The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Preparations for the forthcoming five nation exercise, code-named Bersatu Padu, have started with a Battalion group exercise in Malaya for Singapore based troops. Centering around movement, deployment and counter-revolutionary warfare techniques, the exercise commenced with the establishment of a fire support base from which 108 Field Battery could provide support for infantry phases of the exercises. Soldiers of 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, gunners of 108 Battery and sappers of 2nd Field Troop combined in the Kota Tinggi training area in southern Malaya. As the first troops were moved into the area by RAF Whirlwind helicopters, they were greeted with sweltering conditions and flying tin tailings from the landing zone. Code-named Knuckle Down, this shakedown exercise was the first in which all Australian troops have taken part since the Force moved to Singapore three months ago. Exercise Bersatu Padu, to be staged in West Malaysia in June, is designed to train and exercise combined forces of Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom under the conditions that would prevail after the United Kingdom withdrawal from the area. The troops quickly moved into the jungle in search of a Gurkha company which had been given the role of enemy for exercise. Knuckle Down. Tropical downpours hampered operations with strongly defended and protected positions making 1 RAR's task all the more difficult when the "enemy" was contacted. With the gurkha camp overrun, a thorough search of the area ended the first of a series of exercises for Australian troops preparing to take part in Bersatu Padu. Also identified: Craftsman Mike Bey of Blackburn, Vic; 2nd Lieutenant (2Lt) Barry Sydes of Lake Macquarie, NSW; Sergeant Peter Peddie of Swansea, NSW; 2Lt Des Wilmore of Broken Hill, NSW; Warrant Officer 2 Ken Phipps of Richmond, NSW; Sergeant John Stahtoures of East Brisbane, Qld; Private Leigh Court of Hilton, WA.
RAAF Mirages stationed at Butterworth in northern Malaysia will play an important role in the five nation combined exercise now under way in Malaysia. Mirages of Nos 3 and 75 Squadrons RAAF at Butterw
Pushing artillery pieces can be an uphill job, but gunners of 108 Field Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, in Singapore have learnt to take it all in their stride. Since the Battery arrived in Singa
The Malaysian based 28th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade has just completed a rugged jungle exercise, code named "Carnivorous" in West Malaysia. The exercise was held in the Batu Pahat area of Johore St
Conducting an artillery sheet in Malaysia is not without its drawbacks as Gunners of Australia's 107 Field Battery discovered during an exercise which has just ended. Code-named Last Journey, the Exer
British Army Gurkha troops have begun arriving at Rockhampton in Central Queensland for the land phase of Exercise "Coral Sands". More than 5-hundred of the Singapore-based troops will be engaged in t
Two RAAF Mirage jet fighter squadrons at the RAAF base at Butterworth are in readiness for the operational phase of the five-nation military exercise Bersatu Padu. Nos. 3 and 75 Squadrons will play a
