Read more. A Hard Landing Three of the medals were accepted . But when his Vietnam service was over, Harry Smith still had the battle with the Army & government over the award injustice that was bestowed on the veterans of Long Tan. It recreates this momentous, yet often forgotten, battle regarded as one of the most pivotal, shocking, dramatic and bravura . When the battle subsided, 18 Australian soldiers lay dead and 24 had been . The action was fought between Viet Cong (VC) and People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) units and elements of the 1st Australian Task Force (1 ATF). Looking to the west towards the 1st Australian Task Force base across the rubber plantation near the village Long Tan (left out of frame), South East of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) where, on the afternoon of 18 August 1966 the "Battle of Long Tan" was fought, between my company, D Company of 6 Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) only numbering 108 against elements of the 5th VC Division . In April 1962, when he was 17 he joined the Army and according to his Mother, Mrs Mollie Martin, 'He couldn't wait to go to Vietnam', where he became a crew commander with 3 Troop APC Squadron. He placed 10 Platoon (pl) under Second Lieutenant (2Lt), Geoff Kendall as the forward left, 11 pl under 2lt Gordon Sharp on the high ground to the forward right and 12 pl under 2Lt David Sabben to the centre rear behind Coy Head Quarters (CHQ). Australia 18 killed 17 from Delta Company (D Coy), 6RAR 11 National Servicemen, Australian Army 6 Regular soldiers, Australian Army One from 3 Troop, 1 APC (Armoured Personnel Carrier) Squadron Died nine days later from wounds sustained in the battle 24 members of D Coy were wounded North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and Viet Cong (VC) 245+ killed The Battle of Long Tan: How 100 Australian soldiers held off 2,000 Viet Cong. Many of these will be very rare. The Australian soldiers here proved they were up to the challenge of fighting the Viet Cong. In the gathering dusk of 18 August 1966, 108 young, inexperienced Australian and NZ soldiers are separated and surrounded, fighting for their lives, holding off an overwhelming force of 2,500 battle-hardened Viet Cong and North Vietnamese soldiers. He was nine when his father died, so was brought up by his mother. Never Out of Courage.Late afternoon August 18, 1966 South Vietnam - for three and a half hours, in the pouring rain, amid the mud and. This book looks at Harry Smith from growing up in Tasmania, through his servise in Malaya & Vietnam with the battle of Long Tan. "The Battle of Long Tan is arguably the most famous battle fought by the Australian Army during the Vietnam War. The events of previous days set the scene. Captain Maurice 'Morrie' Stanley (NZ) Military Cross (MC) Major Harry Smith Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) Warrant Officer 2 Jack Kirby Corporal J. Carter Military Medal (MM) Sergeant Bob Buick Private Ron Eglington Mentioned in Dispatches (MID) Lieutenant Adrian Roberts Second Lieutenant Geoff Kendall Second Lieutenant Dave Sabben The Battle of Long Tan. Buy from…. Jim Richmond served with the Australian Army in Vietnam, and in 1966 was wounded during the Battle of Long Tan. The Battle of Long Tan is also Harry's life story and portrays his many personal battles, from failed marriages to commando-style killing; from a horrific parachute accident through to his modern-day struggles with bureaucracy for recognition for his soldiers. Outnumbered. The Battle of Long Khanh (6-7 June 1971) was fought during the Vietnam War between elements of 1st Australian Task Force (1 ATF) and the Viet Cong (VC) and People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) during Operation Overlord. The fighting saw Australian infantry from 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR) attack a heavily fortified communist base camp in Long Khanh Province, while Centurion . AUSTRALIAN ARMY VIETNAM Battle of Long Tan Infantry UH-1 Huey Door Gunner us | eBay This is a famous painting by an Australian artist of the battle at Long Tan. Source 2 - Extract from the Official History of Australia in the Vietnam War. Three of the medals were accepted posthumously, including for Gordon Sharp — the only Australian officer to die in the battle. During the Vietnam War the battalion earned a US Presidential Unit Citation from the United States, when members from 'D' Company participated in the Battle of Long Tan on 18-19 August 1966. Australian soldiers during the battle of Long Tan in Vietnam. The late Second Lieutenant Gordon Cameron Sharp The Battle of Long Tan occurred on the afternoon of 18 August 1966, just two months after the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) established its base at Nui Dat in the heart of Phuoc Tuy province, South Vietnam. Australian soldiers fought in scores of fierce actions during the war in Vietnam. 1 APC Sqn = 1st Armoured Personnel Carrier Squadron 2Lt = 2nd Lieutenant (Army rank) 6RAR = 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment Civ: = Civilian occupation Commem: = Commemorated at Cpl = Corporal (Army . Unable to keep up on the runs, he nevertheless plugged along, always finishing and earning the respect of the soldiers. Few were as intense or dramatic as Long Tan, which occurred 50 years ago next Thursday. AUSTRALIAN ARMY VIETNAM Battle of Long Tan Infantry UH-1 Huey Door Gunner us | eBay With three thousand troops to wipe out Nui Dat. The memorial cross at the site of the battle. When the battle subsided, 18 Australian soldiers lay dead and 24 had been . During the ensuing battle D Company managed . On August 18, 1966, the Battle of Long Tan took place in the Long Tan Rubber plantation, while most of 6RAR & the rest of the Task Force enjoyed the Rock concert being performed by "Col Joye" and "Little Pattie". But because the country . The Battle of Long Tan is also Harry's life story and portrays his many personal battles, from failed marriages to commando-style killing; from a horrific parachute accident through to his modern-day struggles with bureaucracy for recognition for his soldiers. A fierce battle ensued for more than 3 hours in the middle of a monsoonal downpour. 4:08pm As 11 Platoon continues their advance in 'one big long line', they come under heavy fire which kills four of the Australians. Officially, 245 bodies were counted on the battlefield by Australian soldiers. The Australian soldiers continued their advance, the three platoons of D Company - designated 10,11 and 12 - taking up positions around the rubber plantation. The Australians are surprised to see that, unlike the local Viet Cong, these men are dressed in camouflage clothing and carry AK47s, the Russian-made Kalashnikov. Source 5 - Wording on two memorials at . On the night of 18 August 1966, while relieving troops at the Battle of Long Tan. About 3.30pm, a group of Viet Cong walked into the middle of the patrolling Australian soldiers who opened fire, wounding one and forcing the others to flee. Credit: Australian War Memorial The Battle of Long Tan lasted just one afternoon, but it came to symbolise Australia's 10-year . decided they'd be easy to beat. That being said, few would have wanted to call Long Tan a success: it proved to be the costliest battle for the Australians during the entire Vietnam War. With Travis Fimmel, Toby Blome, Alexander England, Aaron Glenane. • The Battle of Long Tan took place on 18 August 1966, in a rubber plantation called Long Tan in Phuoc Tuy Province South Vietnam, approximately 5kms away from the 1ATF (Australian Task Force) base which was situated at Nui Dat. Credit: Garry Barker 8 / 8 dbr:1st_Regiment,_Royal_Australian_Artillery; dbr:Australian_Army; dbr:McDonnell_Douglas_F-4_Phantom_II; dbr:Bell_UH-1_Iroquois; dbr:M109_howitzer; dbr:People's_Army . This is the official page for the Australian Army. Ian Martin Campbell 7. William Alfred Roche 10. Few were as intense or dramatic as the actionin the Long Tan rubber plantation on 18 August 1966. Although not the biggest battle the Australians experienced, Long Tan was perhaps their most desperate and critical fight in Vietnam. Noel John Grimes 8. Five Australian soldiers assigned to 6 RAR photographed shortly before they and the battalion were deployed to South Vietnam in 1966. Neil Raymond Bextrum 5. For the eighteenth of august they planned their attack. Transcript In August 1966, 105 Australian and three New Zealand soldiers held out against an enemy force of over 2,000. On 18 August, 1966, members of D Company, who were outnumbered 20 to one, fought against the odds to defeat the Viet Cong. 1. Twenty-four others were injured, and one of those died of his injuries several days later. The base fends off the attack with counter-battery fire . The Battle of Long Tan: Directed by Damien Lay. Here is a list of the eighteen young Australian's who were killed fighting in the Battle of Long Tan: KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS USED IN LIST. Members of the ADF commemorating fallen soldiers at the Battle of Long TanImage Retrieved from: Ten Australian soldiers have been recognised for their bravery more than 50 years after they fought in the Vietnam War's Battle of Long Tan. The mortar attack together with further intelligence reports . At the Battle of Long Tan on 18 August 1966, units of 1 ATF defeated a Viet Cong force of at least regimental strength. His nephew collected the medal for courage on his behalf. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Long Tan: A Reappraisal: The greatest challenge faced by an Australian infantry company during the Vietnam War by Fred Fairhead (Paperback, 2019) at the best online prices at eBay! In nineteen sixty six the Australians were new. Colonel Francis Adrian Roberts OAM 4. One of the most famous Australian battles in the war was the Battle of Long Tan. I carried the M60 machine gun in 7 Section. To pay homage to all the veterans who have served, suffered and made the ultimate sacrifice in the Vietnam War and in recognition of the anniversary of the 1. Helpful. The Battle of LONG TAN: by Major Harry Smith MC, who commanded Delta Six at Long Tan . 'End of 50 years of frustration' Company Commander Harry Smith has long fought for recognition for Long Tan's frontline soldiers. The battle of Long Tan started about 4pm—an hour later the monsoon rain was so heavy it bounced off the ground, forming a mist. Gordon Sharp, in his dress uniform standing with his father, was the only Australian officer to die in the battle. The 500 Australians and Rhodesians were outnumbered 3 to 1. Shockwave: An Australian Combat Helicopter Crew in Vietnam, very good. The catalyst for the battle was the VC (Viet Cong, an abbreviation for Vietnamese . Total casualties from the Battle of Long Tan. Total Casualties from the Battle of Long Tan Australia • 18 killed (Names, ranks and ages listed later in document) After that 1 APC Sqn was involved in numerous operations in support of the 5th and . On the eve of the 50th anniversary of the battle of Long Tan, Vietnam Veteran, former history teacher and author Don Tate asks whether this was really a legendary battle, or just military smoke and mirrors.. BINH GIA, 1964 — a small village of about 6,000 people not far from where the Australian Army would set up its task force base in Nui Dat just a year later, was a prelude to the Battle . And, in the pouring rain, amid the mud and shattered trees of a rubber plantation called Long Tan, with their ammunition running out and another . Many of these will be very rare. 24 members of D Coy WIA . Filmed in Queensland, Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan replicates a day in the Vietnam war when 108 young and inexperienced Australian and New Zealand soldiers fought for their lives against . North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and Viet Cong (VC) In the days after the three savage hours that was the battle of Long Tan, his soldiers were finding body parts, carnage and corpses spread across the battlefield. . The Battle of Long Tan (18 August 1966) took place in a rubber plantation near Long Tân, in Phước Tuy Province, South Vietnam, during the Vietnam War.The action was fought between Viet Cong (VC) and People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) units and elements of the 1st Australian Task Force (1 ATF).. Australian signals intelligence (SIGINT) had tracked the VC 275th Regiment and D445 Battalion . The action occurred when D (Delta) Company of the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (6 RAR), part of the 1st . On 18 August 1966, D Company of 6RAR set out on a sweep through an area from which VC forces had bombarded the 1ATF base at Nui Dat two days before. . Enemy fatalities numbered between 500 and 800. The initial battle of Long Tan began on the night of 16/17 th August 1966 with a surprise mortar attack on the 1 st Australian Task Force base. . An isolated infantry company of 108 men, cut off and outnumbered by at least ten to one . Royal Australian Regiment and three attached New Zealanders beat off a force of Viet Cong fighters and North Vietnamese troops estimated to be up to 2,500 strong. At least 245 Viet . Source 1 - Map of the area. Geoffrey Michael Peters 9. The Battle was a significant event, because of the demonstrated fighting ability of Australian soldiers, and the heavy defeat Officially, 245 bodies were counted on the battlefield by Australian soldiers. The initial battle of Long Tan began on the night of 16/17 th August 1966 with a surprise mortar attack on the 1 st Australian Task Force base. Seventeen Australian soldiers died in the battle. Australian soldiers fought off the large enemy assault despite . Vale Dave Beahan - veteran of the Battle of Long Tan . Vale Dave Beahan - veteran of the Battle of Long Tan . I carried the M60 machine gun in 7 Section. The Battle of Long Tan. In a decade-long war that, for the most part, consisted of small contacts with an enemy that was reluctant to engage in pitched battles, Long Tan was one of the exceptions. The late Barry Eugene Magnussen 3. Australia. August 18-19, 1966." Australian forces in Vietnam, engaging a much superior enemy force, emerging victorious, inflicting very heavy losses on the NVA/VC, with minimal loss to themselves. Battle of Long Tan. A compelling account of Australia's bloodiest and most significant battle of the Vietnam War, in time for the battle's 50th anniversary, by critically-acclaimed war writer David Cameron. 18 Australians were killed in the Battle of Long Tan, and a far greater number on the opposing side were killed. was the largest battle of the war to that point. The Battle of Long Tan. In the centre, the splash if you like, was 105 Australian Infantry soldiers and 3 NZ Artillery men. Recognition was slow to come for the men of Long Tan. Second Lieutenant Sharp was 21. Late afternoon August 18, 1966 South Vietnam — for three and a half hours, in the pouring rain, amid the mud and shattered trees of a rubber plantation called Long Tan, Major Harry Smith and his dispersed company of 108 young and mostly inexperienced Australian and New Zealand soldiers are fighting for their lives, holding off an overwhelming enemy force of 2,500 battle hardened Viet Cong . I could hear the gunfire in the distance; little did I know then how serious this battle was. On August 18, 1969, a different Australian unit set up a memorial cross, and later a plaque, on the site of the battlefield to honor the Australian soldiers who died among the rubber trees. The Battle of Long Tan was the most significant Australian battle of the Vietnam War. Australian soldiers fought in scores of fierce actions during the Vietnam war. 108 ANZACs walked into that rubber plantation at Long Tan on 18 August 1966. A memorial called the Long Tan Cross marks the site of the battle. Australian soldiers fought in scores of fierce actions during the Vietnam war. Tacintop photo Recognizing Australia's heroes. The battle of Long Tan was Australia's most costly battle in Vietnam. sturdy cardboard box , will be. The Battle of Long Tan occurred in the late afternoon of 18 August 1966 in a rubber plantation some 4500 metres to the east of the Task Force base at Nui Dat. The Battle of Long Tan (18 August 1966) took place in a rubber plantation near Long Tân, in Phước Tuy Province, South Vietnam, during the Vietnam War. This is an order of battle listing the Australian and Viet Cong forces involved in the Battle of Long Tan which occurred in Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam on 18 August 1966. . The film opens with a mortar attack on the 1st Australian Task Force (1 ATF) base at Nui Dat by the Viet Cong (VC) and People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN). Frank Alcorta OAM 2. At the Battle of Long Tan on August 18, 1966, heavily outnumbered Australian forces withstood a Viet Cong assault. The actual fighting lasted a few hours and came to symbolise Australia's 10-year involvement in the Vietnam War. On the late afternoon of Aug. 18, 1966, Australian Maj. Harry Smith and the men in his Delta Company faced a vastly superior force of 2,500 heavily armed Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army troops at an abandoned rubber plantation near Long Tan, a village about . With Sam Worthington, Kristopher Bos, Christopher Coyle, James Pratt. The Battle of Long Tan is the most publicised Australian battle of the Vietnam War. Source 4 - Some Australian soldiers' accounts of the battle. Long Tan Action, Vietnam, 18th August 1966, by Bruce Fletcher, 1970. 18 killed. One-hundred-and-five men from D Company, 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) and three New Zealanders from an artillery forward observation party from New Zealand's 161 Field Battery, encountered a force of more than 2,000 Viet Cong soldiers. On 18 August, 1966, a group of 108 mainly Australian troops encountered up to 2500 North Vietnam/Viet Cong soldiers. Within minutes of the first shot, we called for artillery support. In August 1966, in a Vietnamese rubber plantation called Long Tan, 108 young and inexperienced Australian and New Zealand soldiers are fighting for their lives against 2500 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong soldiers. On the afternoon of 18 August 1966, just five kilometres from the main Australian Task Force base at Nui Dat, a group of Viet Cong soldiers walked into the right flank of Delta Company, 6 RAR. To their Nui Dat base and their numbers were few. On the afternoon of 18 August 1966, a single infantry company of 108 mostly inexperienced Australian and New Zealand soldiers engaged with a regiment of 2,500 battle-hardened Viet Cong and North. The numbers tell it all. On the afternoon of 18 August 1966, a rubber plantation in Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam, Australian troops fought one . Long Tan. In the days after the three savage hours that was the battle of Long Tan, his soldiers were finding body parts, carnage and corpses spread across the battlefield. The Battle of Long Tần was fought in a rubber plantation near the village of Long Tần, about 4 km north-east of Vung Tau, South Vietnam on August 18-19, 1966. Aerial View: Long Tan Battlefield 18th August 1966 The Battle of Long Tan reveals how the heroic deeds of the young Australian and New Zealand soldiers, guided by a savvy band of commanders, re-wrote the military manual. sturdy cardboard box , will be. That's a ratio of some 25 to one! Plot. The Australians had arrived at Nui Dat four months earlier to open up the province. Few were as intense or dramatic as Long Tan, which occurred 50 years ago next Thursday. During the battle, 18 Australians died and 24 were wounded. Back row: Second Lieutenant Geoff Kendall of Underdale, SA; Sergeant Bob Buick of Brisbane, Qld; Pte Geoff Peters of Yagoona, Sydney, NSW; Corporal Bill (Bluey) Moore of Stafford Heights, Qld; LCpl Barry Magnussen of Aspley, Qld; Pte Ian Campbell of Murwillumbah, NSW. 17 from Delta Company (D Coy), 6RAR. Found . the battle of long tan. Army,Vietnam Veterans. On the 16th of August, 5RAR were patrolling in an area of jungle to the north of the Australian Task Force (1ATF) Base. Source 3 - List of the Australian dead - Battle of Long Tan. The Cross at Long Tan, site of one of the main Australian battles of the Vietnam War, and as of 2000 the site of the commemorative Anzac day services in Vietnam. In the gathering dusk of 18 August 1966, 108 young, inexperienced Australian and NZ soldiers are separated and surrounded, fighting for their lives, holding off an overwhelming force of 2,500 battle-hardened Viet Cong and North Vietnamese soldiers. During the attack, Major Harry Smith is cool under fire, ordering his men to take cover and stand to, while other soldiers don't take it seriously, playing cards or drinking beer. Danger Close: Directed by Kriv Stenders. Long Tan - The Start of a Lifelong Battle updated 50th anniversary edition, Order now from the military specialists. Eighteen Australian soldiers were killed and 24 were wounded in the Battle of Long Tan. The late Ronald Howard Brett 6. The Battle was a significant event, because of the demonstrated fighting ability of Australian soldiers, and the heavy defeat The Battle of Long Tan. Outgunned. Despite the terrible losses, the battle, and the remarkable bravery shown by the diggers, is considered a . THE BATTLE OF LONG TAN David W. Cameron Australian military history Vietnam War | eBay Walsh's passion for the history of Long Tan rekindled in 2004 when seven Australian commanders . Here's the synopsis: Late afternoon August 18, 1966 South Vietnam - for three and a half hours, in the pouring rain, amid the mud and shattered trees of a rubber plantation called Long Tan, Major Harry Smith and his dispersed company of 108 young and mostly inexperienced Australian and New Zealand soldiers are fighting for their lives . Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. One of those receiving a Commendation for Gallantry is Tamworth's Gordon Sharp, the only Australian officer killed in the battle. In the Long Tan rubber plantation five kilometres east of Nui Dat they encountered a combined NVA and VC force estimated at 1500-2000 strong. 'The enemy were silhouetted against the gun smoke and the watery mist. (Supplied: Australian War Memorial) While searching a rubber plantation near Long Tan for communist forces who had attacked the base with mortar and rocket fire in the early hours of 17 August, D . The Australians buried 245 Viet Cong soldiers after the battle, though captured documents indicated that hundreds of others had been killed. Shockwave: An Australian Combat Helicopter Crew in Vietnam, very good. Group portrait of soldiers from D Company, 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR), display the dolls and cigarette-cases presented to them by the South Vietnamese government for their part in the Battle of Long Tan on 1966-08-18. . 11 National Servicemen, Australian Army; 6 Regular soldiers, Australian Army; One from 3 Troop, 1 APC (Armoured Personnel Carrier) Squadron-died of wounds. Lord Kitchener went on to say, "Only colonials could have held out and survived in such impossible conditions". . 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