The Battle of Long Tan - Peter FitzSimons

[kiwiruna]

Just been released, I'm currently listening to the audio version and so far it's good and makes a good companion to the movie Danger Close

  The Battle of Long Tan

From the bestselling author of Kokoda and Gallipoli comes the epic story of Australia’s deadliest Vietnam War battle.

4.31 pm: Enemy [on] left flank. Could be serious.
5.01 pm: Enemy … penetrating both flanks and to north and south.
5.02: Running short of ammo. Require drop through trees.

It was the afternoon of 18 August 1966, hot, humid with grey monsoonal skies. D Company, 6RAR were four kilometres east of their Nui Dat base, on patrol in a rubber plantation not far from the abandoned village of Long Tan. A day after their base had suffered a mortar strike, they were looking for Viet Cong soldiers.

Then - just when they were least expecting - they found them. Under withering fire, some Diggers perished, some were grievously wounded, the rest fought on, as they remained under sustained attack

[Dave Homewood]

This sounds interesting. Where is it available?

[tbf2504]

Two kiwis were involved in that action, forward artillery observers. One went on as a civilian to become the Defence Medals Officer at Trentham.

[Dave Homewood]

Lots more than two were involved Paul. 161 Battery of NZFA were heavily involved, too.

[tbf2504]

What I was referring to was the personnel actually pinned down with the aussies at the battlefront see this;
just over one year later on 18 August 1966, 161 Bty, 16 Field Regiment, RNZA part of the 1st Australian Task Force at Nui Dat, South Vietnam would be firing in support of D Company, 6RAR in The Battle of Long Tan alongside Australian artillery – 103 Bty & 105 Bty Royal Australian Army and 2/35th Howitzer Battalion, US Army. The Forward (Artillery) Observers attached to D Coy, 6RAR were Capt Morrie Stanley, Bdr Willie Walker, and Bdr Murray Broomhall all from 161 Bty, RNZA. They controlled the 24 guns in support of themselves and the rest of D Coy for more than 3.5 hours in the rubber plantation called Long Tan. The artillery guns fired 6-8 rounds per minute (2 above the intense rate) almost non-stop.

[kiwiruna]

Nov 9, 2022 15:23:08 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

This sounds interesting. Where is it available?

Hi Dave,  Whitcoulls & Paper Plus have copies.

[Dave Homewood]

I meant the audio version rather than paper version.

[tbf2504]

Willie Walker was the one who became the Defence Medals officer in later years

[ZacYates]

Nov 9, 2022 15:23:08 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

This sounds interesting. Where is it available?

Google suggests Audible.

[kiwiruna]

Hi again Dave
Here's a link to Audible
www.amazon.com.au/The-Battle-of-Long-Tan/dp/B0BD98QMT1/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1668039117&sr=8-1

[planecrazy]

Saw a really well done film about Long Tan, "Danger Close" a while back, featured
New Zealand artillery and the part they played.

Movie trailer.


Bit more about the film here.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danger_Close:_The_Battle_of_Long_Tan

[Mustang51]

Kiwis played a vital part in the Battle...................have the movie on DVD and seen it quite a few times.

[Dave Homewood]

I have spoken with a few pilot veterans who were in Vietnam and there, though not directly involved, who say the film is fine enough for a mass audience but not strictly accurate.