Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

I was called up for National Service in 1969 completing my basic training at Singleton NSW in December 1969. Having been in the CMF (Citizens Military Service) previously, I retained my original service number and therefore was recognized as having had previous experience and was occasionally called upon during basic training to supervise small sections of recruits, my platoon being one NCO shy of required numbers. Having been allocated Artillery as my service corps I was briefly stationed at Holsworthy for training as a gun number before being stationed at North Head Artillery Training Centre to be trained as a signaler.
On completion of the signalers’ course at North Head, I volunteered to go to Vietnam and was assigned to 12 Field Regiment RAA which had recently moved from Holsworthy to Lavarack Barracks in Townsville to prepare for their second tour of Vietnam commencing in 1971. On arrival in Townsville I was allocated to Head Quarter Battery Signals Section.
While at Shoalwater Bay on exercise with my unit 12 Field Regiment, I volunteered to go to Vietnam as a replacement signaler for 4 Field Regiment RAA as they were returning Nashos’ home to Australia for discharge as their national service enlistment time came to an end. I was flown back to Townsville on the same day and after driving home to Maroochydore and having a couple of days leave, then flew on to Sydney, then on to Vietnam after several days at Watsons Bay in Sydney.
I arrived in Vietnam on the 9th December 1970 and after a couple of weeks acclimatization during which time I went on a number of convoys’ as a shotgun I was put to work on the 4 Field Regiment Telephone exchange (Enterprise) in Nui Dat. I progressed to a brief period in Artillery Tactical Head Quarters, in Task Force Head Quarters Nui Dat before being posted to 1ATF Liaison unit at Province Head Quarters in Ba Ria where I stayed for three months living in the Van Kiep National Training Centre at Long Dien several kilometers east of Ba ria.
Following a three-month stint in Ba Ria and my unit, 12 Field Regiment taking over from 4 Field Regiment, I returned to Nui Dat and took up duties in Arty Tac once again.
When 3 RAR arrived in country I spent a brief period as a Forward Observer Signaler, before once again working in Arty Tac.