Commander's Diaries

26 September 1969:

SHQ (-) plus 2 Tps and supporting infantry elements continued recce and ambush operations in AO Sabot.  One TP remained at Horseshoe Hill.  One TP remained on 1ATF Ready Reaction Force standby. At 1420hrs an element of Tango Force, D&E Pl, ambushed two VC moving from east to west.  Results: one VC (BC), one VC KIA (poss).  Sweep to be done at first light.  Sweep confirmed two VC (BC).

 

27 September 1969:

SHQ (-) plus two troops and supporting elements continued recce and ambush operations in AO Sabot.  One TP remains at Horseshoe Hill.  One TP deployed with 1ATF Ready Reaction Force astride Rt 15.  Amend D&E Pl contact at 261900H to read two VC KIA (BC) and three AK47 CIA.  3 Troop deployed with the 1ATF Ready Reaction Force and carried out recce of Rt 15 to vicinity of YS 2671, then returned to 1ATF base.  A SAS buffer group made heavy contact with enemy at G 4178.  Task Force Commander reacted the Tango Force to Grid 4382 to act as a cut off group.  The enemy moved from the contact area in a north easterly direction.  Tango Force took up APs in grid square 4178.  No contact was made, the Tango Force moved back north. 

 

28 September 1969:

SHQ (-) plus two troops and supporting elements continued recce and ambush operations in AO Sabot.  One TP remained at Horseshoe Hill.  One TP remained on 1ATF Ready Reaction standby. 

 

29 September 1969:

As above.

 

30 September 1969:

SHQ (-) plus two troops and supporting elements continued recce and ambush operations in AO Sabot.  One TP remained at Horseshoe Hill.  One TP remained on 1ATF Ready Reaction standby.  3 Troop returned to 1ATF Base after concluding operations with Tango Force.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 October 1969

Sqn HQ (-) plus 1 TP and supporting elements continued recce and ambush operations in AO Sabot.  One TP remained at Horseshoe Hill.  

One TP remained on 1ATF Ready Reaction Force standby.  At 1130hrs callsign 21Charlie detonated a 105mm shell rigged as a mine, resulting in moderate damage to the tank; there were no casualties to the crew.

 

2 October 1969:

Sqn HQ (-) plus 1 TP and supporting elements continued recce and ambush operations in AO Sabot.  One TP remained at Horseshoe Hill.  One TP remained on 1ATF Ready Reaction Force standby.  At 1430hrs, the RRF reacted to YS633953, resulting in one enemy KIA (BC).  3 Tp was reacted [but?] not used.

 

3 October 1969:

Sqn HQ (-) plus 1 TP and supporting elements continued recce and ambush operations in AO Sabot.  One TP remained at Horseshoe Hill.  One TP remained on 1ATF Ready Reaction Force standby.    At 1445hrs, callsign 24 was reacted from Horseshoe Hill to south east corner of Dat Do, YS490593, track junction and Route 44, moved up the track and became the south east block.  Enemy were reported at YS495587, possibly pl size.  No contact was made.  The force returned to Horseshoe Hill at 1320hrs 

 

4 October 1969:

Tango Force returned to 1 ATF base.  One TP remained at Horseshoe Hill.  One TP remained on 1ATF Ready Reaction Force standby.

 

5 October 1969:

One TP remained at Horseshoe Hill.  One TP remained on 1ATF Ready Reaction Force standby.  

 

6 October 1969: 

One TP remained at Horseshoe Hill.  One TP remained on 1ATF Ready Reaction Force standby.

 

7 October 1969:

One TP remained at Horseshoe Hill.  One TP remained on 1ATF Ready Reaction Force standby.  One TP became op con to V Coy 6RAR/NZ (Anzac) [and] deployed into AO Sabot.  At 2220hrs, callsign 24Charlie fired a contact mission from Horseshoe Hill onto Grid YS538585.

 

8 October1969: 

One TP remained at Horseshoe Hill.  One TP remained on 1ATF Ready Reaction Force standby.  One TP became op con to V Coy 6RAR/NZ (Anzac) in AO Sabot.  One TP deployed with B Coy 6RAR/NZ to area YS5456.  At 0830hrs, 4 Troop moved from Horseshoe Hill to support RF/PF elements; also engaged targets on the Long Hai hills.  At 1016hrs, B Coy 6RAR/NZ plus 2 Troop, assaulted bunkers at YS542559.  The bunkers had been occupied.  VC had left bunker system.  A sweep of the area was carried out with negative results.  2 Troop, plus other elements, returned to Nui Dat at 1900hrs. 

 

9 October 1969:

One TP remained at Horseshoe Hill.  One TP remained on 1ATF Ready Reaction Standby.  One TP remained op con to V Coy 6RAR/NZ (Anzac) in AO Sabot.

 

10 October 1969:

One TP remained at Horseshoe Hill.  One TP remained on 1ATF Ready Reaction Standby.  SHQ (-) plus one TP and supporting elements moved back into AO Sabot to continue recce and ambush operations.  3 Troop returned to Nui Dat.

 

11 October 1969:

One TP remained at Horseshoe Hill.  One TP remained on 1ATF Ready Reaction Standby.  Elements of SHQ plus one tp and supporting elements continued recce and ambush operations in AO Sabot.

 

0945hrs. 

Elements of B Sqn located a village of 11 huts.  There were two men, four women and a number of children.  Two adults had ID cards registered in Phuoc Tuy Province; two had ID cards registered in Gia Dinh and  two females had no ID cards.  Walls of tyres from which sandals were cut, two bottles of morphine, tins of fish, parts of RAAF survival kits, US stretchers and Aust blankets were found.

 

1055hrs.  

Elements of B Sqn followed up foot tracks which led to a small bunker system consisting of three bunkers and three tunnels.  The system is approx 14 days old.  One bike wheel, one jar (?) of water and cooking pots were recovered. 

 

14 October 1969: 

One to remained on Horseshoe Hill.  One tp remained on 1ATF ready Reaction Force Standby.  SHQ (-) plus one tp and supporting elements continued recce and ambush operations in AO Sabot. At 0716hrs, elements of B/1 Armd Regt entered a bunker system of 13 bunkers covering an area of 100m x 40m.  Hootchies, sleeping gear and tables were scattered throughout the area. The bunker system was destroyed by tank fire.  

 

15 October 1969:  

One tp remained on Horseshoe Hill.  One tp remained on 1ATF ready Reaction Force Standby.  Elements of SHQ plus one tp and supporting elements continued recce and ambush operations in AO Sabot.   

 

16 October 1969: 

One tp remained on Horseshoe Hill.  One tp remained on 1ATF ready Reaction Force Standby.  Elements of SHQ plus one tp and supporting elements continued recce and ambush operations in AO Sabot. 

 

17 October 1969: 

One tp remained on Horseshoe Hill.  One tp remained on 1ATF ready Reaction Force Standby.  Elements of SHQ plus one tp and supporting elements continued recce and ambush operations in AO Sabot.   At 1110hrs, Tango Force covered an area of approx 4000m along the Suoi Tam Bo with negative results. 

 

18 October 1969:

One tp remained at Horseshoe Hill.  Elements of SHQ plus one tp plus supporting elements continued recce and ambush ops in AO Sabot.  One tp deployed and became op con to 9RAR.  At 1210hrs, Tango Force located a house with a bunker underneath.  A track leading to fish traps in a creek was located; the house and the traps were destroyed.   At 1620hrs, Tango Force located two base camps with signs of recent use.  Fresh foot prints were followed to YS457804 where three bunkers and one slit trench were located.  Some shelters were also located along the creek.

 

19 October 1969:

One tp remained at Horseshoe Hill.  Elements of SHQ plus one tp plus supporting elements continued recce and ambush ops in AO Sabot.  One tp remains op con to 9RAR.  One tp remains on 1ATF Ready Reaction Force Standby.   At 0840hrs, elements of B Sqn/1 Armd found what appears to be a partially constructed squad sized base camp.  Numerous footprints in vicinity with tracks leading south east.

At 1055hrs, elements of B Sqn/1 Armd located and destroyed a base camp consisting of four huts spread over a 100m area.  Recovered were: penicillin, crutches and blood plasma bottles.  S2 comment: probably the CHAU DUC hospital camp which was forced to move several times during recent 5RAR ops.