Australians - Vietnam - Battle of Long Tan 40th Anniversary

Discussion in 'Vietnam' started by spidge, Aug 19, 2006.

  1. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Forgot to post this yesterday.

    The date the battle began, August 18, is commemorated in Australia as Long Tan Day, also known as Vietnam Veterans' Remembrance Day.

    August 18th 1966

    While not ww2, the battle of Long Tan is another battle involving the Anzac spirit.

    108 soldiers stopping a force of 2500 Viet Cong. Result 18 dead Aussies and 29 injured. Viet Cong dead 275+ estimated @ 500+ and 1,000 wounded.

    Supported by heavy artillery. In the midst of this fire fight ammunition that was dropped by helicopter was still in the cases and soldiers had to reload their magazines by hand. This and other procedures was changed after the battle.

    Such was the ferocity of this battle, that the Viet Cong did not directly challenge Aussie troops again for the rest of the time they were in Vietnam.

    Here is the background of the battle.The Battle of Long Tan

    The newly arrived 1st Australian Task Force established its Phuoc Tuy operations base in 1966 at Nui Dat, a piece of high ground surrounded by rubber plantations.
    The Viet Cong had achieved dominion in the province and decided to inflict a politically unacceptable defeat on the Australians. Their plan was to lure the Australians from their base by firing recoilless rifle and mortar shells into it. They theorised that the Australians would sweep the area around the base in an attempt to stop the attacks, and the Viet Cong would ambush the sweeping forces.
    On the night of 16/17 August 1966, the Viet Cong fired a barrage of shells into Nui Dat, wounding 24 Australians. Prior to this event, the Australians had become aware, from radio intercepts and sightings, that a large enemy force was operating close to the base. Australian patrols sent out specifically to find the Viet Cong had not encountered the force.
    On 18 August 1966 D Company of 6RAR was patrolling in the area of the Long Tan rubber plantation when, at about 3.15pm, the lead platoon (11 Platoon, commanded by 2Lt Gordon Sharp, a national serviceman) encountered a small group of Viet Cong who fled leaving one of their number killed by the Australians. The aggressive patrolling continued until, at about 4.08pm, the main body of the Viet Cong 275 Regiment was encountered. The Viet Cong attacked vigorously with mortars, rifle and machine gun fire.
    [​IMG]
    In pouring rain, the Australians returned fire with platoon weapons and artillery which was firing from the Nui Dat base, some five kilometres to the west. Close air support was also called for but couldn't be used because the target was unable to be identified accurately in the conditions.
    At 5pm D Company's commander, Major Harry Smith, radioed for ammunition resupply. Two RAAF Iroquois helicopters which happened to be at Nui Dat to transport a concert party were tasked and flew at tree top level into the battle area where they successfully delivered the sorely needed boxes of ammunition.
    [​IMG]The combination of aggressive fire from D Company soldiers plus devastating artillery fire from Nui Dat had swung the battle in the Australians' favour but the Viet Cong continued to manoeuvre to gain the upper hand. Meanwhile, A Company of 6RAR had been ordered to move to the support of the beleaguered D Company.
    [​IMG]


    They did so mounted in armoured personnel carriers from 1st APC Squadron which forded a flooded stream and then shortly afterward encountered a substantial enemy force. 2 Platoon of A Company dismounted and advanced on the enemy who fled.
    Although the Viet Cong could still be seen massing in failing light at 6.55pm as the relief force arrived in the D Company area, the enemy force melted away as darkness descended. The battle of Long Tan was over.
    The Australians consolidated their position for the night and then commenced evacuation of their wounded using the lights from APCs to guide in helicopters. During the night the Viet Cong cleared many of their wounded and dead from the battle field. A number of the wounded Australians lay there all through the long terrifying night, as the Viet Cong moved around them.
    Morning revealed that the Viet Cong force, estimated at 2,500, had been badly mauled. 245 Viet Cong bodies were found in the battle area. It was apparent that the Viet Cong commanders had failed to appreciate the effectiveness of artillery fire and had paid dearly as a result.
    The Australians had lost 18 killed, 17 from D Company (including the young platoon commander of 11 platoon) and one from 1st APC Squadron, and 24 wounded.
     
  2. Salvage Sailor

    Salvage Sailor Junior Member

    Aloha Spidge,

    We ran a thread recently on the Australian infantryman in Vietnam on my site. Thanks for posting this remembrance.

    Anchor's Aweigh
    Craig
     
  3. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Aloha Spidge,

    We ran a thread recently on the Australian infantryman in Vietnam on my site. Thanks for posting this remembrance.

    Anchor's Aweigh
    Craig

    Hi Craig. What context?
     
  4. Salvage Sailor

    Salvage Sailor Junior Member

  5. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Read a brillaint book about this about 19/20 years ago.
    One bloke thats sticks in my head was "Pom" Rencher, as you can guess a Brit. Wonder where he is now?
    EDIT:He appears in one of the photos in the link in my next post.
     
  6. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  7. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Honour Roll - Battle of Long Tan





    Pte Aldersea, Richard A.
    Unit: 6RAR; Age: 20; Regular Army enlistee
    Born: Perth, WA
    Civ: Lube attendant; Married
    KIA - Chest wounds
    Commem: Karrakatta Cemetery, WA

    Cpl Clements, Peter E
    Unit: 1 APC Sqn; Age: 21; Regular Army enlistee
    Born: Cunderdin, WA
    Single
    WIA - died at hospital
    Commem: Moora Cemetery, WA

    Pte Drabble, Glenn A
    Unit: 6RAR; Age: 21; National Serviceman
    Born: Brisbane, Q.
    Civ: Blinds installer; Single
    KIA - Gunshot wound to head
    Commem: Garden of Remembrance, Q
    Buried at: Pinnaroo Cemetery, Q

    Pte Gant, Kenneth H
    Unit: 6RAR; Age: 21; National Serviceman
    Born: Brisbane, Q
    Civ: Butcher; Single
    KIA - Gunshot wounds
    Commem: Garden of Remembrance, Q
    Buried at: Mt Gravatt Cemetery, Q

    Pte Grant, Ernest F
    Unit: 6RAR; Age: 20; Regular Army enlistee
    Born: Thurgoona, NSW
    Civ: Farm hand; Single
    KIA - Gunshot wounds
    Commem: Albury Cemetery, NSW

    Pte Grice, Victor R
    Unit: 6RAR; Age: 21; National Serviceman
    Born: Ballarat V
    Civ: Storeman; Single
    KIA
    Commem: Garden of Remembrance, Q
    Buried at: Pinnaroo Lawn Cemetery, Q

    Pte Houston, James M
    Unit: 6RAR; Age: 22; Regular Army enlistee
    Born: Wallsend, NSW
    Civ: Station hand; Married
    KIA - Gunshot wounds
    Commem: Garden of Remembrance, Q
    Buried at: Mt Thompson Crematorium, Q

    L/Cpl Jewry, Jack
    Unit: 6RAR; Age: 21; National Serviceman
    Born: St Mary's NSW
    Civ: Apprentice electrician; Married
    KIA - Gunshot wounds
    Commem: Garden of Remembrance, NSW
    Buried at: Pine Grove Memorial Park, NSW

    Pte Large, Paul A
    Unit: 6RAR; Age: 22; National Serviceman
    Born: Wellington, NSW
    Civ: Manager; Single
    KIA - Gunshot wounds
    Commem: Garden of Remembrance, NSW
    Buried at: Coolah Cemetery, NSW

    Pte McCormack, A F
    Unit: 6RAR; Age: 21; National Serviceman
    Born: Launceston, Tas
    Civ: Clerk; Single
    WIA - Died at hospital

    Pte McCormack, Dennis J
    Unit: 6RAR; Age: 21; National Serviceman
    Born: Adelaide, SA
    Civ: Labourer; Single
    KIA - Gunshot wounds
    Commem: Garden of Remembrance, Q
    Buried at: Pinnaroo Cemetery, Q

    Pte Mitchell, Warren D
    Unit: 6RAR; Age: 21; National Serviceman
    Born: Dalby, Q
    Civ: Clerk; Single
    KIA - Gunshot wounds
    Commem: Garden of Remembrance, Q
    Buried at: Mt Gravatt Cemetery, Q

    Pte Salverton, Douglas J
    Unit: 6RAR; Age: 20; National Serviceman
    Born: Brisbane, Q
    Civ: Student; Single
    KIA - Gunshot wounds
    Commem: Garden of Remembrance, Q
    Buried at: Mt Gravatt Cemetery, Q

    2Lt Sharp, Gordon C
    Unit: 6RAR; Age: 21; National Serviceman
    Born: Tamworth, NSW
    Civ: Television cameraman; Single
    KIA - Gunshot wounds
    Commem: Garden of Remembrance, NSW
    Buried at: Tamworth Memorial Park, NSW

    Pte Thomas, David J
    Unit: 6RAR; Age: 21; Regular Army enlistee
    Born: Bendigo, V
    Civ: Skilled labourer; Single
    KIA - Chest wounds
    Commem: Kangaroo Flat Cemetery, V

    Pte Topp, Francis B
    Unit: 6RAR; Age: 19; Regular Army enlistee
    Born: Toowoomba, Q
    Single
    KIA
    Commem: Helidon Cemetery, Q

    Pte Wales, Maxwell R
    Unit: 6RAR; Age: 22; Regular Army enlistee
    Born: Goondiwindi, Q
    Single
    KIA
    Commem: Moree Cemetery, NSW

    Pte Whiston, Colin J
    Unit: 6RAR; Age: 21; National Serviceman
    Born: Sydney, NSW
    Civ: Postman; Single
    KIA - Gunshot wounds
    Commem: Garden of Remembrance, V
    Buried at: Crib Point Cemetery, V


    Lest We Forget

    From Battle of Long Tan
     
  8. adrian roberts

    adrian roberts Senior Member

    An Australian that I'm in contact with from the Great War Forum sent me this pic yesterday - he wondered jokingly if Lt Adrian Roberts was me, but I pointed out that I was in infant school at the time of Long Tan!

    Adrian
     
  9. Andy in West Oz

    Andy in West Oz Senior Member

    Good to see the well deserved increase in recognition these guys, and Aussie Vietnam veterans are getting too.

    Cheers

    Andy
     

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