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glossary:  xxxxH is a time in 24-hour clock, if six-digit the first two are date.  YSxxxxxx is a 6-figure map grid read left to right then bottom to top.  KIA killed in action - WIA wounded in action - ROD remained on duty    full glossary here

On 14 May 2RAR/NZ ANZAC deployed W3 Coy [-] back to the mainland for the battalions first operation, Op ASHFIELD, while 2Pl and the W Coy mortar section continued operations on LONG SON Island.  This was W Coy's first operation to the west of NUI DAT and their first in elevated terrain since December 1969.

In May W Coy, now the senior sub-unit in the new ANZAC battalion, were to make the battalions first contact, inflict their first VC KIA, and lose their first unit soldier to enemy action.

3 May
W Company remained in NUI DAT.  Coy HQ and platoons received orders and spent the day preparing for deployment to LONG SON Island [the deployment was not given an operational name].

4 May
About 1000H W Coy deployed by 9Sqn Iroquois to LONG SON Island, landing at YS279567 [the water point and subsequent site of Coy HQ] to relieve 1ARU who had been providing protection to the engineer water point and well at the location.  W Coy deployed with 400 81mm mortar rounds for the attached mor sect.  Two RC-292 radio aerials were erected by W Coy in the Coy HQ area to improve comms back to Nui Dat.

Capt J Brown moved to the US MAT compound in the village of Xa LONG SON to act as LO to both the RF group commander on the island, and the US advisers.  Cpl Mark Binning gives a different perspective here.

LZ on LONG SON Island [Binning]

5 May
Comd 1ATF visited W Coy at 0930H on LONG SON Island.

Locstats as at 0944H: Coy HQ with mor sect YS279567, 1Pl YS282552, 2Pl YS263584, 3Pl YS267563, 3Pl ptl YS264565

6 May
2Pl was operating in an AO on the north west side of the island. 1Pl was operating in the high ground to the east of Coy HQ, while 3Pl were in the south west area of the island. The platoons were accompanied by V5 advance party personnel who were with W Coy for acclimatisation, one recollection is of Sgt Faulkner and two others travelling with 2Pl.

7 - 8 May
There are no entries in the logs for these days but the platoons continued patrolling their small AO [basically two grid squares each].  The V5 personnel returned to NUI DAT during this period.

"8 May John Rowles, New Zealand’s leading pop singer and popular with servicemen, hit number 1 on the music charts in New Zealand and 20 in Australia with  ‘Cheryl Moana Marie’; the record sold a million copies worldwide.  It was parodied in New Zealand as ‘share a banana with me’."

After a boat patrol organised by the island MAT team for the local RF, which Capt Brown and Cpl Binning attended [see here], Capt Brown returned to Coy HQ in preparation for assuming command, his place as LO being taken by the CSM WO2 Doug Mackintosh.

W Coy positions LONG SON Island early May 1970

9 May
At 1015H at YS266551 3Pl located a mud hut and small installation vacated just prior to their arrival.  A quantity of food and clothing was present.

During the evening the W Coy LO at the MAT team compound WO2 Mackintosh reported an explosion at YS303559 [near the village of Xa Long Son on a track 300 metres from the military post] in which a local civilian was wounded.  As the CSM was an experienced mortar instructor he apparently did not take kindly to being mortared by his own section.

Maj Torrance handed over command of W Coy to the Coy 2ic Capt Jim Brown and departed for NUI DAT to start a 5-day leave in Singapore 11 - 19 May.

10 May
A W3 patrol accompanied the Coy FOO on an inspection of the area where the civilian was wounded near the military post, finding evidence of an explosion but no sign of a mortar tail fin or crater.  Closest H&I had been fired at YS314553 on charge 9 [full charge].  The FOO reported to CP 1ATF that he was satisfied that the W Coy mortar section were not in error.

Locstats at 1225H were Coy HQ with mortars at YS278567, 1Pl YS290566, 2Pl YS262584, 3Pl 267557 with a ptl at YS278547.

Contact:  1240H at YS279567 the Coy HQ and mortar section location was fired on from across the LZ by an enemy party [3 or 4 people] using SA and RPG.  A DUSTOFF for LCpl Morrison [left] was requested at 1246H with the comment "GSW is only a crease, no hurry".  [This comment might have been a bit cavalier, see further detail of the wounding here.]  1Pl were directed to sweep the area of the contact and at one point thought they had the enemy party caught between two friendly locations but no enemy were injured. The LFT expended their ordnance load and after covering the DUSTOFF returned to NUI DAT to rearm.  There is conjecture that the party engaging the Coy HQ location might have been local militia from the military post who, upset by the accidental wounding of a local villager the night before, were retaliating against the mortar position.

Contact:  1805H at YS290566 1Pl were in contact with 1x VC at 20 metres, no result.  The VC was initially observed moving very slowly as if looking for something.

11 - 12 May
There are no entries in the logs for these days but the platoons continued patrolling their AO.  The W Coy mort sect activities are further described here.

13 May
At 1415H at YS284583 1Pl found a mud hut with raised floor that had been occupied recently, the occupants could not be located.  Foliage had been pulled together over the hut to camouflage it and x2 boats were also covered with vegetation.  A weapon and the boats were destroyed.

W3 mortar base plate before the attack [Binning]

14 May
In the early part of 1970 the area west of NUI DAT had been allocated as AO to the US 199 LIB and a brigade of 25^th Div who constructed two FSPB in the area [called SOUTH DAKOTA and COLORADO].  Mid-year 1ATF decided to return Task Force troops to the area and 2RAR would be first in once they finished their in-country preparation.  In the meantime W Coy less 2Pl and mortars was warned for a preliminary operation - Op ASHFIELD in AO MAGIC starting 15 May.  The Op Instr dated 14 May and issued to Capt Jim Brown as acting OC is here.  

W Coy HQ and 1 and 3 Platoons were airlifted back to NUI DAT from 0830H, being complete in NUI DAT by 0910H.  The Company then began hurried preparations to deploy the following day on Op ASHFIELD in AO MAGIC [AO MAGIC being on the mainland approximately 3Km north of LONG SON Island, in a valley to the West of the NUI DINH mountains.

On LONG SON Island 2Pl under Lt Bob Upton moved to the former Coy HQ location.  2Pl and the mortar sect remained on the island to provide protection to the engineer detachment completing a civil aid pipeline project to get fresh water from the well at the LZ to the village. 

Rain fell today [0.2"] for the first time, signalling the start of the wet season monsoon.

15 May
Early morning 15 May the elements of W Coy in NUI DAT assembled at KANGAROO Pad NUI DAT to prepare for an air assault into a LZ at YS311659.  The troops were carrying 3-days rations.  The company was bolstered by a mortar section [c/s 84], assault pioneer section and an engineer mini-team, plus the usual FO party, while a radio relay detachment set up on LONG SON Island in the area of the RF post at YS267574 so that comms into AO MAGIC from NUI DAT could be improved. 

2RAR were obviously practising inter-arm procedures, at 0845H a C&C helicopter flew to the area from KANGAROO Pad to oversee fighter ground attack aircraft blitzing the LZ at YS311659 from 0905H to 0935H, followed by artillery fire from the battalion DS battery [107 Battery] which struck the pad from 0935H until 0955H.  At 0951H W Coy was lifted off KANGAROO Pad enroute to the LZ while the 9Sqn RAAF LFT blitzed the pad until 1000H when W Coy landed.  Not surprisingly there was no contact with VC...

W Coy established a small fire base at YS313656 which later that day was authorised as ‘ZILLA’ [the name of Maj Torrance's wife, on LONG SON Island the 2Pl fire base was officially called RHONDA after Lt Upton's wife].  By 1100H the platoons were released from the fire base to start RIF and ambush operations.  9Sqn flew in 280 81mm mortar rounds for the mor sect [200 HE, 50 WP, 30 illum]. 

At 1230H locstats were 1Pl YS311658, 3Pl YS316658.

Wolverton or Nui Dinh Mountains - Baria town and main road to Saigon bottom right. Nui Dinh are the middle range of hills, W Coy operated on the
far side from Baria. [Young]

2Pl: At 0945H Comd 1ATF visited LONG SON Island, staying about 15 minutes.  This was Brig Weir's last visit to the island before he returned to Australia and is likely the visit mentioned by Lt Upton here which subsequently led to the 'Admiral Upton' incident.

At 1320H at YS311663 1Pl spotted a pressure operated CHICOM AP mine which they destroyed.  The mine was pressure detonated, located 4" below the surface and was about 5" long.

At some time during the afternoon 1Pl located a bunker system, at 1701H they reported these clear but with numerous tracks in the area would continue to sweep the area the following morning.

Night Locations:  HQ and mor sect FSB ZILLA, 2Pl and sect mor FSB RHONDA, 1Pl YS312668, 3Pl YS320655

Rainfall today 0.54"

16 May

Contact:  0840H at YS312668 1Pl contacted x4 VC, x1 VC WIA [BT], mortars were fired at 'danger close' during the contact.  The contact was initiated by the 1Pl sentry at 35 metres and the VC immediately fled.  Intelligence believed that the VC belonged to the PHUOC HOA guerrillas.

Contact:  1938H [after dark] at YS313656  a Coy HQ sentry at ZILLA fired at 25 metres at one or more VC who approached from the west, the VC fled, no result from a sweep the following morning.

2Pl:  None of the official diaries [1ATF, 2RAR or 1Fd Sqn RAE] have any mention of engineer boat patrols with 2Pl around LONG SON Island, however several patrols were conducted up to and including 24 May. 

2Pl:  In addition to boat patrols 2Pl conducted daily escort duties for the engineers working on the water point and pipeline, and in local patrols and security around RHONDA.

Night Locations:  HQ and mor sect FSB ZILLA, 2Pl and sect mor FSB RHONDA, 1Pl YS318671, 3Pl YS317650

Rainfall today 0.15"

2Pl on boat patrol LONG SON Island.
Note the low front to the 'boats' and the absence of life  jackets. The 'boats', actually designed as bridge pontoons with outboard motors fitted to hold the bridge against the river flow or tide, were never intended as sea boats. [Young]

17 May
Night Locations:  HQ and mor sect FSB ZILLA, 2Pl and sect mor FSB RHONDA, 1Pl YS322675, 3Pl YS319637

Rainfall today 'trace'

18 May
At 0807H at YS323630 3Pl detained a suspected VC resupply party of x4 people who were processed at PHUOC HOA [YS2862] and released as civilians.  The party of x3 female and x1 male had empty baskets and three extra hats, x1 machete but no axes or ID cards.

map of W Coy patrol area
late May 1970

At 0850H 1Pl were at YS317669.

At 1000H at YS325625 3Pl engaged a sighting of VC with arty and mor, unknown results.

At 1120H 3Pl had a further x10 detainees which they intended moving to PHUOC HOA [YS2862] for processing.

All W3 elements ceased moving by 1159H and operations were suspended from 1200H to 191200H to mark the occasion of Buddha’s birthday.

Night Locations:  HQ and mor sect FSB ZILLA, 2Pl and sect mor FSB RHONDA, 1Pl YS315674, 3Pl YS325625

Rainfall today nil

19 May
Platoons dispersed again after midday [end of ceasefire period].

Maj Torrance returned to NUI DAT from Singapore.

Night Locations:  HQ and mor sect FSB ZILLA, 2Pl and sect mor FSB RHONDA, 1Pl YS318672, 3Pl YS325624

Rainfall today nil

20 May
Maj Torrance rejoined the Company at FSPB ZILLA.

Night Locations:  HQ and mor sect FSB ZILLA, 2Pl and sect mor FSB RHONDA, 1Pl YS313670, 3Pl YS313657

Rainfall today 0.61"

21 May
Contact:  0925H at YS328639 3Pl contacted x1 VC, x1 VC KIA and a CHICOM pistol and a pack with documents captured.  The area was engaged with mortars from ZILLA and 105mm artillery from NUI DAT.  3Pl then located at YS328638 a 6-man bunker complex with OHP and cookhouse, these facilities were destroyed.  It was deduced that the dead VC had been sentry and another x6 VC in the camp had fled.

At 1130H at YS326640 3Pl located a 6-bunker complex occupied 2-hours previously by x10 VC, facilities were destroyed.

Night Locations:  HQ and mor sect FSB ZILLA, 2Pl and sect mor FSB RHONDA, 1Pl YS320661, 3Pl YS326641

Rainfall today trace

22 May
At 1045H at YS308657 a patrol from Coy HQ located a body wrapped in plastic.  From the type of wounds it was deduced this was the VC WIA in the 1Pl contact on 16 May.

At 1445H 1Pl reported noises 80-100 metres from their position and registered the area for an artillery fire mission.

1Pl were assisted in their assault by mortar fire from ZILLA and artillery fire on the camp and as cut-off by 107 Bty RAA field arty and C/2/35 US 155mm medium arty.  The facility was captured and later destroyed.   A more complete account of the contact by the platoon commander is here.  The following extract is from the HQ 1ATF diary and adds to or confuses detail from other recollections: [B/R is Bushranger LFT]

This is the installation report for the contact copied from the HQ 1ATF diary:

The detail of what was found in the camp [cache report] is shown in this extract copied from the HQ 1ATF diary:

Documents found on the VC KIA included plans for attacks on a number of villages in the CHAU DUC district.  Located in the bunker system were a large number of personal letters addressed to members of the CHAU DUC district, and medical instructions and documents belonging to the medical section of CHAU DUC.  A nominal roll of personnel in C2/D67, A2/D67 or D65 Engr Bn was also found.

Night Locations:  HQ and mor sect FSB ZILLA, 2Pl and sect mor FSB RHONDA, 1Pl YS323658, 3Pl YS318637

During the evening W Coy were advised of air and artillery strikes planned for the following day between 1000H and 1300H onto the Chau Duc HQ.  W Coy were not to have troops within 1500 metres of the target at YS335655.

Rainfall today trace

23 May
Contact:  0916H at YS323643 3Pl contacted x2 VC, nil results.  The platoon lead scout caught a fleeting glimpse of x1 VC at 50-75 metres up a re-entrant and engaged, the leading element then formed a firm base for the rear elements to conduct a sweep during which movement was again engaged.  Mortars were fired on likely escape routes.

At 1422H 1Pl was at YS324658 and 3Pl at YS323643.

Night Locations:  HQ and mor sect FSB ZILLA, 2Pl and sect mor FSB RHONDA, 1Pl YS318661, 3Pl YS334651

Rainfall today 1 point

24 May
2Pl:  This is the date identified by Maj Torrance when 'Admiral Upton' and his 2Pl crew made their infamous Long Son Island boat patrol and inadvertently inspected the bottom of the RACH RANG waterway - more details here.  Following the recovery of the boat party by 2 Pl ceased further boat operations.

W Coy elements were stationary during 24 May.

[24 May - 2RAR issued their Op Instr for Op CAPRICORN for search and destroy operations in AO WICKHAM - read here]

Night Locations:  HQ and mor sect FSB ZILLA, 2Pl and sect mor FSB RHONDA, 1Pl YS318661, 3Pl YS334651

Rainfall today nil

25 May
At 0923H at YS333652 3Pl located caves contaminated with CS gas, one soldier was affected but not medevac.

At 1008H a patrol from Coy HQ [probably under the CSM] was at YS314669, back at ZILLA by 1040H.

Night Locations:  HQ and mor sect FSB ZILLA, 2Pl and sect mor FSB RHONDA, 1Pl YS324659, 3Pl YS332654

Rainfall today 0.6 points

26 May
Starting at 0800H 2RAR/NZ began to deploy into the field on Op CAPRICORN.  AO MAGIC was cancelled at 0600H and the area absorbed into a larger AO WICKHAM.  2RAR/NZ established a new FSPB in area YS347710 [called GIMLET but later changed to NOLA - name of Lt Col Church’s wife], initially directing an airstrike, then artillery fire onto the proposed FSPB location after which it  was secured by V Coy air landing at 0928H followed by the FSPB advance elements at 1100H.

W Coy remained in place in the area of the old AO MAGIC but were now operating in the SW corner of AO WICKHAM.

Contact:  0920H at YS312642 a Coy HQ patrol [c/s 50B] lead scout had a contact with x1 VC at approximately 105 metres, nil result.  Mortars from ZILLA fired along the VC withdrawal route.

[at 1255H B Coy contacted x1 VC, nil results - this was the first contact with the VC by new 2RAR/NZ elements.]

2Pl:  At 1830H Bn HQ 2RAR/NZ issued a warning order for the movement of 2Pl off LONG SON Island to rejoin W Coy in the field.

Night Locations:  Coy HQ FSB ZILLA, 2Pl and sect mor FSB RHONDA, 1Pl YS324673, 3Pl YS333652

Rainfall today 17 points

27 May
From 0800H the main body of the FSPB commenced their air and road movement to NOLA.

From 0926H C Coy commenced their air movement to FSB ZILLA, being complete at ZILLA by 1015H before moving to their AO.

At 1200H at YS337652 a 3Pl patrol located an circular shaped overnight VC camp with x8 hammock spaces last occupied 2-3 nights previously. 

[At 2043H C Coy contacted x2 VC, x2 VC KIA, weapons and documents captured - the first VC KIA by new 2RAR/NZ elements.]

Night Locations:  Coy HQ FSB ZILLA, 2Pl and sect mor FSB RHONDA, 1Pl YS328672, 3Pl YS333652

Rainfall today 5 points

28 May
At 1430H at YS328673 1Pl located and destroyed x2 CHICOM Bangalore torpedoes each containing 10lb CHICOM explosive.

[This was the day the MCT near Horseshoe Hill finished clearing the Australian barrier minefield, several more sappers had been injured by exploding mines in the period since 2 and 3 Pl had left NDP TIMOTHY]

Night Locations:  Coy HQ FSB ZILLA, 2Pl and sect mor FSB RHONDA, 1Pl YS325672, 3Pl YS332651

Rainfall today nil

29 May
Contact:  1019H at YS328656 the lead section of 3Pl suffered a booby trap incident causing the death of Pte John Gurnick and the wounding of Pte Chris Kennedy.  While moving along the side of a hill above a suspected VC camp site the cover scout tripped a wire which pulled two CHICOM grenades down out of a tree.  The explosion critically wounded cover scout John Gurnick [right] and injured lead scout Chris Kennedy [left - who would have been partly protected by his back pack].  While both were evacuated by DUSTOFF helicopter the evacuation was not quick enough for John Gurnick who died on the helicopter [see comment here].

Pte John Gurnick RNZIR KIA 29 May 1970
[photo taken during training in Malaysia - Welsh]

The platoon commanders after action report is here.  These extracts are from the 1ATF log, note the incorrect c/s 52 in the first snip.

[At 1653H at YS309668 8Pl C Coy detonated a pressure/electric VC claymore AP mine, x2 Aust KIA, x3 Aust WIA, these were the first 2RAR casualties.  YS309668 is very close to where 1Pl W Coy had a contact at 0840H on 16 May.]

Contact:  At 1830H at YS333652 3Pl contacted x2 VC, nil results.  Contact initiated by sentry, mortars and arty were fired on withdrawal routes.

The mor sect at ZILLA was either withdrawn today, or perhaps as early as 26 May [the day reference to the sect stops in the 2RAR Diary]. This allowed Coy HQ to become mobile again.

Night Locations:  Coy HQ YS313659, 1Pl YS333683, 2Pl YS279567 [still on LONG SON], 3Pl YS332651

Rainfall today nil

Pte Kennedy in 1AFH following his wounding on 29 May

30 May
2Pl departed LONG SON Island to NUI DAT.

At 1325H 3Pl were at YS338657.

Night Locations:  Coy HQ and 1Pl YS332689, 2Pl NUI DAT, 3Pl YS332651

Rainfall today nil

31 May
At 0841H locstats were Coy HQ c/s 50B at YS317660, 1Pl at YS332689, 3Pl at YS332651.

At 1100H locstats were 3Pl at YS334653 and patrol at YS332651, c/s 50B at YS319664.

At 1406H locstats were Coy HQ at YS313657, 1Pl at YS331689, 3Pl at YS334653, c/s 50B at YS319662.

2Pl flew in to join W Coy at FSB ZILLA, linking with Coy HQ.

Night Locations:  Coy HQ and 2Pl YS313657, 1Pl YS332688, 3Pl YS374653.

Rainfall today 0.19"

[Command of 1ATF changed today, Brig WG Henderson replacing Brig SP Weir who returned to Australia.]

W3 Coy remained on Op CAPRICORN until 9 June 1970

Rain fall figures are for NUI DAT.

References:
HQ 1ATF – AWM95, 1/4/187, 188, 189
4 Fd Regt RAA – AWM95, 3/7/12
1 Fd Sqn RAE – AWM95, 4/2/59
2RAR – AWM95, 7/2/54, 55, 56

www.awm.gov.au/collection/war_diaries/se_asian_conflicts/

the only W Coy contact after-action report for May 70 is here      

read April 1970 timeline here          read June 1970 timeline here

full glossary here     anyone can offer corrections and updates to this detail - send here