Photos Aussies and Kiwi's in Vietnam

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Nui Dat, South Vietnam. August 1970. Two soldiers run to help a mate as his go-kart flips over in a cloud of dust during a race meeting at the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) base. It was driven by Lance Corporal Paul Lloyd of Mt Isa, Qld. Go-kart racing, with machines built from salvaged engines and scrap parts, is a popular sport with the soldiers.

 

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Nui Dat, South Vietnam. September, 1970. It was a twin-Service medical consultation for Trooper Tony Borg of Seymour, Vic, from B Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, in bed in the ward of 8th Field Ambulance at the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) base. The top Medical Officer of the RAAF, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) A. Marsh (left), consults with the Commander of the 8th Field Ambulance, Major Dick Green of Lutwyche, Qld. AVM Marsh was on an orientation visit to the Task Force during a trip to Army and RAAF units in South Vietnam.

 

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25 December 1966. 3487 Lieutenant Colonel John Arnold Warr of Sydney, NSW, (standing third from left), serves Christmas turkey to 18305 Lance Corporal Warren John 'Wog' Burns (seated, pointing to menu) of C Company, 5th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (5RAR). The men of 5RAR are enjoying Christmas lunch at their mess at the 1st Australian Task Force base at Nui Dat. It is traditional for officers, warrant officers and sergeants to serve the troops on Christmas day with lunch.

 

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25 December 1966. LIEUTENANT COLONEL J. A. WARR OF SYDNEY, NSW, SERVES TURKEY TO MEMBERS OF THE 5TH BATTALION, THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN REGIMENT (5RAR), IN THE C (CHARLIE) COMPANY MESS SITTING AT TABLES. IT IS TRADITIONAL FOR OFFICERS TO SERVE TROOPS WITH CHRISTMAS DINNER.

 

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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 one of the first times 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.

 

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Nui Dat, South Vietnam. 1967-07. Minister for the Army Malcolm Fraser (second from left) meets Tiber, a tracker dog with the 7th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (7RAR), during his visit to the Task Force Base. He was on a five day tour of Australian bases including inspections of the progress of the Civic Action Program. On the right is Tiber's handler, Corporal Chris O'Neill, Commander of Tracking Section, Fire Assault Platoon, Support Company, 7RAR. and far left is the Secretary, Department of the Army, Bruce White. 17563 Major Desmond Joseph Mealey, Officer Commanding B Company, is third from the left.

 

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Nui Dat, South Vietnam. 1969-12. One of these Army tracker dogs, Justin, is to retire from active service with the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) and return to civvy street in a comfortable Saigon billet. The dogs, Justin (left) and Tiber sit with their handlers, Private (Pte) Dennis Rowlands of West Heidelberg, Vic and Pte Bill Palmer of Cobar, NSW. Both troops are members of 5th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (5RAR), tracker platoon. Justin came to Vietnam with 7RAR in 1967 when about two and a half years old. When 7RAR returned to Australia, he joined 1RAR, and then 5RAR. Tiber was about three years old when he landed in Vietnam with 2RAR in 1967 and has since joined 5RAR.

 

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GUN PIT CONTAINING A 105MM L5 PACK HOWITZER OF 103 BATTERY, ROYAL AUSTRALIAN ARTILLERY, ON THE SOUTH-WEST PERIMETER OF THE BASE, LOOKING EAST TOWARDS A RUBBER PLANTATION.

 

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GUN PIT CONTAINING A 105MM L5 PACK HOWITZER OF 103 BATTERY, ROYAL AUSTRALIAN ARTILLERY, ON THE SOUTH-WEST PERIMETER OF THE BASE, LOOKING EAST TOWARDS A RUBBER PLANTATION.

 

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April 1968. BANNER OVER THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE 7TH BATTALION THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN REGIMENT (7RAR). THE BANNER READS 'PORKY'S PEOPLE WELCOME PONY SOLDIERS'. 7RAR WERE PORKY'S PEOPLE AND THEY WERE BEING RELIEVED BY 1RAR WHO HAD A SHETLAND PONY AS THEIR MASCOT.

 

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1966. MEMBERS OF 101 FIELD BATTERY, ROYAL AUSTRALIAN ARTILLERY, LAYING A 105MM L5 PACK HOWITZER, ON THE SOUTH-WEST PERIMETER OF THE BASE, LOOKING WEST TOWARDS THE MOUNTAINS.

 

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Nui Dat, Vietnam, 1966. Three members of D Company, Headquarters Company, 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR), resting around a sand bagged wall outside a tent in D Company lines. Left to right: 1730924 Private Phillip Rodney Dixon, 1411132 Private Robin Langdon (Pom) Rencher, 2781750 Private Russell Victor Perandis. All three served in the Battle of Long Tan. (Donor R. Rencher)

 

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Major Harry Smith (left) and pilot 18548 Captain (Capt) James Douglas (Jim) Campbell of 161 (Independent) Reconnaissance Flight standing in front of a Bell 47 Sioux helicopter, no A1-401, which was later shot down on 20 November 1967 at Nui Dat. On Operation Renmark in February 1967, Capt Campbell risked his own safety repeatedly while using a similar Sioux helicopter to rescue wounded Australian soldiers from a minefield, for which action he was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross. The helicopter he flew on Operation Renmark is in the collections of the Australian War Memorial.

 

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1970. A group of Australian Army Land Rovers parked at a road side checkpoint at 1st Australian Task Force base, Nui Dat.

 

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1968. An unidentified soldier posing with a machete outside the Nui Dat Press Centre building. The soldier is armed with a holstered Browning Hi-Power 9 mm pistol.

 

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The unofficial formation sign for B Troop, A Squadron, 1st Armoured Regiment, Royal Australian Armoured Corps. The sign depicts a wreathed numeral '2' above a two headed bird of prey, which is holding a bottle in one talon and a medieval chain and mace in the other. This sign was erected at the B Troop lines at Nui Dat in 1970. Note the rows of rubber trees in the background.

 

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1966. A pair of American M109 self propelled 155mm howitzers crossing a flooded creek, as they return to Nui Dat after completing an operation supporting Australian troops at Bin Ba village. The M109 series was developed in the 1950s and the first production vehicles were completed in 1962. They were used extensively during the Vietnam war.

 

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1966. A pair of American M109 self propelled 155mm howitzers crossing a flooded creek, as they return to Nui Dat after completing an operation supporting Australian troops at Bin Ba village. The M109 series was developed in the 1950s and the first production vehicles were completed in 1962. They were used extensively during the Vietnam war.

 

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1966. UH-1 Iroquois helicopters in the supply are known as Tiger 5 waiting to be loaded with plastic Jerry cans full of water for delivery to members of 5RAR patrolling outside the perimeter of the 1st Australian Task Force Base, Nui Dat.

 

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Dec 1967. Holding his rifle, 243321 Private Kevin Wayne 'Doc' Simmons, platoon medic of 5 Platoon, B Company, 2RAR/NZ, leans against a verandah post at the front of the recreation building used by the Everyman's Welfare Service (EWS), a philanthropic organisation, at the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) base at Nui Dat. The sign mounted on the gable of the building reads: 'Welcome! to Everyman's ... your home away from home. Operated by Campaigners for Christ'.