This item was donated by Pte Robert Charles Birtles(3786660) who was a National Serviceman with the Royal Australian Infantry Corps. He served in Vietnam with the 5th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment from April 1966 to May 1967.Tiger Tales: Newsletter of the 5 RAR Association - March 2002. (Copy). See media file for more informationpte robert charles birtles, 3786660, australian national serviceman, royal australian infantry corps, 5th battalion, the royal australian regiment, newsletter, tiger tales, 5 rar association, 5 rar

This item was donated by Pte Robert Charles Birtles(3786660) who was a National Serviceman with the Royal Australian Infantry Corps. He served in Vietnam with the 5th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment from April 1966 to May 1967.Tiger Tales: Newsletter of the 5 RAR Association: Issue 4 July 2001.(Copy)pte robert charles birtles, 3786660, australian national serviceman, royal australian infantry corps, 5th battalion, the royal australian regiment, newsletter, tiger tales, 5 rar association, 5 rar

A Poster, Information Board on 5 RAR 1st Tour 1966 to 1967. Below a black and white photograph reads: 5 RAR Operation Canberra 6th to 10th October 1966. Lance Corporal Shoebridge and Lance Corporal Bryan supporting Private Riik and Private Birtles securing weapons. Resulting from a booby trap explosion, 7 members of C Company 8 platoon were wounded when ascending the Nui Thi Vai mountain on the 8th Oct 1966. Overcoming difficult terrain, C Company prepared a landing zone (LZ) on the slopes for evacuation of the wounded - (Medevac). Under a coloured photograph of soldiers reads; 5 RAR - Bush Bashing 1966. Members of C Company 9 platoon after days of bush bashing - a soldier's term used to describe days of navigating dense terrain and vegetation while being always at the ready for enemy contact. Under a coloured photograph of APC reads: 5 RAR - Operation Hayman 8th to 12 November. Armoured Personnel carriers supporting 5 RAR during staging/forming mode prior to being air-lifted on to the summit of Nui Nua on Long Son Island. The Battalion's objective was to capture or eliminate the Chau Duc District VC Company that had been restricting movements of the local regional force. Thirteen Viet Cong survived and surrendered days later to mainland police. Under a coloured photograph of soldiers walking on a log over water reads: 5 RAR - Hat Bands. The Viet Cong occasionally wore the same or similar headgear as the Australian forces in an attempt to create confusion when contact was made. In the short term this was remedied by threading a coloured ribbon around the Australian bush hat. The ribbon served as an identification marker so as to quickly identify an Australian soldier from the enemy. Colours were regularly changed.5 rar, c coy, operation canberra, operation hayman, l/cpl ronald peter shoebridge, 216068, royal australian infantry corps, 5th battalion, the royal australian regiment, pte david george riik, 2781458, australian national serviceman, l/cpl david alexander bryan, 3786720, pte robert charles birtles, 3786660, wounded in action, 8 platoon, nui thi vai mountain, armoured personnel carrier, nui nua, long son island, chau duc district vc company, viet cong prisoner