The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Christmas Day for Australian soldiers in Vietnam was the quietest since their arrival at Nui Dat, the rubber plantation home of the 1st Australian Task Force. And for a majority of the men, it was the best day. The artillery was quiet and for just a little while the men had a chance to forget the war. Typical of the way in which the day was celebrated was the Christmas Dinner in the mess of "D" Company, 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. The men ate like kings, with a menu of turkey, ham, fresh vegetables, fruit and cream, nuts and Christmas cake. Only the cooks were at work, and according to the men, they did a great job. In the Army tradition, Diggers were waited on during Christmas Dinner by their officers and senior N.C.O's. As usual, the custom invoked many good-hearted jibes. Earlier in the day, the men had been served mugs of hot coffee, laced with rum, by the officers. This is another Christmas tradition in the Army. But without a doubt, the highlight of the day was the Dinner. Here Sergeant Bill O'Donnell, of Grovelly, Brisbane, carves slices of ham and turkey for the hungry men. After dinner the soldiers moved to their canteen for a few drinks. Doubtless, most of the men would have preferred to spend the day back home in Australia with their familes, but even so, they had a good time, because they knew that soon it would be over - they would return to the rigours of war. [The boys are obviously a little drunk. This was the pattern of Christmas celebrations at 1 ATF. I decided to shoot, as I had nothing to file on Christmas day with 6 RAR. Covering Senator McKellar ruined the day. By the time I got back to 6 RAR all serving by Col Townsend/Offrs/WO/NCOs had finished. Delta Coy had its Christmas day on boxing day.]
[DPR/TV/536 filmed by Mike Coleridge]. Immediately following the Christmas truce period in Vietnam it was back into action for troops of the 5th Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment. For the soldie
For many of the soldiers of the 1st Australian Task Force in Vietnam, Christmas day was spent in operational areas. A one day truce allowed them to relax a little, however, and enjoy as best they coul
Three female Australian soldiers eating Christmas dinner in Suai, East Timor. 'Although many soldiers spent Christmas away from their families, they still managed to enjoy themselves, showering East T
Depicts an unidentified cook preparing Christmas dinner of roast pork and apple sauce, potatoes and cabbage, and plum pudding in the galley of the HMAS "Cairns". Frank Norton had joined HMAS Cairns o
The 4th Battalion, RAR/NZ (ANZAC) this week remembered the men of the Battalion who would not be returning to Australia with them later this month. At a memorial service held among the rubber trees in
Men of 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment arrived at Vung Tau, recently, for the battalion's second tour of duty in South Vietnam. In 1966, during its first tour it killed 245 enemy in the b
