The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
The members of the Third All Queensland Concert Party won the hearts of two thousand Australian soldiers at Nui Dat this week with their singing, dancing and jokes. The soldiers, dressed in jungle greens and clutching rifles, stamped their feet, cheered, whistled and clapped their way through the concert - an hour-and-a-half respite from the war in Vietnam. Many invaded the red earth amphitheatre hours before the concert started to make sure of good seats. The concert party, led by Mr Wilson Irving, of Brisbane, was sponsored by the South East Queensland Rotary District, which raised $7,000 to cover the entertainers' expenses. The eight-man party included Valda Scott, singer; Janie Richards, dancer; Judy Connelli, singer; George Hill, comic; and Jeff Smith and Les Crosby, musicians. The team is touring Vietnam for two weeks (until Oct 31) and is giving concerts to Australian and American troops from Saigon to Vung Tau, Nui Dat and Phang Rang. During 25 concerts the team expects to entertain upwards of 40,000 servicemen. It is the third time Mr Wilson Irving has led the Queensland concert party to Vietnam and it is the second year that Les Crosby and Jeff Smith have been members of the band. (Also identified: Private Colin Hanson of Townsville, Qld; Jim Howard, drummer; Lance Corporal "Scobie" Breasley of Townsville, Qld).
The seven members of a government sponsored concert party to South Vietnam this week brought more than two hours of Christmas cheer to about 1,500 Australian soldiers at Nui Dat. The concert party, le
Queensland. 6 November 1967. The eight members of the second Queensland concert party group, sponsored by the Queensland Patriotic Fund to entertain Australian troops in South vietnam, pose at a farew
The 11th Government-sponsored concert party to visit Vietnam played two concerts at Luscombe Bowl, Nui Dat, during a two-week tour of Australian and United States bases. Headed by comedian Eddie Mendo
A concert party of Adelaide entertainers performed for troops at the Australian Task Force base at Nui Dat in Vietnam this week. The big crowd of about 1500, heavily sprinkled with 5th Battalion soldi
Nui Dat, South Vietnam. 1968-10. Entertainer Judy Connelli performing on stage during the Third All Queensland Concert Party. More than 2,000 Australian and American servicemen packed the red amphithe
A concert party headed by Australian entertainer Lucky Starr entertained troops of the 1st Australian Task Force camp at Nui Dat South Vietnam. The group, spending its second Christmas in Vietnam gav