STANCZYK, Henry John
| Service Number: | 44679 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 March 1968 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 7th Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment (7RAR) |
| Born: | Stade, Germany, 24 November 1948 |
| Home Town: | Royal Park, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Soldier |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Phuoc Tuy, South Vietnam, 30 April 1970, aged 21 years |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia Derrick Gardens - Path 17 - Grave 922A |
| Memorials: | Adelaide Pathway of Honour - 7th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment , Adelaide Post Second World War Memorial, Adelaide Vietnam War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Grafton Clarence Valley Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Kallangur Vietnam Veterans' Place, Pooraka War Memorial, Port Pirie Vietnam Veterans Honour Wall, Seymour Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Walk Roll of Honour, Sydney 7th Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment Vietnam Killed on Active Service Plaque |
Vietnam War Service
| 1 Mar 1968: | Enlisted Australian Army (Post WW2), Private, 44679 | |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Feb 1970: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Private, 44679 | |
| 16 Feb 1970: | Enlisted Australian Army (Post WW2), Private, 44679, 7th Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment (7RAR) | |
| 17 Feb 1970: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Private, 44679, 7th Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment (7RAR) |
Extract re Henry Stanczyk
'.......Stanczyk had latched onto me and Doug Peterson once we hit corps training. He was something of a loner—had some Polish blood, and a chip on his shoulder. Reckoned he’d only joined up to be a drummer in the army band, but they’d tricked him. He’d ended up in the infantry, and was dirty on the world because of it. He was a bit of a rooster though, and we let him tag along when we hit the streets of a night. He was good value in a blue, though he was more prone to getting us into them, than out of them…..' (from 'The War Within', Don Tate, Amazon Books)
Submitted 18 December 2015 by Don Tate
The Death of Henry Stanczyk
Stanczyk was a mate of mine through recruit and Corps Training.
He joined 7 RAR and was killed in action in a rice padi.
Submitted 15 December 2015 by Don Tate
Biography contributed by Robert Kearney
"...44679 Private Henry John Stanczyk ...of the 7th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment (7 RAR). Pte Stanczyk was deployed to Vietnam in 1970 with 7 RAR as part of the unit's second tour. (On the evening of) ...30 April, 1970 ...their platoon was setting up a night ambush position and came into contact with the Viet Cong. During the subsequent firefight, which took place in darkness and at close range, Pte Stanczyk was killed by an exploding grenade, which also wounded four others. He was 21 years old." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)
"FOUR SOLDIERS DIE IN VIETNAM
Four Australian soldiers have been killed in Vietnam, two during operations in Phuoc Tuy province and two in an accidental shooting incident during a sentry changeover at Nui Dat. Killed were: Private H. J. Stanczyk, a regular soldier, of Royal Park, South Australia; Private J. L. McQuat, a national serviceman, of Rocky Gully Western Australia; Private P. Earle, of Glenelg, South Australia; and Lance Corporal P. R. Goody, a national service man, of Monto, Queensland.
Army headquarters said yesterday that Private Stanczyk of the 7th Battalion was killed by Viet-cong rocket-propelled grenades during an incident involving the patrolling 7th Battalion and gunners of the 4th Field Regiment. Private McQuat was killed when the 8th Battalion came in contact with Vietcong. An investigation has begun into the shooting during an 8th Battalion sentry changeover at 2am yesterday about five miles north of Nui Dat. Private Earle died during the shooting and Lance Corporal Goody, who was wounded, died from wounds later at the First Australian Field Hospital at Vung Tau.
Four soldiers were also wounded in the enemy contacts in Phouc Tuy province. They are Private N. W. Cooper, of Wallsend, NSW (condition satisfactory), Private P. W. Lloyd, a national service man, of Kilsyth, Victoria (very satisfactory), Private M. D. Berry, a national serviceman of Ashburton, Victoria (satisfactory) of the 7th Battalion and Bombardier R. Hall, a regular soldier of Townsville, Queensland, a member of the 4th Field Regiment (very satisfactory). In the incident involving the 8th Battalion, Private B. A. Schaumann, a national serviceman, of Royal Park, South Australia was wounded. His condition is satisfactory." - from the Canberra Times 02 May 1970 (nla.gov.au)
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