An Australian Infantry Battalion(RAR)
A typical Infantry Battalion(RAR) consisted of,
Battalion HQ Group
(5 Officers 31 OR),
4 x Rifle Companies
(each of 5 Officers 118 OR)
Each company consisited of,
Company HQ - 2 Officers 13 OR
Support Section - 6 OR
Platoons(3 per Coy) each of 1 Officer- 33 OR
Rifle Sections(3 per Platoon) each of 10 OR
Support Company
Support Company HQ - 1 Officer 12 OR
Mortar Platoon - 2 Officers 31 OR
Anti-Tank Platoon - 1 Officer 31 OR
Signals Platoon - 1 Officer 39 OR
Assault Pioneer Platoon - 1 Officer 31 OR
Surveillance Platoon - 1 Officers 14 OR
Admin(istration) Company
Headquarters - 1 Officer 6 OR
Quartermaster Platoon - 3 Officers 42 OR
Medical Platoon - 1 Officer 38 OR
Total Strength = 37 Officers-755 OR
Infantry Battalions and Companies quite often operated under
strength. The main cause being battle casualties, other operational committments and end
of tour (12 months) by individual soldiers. Instances occurred where whole intakes of
National Servicemen were sent back to Australia due to their 2 year service committment
being terminated. Battalions were kept up to strength by re-inforcements from Australia.
An even balance of Regular and National Servicemen(NS) was maintained where
possible(Government Policy). Infantry Battalions were a close knit 'family' of soldiers
where mateship, friendship and camaraderie was the normal.
Supporting Arms and Services
Without the assistance of supporting Arms and Serivces an infantry battalion
would not be able to operate effectively, these included;
Forward Observers - (RAA) Artillery Forward Observers (FO parties)
accompanied the battalion and rifle companies on operations to co-ordinate and control
artillery support fire. Many a bad situation was saved by timely and accurate artillery
fire laid down by these FOs.
Engineers - (RAE) - were used for mine detection and clearance,
ordnance and bomb disposal, tunnel searches and clearance, booby
traps, erection of perimeter defences and a multitude of other engineering tasks.
He was also an extra rifleman during combat situations.
Tanks and APCs - (RAAC) - Armoured Personnel Carrier
(APC) were
used extensively by the infantry on operations. Centurion tanks also provided close
support, especially in bunker and well defended installations.
Cooks - Australian Army Catering Corps (AACC) - not in an
operational role.
Electrical and Mechanical Engineers - (RAEME). maintained all mechanical
and radio equipment. A RAEME operated (Armoured Recovery Vehicle) a Centurion
tank and accompanied most tank Squadrons for backup and support.
Medical - (RAAMC) - 1 Doctor - a fully qualified medic accompanied each
company on operations. Also operated the battalion Regimental Aid Post(RAP).
Radio Operators - (RA Sigs)to maintain communications between the
battalion and higher command (1 ATF). All other signal requirements were met by the
battalion's Signal Platoon.
Army Padre - provided for the spiritual welfare of all soldiers
regardless of religious faith.
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)
- 9 Sqn helicopters continually
supported the battalion by providing airlift, 'Dustoff" (medivac) helicopters and
'Bushranger' Gunships in close support.
The Infantry Rifle Section
Composition - 1 Cpl (Section Commander) - 1 LCpl
(Section
2i/c) - Scout Group (2 Pte) - Gun Group (2 Pte) - Rifle Group (4 Pte).
Weapons Used by Infantry Rifle Sections
L1A1 Self Loading Rifle(SLR) - semi auto - fired a
7.62mm standard NATO round - weight 10lbs - magazine capacity 20 rounds - range
300metres - standard issue weapon for all soldiers in the Australian Army. Very robust and
dependable weapon. Each soldier carried at least 150 rounds each.
M16A1 Armalite Rifle - fully auto - 5.56mm round - weight 7
lbs. - magazine capacity 20/30 rounds - range 300 metres - carried primarily by forwards
scouts in each section of a rifle company, also issued to selected appointments in a
unit.This weapon was not issued to Australian troops until stocks were obtained form US
sources in 1966. Early versions of this weapon were prone to stoppages and breakage's,
caused mainly by an unsatisfactory and weak alloy bolt carrier.
General Purpose Machine Gun M60(GPMG M60) - fired a 7.62mm
round and fed by linked ammo belt of 100 rounds - weight 23 lb - range up to 1100 metres.
This was the main fire support weapon for each section who carried 1 M60 and at least
1200 rounds. Reliable weapon , provided ammunition belts were kept clean and the weapon
was well maintained. Was prone to continual stoppages if the weapon became too worn.
F1 Sub Machine Gun - fired a 9mm round - magazine capacity 30
rounds - weight 7.2 lb - range 100 metres.This weapon was totally unsuitable for
conditions in Vietnam. The range (100 Metres) and low velocity of the 9mm
round was not capable of penetrating the jungle and undergrowth. The M16 Armalite was
eventually issued in place of this weapon.
40 MM M79 Grenade Launcher - carried by each rifle section
with 36 rounds - weight 6 lb - range 300 metres. Very effective against enemy troops and
light installations.
M26 Fragmentation Grenade - carried by each member of a rifle section -
lethal radius of 10 metres. Used effectively for close quarter fighting and
clearing enemy bunkers and weapon pits.
No 83 Smoke Grenade - used in various colours to indicate to
position of enemy and friendly troops. Used largely to indicate to helicopters and
aircraft, the position of a unit. Helicopters would not land or evacuate wounded until a
smoke grenade was thrown and the colour of the grenade was verified.
M49 Trip Flare - and used at night as an early warning device to
detect and illuminate enemy movement.
M18 Claymore Mine - 10 carried by each rifle section - range of 50
metres. Used extensively as a defensive weapon in night harbors and was most effective
when used in ambushing enemy parties.
M72 66 mm Light Anti-Tank Weapon(LAW) - weight 4.5 lbs. -
range 200 metres. Light weight and simple design, this weapon was most effective against
enemy installations such as bunkers and buildings. Fired a high explosive round from a
disposable launcher.
A Typical Load carried by an Infantry Soldier.
Individual items included, basic webbing(harness), weapon and ammunition,
a shell dressing, entrenching tool, machete, M26 grenade, nine full water bottles,
five days rations, small stove and hexamine tablets for cooking, shaving gear, steel
mug, shelter, lightweight blanket, hammock, spare socks and bayonet. In addition each 10
man section shared a load of, 6 x 100 round belts for the M60 MG, spare barrel for
the M60 MG, M49 flares, smoke grenades, white phosphorus grenades, grenade spigots
and ballastite cartridges, claymore mines, detonating cord, plastic explosive, M79 rounds,
M72 LAWs, spare radio batteries, torch, starlight scope(night vision device), panel
markers(for identification to aircraft), binoculars, compass, maps, protractor, pace
counter, strobe light, secateurs, medical kit, watches, codes and writing equipment.
Signalers carried the ANPRC Radio with spares batteries and handset and
antennas.
Platoon medics carried a comprehensive medical kit.
Engineers carried similar to the infantry soldier, plus a demolition bag, a small quantity of high explosives (C4)
and a Mine Detector. Engineers never operated alone. (Mini Team of 7 or Splinter
Team of 2)
Dress - consisted of jungle greens with sleeves down, general
purpose boots (GPs), sweat rag, floppy green hat.
Battalion Support Elements
Signals Platoon - equipped with the ANPRC 25 radio set
provided and maintained all radio and telephone communication requirements for the
battalion. Each rifle company HQ was allocated two radio operators. Radio Operators manned
the radios and telephones in the battalion Command Post (CP) and accompanied the battalion
on operations. Platoon radio operators were normally drawn from the platoon itself.
Mortar Platoon - provided mortar support for the battalion and the
Task Force with six 81mm mortar tubes and generally operated from the base area or
from a Fire Support Base (FSB). A Mortar FO would accompany rifle companies.
Anti-Tank Platoon - equipped with 16 Medium Anti-Tank Weapons(MAW)
the Pl provided additional fire support for the battalion.
Assault Pioneer Platoon - a similiar role to engineers. The
Pl provided valuable support for the battalion in defence works, mine detection and field
engineering
Administration Company - provided ammunition, stores, motor
vehicles, cooks and medical staff. Admin Coy was tasked to provide everything
required for the battalion to operate, at base and on operations.
Summary of Tours
Ops = Number of Major Operations Conducted.
Days = Number of Days Spent on Combat Operations For That Period.
KIA = Own Killed In Action/ WIA = Own Wounded In Action.
NK = Not Known - Insufficient Information Available.
The dates shown above are sourced from the Dept of Veterans Affairs
and are the recognised operational dates in Vietnam, for the purposes of Repatriation.
Dates include Advance and Rear Parties. Some data is incomplete due to records being
unavailable.
Summary
Between June 1965 and March 1972 there were a
total of 16 Battalion Tours in Vietnam. Seven Infantry Battalions of the Regiment saw 2
tours with 8 RAR and 9 RAR serving once. 14,325 Australian Infantrymen served. Of
415(Battle Deaths) in Vietnam, 323 came from the Regiment. As is the case in all wars, it
is the Infantry soldier who is expected to do the majority of fighting. Not included
in the figures above are the hundreds of Tactical Area of Operational Responsibility
(TAOR) patrols conducted by the battalions during their tour.
VIETNAM
LOOKING THROUGH AN
INFANTRY MAN'S
EYES
Written by Gary McMahon
Civilians will never understand what the average
infantry man went through in Vietnam. No one who hasn't been to Vietnam will ever know. A
General once exploded to a war correspondent:
"I get so emotionally tired of the lack of
understanding of what the infantry soldier endures .....I get so fighting mad because of
the general lack of appreciation of real heroism - which is the uncomplaining acceptance
of unendurable conditions..."
VIETNAM. To the fighting men there, half a world from home, the name meant
many things - none of them good.
It meant a long way from those we loved. It meant the
closest place to death. It meant the place where I lost my best friend; it meant a place
where we all surely and without doubt lost the last remnants of our boyhood.
Vietnam was stagnant rice paddies, red clay, jungle vines,
bamboo thickets and elephant grass. It was weeks of 120 degree heat and 100% humidity. It
was drought and monsoon and flood. It was two seasons, hot and dry and hot and wet. Or
both. A soldier said, "This is the only place in the world where you can be
shoulder deep in mud and have dust blowing in your face at the same time".
It was the red ant, the malaria mosquiti, the bamboo flea
and the bamboo viper, the pit viper, the banded krait, the cobra, and a couple of other
snakes that go under the alias of Mr. Two Foot and One Step Charlie, of
course all were poisonous.
Spiders, flies, lizards, rats, bats, leeches and a million
insects - no two alike live there. So does malaria, jungle rot, typhus, fungus, immersion
foot, sunburn, dysentry, pneumonia, heat prostration, tuberculosis, leprosy and other
ailments we didn't even have names for.
They lived there and they thrived. But, so did the spirit of
the Infantry man. Every day he met the challenges of that cruel, agonising war. He
survived. He even triumphed.
It didn't take much to make us happy. We got overjoyed at
little comforts like a squirt of insect repellant on a leech eating into our skin. Or a
dry cigarette.
We did everything that was asked of us and more. We fed on
courage and selflessness and dedication, and a comraderie that no one who shared will ever
find anywhere else again. And we got by on the most simple and pathetic, most god - awful
imortant little pleasures. A sweat stained photo or a letter from home, a nights sleep in
a bed or water without leeches.
We were young Australians and Americans who would have given
anything to be back home doing other things, but we weren't, we were in Vietnam doing our
duty for our country. By all accounts we were the smartest, strongest, best trained, most
spirited and competent fighting men our country had ever sent to war anywhere.
We were young but we were old beyond our years because that
war was a rush course in maturity and survival. We would do anything for a mate, anything
except leave him on the battlefield. We shared our last drops of water, or our last
cigarette. We patrolled together, we slept together, we laughed together and we fought
together. We even died together.
We trusted each other with our lives but we learned to
mistrust the slightest movement in the bushes, the snap of a twig at night, the old
villager with a concealed hand, the child who looked so young and innocent. We learned to
live by our senses and our instincts.
We lived like this because we were up against a tough,
resourceful, tenacious and brave enemy we called "Charlie." Whether he was the
local village Viet Cong (VC) we called "Victor Charles" or the main force North
Vietnamese Army (NVA), we fought them both, and he was good. He stood about five feet six
inches tall and weighed about eight stone wringing wet, but in my opinion he was one of
the best guerilla fighters in the world.
He was a master of camouflage, concealment and surprise.
He dug into holes, faded into the jungle, or submerged for hours in a rice paddy breathing
through a bamboo tube. He moved a lot at night and was always agonisingly hard to find.
He was also deadly and treacherous. He would bury village
people alive when they refused to help them or to pay rice taxes. He would employ
assassination and torture whenever it served him. And he would kill his own wounded to
keep them silent.
We could never relax because he was everywhere. He was
sometimes farmer, or civilian or woman or child, and he had many, many tricks: Bombs
hidden on a womans or baby's body, fruit injected with snake venom, ice for drinks filled
with slivers of glass, acid in Coca-Cola.
And they were not afraid to die.
As good as they were though, so were we, and in my opinion,
on the battlefield we were better. We fought the enemy at every opportunity and we never
lost a battle..It was a strange, bitter, frustrating, personal war. A war of contrasts. Of
modern technology and primitive conditions, of mud and dust, of outgoing and incoming,
of contact and no contact and the contrasts of hit and near miss, the
difference between the body bag and the good war story.
It was a war where you learned to trust fate
or God. There were not many Atheists amongs infantrymen in those days...It was
that kind of war.
Veterans Support and Advocacy Service Australia Inc.
128 - 130
Miskin St Toowong Brisbane QLD Australia - Phone (07) 3876 7000 Facsimile:
(07) 3871 2811
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