Photos Aussies and Kiwi's in Vietnam

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NUI DAT, SOUTH VIETNAM. 1970-09. SAPPER RICHARD BARWALD, 23, FROM THOMASTOWN, VIC, A CARTOGRAPHIC DRATSMAN WITH THE 1ST TOPOGRAPHICAL SURVEY TROOP. HE IS AT HIS DESK SOON AFTER HE RETURNED FROM REST AND RECREATION LEAVE TO HONG KONG WHERE HE MARRIED MISS MARY JASKIEWIEZ, 19, FROM MARYBOROUGH, VIC, WHO FLEW FROM AUSTRALIA FOR THE WEDDING.

 

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Nui Dat, South Vietnam. October 1970. Identical twins Keith (left), and Paul Scott of Beverly Hills, NSW, both members of the 1st Field Squadron, Royal Australian Engineers (RAE), serving in South Vietnam, share a moment together in their Nui Dat base discussing their recent rest and recreation (R&R) leave in Hong Kong.

 

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NUI DAT, VIETNAM. 1968-08-17. WITH A CRICKET BAT IN FULL SWING IS GUNNER GARRY BESTER OF MELBOURNE, VIC, A MEMBER OF THE 131ST DIVISIONAL LOCATIONAL BATTERY, PLAYING CRICKET AGAINST 12TH FIELD REGIMENT LIGHT AID DETACHMENT (LAD). THE REGIMENT'S WICKETKEEPER IS NEW ZEALANDER, LANCE CORPORAL JAY HOWARD.

 

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Nui Dat, South Vietnam. 1968-12. The Army's Catholic Chaplain General A. Morgan of Campbell, ACT (right), visited Australian troops serving in South Vietnam to celebrate Christmas masses and to meet and talk to soldiers. At the 1st Australian Task Force Base (1ATF) at Nui Dat in Phuoc Tuy Province, Chaplain General Morgan talks with Private Murray Wilson of Burwood, Vic (left), and Private Thomas Burke of Westmead, NSW, both members of B Company, 9th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (9RAR).

 

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NUI DAT, SOUTH VIETNAM. 1969-06. AN AERIAL VIEW OF THE SOUTHEAST SECTION OF THE 1ST AUSTRALIAN TASK FORCE (1ATF) BASE IN PHUOC TUY PROVINCE. IN THE FOREGROUND ARE THE LINES OF 9TH BATTALION, THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN REGIMENT (9RAR), AND B SQUADRON, 1ST ARMOURED REGIMENT.

 

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NUI DAT, VIETNAM. 1969-08. "THE WILD ONE", ENTERTAINER JOHNNY O'KEEFE, ON STAGE, SINGS IN A CONCERT BEFORE AN APPRECIATIVE AUDIENCE OF AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS AT LUSCOMBE BOWL. JOHNNY O'KEEFE WITH CAROLINE PAGE AND THE "PLAYBOYS" STAGED A TWO HOUR SHOW FOR THE TROOPS DURING THEIR TOUR OF AUSTRALIAN AND ALLIED UNITS.

 

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Nui Dat, South Vietnam. July 1971. Private (Pte) Bob Bredl of Renmark, SA, with his personal collection of snakes. When not on duty as a cook with the 12th Field Regiment, (RAA), the snakes have become Pte Bredl's chief interest at the 1st Australian Task Force Base (1ATF) at Nui Dat. He caught his present collection of six around the base.

 

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NUI DAT, VIETNAM. 1967. LIEUTENANT PETER MCGUINESS OF BROKEN HILL, NSW (LEFT), A PLATOON COMMANDER WITH B COMPANY, 7TH BATTALION, THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN REGIMENT (7RAR), POINTS OUT THE FEATURES OF THE F1 SUB-MACHINE GUN TO MR MALCOLM FRASER (CENTRE), MINISTER FOR THE ARMY. THE WEAPON IS HELD BY PRIVATE ROSS JACK, ALSO OF B COMPANY.

 

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SOUTH VIETNAM. 1968-01. TROOPS OF THE 3RD BATTALION, ROYAL AUSTRALIAN REGIMENT (3RAR), WAIT QUIETLY ALONG KAPYONG HELIPAD AT NUI DAT FOR HELICOPTERS TO TAKE THEM OUT ON OPERATION BALACLAVA - THE FIRST BATTALION SIZED OPERATION BY THE UNIT SINCE IT ARRIVED IN VIETNAM IN THE PREVIOUS MONTH.

 

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Nui Dat, South Vietnam. 1968-03. Sapper Gary Palmer, a member of 16 Construction Squadron, Royal Australian Engineers (RAE), uses a theodolite in the levelling of an area of the 1st Ordnance Field Park with the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) Base at Nui Dat. The clearing was part of the development to cater for the increase of units in the Task Force area.

 

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Nui Dat, Vietnam. 1966. Some of the sophisticated equipment in use by Australians at their Task Force base is shown in operation by Corporal Geoff Cartwright of Oakleigh, Vic. It is the parabolic reflector of radar controlled detectors which can spot the source of enemy mortar fire. It is operated by 131st Divisional Locating Battery, Royal Australian Artillery (RAA), on operations against the Viet Cong.

 

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As the sign says, this is a passenger lounge at the airstrip at Nui Dat. The man with the pencil is the soldier who makes at least 700 passenger bookings each month. He is Sergeant Gordon "Darkie" Edwards of Det 11 Movement Control Group, Royal Australian Engineers (RAE). The airstrip is called Luscombe Field.

 

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Vietnam. 1967. On top of Nui Dat hill, the highest point in the Australian Task Force area, Private Peter Cervinski of Geelong, Vic, a soldier of the 5th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (5RAR), keeps watch with a .50 calibre machine gun.

 

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Vietnam. 1967-05. As an RAAF Caribou warms up in the background at Luscombe Field, Nui Dat, Sergeant Ken Donnelly of Campbelltown, NSW (left), and Sapper Vladimir Kojeunikoff of Fairfield, NSW, check the manifest. The soldiers are both members of 11th Movement Control Group and are responsible for all movement out of and into the Australian Task Force area at Nui Dat.

 

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Nui Dat, South Vietnam. 1968-06. The Australian Prime Minister, John Gorton, shows keen interest in an armoured personnel carrier (APC) from A Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC), during his visit to Nui Dat where he spoke with many members of the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF). Mr Gorton spent five hours at the Task Force and met men who had recently returned from operations in Bien Hoa Province.

 

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Nui Dat, South Vietnam. 1968-06. Prime Minister, John Gorton (right), inspects an armoured personnel carrier (APC) of A Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC), during a five hour visit to all major units of the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) at Nui Dat. With the Prime Minister is the Officer Commanding the squadron, Major John Keldie of Puckapunyal, Vic.

 

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At 1 Armoured Squadron Workshop at Nui Dat, members of C Squadron, 1st Armoured Regiment, Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC), reading a newspaper from Australia, the Smith's Weekly, during a break in operations. Seated on a Centurion tank are, left to right: Corporal Trevor Lowe of Kellerberrin, WA, Craftsman Bob Watts of Kalgoorlie, WA, 2786048 Craftsman Peter Vanny of Maroubra, NSW, and Trooper Barry Diwell of Bacchus Marsh, Vic.

 

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Nui Dat, South Vietnam. 1968-09. Craftsman Ian Callander of Box Hill, Vic, an instrument fitter with the 12th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery Light Aid Detachment (LAD), repairs a watch in his spare time in the LAD's workshop at the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) Base at Nui Dat. Craftsman Callander was a watchmaker with the State Electricity Commission in Victoria before entering the Army.

 

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Nui Dat, South Vietnam. 1968-11. Private Allan Lacey of Coffs Harbour, NSW (left), and Sergeant Phil Warne of Wodonga, Vic, get some exercise with barbells donated to the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) Maintenance Area which was based at the Task Force in Nui Dat. Private Lacey was a technical storeman and Sergeant Warne was in charge of the unit's orderly room.

 

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Nui Dat, South Vietnam. September 1971. Quartermaster for the headquarters of the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF), Captain Bryan Bartley of Sandy Bay, Tas (left), and one of his staff, Private Brian Mulligan of Scamander, Tas, start the task of checking the serial numbers of weapons (guns) in storage at the Nui Dat base before they are returned to Australia. Both Captain Bartley and Private Mulligan are to return to Australian before Christmas.