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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
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BATTLE OF LONG TAN

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (12:10): I move:

That this house acknowledges the 45th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan and recognises the extraordinary efforts of D Company 6 RAR and supporting arms and services and all who served in Australia's deployment to Vietnam.

As all present will know, tomorrow is Remembrance Day. It is a special day when we pause to remember the over 102,000 men and women who have given their lives in defence of our nation—in every conflict in which Australia has been involved, from the Boer War to the current day.

Remembrance Day is observed on 11 November to recall the official end of World War I. Hostilities formally ended at the 11th hour, on the 11th day, of the 11th month in 1918, with the German signing of the armistice.

Tomorrow, services will be held at war memorials and in schools all over Australia in suburbs and towns. The Last Post will be sounded and a minute's silence observed. In the north-eastern suburbs, ceremonies have been held at the Banksia Park school and more recently at Modbury High School for many years.

Moreover, a similar observance will be undertaken in every country of the commonwealth, and in many countries outside the commonwealth. Hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of people, will pause to silently express their gratitude to those who volunteered their lives for a cause they believed in. As is often said, 'They offered their today for our tomorrow.'

This Remembrance Day will hold greater significance for me than any other, and that is consequent upon my recent return trip from Vietnam. Just under three months ago, I was privileged to represent the Hon. Tom Kenyon, the then minister for veterans' affairs, and escort seven members of the South Australian Vietnam veteran community to Vietnam, to take part in the observance of the 45th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan.

The Vietnam War was unique. Until recently, it was our longest war. It remains (and I suspect it will always remain) our most controversial war. It is the controversial nature of the war and the bitterness shown to our returning soldiers who did nothing more than the bidding of their government, that shines a special light on those who served there.

Like many, I remember every service man and woman each Remembrance Day, and some close to me, especially my own father who returned from service in Africa at Tobruk and Papua New Guinea on the Kokoda Track; as well the father of my children, a national serviceman whom I met not long after his return in 1970; and also a man I never knew, Charles Matters, the brother of Muriel Matters, and I have come to learn that he died at Gallipoli eight weeks after landing.

I think, too, of my local RSL at Tea Tree Gully and its members, many no longer with us, particularly Mick Ramage who, along with his wife Lois, has always been so kind and generous with their time and dedication to the RSL, and represent everything to be admired in their generation's commitment and example.

This year, however, I will remember through the prism of the Vietnam War and, in particular, the Battle of Long Tan. The Battle of Long Tan in 1966, together with the more sustained battle of the fire support bases, Coral and Balmoral in 1968, were the truly defining military engagements of the Vietnam War. Of the two battles, I think Long Tan was particularly noteworthy because it occurred so soon after Australian troops had joined the war effort.

Indeed, 6 RAR had only been at the Australian Task Force Base at Nui Dat for nine weeks at the time of the battle—talk about a baptism of fire! For the benefit of the house, the Battle of Long Tan took place in a rubber plantation not far from the Australian Task Force Base. At 2.43am on the morning of 17 August 1966, the Task Force Base had been mortared. Eighty two enemy mortar rounds impacted the base, wounding 24 Australians and damaging vehicles and equipment. In response, D Company of 6 RAR was sent to try and find the enemy mortar base plate position. The company, with a New Zealand forward artillery observation party, comprised 108.

Late in the afternoon of 18 August, the men contacted a vastly superior enemy force comprising D4.4.5—the local Viet Cong Battalion—together with the troops of 2.7.5—Main Force Regiment of the North Vietnamese Army 45 Regiment. In total there were 2,650 plus enemy pitted against our small group of 108 Australian and New Zealanders—odds of 26 to one in favour of the enemy. The battle commenced in the afternoon. The majority of the battle, which lasted 3½ hours, was fought in a blinding monsoon thunderstorm over an area not much bigger than two football fields.

The stated aim of the enemy at the Battle of Long Tan (as heard later from enemy captured on the battlefield and from captured documents) was to lure an Australian battalion out of the task force base to destroy it and then to attack the Australian base. Wiping out the task force base at Nui Dat would force the Australians to leave Vietnam. Well, that was the enemy plan. What is now documented, in fact, is that the 108 men of Delta Company, while on patrol late on 17 August, ran into the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces who were massing in the area about to attack the Australians. It is fair to say that both sides got quite a shock.

The battle that raged in the later afternoon and evening was extraordinary because of its intensity. The artillery support, combined with crucial RAAF ammunition resupply dropped from helicopters under heavy fire, and the men of 3 Troop and 1 APC Squadron (who arrived on the battlefield in the nick of time), were instrumental in bringing victory to the Australians.

The artillery of the Australians, the New Zealanders and the Americans was devastating. It was the first time that a regimental fire mission (which involved all 18 Australian and New Zealand artillery guns firing at once) had been mounted; such a manoeuvre had not been used since the Korean War. Some 3,500 artillery rounds were fired that day. Later in the contact, this involved the artillery forward observer, Captain Maurie Stanley, 'walking' the curtain of artillery fire into and almost upon the Australian positions to destroy the enemy forces that were about to overrun them.

The VC and the NVA were defeated by a vastly smaller force. D Company fought tenaciously and was supported by members of other companies of the battalion. Of the 108 men, 11 national servicemen and six regular soldiers were killed. One member of the relief force from 3 Troop was also killed. In total, 21 members of D Company were wounded. Of the North Vietnam Army and Viet Cong forces, it is estimated that up to 800 were killed and more than 1,000 wounded. The NVA and VC had underestimated the leadership, bravery and determination of our young men and paid a brutally heavy price. The Battle of Long Tan weakened the enemy in Phouc Tuy Province, and they never again posed a serious direct threat to the Nui Dat base.

On Long Tan Day this year, 18 August, I was privileged to lead a group of Vietnam veterans to the Service of Commemoration. We were joined by other Vietnam veterans, their families, and diplomatic staff. A poignant ceremony was held amongst the rubber trees in that area, and I have it on good report that it looks very similar to the Long Tan of 1966. The group I led comprised six veterans and one war widow, who were nominated by the senior ex-service organisations in South Australia that have significant Vietnam veteran membership.

Perhaps the most senior, in terms of service, was Alan Fraser. Alan is one of two South Australians who were part of D Company 6 RAR who fought at the Battle of Long Tan. The other is Barry Magnussen of Port Augusta. Regrettably, Barry was prevented from attending the trip due to ill health. Alan was a member of 10 Platoon, and he had not previously returned to Vietnam. Alan distinguished himself on this trip, as he did on his first 45 years ago.

A man of great dignity, he seemed to have taken much of this conflict, of this defining battle, in his stride. He was always quite happy to talk to others in attendance and shared his recollections. I personally recall one of Alan's most striking memories. He said that at the height of the battle, in the early evening of 18 August, he was under heavy fire, lying as low as possible. He said it was the first time he had realised that tracer ammunition came in different colours. Only a few feet above his head he saw what was a thick spider web of different coloured tracer, so thick it seemed almost impenetrable. He said laconically, 'Soldiers always fire high in the dark.'

Michael Benyk from the Vietnam Veterans Association was also part of the delegation. Mike had not set foot in Vietnam before, as his service was rendered offshore as a member of the Royal Australian Navy. Eric Ciracovitch is the Vice President of the Vietnam Veterans Federation, and he served in Vietnam between 1968 and 1969 as a member of 2 Transport Platoon. Greg Dwiar is a member of the RAR Association and saw service with 5 RAR on that unit's second tour between 1969 and 1970. He was a rifleman who was present at the Battle of Binh Ba.

Graham Nybo is a former deputy state president of the RSL. He was a member of 1 Field Regiment. He served in Vietnam between 1966 and 1967 and was an integral part of the artillery support that saved D Company and helped turn the tide at Long Tan. Bill Denny was a second lieutenant and became the officer commanding 86 Transport Platoon in Vietnam. He served from January 1971, departing with the last Australian troops on HMAS Sydney in early 1972.

Meredith Wyles represented the Legacy Club of Adelaide on the trip. Meredith is a legatee and a war widow. Her husband Tony served in 6RAR during its second tour between 1969 and 1970 and I was particularly grateful she was there. I felt very privileged to be given the opportunity to travel with this exceptional group.

Their recollections varied one from another. Some had only the vaguest memory of the country, its people and the locations in which they served. Others, after 45 years, could identify all of Nui Dat, down to their individual tent lines. What was consistent among them was their sense of comradeship, loyalty and compassion.

It was special to share this trip with them and it gave me a greater heightened appreciation of the experiences and camaraderie that they and the other regulars and natios shared and endured so far away from home. After all these years they still mixed easily together, shared many a joke and took time to call into and show care for the local orphanages—in particular one orphanage that some of them had links with during their war time service some 40 years ago.

Before we left, many in the veteran community heard about our delegation on that iconic Sunday morning radio show Macca's Australia All Over. I would like to acknowledge and thank Ian McNamara, who kindly spoke with me before departure, alerting all of Australia to the approaching anniversary and our trip. With the help of his very efficient producer, he also took a call from me while we were in Vietnam, the Sunday after the service, to let his listeners know about the Long Tan anniversary commemoration. I should also mention Peter Goers, a great friend to the veteran community throughout the state, who does a great deal to promote and discuss veterans and their issues.

This delegation story is about a small number of veterans from one recent conflict. Other veterans we met during our time in Vietnam assisted our delegation and showed the same qualities. We thank them for their help. I am confident these veterans represent comprehensively all those who have served our nation and particularly those we remember on this 92nd remembrance day. They did their duty and they did us proud. I acknowledge their service and I particularly remember all others who have died serving our nation and those who returned, some wounded physically or mentally, all with lives changed forever. What better reason to work for and want world peace. We will remember them, lest we forget.

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite) (12:22): I am very proud to support this motion and to signal the complete and total empathy with the motion from members on this side of the house. As a former member of the 6th Battalion in the Royal Australian Regiment, I remember well as a young lieutenant, wet behind the ears, fresh faced and thinking I knew everything, arriving at the battalion gates in January 1976 to be posted to A Company 1 Platoon.

Of course, it was D Company who had so famously fought for their lives at Long Tan. Warrant officer Bob Buick at the time was CSM of D Company. He had been the platoon sergeant of 11 Platoon during the heat of the battle, and there were other veterans of the battle still serving. In fact, in my first platoon the youngest was 18 and the oldest was 39. About a third of them were Vietnam veterans. Within a few months we were on operations in Malaysia.

It was a very sobering experience for a young 22 year old to serve in such good company. You learn when you join a battalion like the 6th Battalion and a regiment like the Royal Australian Regiment about the character, not only of the people, but of the battalion and the regiment from which they have sprung. 6RAR was raised in Brisbane at the Enoggera barracks on 6 June 1965 under the command of Lieutenant Colonel C.M. Townsend. The battalion was formed by dividing 2RAR into two tropical establishment battalions.

Following an intensive period of collective training for war, the battalion flew by Qantas aircraft from Amberley to South Vietnam in 1966. The battalion arrived in time to celebrate its first birthday at Vung Tau before moving forward to join 5RAR at Nui Dat in Phouc Tuy province, commencing operational service as part of 1 Australian Task Force.

During the period from June to August 1966, 6RAR conducted two major operations: Operation ENOGGERA, which was a search and clearance of the previously unsettled village of Long Phuoc, and Operation HOBART, which was a five-day search and destroy mission. The two operations accounted for 36 enemy casualties. Operation HOBART also saw the battalion come into contact with the enemy provincial Mobile D445 Battalion, which was subsequently met and defeated at Long Tan.

The Viet Cong had achieved dominion in the province and decided to inflict a politically unacceptable defeat on the Australians. Many have heard about the battle of Khe Sanh—the near annihilation of the American forces that occupied the hilltop. It is thought that the plan was to annihilate the base at Vung Tau, and I ask the house to just imagine what the consequences would have been. The bodies would have been counted in the hundreds. Their plan was to lure the Australians from their base by firing recoilless rifles and mortar shells into it. They figured that the Australians would sweep the area around the base in an attempt to stop attacks and the Viet Cong would ambush with 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, we had become aware from radio intercepts and sightings of a large enemy force operating near the base. It was on 18 August that D Company 6RAR was patrolling with New Zealand artillery soldiers in the area of the Long Tan rubber plantation when at about 3.15 the lead platoon, 11 Platoon, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Gordon Sharp—a national serviceman who was shot in the early moments of the encounter—ran into a small group of Viet Cong who fled, leaving one of their number killed by the Australians.

The aggressive patrolling continued until 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. 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, so vital, was also called for but could not be used because the target was unable to be identified accurately in the conditions, thus delivering risk to our own people.

At 5pm, D Company's commander, Major Harry Smith—who, coincidentally, had preceded me as OC 1 Commando Company at an earlier time—radioed for ammunition resupply. Two RAAF Iroquois helicopters, which happened to be at Nui Dat to transport a concert party, were tasked to fly at treetop level into the battle area where they successfully delivered the sorely needed boxes of ammunition.

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. They did so mounted in armoured personnel carriers from 1 APC Squadron, which forded the flooded stream and then shortly afterwards 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 the wounded, using the lights from the APCs to guide in helicopters. During the night, the Viet Cong cleared many of their wounded and dead from the battlefield. A number of the wounded Australians lay there all through the long and terrifying night as the Viet Cong moved around them, clearing their own wounded.

Morning revealed that the Viet Cong force, estimated at 2,500 people, had been badly mauled. Two hundred and forty-five Viet Cong bodies were found in the battle area, apart from those that had been removed by the enemy. It was apparent that the Viet Cong commanders had failed to appreciate the effectiveness of artillery fire, and the determination of 6RAR, 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 the 1st APC Squadron, with another 24 wounded.

I remind the house that we tend to count the dead but I say you must also count the wounded, not only the physically wounded but also the psychologically wounded and emotionally wounded. Many of these men suffered for years in terrible pain.

We remember the sacrifice of our soldiers with this motion. The infantryman's life is a miserable one—tired, hungry, miserable, fearing for one's life, often wondering why you are there, bleeding and in pain, fighting for your country, fighting for your regiment or your battalion, but, most importantly, fighting for your mates. As I said, it is a miserable life but it is a very proud one.

It has been said that Australia's baptism as a nation occurred on the beaches of Gallipoli. As I mentioned earlier, having just returned from walking the Kokoda track and seeing the kilometres of suffering and the buried, one could argue that our confirmation as a nation was on the track in 1942. In a sense, Long Tan was communion, where the infantrymen of 6 RAR shared the body and the blood of the Anzacs who had preceded them.

I would use this motion to remind the house that, as we stand here and debate this motion, soldiers of our Royal Australian Regiment are still serving us today. I note there were two more wounded from Second Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment overnight. There are 32 dead, and 209 wounded so far in the decade-long conflict in Afghanistan going through the same experiences, feeling the same emotions, the same bodies being torn apart, the same people wondering why. That communion goes on as we speak.

This is a proud motion. The house should feel strongly, fondly and proudly of the men who have preceded us and kept us free. I commend the motion to the house and look forward to the contribution by the shadow minister for veterans, my friend the member for Morphett, and other members, and look forward to its swift passage.

The Hon. T.R. KENYON (Newland—Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for Recreation and Sport) (12:32): I would very much like to add my support to this motion, and I am very pleased that the member for Florey was able to represent me on this trip because she is a longstanding supporter of veterans in South Australia and that is particularly well-known in my area around the Tea Tree Gully area and also my sub-branch of the RSL at Tea Tree Gully.

She has a particular support for Vietnam veterans, and all the Vietnam veterans in my area of Tea Tree Gully and also in the northern area of the VVA and the VVF are very well aware of the member for Florey's support for them. It was particularly apt, therefore, that she went on this trip. I have no doubt that she carried out her functions admirably. In fact, everyone on the trip said that she did, and in keeping with the respect that we should be paying veterans, particularly Vietnam veterans.

The member for Florey and the member for Waite have ably gone through the details of the battle, but it just takes one quick look at the numbers (which gives you no feeling for what actually happened) to outline some of the challenge that was faced. Usually, 108 men versus 2,650 does not result in a victory for the smaller force. It is just an ironclad rule of battle, essentially, that larger numbers win battles. For 108 men to come away with that victory is a substantial achievement.

Obviously, it is in no small part due to D Company themselves, but also the support they received from the artillery and the resuppliers, especially the resuppliers. You can only carry on foot so much ammunition. I recently had the great privilege of being down at Warradale where someone outlined exactly the weight of standard issue ammunition you need to carry. That was just 5.56, which, of course, is a smaller round than the 7.62 they were carrying at the time. It highlighted just the amount of weight you have to carry. I worked out how many rounds they had on them at the time, and you would always want to carry more and you would always want more. They were resupplied by helicopter in what was driving rain. The very difficult flying conditions, with low visibility and a low cloud ceiling, was a feat in itself.

I would not be surprised if there were words at base about whether that operation or that mission should even happen. It is a credit to those who made the decision at the time that it went ahead because it was a risky mission. If it had not gone ahead, it is likely that the outcome would have been much less successful for D Company. Another thing it shows, along with the artillery, is the way in which the Army, the Air Force, and, of course, the Navy at the appropriate time can operate together. It shows the way in which the services operate together when they need to. That achievement is incredible just by itself.

I also point out that, eventually, the Vietnam War was lost. The North Vietnamese won and defeated the south. To commemorate this battle, we are going back to another country which regarded what we did as an invasion (and this is true of Gallipoli, of course, too), yet they still have the magnanimity to allow us to remember our dead—those who served in their country—and to go into their country to do that.

That displays a certain generosity of spirit to be able do that, because I suspect that we would have some qualms about allowing the Japanese, for instance, to hold a memorial service in Sydney to commemorate the Sydney dead, or even in Darwin. I just acknowledge that point. Again, I thank the member for Florey and those who participated overseas representing because you can never pick enough people. Those men and women who went on the trip just recently carried the burden of being responsible for representing the whole veterans' community in South Australia, and I thank them for doing that.

I thank them for taking on that task and representing us, and the veterans particularly, so well and commemorating the whole time of our service in Vietnam on behalf of all veterans. I commend the motion to the house and urge all members to support it.

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (12:37): I rise as the shadow minister for veterans' affairs to give this motion my strongest support; and, once again, the member for Waite has given us the benefit of his knowledge both of military history and of his personal experiences that relate to what the soldiers at Long Tan must have been going through. I am old enough to have been in one of the conscription drafts. I was lucky to have missed out. My birthday is 27 January and the 26th and the 28th came out. I was prepared to go if I had to go, but it would have been at the end of the Vietnam War.

Many of my mates who are a bit older than me did go, and some of the stories that I have heard from them and from my dealings with the veterans as part of my shadow ministry are unbelievable. To have had those experiences, such as on the night of 18 August in Vietnam at Long Tan, must have been just something that would have been—well, I am glad I was not there, let's put it that way.

Mr Griffiths: Indescribable.

Dr McFETRIDGE: Indescribable. The after-effects, not only from the physical wounds but the mental wounds, were touched on by the member for Waite. Can I just say that my other portfolios of health, mental health and substance abuse have an unfortunate synergy with veterans' affairs. Many of the veterans I am dealing with do have numbers of problems because of the legacy of their experience.

It is good to see the President of the Vietnam Veterans' Association in the gallery today, Mr Michael Benyk. I certainly appreciate his support in my role as the shadow minister.

One of the other Vietnam veterans I have a fair bit to do with is Mr Barry Heffernan. At this moment in time, Barry is trying to get funding for a men's shed at Glenelg North which will help veterans overcome some of the longstanding problems they have. Believe me, they are longstanding problems. Just go to Ward 17 at the Repat Hospital and talk to the guys down there. It is so important.

We must never forget the individual battles. As a shadow minister, Long Tan is just one of a number that I commemorate and, as long as there is one veteran alive, we should commemorate those battles with those veterans and even then, once that last veteran has passed on, we need to remember their experiences. This country would not be what it is today if it wasn't for the courage, the dedication and the mateship that was exhibited during those battles and that is being exhibited now by members of the Vietnam Veterans Association and other military groups. It is just so important that we do that. I am glad that the need to fund veterans associations is being picked up by this government. The support that veterans are being given at state level, not just at federal level, is important. So, I commend the government on providing funding for this trip.

Veterans normally is a completely bipartisan area. I must say that I was a little disappointed that members of the opposition such as the members for Waite and Schubert (who is a conscript) were not invited to go along, but that is a minor detail. What is most important is that the veterans themselves are able to go back—not relive, although they probably did relive—to remember and hopefully to lay to rest some of the ghosts of the past. They are able to celebrate the effort, the courage and the determination of their mates, some of whom did not come back alive; many came back injured and some are still suffering now. We have this motion today and Remembrance Day tomorrow. We should never forget. I think Remembrance Day is aptly named. We must always remember. With that, I support this motion.

Mr PENGILLY (Finniss) (12:42): I, along with others, strongly support the motion of the member for Florey and I also acknowledge the work she does with veterans of all conflicts and her relationship with the Vietnam boys. When I was doing the shadow minister for veterans role, I quite often went to functions and the member for Florey was there. On one particular occasion I did not have a wreath and she passed me a book to lay at a memorial service.

The Vietnam War and Long Tan are synonymous with our generation. After a quick count around the chamber—and I stand to be corrected—the members for Morphett, Schubert, Fisher, Napier and I were all eligible for national service. My marble never came up; I am not sure about the others, whether they were deferred or what happened. My marble never came up but the next day did. It was an extremely traumatic time for Australia.

The Vietnam War was the first television war. Within a couple of days we had the television footage back in Australia of what was going on. I well recall the Long Tan battle coming through in the papers and on the television and not really understanding the traumas that those boys were going through but fully cognisant of what was taking place.

I have considerable numbers of veterans of all conflicts in my electorate, as do many others. I have some 700 at last count. I have the South Coast Vets down at Victor Harbor who do a wonderful job. They are very supportive of one another and ably supported by their wives. Indeed, every Long Tan day we have a service down there to commemorate those Vietnam veterans who fought and died at Long Tan.

Tomorrow on Remembrance Day most members in this place will be attending services. Remembrance Day has certainly come back from where it was a few years ago and is now significant. Indeed, in my electorate, Remembrance Day is now organised by the Vietnam vets. I think that is really important to note. They have picked it up and taken off where they had to, as sadly time takes over from the World War II boys. Troops from the other conflicts—the Korean War, the Vietnam vets, Iraq and more latterly Afghanistan—all pick up on these things that we have to remember.

I have heard about the Battle of Long Tan on numerous occasions. I have spoken a couple of times to a Long Tan survivor, and it is firmly imprinted in my mind. I note very carefully the detail the member for Florey went through and also the member for Waite, so I do not need to go through all of it again.

I have said in this place before, and I think it is worth repeating, that Timothy Charles Turner was a Kangaroo Island nasho who was killed in Vietnam on 15 June 1969. We had a farewell party for him a couple of weeks before he went away, and a few weeks later he was killed, and that really impacted very heavily on those of us who were not called up or did not go into the services, and of course we lost Jamie Larcombe from Kangaroo Island on 19 February this year in Afghanistan. I was speaking to his family early this week. Steve and Trish and the girls are going to Canberra. They are on their way there today for the unveiling of Jamie's name on the Afghanistan plaque.

Coincidentally, for those who probably do know the area, you can put your hand on the corner where the Vietnam honour roll is and put your other hand on where the Afghanistan boys are and, as fate would have it, Timmy Turner's name is within reaching distance of where Jamie's name will be. That is very significant for me. It will be a tough day tomorrow for Steve and Trish and the girls and of course the other families of the Afghanistan boys who have been killed this year. They do all that on 11 November, so it will be very significant day.

Equally, what the member for Florey has put up here is very significant, and I am strongly supportive of it. I know that she wants to get it to the vote, so I will conclude my remarks in a very short time. I will always support ex-service men and women and the veterans and their wives. I am a legatee. I still have six widows I look after on Kangaroo Island. It is never going to go away but, as the Vietnam boys get older, we are going to have to be looking after more and more of them.

My great mate David Mancer, who won the Military Medal in Vietnam and who used to walk around and call all the members of his platoon malingerers, in the best possible terms, as they slowly went on TPIs, is now a TPI himself. He was the last one. I know Dave is a great advocate for the veterans and over the years has been president of the RSL branch and whatnot. I have great pleasure in supporting the motion of the member for Florey in relation to Long Tan and the 45th anniversary and the boys of D Company 6RAR, and I conclude my remarks.

The Hon. R.B. SUCH (Fisher) (12:48): I support the motion and commend the member for Florey not only for bringing it to the house but for her ongoing commitment to ex-service men and women. I was one of those who did not get called up; many of my mates did. Fortunately, none of them was killed, but I think —it is a while ago now—the first South Australian who served in Vietnam to be killed was Errol Noack, if I remember correctly, born in North Adelaide, and I can still remember reading the comments of his father on that very sad occasion. He was one of many. I stand to be corrected, but I think that something like 80 South Australians died in the Vietnam conflict. It is important that we remember them and acknowledge the service they gave, whether they were conscripts or whether they were members of the regular Army.

Not all those who served were treated well when they came back. I will not identify this person too precisely, but there is a person who has a bakery, whose first name is Mark, and he will not march on ANZAC Day or take part in any ceremony because when he returned to Sydney from the Vietnam War he was spat on. That has had such an impact on him that, even though the RSL has offered to help, he cannot bring himself to participate in any ceremony involving commemoration.

We know that anyone who serves in conflict—and as I said, fortunately I have not had to do that, but I do not think any of them escape without some mental and emotional impact, let alone physical impact. They might keep it to themselves, but they do carry those scars for the rest of their lives, as do their families, because the families often bear some of that burden as well.

In respect to this motion acknowledging those who served, and in particular were involved in the battle of Long Tan, and the others who served in Vietnam, we acknowledge their service and pay tribute to them.

Mr MARSHALL (Norwood) (12:50): I also rise to speak on this motion, brought to the house by the member for Florey, that this house recognises the 45th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan on 18 August 1966. I certainly commend the member for Florey for bringing this motion to the house.

The Battle of Long Tan is, of course, one of the most well-known battles of the Vietnam War. It was held, as I said, on 18 August 1966, and was a battle where 108 Anzacs took on a numerically superior force of the Viet Kong, estimated at around 2,500 men. Against all odds, the Anzac forces were successful on that day.

Other members here today have already spoken about the battle; it really was a story of great heroism, great courage, and great success and victory over the odds. It is a great story that needs to be remembered, and needs to be told to the next generation. I would like to confine my remarks today to the work that is done by several organisations around my electorate in commemorating this most important battle of the Vietnam War.

In particular, I would like to acknowledge the work of the Royal Australian Regiment, whose group is domiciled in the Burnside area. I think the member for Florey might have a significant role as patron or something—I am not 100 per cent sure—but I have attended some of their services to commemorate the Battle of Long Tan in the past, and it is an excellent day; it is very moving. I attended last year—it is great to have Catherine Lambert always there to sing the national anthem, and to sing the hymn of the Royal Australian Regiment, and it is certainly moving for all of those present; it is always a packed house.

The 6th Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment actually received a US Presidential citation for the heroism of those in the Battle of Long Tan, and this is always read out during that service. Last year it was read by Chad McLaren, who is the fitness coach at the mighty Norwood Football Club. It is a fantastic citation, and very well deserved.

A little bit closer to home for me is the work done by the Payneham sub-branch of the RSL. Every year, this sub-branch puts on an incredible effort to recognise the Battle of Long Tan. In fact, in recent years, they have established the Long Tan memorial lawn, and a very handsome stone which commemorates those 18 very brave Australian soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

This year, the Payneham sub-branch held the Long Tan Memorial Day on 14 August. It is always an excellent service, held by Father Allen Winter from the local Catholic parish. It is organised with military precision by the secretary of that sub-branch, Reg Yorke-Simpkin, who is also the father of the president of that sub-branch, Mark Yorke-Simpkin. They have a service and then a barbecue. This year, more than 100 people attended, and the barbecue was put on by a lot of volunteers at the club, including Garry Jones, John Curry, Julie Edwards, Jan Yorke-Simpkin and Evonne Rayson.

I also acknowledge some of the other people who contribute to making this an excellent event each year. First of all, Tracy Venning, who every year is out there on the bugle. She is at virtually every event held by the Payneham Sub-Branch, and she does an excellent job as the bugler. This year, as in many other years, the full Payneham City Concert Band came along to support the barbecue and recognise the importance of the event.

Cadets from the 47th Australian Army Cadet Unit, under the tutelage of Captain Dave Reding and Lieutenant McKay, provide a catafalque party, and this really adds another dimension to the service. This year, a cadet piper from the 413thPipes and Drums marched on the catafalque party for the important service. I would also like to acknowledge that the Payneham Sub-Branch includes all the other sub-branches in the immediate area and invites them to this important commemoration of Long Tan.

It was great to see Trevor Fendt, the immediate past president of the St Morris RSL Sub-Branch, and his wife, Val, at this important event, which was also attended by Brigadier Tim Hanna, representing RSL headquarters in South Australia. It was also great for me earlier this year, when our leader of the Liberal parliamentary party, Isobel Redmond, came to Norwood, that the club gave me permission to take her to the RSL and show her the lawn. She was very impressed with it. It is a great club, and it is still serving its people extremely well.

We should never forget the sacrifice made by the Australians during the Vietnam War and during the battle of Long Tan. The Long Tan Memorial is not just to commemorate those who fought at Long Tan but, indeed, all those people who participated in the Vietnam War. Lest we forget.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (12:57): I, too, rise to support this motion of the member for Florey that this house acknowledges the 45th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan and recognises the extraordinary efforts of D Company 6RAR in supporting arms and services and all who served in Australia's deployment to Vietnam. We have heard graphic descriptions of what happened that fateful night at Long Tan and Nui Dat. From all reports, the 108 on the ground who took the battle head on against a force, estimated to be about 2,500 Viet Cong, were well and ably supported by people manning the artillery back at the Nui Dat base.

I believe that there was a concert party in progress or about to be in progress that night. In some ways, the timing was fortunate, in that two Iroquois helicopters were there that could resupply the boys on the front line when they needed more ammunition. We have heard the story of how the armoured vehicles brought up reinforcements. The helicopters helped out and, from what I understand, all hands were on deck, including cooks and other normal noncombatants, who were passing ammunition and helping man the artillery because the base was in dire threat of being overrun.

I, too, would like acknowledge, as the member for Waite rightly did, that it is not only the people who are killed—and they certainly need to be acknowledged—but it is also the ones who are wounded and the ones who are damaged, but you cannot see that damage. My family has had quite a bit of experience over the last century with members going off to war, the most recent being my brother, Chris, who recently retired after 23 years in the armed services. He went to Rwanda on United Nations service—I think it was around 15 years ago—which, in the last few years, was upgraded to war service. Some of the stories he came back with about the things he saw and what he had to deal with over there—and I am sure that he has kept a lot to himself—are quite horrific. I seek leave to continue my remarks.

Leave granted; debated adjourned.


[Sitting suspended from 13:00 to 14:00]


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