Vietnam Veterans Day commemorations took on extra significance in 2016 with both the Gulgong and Mudgee RSL Sub-Branches acknowledging the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan in their services.
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It was one of the fiercest battles fought by Australian soldiers in Vietnam, involving 105 Australians and three New Zealanders from D Company 6RAR.
The battle of Long Tan and subsequent Battle of Coral in 1968 (22 KIA) were two deadliest battles for Australian casualties during Australia’s involvement from 1962 until 1973.
In the Gulgong service, held on Thursday morning, Sub-Branch president David Henderson spoke of the battle five decades ago.
“On August 18, 1966, D Company, 6 RAR Battalion, numbering 105 Australians and a three-man New Zealand artillery team, was sent into the Long Tan rubber plantation, all coming under heavy machine-gun fire and mortar attacks from Viet Cong – estimated to be at least 1,500 and possibly 2,500 troops,” he said in his address.
“After almost three hours of intense fighting by D Company, reinforcements from A Company arrived in armoured personnel carriers, ammunition was distributed and the wounded were tended.
“Early in the evening B Company also arrived and engaged the Viet Cong.
“The Viet Cong retreated and when the firing ceased there were 18 Australians killed – 17 from D Company and one from the 1st Armoured Personnel Carrier Squadron – and 21 wounded.
“The Viet Cong insurgents left 245 dead and many more wounded.
“In later years it was found that D Company had run into a reinforced regimental force waiting to attack Nui Dat.”
Mr Henderson closed with saying that while it’s important to remember those who’ve been lost, it’s equally important not to forget those who survived and for whom war left horrible physical and/or mental scars.
The Mudgee service was held at the Robertson Park Cenotaph at 6pm.
521 Australians died and over 3000 were wounded in the Vietnam war.
