The Coolah Vietnam Memorial Avenue which exists on the northern side of Upper Martin Street and adjacent to the Coolah Hospital was planted on the afternoon of the local military funeral of the late Paul Andrew Large, on September 7, 1966, by members of the Coolah Sub-branch of the Returned Soldiers League. Each tree placed was in memory of Paul's fellow soldiers who were killed in the battle of Long Tan, Vietnam. The tree seedlings were Faucett flowering iron barks, being a natural hybrid found growing on the outskirts of Mudgee. The trees were recommended for planting by Thos. Fitch, a Forestry foreman of Mudgee.
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Paul Andrew Large of Coolah, was the son of Victor Allan and Olga Dulcie Large and a grandson of Harold Percival 'Duke' Tritton, bushman, folk singer and shearer. Paul was the only boy among five sisters. Patricia, Gloria, Lorraine, Robin and Sandra. Upon leaving school in 1960, Paul worked in Coolah and then the Mudgee Post Office. It was his ambition to become a shearer, but his desire was frustrated when like most other lads of his age was conscripted to do two years compulsory military training which could involve service in the Vietnam War. He left Australia for Vietnam on his 21st birthday, June 8, 1966, and then weeks later he laid dead in a Vietnam rubber plantation, near the village of Long Tan.
He lost his life in a ferocious battle which started when a patrolling force of 108 Australians from the nearby Nui Dot Army base, south east of Saigon was ambushed by a vastly superior force of Viet Cong and a North Vietnam group, probably totaling 2500 of the enemy. The small Australian Company fought bravely against the superior number until the tide of battle turned in their favour when reinforcements from another troop company arrived. The enemy then melted away into the jungle leaving 245 of their dead.
The Australian casualties were 18 dead, with 17 from D Company, including Paul Large, and 24 wounded. Paul's company D, became the second unit in Australian Military History to be awarded an United States Presidential Unit Citation. Australia's military involvement in the Vietnam was from August, 1962, to January, 1973, during which time 50,001 Australians took part and 520 lost their lives. A total of 24 lads from Coolah served in the Vietnam War.
A plaque at the Coolah Memorial Avenue records the names of Australia servicemen of the 6th RAR unit who sacrificed their lives at the Battle of Long Tan on August 18, 1966. On April 26, 2003, a remembrance service as held at the Avenue. Family members of deceased Vietnam War soldiers attended from far and wide including Wollongong, Newcastle, Sydney and parts of Queensland. On Anzac Day, 2004, a memorial service was held at Paul Large's grave side in the Anglican Cemetery at Coolah attracting over 50 visitors. Many were Vietnam veterans from the Metropolitan area .
A further film of the battle of Long Tan has been recently released. Actor Richard Roxburgh plays the part of Brigadier Oliver Jackson, worried about sending his armourd personnel carrier to rescue Delta Company. Harry Smith - taskmaster and former commando - has under his command private Paul Large of Coolah. In one scene Paul physically attacks Harry wanting to fight. Harry then goes out of his way to make Paul his best friend.
