The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
It was a day of days for over 1000 Vietnamese in the brand new hamlet of Ap Suoi Nghe near the Australian Task Force base in Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam. The gala event was the flag raising ceremony at which their village was officially opened and named. There were guards of honour formed by Vietnamese troops and Chieu Hoi members, who had defected from the Viet Cong. There were Australian soldiers, who had helped the village grow and develop over the past six weeks, as villagers came in from formerly Viet Cong dominated areas. The new Province Chief, Lieutenant-Colonel Le Van Chanh had come from Baria for the special occasion. To round off the list of Province and village dignitaries there was Brigadier Stuart Graham, who was officially opening the village as one of his last duties before returning home after 12 months as Australian Task Force Commander at Nui Dat. And with all colourful occasions there must be a band. This time it was from the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. It provided rollicking tunes to complete the flag raising. Military guards and the village ceremony were enough to send the children pop-eyed. But the band with all those shiny, curly instruments really took their fancy. Of course the drummer was a favorite with the boys who edged in close for a better peek. It was indeed a gala occasion. Vietnamese flags were in clusters around the area while a big one in the centre was raised slowly to the masthead by two Chieu Hoi. With its raising Australians and Vietnamese alike relaxed. Ap Suoi Nghe and a secure way of life were both realities. [Other identified personnel: 2 RAR band master WO2 Geoff Brook, of Gosford, NSW]
The Minister for the Army, Mr Phillip Lynch, lost no time during his visit to Vietnam in meeting officers and men serving in the theatre and with familiarising himself with Phuoc Tuy province, home of
Among the most consistent activities by troops of the Australian Task Force in Vietnam is the administration of medical and dental aid to the people in villages and hamlets throughout Phuoc Tuy Provin
The Adjutant General (Major-General A.L. MacDonald) paid a brief visit to Ap Suoi Nghe during a tour of Australian installations, civil aid projects, and talks with troops. Four miles north of the 1st
Two miles from the Australian Task Force base at Nui Dat is the resettlement hamlet of Ap Suoi Nghe. Twelve months ago this land was a tract of matted jungle and then the Australian Civil Affairs Unit
Ap Suoi Nghe, South Vietnam. 1968-05. Lance Corporal Leslie Darcy of Riverstone, NSW, keeps two Vietnamese girls occupied by pushing them on a swing while their parents wait to receive land grants in
Vietnam. 1967-10. Private Ian Pentecost of Largs, SA, tuba player, allows a young Vietnamese boy to try his tuba. Private Pentecost was playing with the 2nd Battalion band at the official opening and
