleanliness of the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) headquarters area for twelve months and received this free tow from his mates in appreciation of the work he had done. Those giving him a tow are, left to right: Private (Pte) Steven Boyd of Stafford Heights, Qld; Corporal (Cpl) Tony Stitiford of Adelaide, SA; Pte David Brown of Mount Waverley, Vic, and Cpl Chris Yeoman of Murray Bridge, SA. WO2 Harley's mates have also erected a sign in his honour above the door to his shed: Det.1 Hyg. Coy. Dept of Health. Note the `fog machine', or insecticide sprayer, sitting on the bonnet of the landrover, which was used to keep insects at bay, spraying a kerosene and insecticide mix around the camp several times a week.

guest0001 · May 4, 2021

South Vietnam. 10 November 1971. Lieutenant (Lt) Mick Murphy of Townsville, Qld, calls `clear' as he checks the weapon of one of his tracker platoon members who had just returned to base at Nui Dat after his final patrol. Soon afterwards Lt Murphy and other soldiers of Support Company, 4RAR /NZ (ANZAC) (The ANZAC Battalion comprising 4th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment and a component from the 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment), were extracted from Nui Dat, Headquarters of the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) for the last five and a half years. The Battalion is now based at Vung Tau which has become the main base for the marshalling of units for embarkation and the closing down of unit stores ready for shipment to Australia.

guest0001 · May 4, 2021

October 1971. An aerial view of 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) base.

guest0001 · May 4, 2021

Nui Dat, South Vietnam. August 1971. The 100th birthday of the Australian Regular Army and its oldest unit, A Field Battery, was celebrated at Nui Dat, headquarters of the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF), with the firing of a ten gun salute. Seen firing one of the rounds, left to right: Lance Bombardier Mike Richards of Newcastle, NSW; Bombardier Paul Walsh of Vincent, Qld; the Commanding Officer of 12th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery (RAA), Lieutenant Colonel B. R. Topfer of Townsville, Qld; and Bombardier Greg Wager of Mildura, Vic. At far right, awaiting his turn to fire the next round is the Commanding Officer of 3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR), Lieutenant Colonel F. P. Scott of Inverbrackie, SA.

guest0001 · May 4, 2021

View looking south of Luscombe Field, the airstrip at Nui Dat built by 1 Field Squadron, Royal Australian Engineers and opened on 1966-12-05. Fuel storage tanks surrounded by mounds can be seen in the middle distance, the task force maintenance area is on the top right, 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) is in the rubber trees on the top left, and 5th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (5RAR) is in the rubber trees in the foreground. A United States Fairchild C-123 Provider aircraft is on the runway.(Colour version at P02154.001) (Donor D. Bishop)

guest0001 · May 4, 2021

December 1970. A group of newly-arrived soldiers of 1 Reinforcement Unit, Australian Force Vietnam (AFV), take their first ride on a Centurion Mark V/1 tank.

guest0001 · May 4, 2021

October 1971. A troop of four M113A1, Fire Support Vehicles (FSVs), (foreground) lined up adjacent to the sealed runway at Luscombe field, Nui Dat. The first vehicle 'DENISE' has the call sign four two Alpha (42A). Identified, sitting on a drum behind the third FSV is 217990 Corporal Kenneth William Johnson, who served with C, B and A Squadrons, 1st Armoured Regiment and with A Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, Royal Australian Armoured Corps from 1969 to 1972. Further down, a line of M113A1 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) are visible. These FSVs and APCs are part of A Squadron (denoted by the blue triangle), 3rd Cavalry Regiment, Royal Australian Armoured Corps. Most of these vehicles have their rear access ramps lowered and all have had additional sponson armour added (visible above the first three road wheels). The shipping container (right) has the number 161 painted on the door, and the trees behind the container are the recently vacated lines of the 161st Reconnaissance Flight. On the opposite side of the runway (left) is a small tree topped hill, known as SAS Hill. Note the sheets of perforated steel planking (PSP) also known as Marston steel matting, laid down on the ground. At this stage of the Vietnam War, the perimeter and personnel at 1 Australian Task Force (1ATF) Nui Dat had been reduced, with total withdrawal to Vung Tau scheduled for November 1971.

guest0001 · May 4, 2021

October 1971. A troop of four M113A1 Fire Support Vehicles (FSV) (right) lined up next to the runway at Luscombe field, Nui Dat. The first FSV named 'DENISE' and has the call sign four two Alpha (42A). Further to the left, a line of M113A1 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) are visible. All these vehicles belong to A Squadron (denoted by the blue triangle), 3rd Cavalry Regiment, Royal Australian Armoured Corps. These vehicles have had additional belly and sponson armour added (visible on the lower hull nose and above the first three road wheels respectively). The trees (background) were the recently vacated lines of the 161st Reconnaissance Flight. The pile of sandbags in the foreground (left) is a command bunker. Note the sheets of perforated steel planking (PSP) also known as Marston steel matting, laid down on the ground. At this stage of the Vietnam War, the perimeter and personnel at 1 Australian Task Force (1ATF) Nui Dat had been reduced, with total withdrawal to Vung Tau scheduled for November 1971.