BEXTRUM, Neil Raymond
| Service Number: | 5411494 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) |
| Born: | Carlton, 21 May 1945 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
Vietnam War Service
| 23 Apr 1966: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), 5411494, 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR) | |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Apr 1966: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Lance Corporal, 5411494 | |
| 5 Jun 1966: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Lance Corporal, 5411494, 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR), Long Tan | |
| 5 Jun 1966: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Lance Corporal, 5411494 |
Help us honour Neil Raymond Bextrum's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Elsa Reuter
Bextrum's "reconstructed" citation by his commanding officer 2nd Lt. David Sabben, from the "Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal".
"Private Neil Bextrum was a soldier in 12 Platoon, D Company, 6 RAR. On the afternoon of 18 August 1966, the Company and Platoon he was in became involved in a battle with enemy forces in the Long Tan rubber plantation in the Republic of South Vietnam.
In the early part of the battle, his Platoon was required to advance on the enemy over open ground and later in the battle was required to defend its exposed position without the advantage of diggings or other defensive works against a determined and fiercely attacking enemy. In both of those phases, Pte Bextrum’s cool actions and effective field craft set a fine standard for those around him.
Towards the end of the battle, Pte Bextrum assisted in the evacuation of a wounded comrade during the intense firefight, thereby exposing himself to direct and close-quarter enemy fire. His outstanding actions, his devotion to duty and his attempts to save the lives of his comrades deserve permanent recognition."
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