1st Armoured Regiment mark Battle of Binh Ba 50th Anniversary
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To commemorate the Battle of Binh Ba, current troop leaders, tank crewman and RAEME personnel from B Squadron, 1st Armoured Regiment, recently presented a case study on the battle to members of the regiment.
CAPTION: Members of 1st Armoured Regiment observe a presentation on the Battle of Binh Ba, presented by B Squadron soldiers. 1st Armoured Regiment photo.
The presentation was supported by a very detailed model, replays of recorded radio transmissions from the battle and imagery of the events that occurred over 6-8 June 1969.
Then, on the 6th June, members of 1st Armoured Regiment attended official commemorative services held at the National Vietnam Memorial and the Australian War Memorial, in Canberra.
OC B Squadron, 1st Armoured Regiment, said Binh Ba commemorations were an important day in the history of the regiment.
“Today marks the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Binh Ba – a significant action in South Vietnam for which the regiment was awarded one of its battle honours,” he said.
“It was an absolute honour and privilege to attend the commemorative service and meet with some of the B Squadron tank crews who served in the battle.
“They are a credit to themselves, their call sign and their mates.
“The young men and women of B Squadron today remain proud, modern custodians of our history and it is the greatest privilege to serve alongside them.
“50 years of FACTA NON VERBA.”
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Combat engineer sappers from 1 Field Sqn were with the tanks during this battle…..
From a CONTACT fan Rob De Visser in Vung Tau, via email…
It is interesting to note that the Vietnamese people are very similar to
Australians in that they also have memorials to their fallen in nearly every
town and they usually carry the inscription ‘we will not forget you’ as well
as the names of the fallen. As you can see in the photo, this usually takes
the form of a wall and there were a lot but it also includes the names of a
lot of the mothers who lost a son – the main future breadwinner.
To that end, a worthy footnote for your article regarding the 50th
commemorations of the battle Binh Ba might be that many Australian ex-pats
in Vung Tau, Vietnam, some of who served at the time, and others like
myself, who did not serve in Vietnam, were all honoured to be invited by
members of 33E Regiment NVA to attend the Commemoration held at the actual
memorial in Binh Ba itself. This was my first time but I believe this is an
annual event, although it was noted that there were fewer Vietnamese men
this year.
From a personal perspective, I felt particularly honoured as I served 20
years with RAEME and between 1974 and 1979, was a member of 1st Armd Regt
and served with each of the squadrons. I am also on the committee of our
Vung Tau Veterans & Friends Children Fund and, for more than 10 years, we
have been very active here, providing housing for those unfortunates who
have none or very little. We originally provided schools but have now built
nearly 30 houses, all of which we have been able to do as a result of mainly
Australian generosity.
Please donate to this good cause.
Thanks for a great magazine which I look forward to each time to keep in
touch with happenings, especially as was this commemoration.
Rob De Visser
Vung Tau