The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
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 could a Xmas celebration. Special menus were prepared for midday meals for these men and a special dispensation of three cans of beer per man was granted for the day. At the fire support bases, the soldiers had brightened up their bunkers for the day with Xmas decorations and they gathered in groups to have Christmas drinks before their Xmas dinner. Dinner varied with units but the variety of food provided was far more welcome than the rations which the men had been eating since the current operation began on December 3. For the soldiers, the Xmas midday meal was a complete relaxation. Their officers and NCOs served their meals and waited on the soldiers as they enjoyed their brief break from operations. The Minister for Air, Mr G. Freeth, toured the areas where the Australian troops were celebrating Christmas Day 1968 and spoke with many soldiers. He then attended a buffet meal at fire support base Julia with the Commander of the 1st Australian Task Force, Brigadier C. M. I. Pearson, and the Commander of the Australian Force in Vietnam, Major-General A. L. MacDonald. (Also identified: Gunner Phil John of Glenelg, SA; Gunner Bob Ramsay of Seaforth, NSW; WO2 Alan Cleasby of Holsworthy, NSW; Gunner Peter Clarke of Queenscliff, Vic; all of 131 Div Loc Bty. Bombardier Colin Gordon of Forrestville, SA; OC A Sqn Major Laurie O'Donnell of Garran, ACT; 2Lt Ian Paton of South Perth, WA; Major John Keldie of HQ 1ATF; US Officer Major Ed Sieminski, LO at HQ 1ATF).
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
Australian soldiers in South Vietnam are getting the first issues of a new lightweight ration pack for use in the field. The new pack, which weighs less than half (1.25 lbs against 3 lbs) the pack now
Soldiers from Headquarters Company of the 1st Australian Task Force spread a little Christmas cheer among the younger patients of the Baria Hospital this week. Santa Claus (on other days Trooper John
[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
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
At fire support base Julia in Phuoc Tuy Province, Xmas dinner for the Australian soldiers was rudely interrupted when Viet Cong fired a rocket at a US vehicle travelling along Route 15 about one mile