Ocean Grove Barwon Heads RSL Sub-branch held a ceremony to commemorate the Battle of Long Tan.
On Vietnam Veterans’ Day on 18 August they remembered nearly 60,000 Australian men and women who served in the Vietnam War between 1962 and 1975, including 521 who lost their lives and more than 3000 who were wounded.
It was the 51st anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan involving 105 Australians and three New Zealanders of D Company 6RAR in one of the fiercest battles of the Vietnam War.
In the Battle of Long Tan, a total of 17 Australians were killed in action and 25 were wounded, one of whom later died of his wounds.
D Company was greatly assisted by an ammunition resupply by RAAF helicopters, support by Australian, New Zealand and United States artillery and the arrival of reinforcements in APCs as night fell.
The ceremony included a speech from renowned author Bernard Clancy, who wrote the book ‘Best We Forget’.
A small, but hardy, crowd braved chilling winds, rain and hail during the ceremony, which was held at Ocean Grove Park.
