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 Erica De Wit one of the lead singers with the Official Apr-May 70 Sydney Concert Party and an Engineer Digger friend trip the light fantastic to the delight of the audience at 1 Australian Task Force Base, Nui Dat, Luscombe Bowlphotograph, entertainers, sydney concert party, erica de wit, 1 atf, nui dat, luscombe bowl, gibbons collection catalogue, official apr-may 70 sydney concert party, engineer digger, 1st australian task force, denis gibbons

1951 was a year of celebration in Victoria. 9th May 1951 marked the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Australian Federal Parliament in 1901, which at that time met in Melbourne, Victoria. 13th November marked the Centenary of the opening of the first Victorian Parliament. Cities and towns held activities and celebrations to recognise the occasion. A "Back to Wodonga" was held from Friday 9th to Saturday 7th November 1951. Friday: Children’s Sport and Children’s Concert. Saturday: Welcome to Visitors, Official Luncheon, Gymkhana, Official Opening and Barbecue. Sunday: Church services, various denominations. Monday: Ladies’ Day (Bowls, Tennis, Croquet etc.) Afternoon Garden Parties, Boxing Tournament. Tuesday: Procession, Basket Lunch, Apex Sports Carnival, 50-50 Dance. Wednesday: Tour of district and visit to factories. Re-unions of various organisations. Thursday: All-day Street Fair and Carnival. Friday: Back to School (Higher Elementary School), Wodonga Hospital Ball. Saturday: Bonegilla Race Club meeting, Competition Sports, (Cricket, Bowls, Tennis, etc.) Farewell Parties by various organisations.This Badge is significant because it is a memento of an important community celebration in Wodonga.A small enamel badge featuring both the blue and red Australian ensigns in the centre on a white background surrounded by blue text.Around the edge; BACK TO WODONGA CELEBRATIONS 1951back to wodonga 1951, opening victorian parliament, australian federal parliament opening

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 one of the lead acts with the Official Sep-Oct 67 Melbourne Concert Party, Patty McGrath projects herself towards the Diggers at 1 ATF, Nui Dat, Luscombe Bowl. At this early stage in the development of the Task Force Base, few of the diggers had fold up chairs.photograph, patti mcgrath, 1 atf, nui dat, luscombe bowl, entertainers, gibbons collection catalogue, official sep-oct 67 melbourne concert party, diggers, 1st australian task force, 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 coloured photograph of the lead singer of the Official Jun 69 Tasmanian Concert Party is dwarfed by the throng of Diggers packed right up to the edge of the stage area, at the 1st Australian Task Force Base, Nui Dat, Luscombe Bowl. All Diggers at this time had their own fold-up chairs.photograph, tasmanian concert party, 1atf, nui dat, luscombe bowl, gibbons collection catalogue, official jun 69 tasmanian concert party, diggers, 1st australian task force, 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 Wendy Snushall of "The Prestons" with the Official Apr-May 70 Sydney Concert Party tries her luck at darts in the Diggers Mess at the sponsoring unit, 1st Australian Task Force Base Nui Dat. photograph, entertainers, wendy snushall, 1 atf, nui dat, luscombe bowl, gibbons collection catalogue, the prestons, official apr-may 70 sydney concert party, diggers mess, 1st australian task force, 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 Dinah Lee and digger friend from the audience have the diggers swinging with a song and dance act at the ABC Dance Band Concert Party at the 1st ATF Base, Nui Dat. photograph, dinah lee, entertainers, abc dance band concert party, 1 atf, nui dat, gibbons collection catalogue, digger, diggers, 1st australian task force, 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 - While Diana Dalton, Judith Little and Janice Voss harmonise, musicians of the Official Jun 69 Tasmanian Concert Party back up the singers with guitars, keyboard and drums while the Diggers packed right up to the edge of the stage, enjoyed the good vibrations.photograph, entertainers, tasmanian concert party, diana dalton, judith little, janice voss, 1 atf, nui dat, luscombe bowl, gibbons collection catalogue, official jun 69 tasmanian concert party, musicians, 1st australian task force, diggers

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 the musicians and artists with the Official Apr-May 70 Sydney Concert Party, Erica De Wit, Brian Doyle, Walter Preston, Wendy Snushall of the "Prestons", Graham Quy, Glenise Shearman, John Spillman and Neil Yeoman thank the diggers after their afternoon show. is engrossed in her rendition of a song to the assembled Diggers at 1 ATF Base Nui Dat, Luscombe Bowlphotograph, 1 atf, nui dat, luscombe bowl, sydney concert party, erica de wit, brian doyle, walter preston, wendy snushall, graham guy, glenise shearman, john spillman, neil yoeman, gibbons collection catalogue, entertainers, official apr-may 70 sydney concert party, 1st australian task force, 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 one of the lead singers of the with the Official Apr-May 70 Sydney Concert Party, Glenise Shearman is engrossed in her rendition of a song to the assembled Diggers at 1 ATF Base Nui Dat, Luscombe Bowlphotograph, entertainers, glenise shearman, sydney concert party, 1 atf, nui dat, luscombe bowl, official apr-may 70 sydney concert party, 1st australian task force, 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 - Following morning services, Anzac Day 25 April 1967, at the Northern Headquarters of Australian Army Training Team Vietnam, in Danang, those members able to get in to Danang from the field were entertained by dancers from the Shirley Simmons Concert partyphotograph, aattv, danang, entertainers, shirley simmons concert party, gibbons collection catalogue, australian army training team vietnam (aattv), anzac day 1967, northern headquarters, dancers, 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 members of the Feb 70 S.A. Concert Party, during a break in their hectic program, one of The Wills Sisters Anne, leans over the elephant compound fence during their visit to the Saigon Zoo, as sister Susan watches, to feed a chained-up Vietnamese Elephant.photograph, entertainers, south australian concert party, wills sisters, saigon zoo, gibbons collection catalogue, feb 70 s.a. concert party, anne wills, susan wills, 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 taken in the recreation building at the RAAF Base Vung Tau, Johnny O'Keefe and his rock and roll band perform a night show for RAAF Diggers. On most days the official concert parties woul performed up to three shows a day, morning, afternoon and night.photograph, raaf, vung tau, johnny o'keefe, gibbons collection catalogue, entertainers, raaf diggers, raaf base, 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 Lucky Star and Digby Richards along with members of their concert party, leave the Champa Museum in Danag following a visit during a rare break in the concert tour. They had on the previous day entertained the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam.photograph, aattv, entertainers, lucky star, digby richards, champa musuem, gibbons collection catalogue, australian army training team vietnam (aattv), 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 lead singer Shirley Simmons, of her own Shirley Simmons Concert Party, entertains on the lawn of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam, on Anzac Day 25 April 1967, at their Northern Headquarters in down town Danang.photograph, aattv, shirley simmons, danang, gibbons collection catalogue, entertainers, shirley simmons concert party, australian army training team vietnam (aattv), anzac day 1967, denis gibbons