The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
At the 1st Australian Task Force base at Nui Dat, the signals centre of the 104th Signals Squadron plays the key role in keeping Australian and Allied units in contact with each other. More than 1,000 telephone and teleprinter circuits feed into the centre, including 70 microwave channels from bases outside Nui Dat. The signals centre is staffed by 50 men who work two shifts to keep communications operating 24 hours a day. In the teleprinter room, the soldiers handle over 700 messages on some days. Next door, the 200 line switchboard averages 4,300 connections each day. In peak hours, two switchboard operators handle 3 calls every 10 seconds. Messages received in the centre are registered, and prepared for despatch by clerks. Depending on the priority of the message, it is either delivered by special delivery or the more usual despatch rider. Regularly during the day, the signals despatch service visits the major units of the Task Force delivering and picking up messages, packets and other correspondence. The route covers about six miles and takes the signalman one hour to complete its role. The signals centre also controls an aerial despatch service which uses helicopters and fixed wing aircraft to deliver correspondence to outlying units and bases. Maintaining and repairing, telephone lines and equipment which works long hours in adverse conditions are a team of soldiers who work behind the scenes. The signals centre is not the only means of communication between units, however. The 104th Signals Squadron has a radio troop as well. These men control and man radio links into and out of the Task Force and are found in all the major units of the 1st Australian Task Force. An Army in an operational theatre requires an efficient, rapid communications system. The men of the 104th Signals Squadron provide it. (Also identified: Signalman Ron Hill of Narrandera, NSW; Corporal Gordon Eacott of Sherwood, Qld; Signalman Don Baird of Wentworth, NSW; Signalman Darryl Campbell of Loxton, SA; Signalman Reg Wilkins of Toowoomba, Qld).
Informal portrait of 1200599 Signalman Harry Richard Martin outside 104 Signal Squadron’s Signal Centre. The centre was located across the road from Task Force Headquarters at Nui Dat. One of 477 colo
South Vietnam. 1968-08-13. Signalman Garry Daniels of Camp Hill, Qld (front), and Corporal Ron Luker of Cobden, Vic, at work on the switchboard of the 104th Signals Squadron based at Nui Dat. The sold
Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam. 1968-11-12. Outside the Signals Centre, Signalman (Sig) Bernard Johnson of Charters Towers, Qld (left), a despatch rider with the 104th Signals Squadron, receives me
Working on the switchboard at the 104th Signals Squadron Headquarters, are, front to rear, Signalman (Sig) Jim Little, 21, from Hay, NSW, and Sig Bob Saunders, 22, from Scotsdale, Tas. The unit switch
Monitoring telephone lines and checking for faults is Sergeant (Sgt) Denis Seidel, 27, from Parkside, SA, in the telephone switch centre for the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF). Sgt Seidel is a membe
The newly appointed Commander of the Australian Force, Viet Nam, Major General Vincent, recently paid his first visit to the soldiers of the 1st Australian Task Force, based at Nui Dat. Major General
