In 1988, as part of a Defence of Mainland Australian policy, defence of facilities of strategic importance in northern Australia were allocated to Army Reserve units. ‘A’ Squadron was allocated the defence of Tindal Air Force base located 15 KM outside Katherine in Northern Territory. Consequently the Squadron deployed on Exercise ‘Northern Explorer’ to gain first-hand knowledge of operating conditions for mounted and dismounted patrolling in the area.Colour photograph of vehicle patrol of ' A " Squadron 8/13 VMR accessing the viability of a crossing point of Ferguson River during Exercise ' Northern Explorer. The patrol decided the Armoured Personnel carrier could descend the shale bank but not climb out again.

8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles was equipped with M113 Vehicles 1970 - 1990 in both reconnaissance and armoured personnel carrier roles.The 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles was raised as a regiment of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps on 1 May 1948 with Headquarters in Melbourne and squadrons in Sale, Benalla/Wangaratta and Albury. In 1955 Regimental Headquarters moved to Wangaratta and a second squadron was located at Albury. The Sale squadron transferred to 4th/19th Prince of Wales’s Light Horse. In 1977 8/13 VMR Regiment was reduced to an independent squadron A Squadron 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles and in 1991 was linked with 4th/19th Prince of Wales’s Light Horse forming the VMR Squadron of that regiment.Black and white photograph of two soldiers nof 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles working on motor of M113 Light Reconnaissance Vehicle ( LRV ). circa 1975.

Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011) Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection A black and white photograph of "Following confiscation, by Vietnamese Forces, of a number of fishing boats, their owners and their catch, members of Normie's APC Troop enjoy an evening meal of fresh prawns and seafood". photograph, normie rowe, armoured personnel carrier, gibbons collection catalogue, cpl normie rowe, vietnamese forces, fishing boats, diggers, denis gibbons

Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011) Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection A black and white photograph of An armoured Engineer D8 bulldozer 'Miss Fit' involved in land and mine clearing operations up to the foothills of the Long Hai Mountains supported by Centurian Tanks and APCs out of Firebase Thrust photograph, centurion tank, armoured personnel carrier, long hai hills, firebase thrust, gibbons collection catalogue, d8 bulldozer, long hai mountains, "miss fit", denis gibbons

Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011) Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection A black and white photograph of APCs and Centurian Tanks from 1st Armoured Regt Harbouring Up in their night location during Operation Matilda in 3 Corps area of South Vietnam photograph, centurion tank, armoured personnel carrier, 1st armoured regiment, operation matilda, gibbons collection catalogue, 3 corps, south vietnam, denis gibbons

Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011) Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection A black and white photograph of RAR APCs fully loaded with infantry diggers of 3 Troop, 3 Sqn are held up in heavily timberd country in Phuoc Tuy Province circa 1969. photograph, gibbons collection catalogue, phuoc tuy province, armoured personnel carrier, 3 sqn, royal australian regiment, 3 troop, diggers, infantry diggers, denis gibbons

Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011) Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection A black and white photograph of seven diggers sit atop an APC with the APC driver in position.photograph, gibbons collection catalogue, armoured personnel carrier, diggers, denis gibbons

Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011) Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection. A black and white photograph of an APC of A Sqn, 3rd Cavalry Regt in close country northwest of Nui Dat photograph, armoured personnel carrier, a sqn, 3rd cavalry regiment, nui dat, gibbons collection catalogue, denis gibbons