|
July 1970 - W3 COMPANY ACTIVITIES This section has a detailed timeline for W3 Company activities from 1 to 31 July 1970 offer corrections and updates to this detail - send here 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 - BT blood trail full glossary here Summary. HQ 1ATF had passed W Coy to under OpCon of 8RAR from 300800H June 1970 for operations until 10 Jul 70 as part of Op PETRIE - W3 Coy's part was code named Op QUARTERMILE. 8RAR deployed W Coy to FSPB LE LOI [YS4576] by truck with the Company arriving about 301000H Jun70. W Coy remained c/s5 but on the 8RAR command net. The Company task was to establish half-platoon ambushes in the vicinity of the BINH BA tri-village complex and around AP SUOI NGHE in an attempt to destroy elements of D440 VC bn. By the time W3 Coy joined 8RAR the mission had been amended from 'destroy D440' to 'provide security to the villages astride Route2'. The W Coy role while with 8RAR seems to have been supportive of the main battalion effort without being invited to take a more active role. While at LE LOI with 8RAR W Coy were co-located with and used 161 Bty New Zealand artillery support for the first time. Soldiers were able to spend off-duty time on the gun-line. The photo was taken after W Coy arrived at LE LOI when garrisoned by 8RAR and 161 Bty RNZA, looking south to the edge of the BINH BA rubber plantation [any green vehicles seen were used by 161 Bty and strangely, CO 8RAR].
8RAR conducted operations differently to 2RAR/NZ, preferring to find and fix the VC in their bunker systems by quietly ambushing all routes out of the VC facilities in a battalion coordinated area ambush. When ready the Bn HQ would direct massive amounts of air strikes followed by artillery and mortar barrages to swamp the VC position before pushing into the facility with support from tanks to drive the VC into escaping into the established ambushes. To achieve this 8RAR had additional artillery units co-locate to FSPB LE LOI with 161 Bty RNZA: six 155mm self propelled medium guns of C Bty 2/35 US Arty, and two 8" self propelled howitzers of A Bty 7/8 US Arty. The 2RAR/NZ mortar platoon was also under OpCon of 8RAR.
Researcher Note: Log detail at unit level has become more difficult to decipher due to more generic comments being used [element W Coy is..] or the logs have original handwriting in pencil which has been corrected and altered [have difficulty reading my own handwriting...]. Previously the unit logs had been edited and typed. Rear Details. W Coy rear details conducted TAOR ptl on dates as follows: 9 -11 Jul area YS4865, 13-14 July YS496654,
30 June
1 July Night Locations: Coy HQ LE LOI, 1Pl YS417713 [..?], 2Pl YS469754, 3Pl YS463731, other 2RAR elements [unidentified and not all necessarily W Coy but could half-platoon ambushes] at YS410715, YS417713, YS467753, YS459748, YS460734, YS464724 Rainfall today 1.38" Humidity 82%
2 July Night Locations: 2RAR elements [unidentified by 8RAR and not all necessarily W Coy] at Coy HQ LE LOI, YS410715, YS417713, YS467753, YS459748, YS460734, YS464724
Rainfall today 1.38"
Humidity 86% 8RAR AO start of July 1970
3 July [1800H following three separate reports of a large well-armed VC party dressed in black at YS4277 and YS4377 the indirect fire elements at LE LOI engaged the area, nil results.] Night Locations: Coy HQ LE LOI, 2RAR elements [unidentified by 8RAR and not all necessarily W Coy] at YS441750, YS440744, YS453752, YS451748, YS549748, YS457744, YS447793, YS454792 Rainfall today 0.85" Humidity 80%
4 July Rainfall today 0.36" Humidity 84%
5 July Rainfall today 0.97" Humidity 86%
6 July 1215H locstat 1Pl YS418756 with a ptl at YS428742 Brig Holloway Comd NZ Field Force with Comd 1NZ Inf Bde visited 1ATF Night Locations: Coy HQ LE LOI, 2RAR elements [unidentified by 8RAR and not all necessarily W Coy] at YS418756, YS430745, YS445754, YS459757, YS462748, YS464743, YS444789, YS447797 Rainfall today 0.14" Humidity 89%
7 July 13900H W Coy [element..?] were directed to move west [where from..?] to YS404753 and needed coordination to avoid a SAS ptl in the area 1510H locstat 1Pl YS414756 Night Locations: Coy HQ LE LOI, 1Pl YS418759, 2Pl YS445754, 3Pl YS462748 [Locstats from 1ATF DO Log] Rainfall today trace Humidity 81% [less than 0.1 mm (0.2 mm in the US) is generally referred to as a trace].
8 July [during the day the battery commander of 107 Bty RAA providing direct support to 2RAR/NZ Maj George Salmon was wounded by his own battery while demonstrating to a new FOO on the NUI DAT range how to direct a 'danger-close' mission [rounds impacting inside 250 metres of own forces]. As a result he was medically boarded out of 1ATF with damaged hearing]. Night Locations: Coy HQ LE LOI, 2RAR elements [unidentified by 8RAR and not all necessarily W Coy] at YS458754, YS449757, YS460750, YS459743, YS443753, YS438743m, YS444789, YS447797 Rainfall today 2.62" Humidity 87%
9 July Rainfall today 0.44" Humidity 85%
10
July 0932H 1ATF CP advised that W Coy were in NUI DAT Night Location: W Coy complete in their lines at NUI DAT. Rainfall today 0.25" Humidity 71% 2Pl lines in NUI DAT
11 July Rainfall today 12 points Humidity 73%
12 July Rainfall today nil Humidity 80%
13 July According to the 2RAR/NZ intelligence report W Coy was expecting to operate against the BINH BA Guerrillas who combined with the DUC MY Guerrillas could only muster twelve men. W Coy initially provided a NCO with signaller c/s9G [names anyone..?] to HQ DUC THANH District HQ to allow liaison with District and RF forces but the c/s and task was cancelled on 16 July when W Coy came under OpCon of HQ 1ATF and moved to the TF Comd radio net as c/s 83. 0830H W Coy departed NUI DAT to return to FSPB LE LOI YS4576 reporting its arrival at 1100H. This was later than the 1ATF required time of 0800H.
Night
Location: no record - assumed W Coy complete
Rainfall today 20 points Humidity 82% photo illustrates both the open nature of rubber plantations and the effect of the wet season on operations [Philip]
14
July: To overcome these disadvantages W Coy chose to deploy platoon patrols from LE LOI late afternoon each day, ambushing tracks overnight in the rubber and returning to LE LOI after sunrise to dry out and work on the base facilities. 1045H Comd 1ATF visited W Coy at FSPB LE LOI Night Locations: no record - assumed W Coy complete at LE LOI except for 3Pl Rainfall today 0.02" Humidity 75%
15 July 0930H locstat 3Pl LE LOI CO 1RNZIR made another visit to 1ATF over the period 15 - 17 Jul Night Locations: Coy HQ, part 1Pl and 3Pl LE LOI, 2Pl YS435765 and YS441750, elm 1Pl YS452781 Rainfall today 17 points Humidity 80%
16
July 1000H Comd 1ATF visited W Coy at FSPB LE LOI 1030H Co 1RNZIR Lt Col Rob Williams [later NZ CGS] visited W Coy at LE LOI, departing again around 1600H. Maj Brian Monks who would later command V6 Coy accompanied him. Night Locations: Coy HQ, 1Pl (-) 2Pl LE LOI, 1Pl ptl YS460745, 3Pl YS442737 and YS447748. Rainfall today no record
17 July Night Locations: Coy HQ, 3Pl LE LOI, 1Pl (-) YS431769, 2Pl YS456734 and YS459756, Rainfall today 96 points Humidity 85%
18 July 1100H locstat W Coy complete at LE LOI Night Locations: Coy HQ LE LOI, other elements not recorded, 1Pl likely on ambush task Rainfall today 35 points Humidity 85%
19 July 1010H Comd 1ATF visited W Coy at FSPB LE LOI 1037H locstat 1Pl YS415766 Night Locations: Coy HQ LE LOI, 1Pl YS412762, 2Pl (-) YS434736, 3Pl (-) YS446749, remainder LE LOI Rainfall today nil Humidity 78%
20 July 1205H 1Pl investigating occupied VC camp at YS402758 [no further reports logged]. 1210H W Coy requested DUSTOFF from LE LOI for a NZ patient [may not be W Coy person, name anyone..?], unconscious from a PUO [pyrexia of unknown origin = high temperature etc] . 1450H the 1Pl locstat was YS409762, the remainder of Coy was at LE LOI. Night Locations: Coy HQ, elm 2Pl, 3Pl (-) LE LOI, 1Pl YS407757, 2Pl (-) YS457755, elm 3PL YS449754. Rainfall today nil Humidity 80%
21 July LCpl Teller earned a second entry in his Mentioned in Despatches (MID) award for his actions during this contact. "I was There" Lt Kevin O'Brien the Coy FOO commented: the 21 July contact report indicates that “mortars from Le Loi were fired by an aerial FOO’. What actually happened was that communications were initially lost with the platoon due to the RPG explosion and Maj Torrance sent me in a recce helicopter that just happened to have landed at Le Loi. The mortars were not in range and I fired a few rounds of US 155s from across the boundary to the North. This was due to either good planning or good luck, as Maj Torrance and I had gone up to 'liaise’ with the Americans just the day before and I had gathered their 155 battery frequency and call sign as we knew we would potentially have patrols operating out of range. I still remember it – c/s Turner08. I did get communications with the platoon, got them to throw smoke, and as contact had been broken, I only fired a few rounds a good distance (1-2 km) away from the contact in order to be safe but also remind any possible VC that we could muster up support if needed. I suspect I didn’t hit anyone.
1010H Comd 1ATF
accompanied by Maj Gen 'Sandy' Thomas Comd Designate UK FARELF visited W
Coy at FSPB LE LOI - Gen Thomas had previously served with 2NZ Div in
the Middle East during WW2 before becoming a PoW, afterwards having a
distinguished career with the British Army. Night Locations: Coy HQ and 1Pl LE LOI, 2Pl YS420750, 3Pl YS458742 and YS447749. Rainfall today 93 points Humidity 82% W Coy AO July 1970
22 July Night Locations: Coy HQ, elm 1Pl and 3Pl LE LOI, 2Pl YS415754, 1Pl (-) YS434734. Rainfall today nil Humidity 87%
23 July 1230H locstat 2Pl YS412758 Night Locations: Coy HQ LE LOI, other elements not recorded Rainfall today nil Humidity 78%
24 July 1530H locstat 3Pl YS419746 Night Locations: Coy HQ and 2Pl, LE LOI, 1Pl YS436768 and YS460744, 3Pl YS412749. Rainfall today nil Humidity 68%
25 July Contact: 0921H at YS402748 3Pl were in contact with approx 7x VC who withdrew to the North, nil results. 3Pl were starting to cross a stream when they heard a noise and observed x7 VC also crossing the stream 50m from them. The VC started to run and 3Pl initiated the contact. BUSHRANGER were requested to follow-up. 1130H Comd 1ATF visited W Coy at FSPB LE LOI Night Locations: Coy HQ and 1Pl LE LOI, 2Pl YS467750 and YS423767, 3Pl YS403759. Rainfall today 0.4" Humidity 78%
26 July [1330H 3Pl V Coy were in contact in a large bunker system scattered among caves on a ridge, and during the course of the afternoon called for DUSTOFF three times - 1240H x5 sitting, 1510H x2 lying x1 sitting, 1607H x1 lying. Most injuries were from booby traps.] (detail needs fuller validation as logs differ on details) Night Location: Coy HQ LE LOI, other elements not recorded Rainfall today nil Humidity 75%
27 July 1600H locstat 1Pl YS438773 Night Location: Coy HQ and 3Pl LE LOI, 1Pl YS438776, 2Pl YS462757 and YS445755. Rainfall today trace Humidity 80%
28 July 0930H locstat 1Pl YS434778 1045H locstat 1Pl YS430780 1105H Comd 1ATF visited W Coy at FSPB LE LOI 1120H locstat 1Pl YS428782 1405H locstat 1Pl YS442782 Night Location: Coy HQ and 2Pl LE LOI, 1Pl YS418780, 3Pl YS456756 and YS423767 Rainfall today 0.53" Humidity 92%
29 July 1050H Comd 1ATF visited W Coy at FSPB LE LOI Contact: 1130H at YS415779 1Pl heard voices, established a hasty ambush and caught a large VC resupply party. x2 males and x1 female with packs approached and were called on to halt, they refused and were engaged by the sentries who fired one shot each, x2 VC males WIA x1 VC female immediately surrendered. Ten children were 30m behind the adults and another four were found during the sweep, as well as x23 packs containing food and bamboo shoots. A DUSTOFF by winch was requested for the two WIA but one male died of his wounds before the extraction, the other WIA suffering a fractured left femur. The female and children were backloaded to DUC THANH. The subsequent 1ATF intelligence assessment surprisingly described this party as 'civilian' and said that 'while in close proximity to a known VC base area they would need further explanation of civilian access areas'. 1459H 1Pl locstat YS416779 Night Location: Coy HQ LE LOI, other elements not recorded Rainfall today 0.15" Humidity 80%
30 July 1010H 1Pl locstats YS433779 1050H Comd 1ATF visited W Coy at FSPB LE LOI Night Location: Coy HQ LE LOI, other elements not recorded Rainfall today 0.30" Humidity 85% 31
July Rainfall today 0.15" Humidity 90% W Coy operated from FSPB LE LOI until 2 August 1970 As well as patrolling from LE LOI,
W Coy was also required to divide the battalion-sized FSPB in
half to better fit the new concept demolition of east half of FSPB LE LOI
References: no W Coy contact after-action reports for July 1970 could be found read June 1970 timeline here read August 1970 timeline here full glossary here anyone can offer corrections and updates to this detail - send here |
![photo of Le Loi during 8RAR occupation. When W Coy became the landlord the base was divided along the road shown on right with new bunkers built to the left road edge, and all other structures to the left were demolished and material recovered [Stock]](images/leloi4_small.jpg)
![extract from 8RAR Combat Operations, After Action Report Op PETRIE [AWM95-7-8-10 refers]](images/8RAR_OpStyle.jpg)
![photo illustrates both the open nature of rubber plantations and the effect of the wet season on operations [Philip]](images/wet_season.jpg)
at
LE LOI 
833H at
YS40675
8 1Pl approached a VC camp earlier identified by helicopter
visual recce [VR] which contained a
n unknown number of VC. They
were contacted by a sentry who fired one RPG rocket at the patrol, the
rocket missed the scouts but exploded near the lead section MG group.
The sect comd Cpl David Simons [left with headband] was wounded by shrapnel to his buttocks
and right arm, while the MG group of Pte Dave Turner [left] and Pte Phil Jane
[right] suffered shrapnel wounds to their chests, legs and/or buttocks, and Phil
Jane had ear
damage. x1 VC KIA. A DUSTOFF request was made at 0850H to
evacuate the x3 NZ WIA, a winch extraction was requested and a
semi-rigid stretcher was required for one patient. The VC broke
contact quickly and withdrew in different directions. Indirect fire
was directed against the likely withdrawal route to discourage the VC
from returning while the DUSTOFF proceeded [the indirect fire impacted YS411745
using an aerial FOO].
of a company-sized FSPB. The
reduction was necessary for a proper defence with the available
resources. While some engineer plant was available to assist the
majority of work fell on the platoons inside the base during the day.
Several Kiwis with previous civil construction experience quickly took
over from the assigned Australian engineer plant handlers and managed
some construction tasks and driving themselves. The base was reduced from a circle to a 'D' shape and three new platoon
bunkers were built, while all facilities in the abandoned eastern half
were demolished and the materials reused or recovered to NUI DAT.
There is no record of when the work started and when it was completed
but in the final 2-weeks of July is a reasonable timeframe.