An Poster, Information Board of 5 RAR 1966 to 1967 (tst Tour). The 5th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment ("Battalion") were the leading element of the First Australian Task Force (1 ATF) and stationed in Vietnam from 1966 to 1967. The Battalion's task was to break Viet Cong control over the central region of Phuoc Tuy Province - an area that communists had freely operated in since 1945. Commencing of the 24th May 1966, the Battalion conducted its first operation codenamed "Hardihood". Their objective was to sweep and clear areas to the north and east of Nui Dat to a distance of 5000 meters, then create a defensive position to enable 1 ATF to establish an operation base. The Battalion conducted eighteen full-lenght operations as well as numerous day and night cordon and search, search and destroy, ambush and clearing patrols conducted at company, platoon and section levels. the Battalion achieved considerable success during Operations Canberra and Queanbeyan in October 1966 when it swept and cleared the Nui Thi Vai mountain. A Viet Cong base consisting of training facilities, a hospital, booby trap factory and several tonnes of rice was located and destroyed. during phase two (Operation Queanbeyan) the battalion discovered complex cave and tunnel systems along with other fixed installations that were vigorously fought for and destroyed by the battalion. Not only di the caves contain large quantities of weapons, equipment and documents but the 274 VC Regiments deputy commanders radio complex. For bravery and leadership, three Military Crosses, one Military Medal and one Mentioned in Dispatches were awarded. The last was awarded posthumously. However, at the completion of the battalion's first tour, the 274 and 275 Viet Cong Regiments remained functional. While the enemy retained the capacity to inflict serious casualities on smaller allied forces, the Battalion and other elements of the 1 AFt were successful in denying the enemy their previous gains. This enabled the South Vietnamese Government to re-establish control of over 96 per cent of the Phuoc Tuy Province during Australia's involvement. Source O'Neill, RJ Vietnam Task, the 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment 1966/67, Melbourne. Cassell Australia Ltd, 19685 rar, 1st tour 1966 - 1967, operation hardihood, 1st atf base, poster, information board, nui dat, nui thai vai mountains, operation canberra, operation queanbeyan, viet cong, 274 vc regiments, military cross, bravery, military medal, mention in dispatches, capt robert john o'neill, 335113, royal australian infantry corps, 5th battalion, the royal australian regiment

An Poster, Information Board of The 5th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment ("Battalion") were the leading element of the First Australian Task Force (1 ATF) and stationed in Vietnam from 1966 - 1967. The Battalion's task was to break Viet Cong control over the central region of Phuoc Tuy Province - an area that communists had freely operated in since 1945. See media for more information Commencing of the 24th May 1966, the Battalion conducted its first operation codenamed "Hardihood". Their objective was to sweep and clear areas of the north and east of Nui Dat to a distance of 5000 meters, then create a defensive position to enable 1 ATF to establish an operational base.5 rar, 1 atf, viet cong, phuoc tuy province, nui dat, nui thai vai mountains, 274 vc regiments, 275 vc regiments, military awards, operation canberra, operation queanbeyan, operation hardihood, poster, information board, battle of binh ba, 1st australian task force, hat dich, bien hoa province, may tao mountains, 33 nva regiment, capt david symon wilkins, 235241, royal australian infantry corps, the royal australian regiment

This item was donated by Sgt Derrill Vivian de Heer (37643) who served with the Royal Australian Infantry Corps. He was in Vietnam with 8th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment from Nov 1969 to April 1970, 1st Psychological Operations Unit from April 1970 to November 1970 and 4th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment from September 1971 to December 1971.A Copy of The Viet Cong Easter Offensive, Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam, April - June 1972 by Derrill de Heersgt derril vivian de heer, 37643, royal australian infantry corps, 8th battalion, the royal australian regiment, 1st psychological operations unit, 4th battalion, the easter offensive, phuoc tuy province, president nixon, president nguyen van thieu, us ambassador ellsworth bunker, nui dat, vung tau, 1st australian task force, battle of nui le, 274 vc regiments, 33 nva regiment, d445 battalion (nva/vietcong), arvn, nva, dong khoi operation, 74th north vietnamese army (nva), 4 rar/nz (anzac), baria, long kanh province, galia rubber plantation, binh ba, lt col bich - province chief, xuyen moc, 5th ranger group - south vietnamese, long le district village, hoa long

A Copy of Australian Army commander's diaries (Vietnam): Headquarters units, item no. 1/4/111: Headquarters, 1st Australian Task Force: Annex M: After Operation Report Toan Thang (1-31 Jul 1968). See media files for more information.headquarters, 1st australian task force, operation toan thang, australian military forces, 1 rar, 2 rar, 3rar, 12 field regiment, c squadron, 1 armoured regiment, a squadron, 3 cav regt, 1 field squadron rae, brig ronald laurence hughes, 72, col donald beaumont dunstan, 2289, lt col phillip harvey bennett, 57004, lt col noel russell charlesworth, 235007, companion of the distinguished service order, dso, lt col jeffrey james shelton, 3395, lt col john david kelly, 235029, maj peter richard badman, 235121, maj john david keldie, 235100, maj john howard kemp, 335105, distinguished service cross, fire support base wattle, fire support base harrison, fire support base coral, fire support base hunt, fire support base andersen, fire support base thornton, fire support base dyke, fire support base evans, fire support base coogie, 161 (indep) recce flt, 9 squadron raaf, no 35 sqn raaf, nui thi vai, hat dich, ao surfers, 141 nva regt, 7 nva div, 165 nva regt, 274 vc regiments, 5 vc div, 275 vc regiments, ao giles, ao sturt, ao hume, ao kennedy, ao lawson, ao belize, ao taupo, ao murray bridge, fire support base anderson, fire support base balmoral, bearcat, maj ian hubert maclean, 235060, member of the order of the british empire, mbe, killed in action, viet cong killed, prisoner of war, ao columbus, ao hunter, ao swan, ao nepean, ao manly, ao bondi