Historical information

Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011)
Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection.

Physical description

A black and white photograph of Tonkin Gulf, North Vietnam 25th May 1967 Lt Stanley L Masterton briefs Australian War Correspondent, Denis Gibbons, during his visit to the Australian Guided Missile Destroyer HMAS Hobart. the briefing is taking place on the flag deck, where a large set of signal flags are visible in a ready use locker behind them. the ship, was at that time engaging, with ship to shore gunfire, a major "choke point" (an area where the North Vietnamese were preparing war supplies to be shipped to their units in South Vietnam) at the township of "Vinh". Hobart was expecting, at any moment, counted battery fire from North Vietnamese coastal batteries after radar stations on Hainan Island, Near Haiphong Harbour and at Vinh had locked onto Horart's position with very accurate triangular positioning. Lt Masterton was informing Gibbons of the incoming enemy fire and was worried he (Gibbons) was not wearing a helment, gibbons, most respectfully advised Lt Masterton that he could not operate his cameras with a helmet on. Hobart immediately turned and saled, very rapidly, out to sea as the counter battery fire commenced

Inscriptions & markings

Australian War memorial negative: Navy 13503