Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Served with 1st Australian Reinforcement Unit & 4th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment in South Vietnam. In country only 39 days.

"2796378 Private Maxwell Rhodes, aged 22, from Sydney, NSW was a qualified metallurgist with a Bachelor of Science degree prior to being called up for National Service on 27 January 1970. He was posted to 4RAR as a reinforcement from 1 Australian Reinforcement Unit on 10 September 1971. During Operation IVANHOE in Phuoc Tuy Province on 19 September 1971, in the prelude to the battle of Nui Le, D Company received intelligence which was interpreted as indicating that perhaps two battalions of North Vietnamese Army regulars were as close as 500 meters from the company. This was later to be proven to be correct. Tension amongst the company was high and unfortunately 11 Platoon and 10 Platoon operating on different axis of advance, engaged each other and Max, a 10 Platoon soldier, was accidently shot and killed. A misfortune such as this is bound to happen in war and although a tragic event, no blame was laid as an investigation concluded that the terrible event had been caused by a series of adverse circumstances coming together at this particular time and place." - SOURCE - Find a Grave

Lest We Forget

Very little is known about Maxwell Lachlan Rhodes because there is no family remaining.  It is believed that Maxwell was born in Oberon in 1948, the only son of Frank Lachlan and Claudia May (Mood) Rhodes.  Frank Lachlan Rhodes was a World War 11 veteran.

Most of the Max’s schooling was done in boarding schools.  Max’s parents had moved to Sydney where Max was born in late 1940’s and then to the south coast in the early 60’s with Franks fathers career postings in Australia Post Office.

The family settled in Balgownie and then East Corrimal.  Maxwell applied for and achieved a cadetship with BHP as a metallurgist and began study at the University of NSW, graduating immediately prior to his enlistment into the Australian Army as a National Serviceman.

Maxwell was a keen sportsman loving soccer and cricket.  There were no better times than when the teams were together and enjoying each other’s company, just being good mates and having fun.  A shy man, Max would keep to himself, but when they got together, he would come out of his shell.  Maxwell represented Balgownie in both sports together with Donald Cameron Hill with whom he was good mates.  Donald Hill was conscripted in the intake before Max and would die on the 12th June 1971 in a Vietcong ambush in Long Khanh Province, Vietnam.

It was normal for national servicemen to be posted to a reinforcement wing once graduating from infantry and jungle training and it was from there that Max was posted to the 4th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment on the 10 September 1971, just 9 days before his death.  He was employed at BHP Wollongong during his University studies and as law would have it, Max would have returned to his employment upon his return from his National Service, however it was not to be.

During Operation IVANHOE in Phuoc Tuy Province on 19 September 1971, in the prelude to the battle of Nui Le, D Company, 4th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment received intelligence which was interpreted as indicating that perhaps two battalions of North Vietnamese Army regulars were as close as 500 meters from the company.

This was later proven to be correct.  Due to confusion over two radio messages from Battalion HQ (BHQ), D Company propped twice to decode the messages and shortly after, they set off again.  The intelligence messages incidentally were very relevant.

Fearing potentially that 2 enemy battalions were in proximity the Commanding Officer of D Company, Major Jerry Taylor decided to keep platoons more concentrated, closer together than usual reducing the gaps between them and response times when contact occurred.

Private Maxwell Rhodes had only joined Delta company 9 days earlier.  10 Platoon (of which Max was part) was advancing to engage the enemy with 11 Platoon.

Tension amongst the company was very high and unfortunately 11 Platoon and 10 Platoon of D Company, operating on different axis of advance, engaged each other and Maxwell Lachlan Rhodes, was accidently shot and killed.

A misfortune such as this is bound to happen in war and although a tragic event, no blame was laid.

The investigation concluded that the terrible event had been caused by a series of adverse circumstances coming together at that time and place.

Maxwell had only been in-country (Vietnam) 39 days.

Maxwell’s mother Claudia was naturally devastated at her son’s death.  Her grief and anger were directed at the Australian Army and possibly the government whom she blamed for taking her only child from her. 

Maxwell was Frank and Claudia’s precious son and the loss that she experienced was difficult to observe by the relatives and friends who stood by them at this time.  Essentially the family lineage ended with their passing.  Frank and Claudia moved to the central coast after Frank’s retirement and are interred in the Palmdale Cemetery, NSW.

Pte Maxwell Lachlan Rhodes was awarded the Vietnam Medal, The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and his National Service Medals which will be mounted and displayed in the Corrimal RSL Memorial Club Museum along with his Australian flag issued at the Commemoration of the Australian National Vietnam Memorial dedication on 3rd October 1992

Euology supplied by family friend Hector Frigo and colaboration of others who knew Maxwell during his time in Wollonong.  Delivered during the Wollongong Vietnam veterans Remembrance Vigil of the 3rd August 2023 and posted by Tony Cox Coordinator and organiser.