4 Field Regiment (SVN) 'Old Boys' Newsletter - March 2014 Edition

From PJ Smith (psmith@rslvic.com.au ) "Entertaining Vietnam," a documentary about performers who entertained during the war, can still be viewed for free at an online film festival. http://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentary/watch-online/play/10371/Entertaining-Vietnam (Ed: I had a look at this and thought it was great. I passed it on to a friend who was one of the go go dancers /singers who toured SVN in the early days. She was very impressed and had seen some of the footage but enjoyed it all. By the way, I think Graeme Leonard is in one of the scenes – see if you can pick him out) The following is PJ Smiths reply to Johno’s email with the Sallyman clip. If you haven’t seen it, drop me a line and I will forward it to you. Johno, Thanks. Very interesting. I have a feeling the ‘rock’ might have been in the transport yard but I could be wrong about that. Hard to read the names but I guess that happens after 40 + years. The comment that the tunnels at Long Phuoc were never located is a popular story told by tourist guides in the area but that doesn’t ring very true. Once contacted from a tunnel system, as did happen there, the position of the tunnel system is immediately compromised. Maybe it took a while to work out the extent of the system but to say 1 ATF didn’t know where it was is a bit of a stretch. Anyway, winners are grinners and losers can please themselves. Winners write history. Re: Long Hais, mention of the memorial to those from both sides who fought and died in the dreaded Long Hais brought to mind the major action fought there by 8RAR in Feb 1970. Those of us who went in the 4 Fd Advance party in early Feb 1970 will recall it. After a major contact, 8 RAR found themselves mired in a minefield (our own mines which had been lifted from the now infamous ‘barrier minefield’ and relocated into the Long Hais). The attached link tells the story: http://www.taylor.id.au/charlie.htm Regards, PJ (As an addition to the Long Hai Story, some of us went down to the base of the hills with the 155s and did some direct firing into some of the cave systems that could be seen from the lowlands. I was also involved with D & E Platoon around the base of the Long Hais placing out sensor devices for a while. PJB) OK guys, that’s it for now or I will never get this issue out to you. Just a reminder to let your mates know that if they don’t get this then I haven’t got an email address for them. No hard copies going out unless by request. Best wishes to you all and have a great ANZAC Day. Peter Bruce