Operation Hammersley , 10 February until 9 March 1970, was undertaken by a combined force of: C Company, 8th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment (8RAR); armoured personnel carriers from 3 Cavalry Regiment; tanks from 1 Armoured Regiment; sappers from the Royal Australian Engineers; a mortar section from 8RAR’s Support Company; air support, and even a Navy destroyer off-shore to provide gunfire support. The operation aimed to protect 17 Construction Squadron, Royal Australian Engineers, at a quarry in the western foothills of the Long Hai hills. The Long Hai hills were a stronghold for the Viet Cong, who used the caves there as a bunker complex and had planted many landmines and booby traps in the area. Over two fierce weeks, 8 RAR carried out patrols and conducted ambushes, engaging VC troops and eventually capturing the bunker system. However, it was a costly campaign. In total, over 70 Australians were killed or wounded during the operation. The worst day for mine casualties in Australia's war in Vietnam occurred on 28 February 1970. It became known as 'Black Saturday". Nine members of 8RAR were killed and 29 wounded. This item is the Order of Service from the memorial service held at Nui Dat on 3 April 1970 to honour those killed at Long Hai. It was issued to the donor, National Serviceman G G Ravenscroft, who was serving in 1 Platoon, A Company 8RAR during Operation Hammersley, and received a minor shrapnel wound on Black Saturday. This was donated by Cpl (Temp) Geoffrey Grant Ravenscroft (3795037) who was a National Serviceman with the Royal Australian Infantry Corps and served in Vietnam with the 8th Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment from November 1969 to July 1970Two typed A-4 pages that have been folded into booklet, now flattened and framed. Listed are the prayers, Bible readings and sermon given, along with the names of the 8 fallen soldiers, and the chaplains who officiated. See media for more information.8rar, long hai, long hai hills, black saturday, 1970, operation hammersley, ravenscroft, geoff ravenscroft, memorial service, c company, 8th battalion, the royal australian regiment, apc, 3 cavalry regiment, 1 armoured regiment, sappers, royal australian engineers, 17 construction squadron, viet cong, viet cong troops, nui dat, australian national serviceman, 1 platoon, a company, cpl (temp) geoffrey grant ravenscroft, 3795037

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

In 1967, Brigadier Stuart Graham issued the calamitous order: First Australian Task Force would construct an 11 kilometre 'barrier fence and minefield' containing over 20,000 powerful M16 landmines in Phuoc Tuy Province, Southern Vietnam. The purpose of the 'barrier' was to separate and to shield the majority of the population in the south-west province from his enemy's regular forces in the north and east.australia. army. australian task force (vietnam), land mines -- phuoc tuy (vietnam : province), 8rar, 8 rar, operation hammersley, m16 landmines, brigadier stuart graham, operation pinaroo, operation leeton