Photos Aussies and Kiwi's in Vietnam

[guest0001]

South Vietnam. 1969-10. RAAF Caribou aircraft of No. 35 Squadron were used to air-lift Australian troops from the field to their Nui Dat base. It was the first time the Caribou have been used in this role because the troops, members of 5th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment (5RAR), had been operating near the village of Xuyen Moc, east of the Task Force base, which had a grass strip capable of taking fixed wing aircraft. Weary troops move towards the aircraft after a month in the field.

 

[guest0001]

Nui Dat, South Vietnam. 1969-11. At a church service, the Commanding Officer of 9th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (9RAR), Lieutenant Colonel A. L. Morrison of Iverbrackie, SA, reads a lesson from the bible. On the dais with him are three Australian chaplains: Major John McElveney of Kapooka, NSW (left); Captain (Capt) Harry Nolan of Ballarat, Vic; Capt Ian Paull of Balaklava, SA (partly obscured). The service was part of the farewell parade for 9RAR which was held at the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF). The Battalion will leave for Australia aboard HMAS Sydney after a year in the war zone.

 

[guest0001]

Nui Dat, South Vietnam. April 1970. Lucky, a Vietnamese teenage soft drink vendor, looks at his new bicycle, a gift from the engineers of the 17th Construction Squadron. Corporal Allan Holt of Brisbane, Qld, drinking a bottle of Coca Cola, and Sapper Rendel Hatch of Swanbourne, WA, were among some of the soldiers on hand for the presentation. Lucky's old bike came to grief under a heavy roller during road construction in Phuoc Tuy Province.

 

[guest0001]

Nui Dat, South Vietnam. 1969-01-15. Signaller Tony Everett of Dural, NSW, takes down the details of a contact between a company of 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), over his radio set. Signaller Everett is in an underground bunker at the battalion's headquarters at Fire Support Base "Wattle", about fifteen miles from the 1st Australian Task Force. 4RAR is taking part in Operation Goodwood, a reconnaissance in force in the north-west of Phuoc Tuy Province.

 

[guest0001]

South Vietnam. October 1970. The Last Post sounds through the rubber trees of Nui Dat, as soldiers lower the Australian and battalion flags at a memorial service to soldiers of the 2RAR /NZ (ANZAC) (The ANZAC Battalion comprising 2nd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment and a component from the 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment), killed in recent operations in Vietnam. The short service was led by the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel J. M. Church, and by chaplains. Sounding the Last Post is Salvation Army Captain Don Woodland, 33, of Paddington, Qld.

 

[guest0001]

Nui Dat, South Vietnam. 1968-09. B Company of the 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), has many ardent Australian Rules football fans. The publishers of the Footy Week newspaper have sent photographs of Victorian Football League players and weekly copies of the newspaper to the company. Reading a copy of the Footy Week in front of their tent are, left to right: Private Barry Bermingham of Essendon, Vic, Lance Corporal Max Harrop of Tea Tree Gully, SA, and Private Barry Campbell of Joondanna, WA.

 

[guest0001]

Nui Dat, South Vietnam. 1968-09. B Company of the 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), has many ardent Australian Rules football fans. The publishers of the Footy Week newspaper have sent photographs of Victorian Football League players and weekly copies of the newspaper to the company. Company Sergeant Major Jock Richardson of Sorrento, Vic (right), shows photographs to members returning from patrol. Left to right: Private Ron Fisher of Georgetown, Tas, Private David Luke of Nunawading, Vic, and Private Ray Jones of Cobram, Vic.

 

[guest0001]

Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam. 1968-09. Troops of the 3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR), run to board helicopters on the fly out from Kapyong Pad at the battalion's base area at Nui Dat. The battalion was about to begin Operation Daimantina, a reconnaissance in force to the north-east of Nui Dat. The operation took the battalion into an area of thick scrub scattered with rice paddies. An enemy base camp was discovered during the operation and it contained a large amount of stores, including food, clothing, tools, oil and kerosene.

 

[guest0001]

Nui Dat, South Vietnam. 1968-11-13. At the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) Base members of the 106th Field Workshops, formerly known as the 1st Armoured Squadron Workshops, attached to C Squadron, 1st Armoured Regiment, responsible for the maintenance of the squadron's 52 ton Centurion tanks, replace the old sign with a new one. The job had not changed but their unit officially became a Royal Australian Mechanical and Electrical Engineers (RAEME) Unit. Craftsman Doug Kerr of East Fremantle, WA (left), and Craftsman Ted McCamish of Bunbury, WA, remove the old sign after erecting the new 106th Field Workshops sign.

 

[guest0001]

South Vietnam. 1968-12. Lieutenant Don Moffatt of Kingaroy, Qld (left), Army pilot with the 161st Independent Reconnaissance Flight, located at the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) Base at Nui Dat, explains the safety devices of the Sioux helicopter to a group of soldiers from Support Company, 9th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (9RAR). 9RAR is now engaged in advanced training with helicopters, armour cavalry and artillery before they are committed to operations in Phuoc tuy Province. Left to right: Lance Corporal Ken Best of Mount Gravatt, Qld; Private Gary North of Scarborough, WA; Private Peter Grant of Boulder, WA, and Private Ian Irwin of Bardon, Qld.

 

[guest0001]

An Nhut, South Vietnam. 1968-12. Captain David Leafe of Lindfield, NSW, gives a Vietnamese man an injection prior to extracting one of his teeth at An Nhut village, about four miles from the 1st Australian Task Force Base (1ATF), Base at Nui Dat. Captain Leafe is a member of the 33rd Dental Unit based at Nui Dat, and set up a temporary dental post during a cordon and search of An Nhut village by the 9th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (9RAR).

 

[guest0001]

Nui Dat, South Vietnam. 1969-02-07. Rest and recreation centres for Australian soldiers serving in South Vietnam feature on this rubber tree signpost at the Eagle Farm helipad of 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), at the 1st Australian Task Force Base. The signs read, "Singapore, Sydney, Auckland, Hong Kong, Taipei" Discussing their choices are, left to right: Private (Pte) Bob McGlynn of Young, NSW; Pte Ian Boyd of Bendigo, Vic; Pte Keith Chatfield of Hendra, Qld; Pte Brian Wratten of Alexandria, Vic; Pte Jock Shalpe of Port Melbourne, Vic.

 

[guest0001]

Nui Dat, South Vietnam. 1969-03-30. Private (Pte) Kym Manning of Adelaide Terrace, WA, strips and assembles his rifle blindfolded with a strip of four-by-two rifle cleaning fabric (four-by) as part of his training with the 1st Australian Reinforcement Unit. Waiting for his turn at the exercise is Pte Eric Michael of Yerong Creek, NSW. Corporal Bruce Scott of Fairfield, NSW (back to camera), an instructor at the unit, supervises the activity. In the background another group undertake the same exercise.

 

[guest0001]

Nui Dat, South Vietnam. 1969-04-25. Bugler, Private Paul Sharman of Nedlands, WA, a bandsman with 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), sounds the last post at an Anzac Day commemoration service at the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) Base. The bugle was carried through the Middle East, New Guinea, Borneo, and Malaya World War 2 campaigns. At present it is being used for all daily calls and ceremonial occasions. The 2/43rd Battalion Association presented the bugle to 4RAR at Woodside, SA, in October 1965.

 

[guest0001]

Nui Dat, South Vietnam. 1969-05. The victorious Headquarters 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) Sergeants' Mess darts team. Left to right: Sergeant (Sgt) 16192 Bill Boelen of Toowoomba, Qld; Staff Sergeant 310207 Gordon Haswell of Broadmeadows, Vic, and A Section 1st Topographical Survey Troop; 215692 Sgt Max Poole of Tarcoola, SA, and Australian Army Training Team in Vietnam (AATTV); Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2) Ern Hayden of Warradale, SA; Sgt John Williams of Singleton, NSW; 54458 Sgt George Bullock of Holsworthy, NSW, and B Squadron 1 Armoured Troop; 16018 WO2 Tracey Merrell of Ipswich, Qld.

 

[guest0001]

Nui Dat, South Vietnam. 1969-07. St Kilda supporter Signalman (Sig) Colin King of Macarthur, Vic, nails his club's pennant to the wall of the Men's Club at the 547th Signal Troop Headquarters. Looking on is 4201f Sergeant Robert (Bob) Walter Hartley of Toowoomba, Qld. Twelve pennants were presented to the Troop by the Victorian Football League (VFL) after Sig Roger Thompson of Tuart Hill, WA, had written to the Melbourne Sun newspaper requesting help in procuring suitable decorations for the club. The Sun passed his request on to the VFL. The St Kilda pennant is being pinned next to those of the Essendon Bombers and the Fitzroy Lions.

 

[guest0001]

Nui Dat, South Vietnam. 1969-08. Major (Maj) Jim MacIntyre of South Yarra, Vic, is the Salvation Army representative attached to B Squadron, 1st Armoured Regiment, which is part of the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF). Part of his job is to dispense cordial and biscuits to the troopers of the Squadron and in doing this he follows the 52-ton Centurion tanks just about everywhere. Maj MacIntyre is serving cool drinks from the back of his Land Rover to, from left: Lance Corporal Tony Lockett of Launceston, Tas; Trooper (Tpr) Claus Weber of Mundingburra, Qld; Tpr Angus Hodges of Aldgate, SA; Tpr Robert Williams of Sale, Vic; Captain Goffre Gilchrist of St Ives, NSW; Tpr Colin Gee of Footscray, Vic.

 

[guest0001]

Nui Dat, South Vietnam. 1969-08. Three members of the 105th Battery, 1st Field Regiment, crew a 105mm howitzer at the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) Base. Left to right: Bombardier Barry McLean of Mackay, Qld (left); Gunner Trevor Blay of Inverell, NSW; and Gunner Phillip Costa of Lane Cove, NSW (loading the gun). The Battery's guns were firing in support of Australian troops operating in Phuoc Tuy Province.

 

[guest0001]

South Vietnam, January 1971. Gunner (Gnr) Mervyn Bignall, 24, of Harbord, NSW, is with the 107TH Field Battery in Vietnam which fires 105MM Howitzers. But this week he visited C Battery, 5th/42nd US Artillery temporarily based at Nui Dat in support of the Australian Task Force. Gnr Bignall (foreground) blocks his ears after firing one of the battery's Big Daddy 155mm guns. They have a range of 14,600 metres, and make their presence felt, and heard. Two unidentified soldiers are by the gun.

 

[guest0001]

South Vietnam. January 1971. Lance Bombardier Chris Sutcliff, 21, of Jimbour, Qld (right) (holding an SLR), a member of the 107th Field Battery visits C Battery, 5th/42nd US Artillery, temporarily based at Nui Dat in support of the 1st Australian Task Force Base (1ATF). The battery's (Big Daddy) 155mm guns have a range of 14,600 metres and make their presence felt and heard. Shells are on the ground and other unidentified soldiers are next to the gun.