Battle of Fire Support Bases Coral and Balmoral 55th anniversary
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55 years ago today, Australian and New Zealand forces were attacked, resulting in their largest battle of the Vietnam War – the Battle of Fire Support Bases Coral and Balmoral.
FILE IMAGE: A 102 Battery gun in action at Fire Support Base Coral. AWM P01770.015
25 Australians lost their lives in the 25-day battle.
Australian and New Zealand Forces were setting up bases to defend Saigon when they were attacked in the early hours of 13 May 1968.
An Australian artillery battery, its mortar platoon and machine gunners were subject to intense fire.
First light revealed the aftermath of the overnight attack – nine Australian soldiers killed in action, with a further 28 wounded.
Over the next 25 days, another 16 Australian lives were lost.
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Matt Keogh said today, we honour those who lost their lives in combat and we commend the bravery of all those who served in the defence of our nation during the Vietnam War.
“The Battle of Fire Support Bases Coral and Balmoral, during the Vietnam War, must never be forgotten,” Minister Keogh said.
Throughout 2023, the Australian government is recognising the contribution of our Vietnam veterans, their service in Vietnam and their role as integral members of the ex-service community in the decades since the war.
On Vietnam Veterans’ Day, 18 August 2023, a national commemorative service will be held at the Vietnam Forces National Memorial in Canberra to recognise the 50thanniversary of the end of Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War.
For more information about the service and the 50th anniversary, visit the Department of Veterans’ Affairs website.
Read more about the Battle of Fire Support Bases Coral and Balmoral here.
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Dear Sir, Ma’am,
As a former member of the RAR and the son of a Vietnam Veteran 102nd Field BTY & The Grandson of a WWII Darwin Veteran AA Gunner SGT.
I find it extremely disturbing to continually read so much information about the Battle of Coral on the night of the 12th & 13th of May 1968. It doesn’t matter what website I use to reference or fact check first hand information from men on the ground that night, nothing matches up correctly. I know this is because of the coverups but the Officers who sent the men in late in the afternoon of the 12th and by the government protection them however, surely enough time has passed that the truth should be told and told in a factual way. It makes no difference if you are a 18 year old kid or an 80 year old man who is decorated for massive mistakes he made that after. Every single man on the ground that night still have never been recognised properly for their actions that was well and truly above and beyond the normal role of duty. At the very least each man on the ground that night should be awarded an MG. Each and everyone of them would have been dead if those men from 102 BTY 106NZ BTY. & mortar platoon 1 RAR would have been killed if it wasn’t for the outstanding bravery of each and every man. The fact that they now tie Bamoral into the same category “when it turned up 11 days after the first a major attack) proves that they are two very different situations. It’s a lot like Darwin where the Australian government never mentioned it until the day the last Soldier died. Again there were more bombs dropped on Darwin than there was on Pearl Harbor. Those soldiers weren’t even awarded the pacific star. How does that work. Australia needs to understand that no soldiers join the army for medals however they are all we have to tell our story of service. I still to this day can’t understand why our KIA, WIA, KOO & WOO (the first 3 are very simple to introduce, the last one “Wounded on operation” is also easy. The individual must have sustained a physical injury to a body part that cut their career short and were put on a pension when discharged. (Psychological injuries should only be approved if the individual has been apart of an extremely traumatic event and they we unable to overcome it) if money is a problem then obviously people won’t join the Army. You will only recruit people based on the way you treat your past veterans.
Hopefully whoever is reading this is able to help out wright these wrong and get the truth and facts out there that are accurate and true.
Thank you in advance