By Alana Mitchelson
VIETNAM veterans, Berwick residents and returned servicemen from other conflicts gathered together at the Berwick cenotaph for a service commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan.
Berwick RSL president Wayne A’Vard opened the service, followed by a moving speech from Vietnam veteran and past RSL president Ray Heathcote.
Mr Heathcote had served in South Vietnam 1967-’68 as a 21-year-old private in 2 Transport Platoon, Royal Australian Army Service Corps. He began his narrative by setting the scene of the conditions in Vietnam 50 years ago to the day.
“It’s late afternoon – August 18, 1966, South Vietnam,” Mr Heathcote said.
“For three and a half hours, in the pouring rain, amid the mud and shattered trees of a rubber plantation called Long Tan, Major Harry Smith and his dispersed ’D’ Company of the 6th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (RAR) consisting of 108 young and mostly inexperienced Australian and New Zealand soldiers are fighting for their lives, holding off an overwhelming enemy force of 2500 Viet Cong soldiers.
“Almost as soon as the battle began a torrential downpour added to the gloom in the rubber plantation. The Australians, surrounded, short of ammunition and fighting an enemy whose strength they could only guess at, called for helicopters to drop ammunition to them.
“Flying at tree-top height, braving the terrible weather and heavy Viet Cong fire, two RAAF helicopters located the beleaguered Australians and dropped boxes of ammunition and blankets for the wounded.
“Eighteen Australians were killed in the Battle of Long Tan and 24 wounded, all but one of the dead were from ‘D’ Company.”
Mr Heathcote stressed that every 18 August not only commemorated the fallen but honoured the living, as well as those who went on to suffer for years from post-traumatic stress disorder after the war concluded, many tragically taking their own lives.
Following the traditional service, attendees enjoyed some refreshments at the Berwick RSL clubrooms, recounting stories of war and reacquainting with old mates.
Some 60,000 Australians fought in the Vietnam War. Five hundred lost their lives and 3000 were wounded.
