Members of the Charlton RSL Sub-Branch marked Vietnam Veterans’ Day last Friday – August 18 – with a dinner and commemoration service to honour and recognize the contribution of those who served and fell in Australia’s longest military engagement (1962-1972/3) of the 20th Century.

The August 18 date is the day of the Battle of Long Tan – the most significant engagement of Australian troop involvement in the Vietnam War.

“On August 18, 1966, in a rubber plantation a few kilometers from the 1st Australian Task Force Base in Nui Dat near the village of Long Tan, Australian soldiers fought one of their fiercest battles of the war.

“The 108 men of Delta Company, 6th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, faced a force of some 2000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops. The battle was fought in wet and muddy conditions during a heavy tropical downpour.

Casualties

“By the end of the day, 17 Australians had been killed in action and 25 were wounded, one of whom died a few days later. This was the largest number of casualties in a single operation since the Australian Task Force had established its base at nearby Nui Dat the previous April.” (Department of Veteran’s Affairs.)

While the Australians consolidated their position, the Viet Cong cleared away many of their dead and wounded. The morning after the battle, with the Australians holding the battle ground, 245 Viet Cong bodies were found, along with signs of many more having been removed. All of this from three hours of intensive combat.

2023 also marks the 50th year since the withdrawal of Australian troops from Vietnam and the 57th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan.

Sub-branch members and guests mixed informally over the dinner gathering at the East Charlton Hotel, sharing past army experiences with round-the-table introductions before the formalities began.

Summary

Opening the commemoration, branch secretary, Bill Freeman gave a brief summary of the Battle of Long Tan before reciting John McCrae’s poignant “In Flanders Fields”.

President Allan McGillivray then invited members and guests to step forward and share condensed backgrounds of the 18 Australians killed in the watershed conflict.

The serviceman’s details included name, age, place of birth, occupation, details of “killed in action” and place of burial. Participants also added their own acknowledgements for the medical personnel, nurses, wives and families before placing a poppy in a basket in commemoration.

Allan McGillivray said: “We remember all who served in the Vietnam War, and we acknowledge those who served their time as National Servicemen. We also honour those who died in the Battle of Long Tan.

”The list of Charlton Vietnam Veterans includes: B. W. Cossar, W. M. Crossley, G. R. Jackman, A. E. Jane, B. W. Jane, I. P. Jane, F. B. Noonan, R. J. Roberts, R. J. Smyth, J. C. Wilson, L. J. White.

Charlton conscripts who served in Australia include: Ian Bennett, Brian Bird, Ian Cossar, Robin Dunlop, Stuart Giles, John Hudgson, Colin Johns, Allan McGillivray, Robert Nicholls.

Amongst the guests attending were former Charlton locals, Barry and Ian Jane, who along with their brother Albert, all saw action in Vietnam between 1967 to 1969.

“We all volunteered to go,” said Barry, “and we thought of it as an adventure – but not after the first experience of conflict!”

Reinforcement

Barry landed in Nui Dat on June 9, 1967, as reinforcement with Delta Company 2nd Battalion before moving on to become an infanteer (forward scout). With a transition from D Company into an amalgamated B Company, Barry reflected on dealing with the constant rain and impact of the two hour watches at the machine guns (one hour at the gun and one hour sitting with the soldier at the gun).

“It really played havoc with some of the fellas when the bullets started whizzing by so close to you. Those who came from the country seemed to handle things better than those from the city,” he said.

Younger brother Ian arrived in 1968 (A Company 9th Battalion) and was also on forward scouting duty before moving into the 8th Battalion when the 9th finished its tour. His final involvement was with the Transport Division about a month before returning home in 1969.

Deadly skirmish

“I lost my good mate, John, in one of the skirmishes,” Ian said. “We were scouting in a defoliated area and everything was going along easily when we stopped for a smoke. John said everything was okay and not to come up the front. Next thing he was shot dead when the enemy came up from the bunker system.

“When the medivac helicopters came in three were shot down. We got John onto a stretcher, withdrew from the site and then we had to just sit in the rain and wait. When the artillery came in they just opened fire on the bunkers. A couple of weeks later they found a mass burial site of about 250 Viet Cong. That’s what they did – they would come in and take the bodies away.

“I still visit John’s grave at Springvale cemetery,” said Ian.

Younger brother, Albert, was in the same battalion as Ian for a while, before moving on to Saigon as an Embassy Guard.

Reflecting on the magnitude of having three sons involved in the conflict, Barry likened it to the scene in the movie “Saving Private Ryan” where the mother receives the news that her three sons have been killed. “I don’t know how our own mother felt,” said Barry. “I really regret not asking her.” He also said he wished he had spoken to his grandfather about his war experiences in France between 1916 and 1919.

For other guests, Stuart Giles and John Hudgson, their involvement was Australian based, but for John especially, this carried significant impact. Serving in Sydney he joined the medical corps where his job was to help unload the wounded from the returning military planes and then transport to hospital. He shared an emotional account of this work during the evening’s introductions.

Fifty years on

Fifty years on Australian Vietnam Veterans are now honoured. Unlike the indifferent and hostile reception they received on their return home in 1972 / 73, where erroneous perceptions of their war-time behaviour coloured the mood and anti-war protests were in full swing, by 1987 attitudes had begun to change and a signalling of acceptance prevailed. By 1992 a National Memorial for the Vietnam War was unveiled on Canberra’s Anzac Parade – a significant gesture of acknowledgement to those who served.

While old memories were stirred at last Friday night’s gathering, this chapter in Australia’s military history is now rightfully acknowledged.

The Charlton RSL Sub-Branch is eager to update its Vietnam War records and create a comprehensive list of local National Servicemen (Nashos).

Anyone who can assist with providing information or details is invited to contact either Allan McGillivray (0408 508 550) or Bill Freeman (03 5491 1000).

This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 22 August 2023.