Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak on the motion of the member for Hinkler as someone who has a longstanding interest in this issue. The Battle of Long Tan on 18 August 1966 is one of the legendary battles in our wartime history. The battle saw the 105-strong Delta Company, 6th Battalion RAR, defeat the Vietcong force, estimated to be up to 2,500. The outcome was 254 Vietcong casualties, with some reports of up to 1,000 killed, and three enemies captured. Australia suffered 18 casualties with a further 24 soldiers wounded. It is difficult to comprehend how anyone in Delta Company survived a battle between 105—with three New Zealanders there as well—on one side and up to 2,500 on the other.

During the Vietnam War there was an understanding that a Vietcong attack on the Australian base at Nui Dat was imminent and the attack came on 17 August 1966 when the Vietcong attacked the Australian base by mortar and rocket. Bravo Company was sent out to patrol the suspected Vietcong base on the night of 17 August and were later relieved by Delta Company around midday on 18 August. Delta Company made contact with the Vietcong at 1540 hours when they were patrolling a rubber plantation in Long Tan.

Following the initial contact, the Vietcong and Australian Army soldiers would be in direct contact with each other for many hours. During this time the soldiers were surrounded by enemy battalions firing mortars and automatic weapons. President Lyndon B Johnson awarded D Company, 6RAR with the US Presidential Unit Citation and I read a brief extract from that:

While searching for Viet Cong in a rubber plantation northeast of Ba Ria, Phuoc Tuy, Province, Republic of Vietnam, D Company met and immediately engaged in heavy contact. As the battle developed, it became apparent that the men of D Company were facing a numerically superior force. The platoons of D Company were surrounded and attacked on all sides by an estimated reinforced enemy battalion using automatic weapons, small arms and mortars. Fighting courageously against a well armed and determined foe, the men on D Company maintained their formations in a common perimeter defence and inflicted heavy casualties on the Viet Cong.

The men of D Company still wear that Presidential Unit Citation. The issue of proper recognition of Long Tan veterans first came to my attention through representations from Bill ‘Yank’ Akell, one of my constituents. As I have said to him often, when he first came to tell me that instead of receiving the Republic of Vietnam’s Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation he received a doll I thought he was joking.

Mr Akell is one of the most humble men that I have met. He is a true gentleman who is softly spoken and he is a much loved member of our community. Mr Akell enlisted in the Australian Army on 14 May 1964 and he was a member of the 105-strong Delta Company. As part of the battle, Mr Akell, a signaller, was tasked with rushing alone from company headquarters to 10th Platoon to deliver a spare radio set to platoon commander, Geoff Kendall. The 10th Platoon radio had gone off the air and it was vital that communication was restored between 10th Platoon and company headquarters.

Mr Akell had heard that the 10th Platoon’s radio was out and on pure instinct knew that he had to resolve the matter urgently. He knew that without radio communication 10th Platoon was unable to request artillery or to update company headquarters with vital information. Situated in company headquarters, Mr Akell picked up a spare radio and ran blind looking for 10th Platoon. He weaved alone through the terrain in search of the platoon. He was alone in Long Tan under heavy enemy fire for over 10 to 15 minutes in search of his fellow soldiers. While in search of the platoon, Mr Akell made contact with two Vietcong soldiers who he subsequently killed. Finally, he reached the platoon.

Mr Akell played a vital role in ensuring communication was resumed between the platoon and company headquarters. When you realise that Bill was just 19, it is pretty extraordinary. This is one of a number of stories from the Battle of Long Tan. Mr Akell and D Company were not evacuated until later that night. As a further sign of true courage, the battalion, lead by D Company, were assigned back into the area the very next day.

Following the battle, the South Vietnamese government awarded those involved with a unit citation and singled out 20 individual soldiers who would receive various levels of the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross. Bill was one of those 20 soldiers. At the last minute the Australian ambassador intervened, with the citation and medals not being awarded. On the day these soldiers were set to receive recognition, they instead received cigar cases and dolls.

I have spoke in this House about the Battle of Long Tan on a number of occasions. In particular in opposition I, alongside the then member for Cowan and the member for Brisbane, pursued the issue of the Palm Unit Citation and the awarding of military medals. I must admit to some disappointment that we had so little support at the time from the then government on the issue. I am certainly pleased to hear the member for Hinkler’s voice raised on this issue, albeit now from opposition.

I am very proud to have been part of the actions of the Australian Labor Party on this issue, both in opposition and now in government. On 14 August the government announced that D Company 6RAR commander, Harry Smith, would be awarded the Star of Gallantry. We also announced that platoon commanders Dave Sabben and Geoff Kendall be offered the Medal for Gallantry. This announcement was in response to an independent review into unresolved issues of recognition. As part of this review we also announced the approval for soldiers in D Company 6RAR to wear the Republic of Vietnam’s Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation Emblem—a decision that was contrary to the recommendations of the independent review panel.

The Rudd government referred all unresolved concerns regarding individual awards for Long Tan to the newly established independent Defence Honours and Awards Appeal Tribunal—the tribunal we established at arms length from government to inquire independently into these and a number of other matters relating to military recognition. The establishment of the tribunal was a 2007 election commitment of this government. As a result of the tribunal’s inquiry, they recommended that Flight Lieutenant Cliff Dohle be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and that Delta Company 6RAR be awarded the Unit Citation for Gallantry. The government accepted the recommendations of the tribunal.

It took a change of government to resolve many of the issues regarding the recognition of D Company. I understand that for commander Harry Smith that recognition for those Australians who fought in the Battle of Long Tan is an outstanding issue. I certainly commend my constituent Bill Akell in his endeavours to support Harry Smith in his ongoing actions to seek recognition for those in Delta Company. This was a real battle, which has affected real people and their families.

The Battle of Long Tan will always be remembered as one of the most significant engagements during the Vietnam War. It is of course not the only battle of Vietnam, but the bravery and courage of our Australian soldiers in such demanding circumstances will not be forgotten. I would like to finalise my comments on this motion with some words from Mr Akell. He states:

If you believe it is just for a Government to send a military Unit off to war with restrictions in place to limit the number of decorations for bravery its members can be awarded, then you need to do nothing. But, if you believe that Colonel Smith’s 40 year fight for military justice for his men is due for a rightful conclusion, then I ask that you support this motion.

While I respect that the government has taken the decision to accept the recommendations of the independent Defence Honours and Awards Appeal Tribunal and I understand the importance that this process be independent of government, I do on this occasion wholeheartedly support the motion by the member for Hinkler.

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