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On the third anniversary of the battle, 6RAR – renamed 6RAR/NZ (ANZAC), with the addition of two New Zealand rifle companies – was on its second tour of Vietnam. 1 of 1 Danger Close (2019) Synopsis Major Harry Smith (Travis Fimmel) and his company of 108 young and inexperienced Australian and New Zealand soldiers are fighting for their lives in the … No description. After several hours of intense fighting, reinforcements from B Company arrived on foot, along with A Company on board armoured personnel carriers dispatched from Nui Dat. The events of previous days set the scene. The VC attacks were determined, with their courage proven by their willingness to continue the attack even as large numbers of their own troops fell. Fortunately for the Australians, the ground they occupied fell away slightly at their rear, which afforded some protection from the rifle and machine gun fire which mostly passed safely over their heads. En route, the APCs had a minor encounter with a group of VC that were attempting to flank the Australians. According to the D445 … 7 vehicles are damaged and 21 tents damaged. Australia’s actual casualties were 18 killed and 24 wounded. A crucial reason for this was the importance of propaganda in sustaining an insurgency. 18 August 2006. Two 9 Squadron RAAF helicopters were called in to resupply the platoon, and were forced to fly through torrential rain, with visibility close to zero, to drop crates of ammunition. The battle of Long Tan though was never forgotten. VC leaders who participated in the battle were reluctant to acknowledge the severe losses that befell their force. The attack occurred during the early hours of 17 August 1966, with the VC using mortars and recoilless rifles. By Ashley Ekins. Battle of Long Tan – Animated Education Video (Army Museum of Western Australia). A radio operator braved enemy fire to restore communications and 10 Platoon was ordered to withdraw under cover of artillery fire. 245+ killed 1.1. The battle of Long Tan was Australia’s most costly battle in Vietnam. However, when three F4 Phantom jets responded, they could not identify targets on the ground through the thick cloud, and dropped their ordnance beyond the range of the enemy. The Battle of Long Tan was over. The Battle of Lang Vei (Vietnamese: Trận Làng Vây) began on the evening of 6 February 1968 and concluded during the early hours of 7 February, in Quảng Trị Province, South Vietnam.Towards the … THE STORY. Meanwhile, Vietnamese forces had advanced on 11 Platoon in a bid to negate the artillery support. Later in the afternoon, a relief force was arranged to move to D Company’s aid. You can also view a Timeline of the Battle of Long Tan here. First, B Company (which was returning to Nui Dat after their earlier mission) was ordered to turn around and find D Company. Within two months … At this point, Lieutenant David Sabben was ordered to swing two sections from his 12 Platoon in a southerly attempt to reach 11 Platoon from a different direction. 11 National Servicemen, Australian Army 1.1.2. Just over 100 soldiers were isolated, low on ammunition and outnumbered … Battle of Long Tan . All rights reserved. By August 1966 the Australian task force base at Nui Dat was only three months old. In short, an Australian infantry company of 108 men had survived an unexpected encounter with two VC formations – later identified as 275 VC Main Force Regiment and D445 Battalion – from which as many as 1,000 probably came into contact with the Australians. As D Company moved through the rubber plantation (with two platoons up and one platoon moving behind), 11 Platoon commanded by Lieutenant Gordon Sharp on the Australian right ran into a small group of VC. The Battle of Long Tan. 11 Platoon’s predicament was the most dire. 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