The first tunnel rats: this is the thrilling, hilarious and inspiring true story of a ragtag band of Aussie Army Engineers who redefined the word heroes...and reinvented larrikin to. Amongst the first Australians to fight in Vietnam, they faced death every day defusing Viet Cong booby traps - then partied all night in a casino they'd built in secret. They led hundreds of American troops to safety, but fought the US military police to a standstill in the bars of South Vietnam. They built the Australian Task Force's base - then sabotaged a headquarters conference, booby trapped showers and blew up a generator rather than kowtow to newly arrived officers.3 field troop royal australian engineers, cpl bob bowtell, tunnel rats, royal australian engineers, 1rar battalion, booby traps, viet cong, australian task force

The 34th Infantry Brigade was raised in Moratai and consisted of three Infantry Battalions. Namely the 65th / 66th /and 67th Battalions. On the 23rd November 1948 they became the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions. The Royal Australian Regiment became the key component of the new Australian Regular Army. The 34th Battalion 1RAR/ 2 RAR and 3 RAR saw service in WW11 in Korea and Vietnam.Gilded brass hat badge showing a round wattle wreath with "St Edwards" crown over a kangaroo and 2 crossed .303 rifles.Kangaroo and wattle are distinctly Australian - from the TAC signs of the parent units. Crossed rifles represents the infantry nature of the Regiment.

.1) The first medal on the left is the BEM. There are 9 clasps denoting overseas service and 3 clasps denoting Long Service. Francis William (Dinky) Dean (born Kerang) enlisted in the 2nd AIF No VX93960 on 16.12.43 age 18 years. He went on to serve with the 2nd/2nd Pioneers in the islands ending up on Morotai at wars end. At the end of 1945 while still overseas 3 new Battalions were formed for service wth BCOF in Japan. They were the 65th, 66th and 67th Bn’s made up from 3 Aust Divisions 6th, 7th and 9th. Frank was one of the first to sign up in the 65th Bn with same Regt No. They moved to Japan in early 1946. While still in Japan in 1947 there was a period called the Interim Army while the 65th, 66th and 67th Bn’s were designated 1st, 2nd and 3rd Bn’s R.A.R, Aust Regular Army. His Regt No changed to 3742 and the 65th became the 1st Batt of the R.A.R. He then served with 1 RAR in Korea 7.4.52 to 28.2.53, 3.3.54 to 24.3.56. Malaya during the Emergency/ Confrontation Oct 1959 to Oct 1961. Vietnam 1.6.65 to 7.6. 66, 18.3.68 to 11.2.69. Malaya 1969-70. Frank was discharged from the Army on 19.12.1975 with the rank of Quarter Master Sergeant with a total of 32 years service. He was the longest serving member of 1 RAR, he had a final posting to RMC prior to discharge. BEM (British Empire Medal) For service in Korea. BCOF (British Commonwealth Occupation Force Japan) RAR ( Royal Australian Regiment) RMC (Royal Military College Duntroon) In 2004 Frank was the guest of honour at the new Coral Lines Lavarack Barracks Townsville, a street was named “Dean drive” after him. Frank passed away on 11.2.2005 age 79 years. .1) Medal set, miniatures, brass plate mounted, set of (16) re F.W Dean BEM. .2) Name badge - battalion badge for unit associations. Black plastic backing with pin, black name on gold background. .2) "Frank Dean 1RAR"numismatics, medals, military, badges, metalcraft

Framed photograph of Major MacDonald as he is greeted by a Vietnamese woman after being presented with a garland during the welcoming ceremony for the 1st Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR). Gia Dinh Province, Saigon. June 1965. refer AWM collection < http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/DNE/65/0024/VN/ >

Photographs of this information board were taken by Mike Waldron, John Eaton and Bob GristFive colour photos and text superimposed on colour photo of wet mess on SAS Hill, Nui Dat, depicting eight soldiers relaxing, drinking beer outside mess.Wet mess on SAS Hill at Nui Dat, courtesy Mike Waldron.information board, 1st battalion, the royal australian regiment, 1rar, 7rar, nui dat, phuoc tuy province, operation toan thang, tet offensive (1968), bien hoa-bien nuong, fire support base coral, 141st north vietnamese army (nva) regiment, 141 nva regt, 102 field battery, viet cong killed, bien hoa long khanh, hat dich, tua tich, baria, operation windsor, operation goodwood, 9rar, 4rar, operation blue mountains, operation platypus, medivac, pte michael waldron, 17773, royal australian infantry corps, 5th battalion, pte john easton, 215943, pte robert maxwell grist, 39426

1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment Vietnam. Honour Roll from Vietnam 1965 - 1966 and Vietnam 1968 - 1969. At the bottom of the Board reads Lest We Forget1st battalion, royal australian regiment, killed in action, pte michael alwyn bourke, 37867, royal australian infantry corps, pte william thomas carroll, 37010, pte arie van valen, 54320, pte william lynn nalder, 2412151, cpl francis john smith, 37003, cpl (temp) francis john smith, pte ronald eric field, 214479, pte thomas ross, 212612, l/cpl thomas ross, pte allan robert hansen, 214329, l/cpl richard harold john parker, l/cpl richard harold heath (other name), 213963, pte peter raymond gillson, 37857, cpl reginald hedley hillier, 42774, mention in dispatches, cpl alexander henry fotheringham, 36543, pte christopher clark, 215214, pte neville wayne horne, 215217, pte mervyn arthur frederick wilson, 213780, pte desmond hugh penn, 5411479, pte bror ola petersen, 5411305, l/cpl ronald edward coxon, 38012, cpl raymond douglas seipel, 15985, pte edward anthony grills, 215418, l/cpl thomas suter, 17665, cpl leslie charles mcdonnell, 54026, pte lionel james baxter, 1200128, capt kenneth wilfred bade, 17071, royal regiment of australian artillery, 105th field battery, cpl robert walter bowtell, 213151, royal australian engineers, 3 field troop, sgt alastair john sherwood don, 37221, rnza, 161 fd battery rnza, bombardier robert white, 928518, pte errol john bailey, 2786313, australian national serviceman, cpl robert bernard hickey, 215745, pte robert leo mcnab, 39354, pte john alfred o'brien, 2786748, pte lawrence rodney sheppard, 3790506, 7th battalion, pte bevan maxwell trimble, 3791291, pte richard christopher allan watson, 39403, cpl john hunter whitton, 311532, cpl ian kenneth dawson, 215063, pte christopher robert nisbet, 1201338, cpl john gregory stinson pearce, 2784043, l/cpl william henry martin, 1731467, pte alan john wallis, 2787255, pte harry winston white, 216009, pte brian thomas young, 1733095, pte peter eris murray, 2788524, pte robert maxwell grist, 39426, pte graeme john moss, 1200817, pte archibald stanley williams, 5715189, pte neil anthony mcinerney, 217514, pte paul evans, 1732701, pte john michael slattery, 2787079, pte rodney donald hughes, 1201350, pte ian james gibbs, 5715657, cpl (temp) frederick john annesley, 2784162, pte william wayne donnelly, 2lt terrance edward langlands, 2786939, l/cpl john milton rands, 2787069, l/cpl john henry kalma, 215637, pte raymond john cox, 2787020

Photo donated by John Smith ex 1 Armoured Regiment SVN, 1969-1970 Drawn from A Duty Done: A summary of operations by the Royal Australian Regiment in the Vietnam War 1965-1972 by Lieutenant Colonel Fred Fairhead (Rtd) (2012) p.487Summary of Infantry Operations 1965-1972. Text superimposed on colour photo of infantry soldiers on operations with APC. See media file for more information.Photo donated by John Smith ex 1 Armoured Regiment SVN, 1969-1970 Drawn from A Duty Done: A summary of operations by the Royal Australian Regiment in the Vietnam War 1965-1972 by Lieutenant Colonel Fred Fairhead (Rtd) (2012) p.487infantry, d company, 4th battalion, the royal australian regiment, 4rar, hmas sydney, cambodian border, ham tan, long hai hills, operations hump, ho bob woods, operation crimp, 5rar, 6rar, nui thi vai, nui dinh mountains, operations vaucluse, operation queanbeyan, d445 battalion (nva/vietcong), operation hobart, battle of long tan, operation bribie, operation coburg, operation lavarack, operation camden, operation overlord, operation ivanhoe, fire support base - coral, 1rar, centurion tank, anti personnel mines, m16 landmines, 1st australian task force, route 44, operation renmark, 8rar, operation hammersley, operations reynella, operation mundingburra, tet offensive, a company, 3rar, operation nowra, binh ba, operation goodwood, hat dich, operation marsden, may tao base, operation bondi, operation pinnaroo, minh dam secret zone, operation birdwood, operation nathan, operation cung chung, 2 rar/nz, 7rar, operation valiant, operation south ward, capt maurice frederick fairhead, lt col maurice frederick fairhead, 57064, royal australian infantry corps, 6th battalion

The 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1 RAR) completed two tours of South Vietnam between 1965 and 1969. They were the first Australian infantry battalion sent to the war, initially attached to the US 173rd Airborne Brigade. in 1968, 1RAR participated in the Battle of Coral–Balmoral, Australia’s longest and bloodiest engagement of the war.A poster framed in narrow pale brown frame celebrating the 50th Anniversary 1945 - 1995 of the 1st Battalion of The Royal Australian Regiment that shows the images of five soldiers from 1RAR over a lot of names.50th Anniversary 1945 - 1995vietnam, 1rar, white, graeme white, commemorative, 50th anniversary, 1st battalion, royal australian regiment

This is a photograph of Francis Patrick (Pat) Burgess, journalist, who travelled to South Vietnam with the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. He recorded the experiences of 6 Platoon, `B’ Company. This image was taken by Sgt Bill Noble, who served in 1 RAR.Black and white photo of a man in uniform in jungle setting holding a camera. He is wearing an army issue hat and a belt with a canteen and a revolver in a holster attached. He is looking at the camera with an amused look on his face. On reverse " Pat Burgess in his "warco gear". Pat attached himself to B Coy 1 RAR on the first tour of 1st Battalion RAR 1965-1966."pat burgess - australian war correspondent, vietnam, 1965-1966, burgess, 1rar, noble, journalist

To Long Tan conforms the well-earned reputation of Australian official histories for candour, critical analysis, and breadth of coverage.australia. army. foreign service - vietnam, vietnam - armed forces, bien hoa, 173rd airborne brigade, 1rar, 161, 161 field battery, phuoc tuy, vung tau, nui, nui dat, binh ba, d445 battalion (nva/vietcong)

To Long Tan conforms the well-earned reputation of Australian official histories for candour, critical analysis, and breadth of coverage.australia. army. foreign service - vietnam, vietnam - armed forces, bien hoa, 1rar, 173rd airborne brigade, 161 field battery, phuoc tuy, vung tau, nui, nui dat, d445 battalion (nva/vietcong), binh, binh ba

Photograph of a Soldier in Jungle Greens sitting on his backpack reading a comic.soldier, photograph, down time, 1st battalion, royal australian regiment, bien hoa province, 1rar, us 173rd airborne brigade

A Copy of the Biography of Major General A.L. Morrison AO DSO MBE. See media files for more infomation.major general a.l. morrison ao dso mbe, biography - alan lindsay morrison, col alan lindsay morrison, 2508, royal australian infantry corps, 9th battalion, the royal australian regiment, companion of the distinguished service order, royal military college, officer cadet, 2nd battalion royal australian regiment, 3rar, korea, operations officer, 1rar, lt col a.l. morrison, australian army staff college, 1st australian task force, dso, military assistant, chief of the general staff sir thomas daly, brig alan lindsay morrison, maj gen alan lindsay morrison, officer of the order of australia, ao

This Officers Cap belonged to 2nd Lieutenant Timothy Andrew Fischer 2784385 who a national serviceman and served with the Royal Australian Infantry Corps. His tour of Vietnam was with the 1st Battalion with The Royal Australian Regiment from 9 Apr 1968 to 28 Feb 1969A khaki peaked cap with Corps Badge of 1RAR on the front. Has a brown leather chin strap. Badge of 1RAR "Duty first"officers cap, 2lt tim fischer, 2784385, australian national serviceman, royal australian infantry corps, 1st battalion, the royal australian regiment

A Copy of Vietnam Veterans Council of Victoria Inc.: A brief history of the Vietnam War which was compiled as a guide to secondary school students and or any other person wishing to study the history of the Vietnam War. For more information please read the media files.vietnam veterans council of victoria inc., south china sea, laos, cambodia, the viet minh, ho chi minh, battle of dien bien phu, vietnamese communist party, national liberation front, viet cong, saigon, bien hoa, the domino theory, south east asia, australian government, prime minister - robert menzies, australian army training team vietnam (aattv), royal australian air force, raaf, caribou, australian national serviceman, 1st battalion, royal australian regiment, 1rar, hmas sydney, bien hoa airbase, us 173rd airborne brigade, cu chi, tunnels, tunnel rats, saigon-cholon, australian task force, phuoc tuy province, 5rar, 6rar, nui dat, 1st australian task force, 1atf, headquarters, australian force vietnam, ho chi minh city, phuoc tuy, d company, battle of long tan, gunners, new zealand gunners, australian gunners, m113, raaf helicopters, d445 provincial battalion, vietnam veterans' day, anzac, hmas hobart, u.s. 7th fleet, a squadron, canberra bomber, vung tau harbour, tet offensive, baria, long dien, long hai hills, c company, 3rar, fire support base, fire support base - coral, fire support base - balmoral, 8rar, vietnamese territorial force, us troops, whitlam labor government, prime minister gough whitlam, agent orange, evatt royal commission, post traumatic stress disorder, ptsd, welcome home parade 1987

Slouch had belonging to Brigadier Lowen. Brig Lowen served in 2/5 Australian Infantry Battalion in WW2 Slouch had belonging to Brigadier Lowen. Brig Lowden served in 2/5 Australian Infantry Battalion in WW2 Hat, Khaki Fur Felt ( slouch hat) with brim down, soft bash and green ( 1RAR) pugaree with no colour patch. The pugaree had a staff officers bullion badge sewn to the front. Bullion badge has a gold lion atop of a gold and red crown on a black backing The hat has a brown leather chin strap and redish brown leather sweat band on the inside Made by "Fayrefield" Melbourne 7 1/8 19695/6rvr, bhq, brig lowen, 2/5th bn

1 RAR plaque made of light wood, the RAR badge is in the centre of the blue symbol, the metal plate on the top has the writing "presented to 5/6 RVR SGT's Mess By 1RAR SGT's Mess"