Description

Title: Vietnam – A Pictorial History of the Sixth Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment

Author: Williams, Ian McLean; Wickens, Brian and Sabben, David

Condition: Very Good – Missing Dust Jacket

Edition: 1st Edition

Publication Date: 1967

ISBN: N/A

Cover: Hard Cover without Dust Jacket – 136 pages

Comments: The detailed history of the Sixth Battalion (The Royal Australian Regiment) in South Vietnam during it’s 1st tour between 1966 and 1967. 

6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) was raised at Alamein Barracks in Brisbane on 6 June 1965. It arrived in Vietnam in June 1966 and formed half of the infantry component of the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) with 5RAR. The task force replaced 1RAR in Vietnam. It was stationed at Nui Dat in Phuoc Tuy province.

Once the Nui Dat base site had been cleared and secured, the task force began patrolling the province. The purpose of the patrols was to undermine Viet Cong (VC) and North Vietnamese Army operations in the area. This was done by seeking out and engaging the enemy, denying supplies and limiting contact with villages for the collection of taxes and recruitment. These duties dominated the experience of 6RAR during its first tour.

The battalion took part in Operation Smithfield from 16 to 18 August 1966. On the night of 16 August the task force area was rocketed and mortared by the VC and the following day companies of 6RAR were sent out to investigate. D Company was attacked by the enemy during a sweep through a rubber plantation on 18 August. For over three hours 108 troops engaged between 1500 and 2500 enemy troops, before being joined by a patrol from B Company and then relieved by A Company, which arrived in seven M113 APCs from the 1st Armoured Personnel Carrier Squadron. The action became known as the Battle of Long Tan.

For the remainder of its tour, 6RAR was active in Phuoc Tuy with patrolling and other security operations. The battalion was relieved by 2RAR in May 1967 and returned to Brisbane on 14 June 1967.

Includes: Nominal Roll, Roll of Honour, Honours and Awards with citations