Box Hill High School Class Photograph Form 5BB&w photobox hill high school, woolcock> p., hobday> g., wilkinson> e., press> r., schaeche> m. (form captain), barraclough> h (mr), russell> g. (vice-captain), thomas> e., pratt> i., mckittrick> d., riseborough> c., smart> l., macquarie> i., stagoll> n., rayment> b., mackinnon> r., mcintosh> n., skewes> c., neilson> g., olsen> k., smith> g., wood> g., lee> b., tucker> m., hudson> j., romeril> i., mclaren> i., ravenscroft> g., trezise> n., mclean> c., korman> m., smit> c., mathews> j., webster> j., pringle> i., vanselow> k., roffey> s., merchant> m., kerr> d., van dijk> g., wade> m., wilson> g., skelton> r., swales> b., may> j., rubeli> r., high schools

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