Physical description
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, 1968
