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Long Tan Day commemorated

Posted on August 19, 2008, 4:04pm
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The 42nd anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan was commemorated throughout the South East on Monday.

The battle, which was arguably Australia’s bloodiest conflict of the Vietnam War, only lasted a few hours and is commemorated every year on August 18.

Mount Gambier RSL president Winston Prowse said the Mount Gambier community honoured the day in what has become a traditional manner.

“We had a service at 7pm on Monday night at Vansittart Park and then we all went back to the RSL for a meal and a few drinks,” Mr Prowse said.

“There were more than 100 people at the service and around 65 came back for dinner so it was quite a good night.”

Mr Prowse said this year’s event was made even more special due to the recent reinstatement of awards given to soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War.

“The Battle of Long Tan was very important because although it wasn’t the longest or saw the most Australians killed, there was such fierce, intense fighting over a period of a few hours,” he said.

“I think there has finally been closure for a lot of the diggers who fought in Vietnam, now that their awards have been upgraded to their original status.

“After 42 years they’ve finally been recognised for their gallantry during contact.”

War veterans gathered at Penola’s cemetery on Monday to place a wreath on the grave of Private David J Steen, the only Australian soldier from the town to be killed in Vietnam.

The event followed a moving morning ceremony at the town’s war memorial to mark Long Tan Day, with around 60 people attending, including veterans of Vietnam and other conflicts.

Wreaths were laid by students from Penola’s three schools, with Mary MacKillop Memorial School honouring Pte Steen, who was killed in a post-midnight mortar attack on fire base Anderson at Bien Hoa on February 18, 1968.

Students from Penola Primary School laid a wreath in memory of the 18 Australian soldiers killed at Long Tan.

Penola Coonawarra RSL sub-branch president Peter Burford said the event focused on the 40th anniversary of the battles of Coral and Balmoral.

“It is a day for the Vietnam veterans so we can appreciate all they have done and thank them for their sacrifice,” he said.

Kalangadoo’s Phil Davey, who fought at Balmoral, laid a wreath in memory of the 520 Australian soldiers killed in Vietnam during the service.

Mr Davey, who fought at the age of 22, said the day was important to him to reflect on the war.

“There are a lot of mixed feelings when you think about so long ago, it’s hard to get your head around it at times - it brings back memories, some good and some not so good,” he said.

“The hardest part is you realise as you get older the words ‘they shall not grow old’ have more meaning and you think of mates who didn’t get a chance to grow old.”

David Strother, who is one of Penola’s two veterans of the Battle of Coral, also spoke about his experiences in the Royal Australia Regiment.

“He showed me an old Zippo cigarette lighter like all the veterans had - his had an inscription ‘When I die I know I am going to heaven because I have spent my time in hell’,” Mr Burford said.

The town’s other Battle of Coral veteran is Derek Nicholson.

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