1 Armoured Squadron Workshop, RAEME, South Vietnam
OC's Diary — January - June 1968
Index of Links
About the Author Preface Introduction January — 11 to 20 January — 21 to 31 Tet 1968 February — 1 to 14 February — 15 to 29 March — 1 to 15 March — 16 to 31 April — 1 to 30 May — 1 to 31 June — 1 to 20 Conclusion Abbreviations
January 1968 — 1st to 10th
- Monday — 1 January 1968
- Work started on our site 0930 hours today. Construction Sqn RAE had rough cleared our tent area so we marked out our tent lines, three rows of ten tents. From the top, the first three tents for Officers, the next nine for senior NCOs, and 18 for ORs.
- With the markings down we started to level the ground for the first floor to be constructed. In the meantime, my 21C, Lt Ken JONES, organised the delivery of timber for the floors (hardwood tongue and grooved). Ken also organised tools, etc. He was ASM of the Construction Sqn Workshops so had many valuable clues to help in our huge task of workshop construction.
- We also sited and started our first protection pit. The afternoon was free. We went to the Lorrae Desmond Show.
- Tuesday — 2 January 1968
- Maj HIGGINS (ADEME) visited to see how we were settling in. At the completion of the work at our accommodation site today we had
-
- Completed 8 tent floor boards 16 ft x 16ft.
- Almost completed two more floor boards.
- Completed the first protection pit.
-
Protection Pit - Filled about 250 sandbags from spoil from the pit. These were used for the pit and around the tent.
- RAE have been a big assistance clearing the area and cutting the protection pit. This was done by RAE personnel waiting for employment in other project jobs. W02 GALLAGHER (TQMS) has arranged the laundry contract in BARIA. He also arranged for the collection of one thousand sandbags per day.
- The weather is hot during the day but I use 2 blankets at night. Last night our ORs were on duty as piquets in the CAV Sqn lines. This is the first piquet these members have done on active service.
- Spread out our tent lines to four rows of eight tents. This is a far better set up and allows two tents for FRT if any visit; it also allows for the ORs to spread out a bit.
- Wednesday — 3 January 1968
- I wrote a letter today requesting seven CONEX Containers to be used as Security Bays for the Sqn, Workshop, Stores Section.
- Wrote a letter explaining the urgency of having the 21.5 KVA urgently forwarded as RAE cannot provide power for six to eight weeks. Wrote a letter requesting financial assistance for canteen and messes.
- Arranged for Unit Trust Account.
- One thousand sandbags received, 500 for our WO's tents at the Task Force LAD and 500 for our workshop tents.
- The lads got a grader to level between the toilet blocks and tent lines.
- The second protection pit is complete and started on the third. Two rows of tent boards almost complete (almost half-way). Sand bagging is now organised. It shan't be long before the boys get ahead with this.
- The heat is telling on the lads. W02 GALLAGHER got an 11'x 11' tent from Civil Affairs as a rest area out on the site.
- Thursday — 4 January 1968
- The men work on the site again today.
- W02 GALLAGHER went to VUNG TAU to the RAAOC Self Service. He went with Sgt Bomber LEE of Cav Sqn.
- I went to VUNG TAU with out 21C (Lt JONES). We visited
- 2 AOD (Major RALPH),
- 102 Field Workshop (Major RAWSLEY),
- 17 Const Wksp (Capt G HAWKER),
- 5 Coy RAASC Wksp (Capt Ray BROWN),
- American PX,
- Peter Badcoe Club,
- Back Beach, and,
- downtown VUNG TAU.
- Moved back to NUI DAT about 1430 hrs and looked around BARIA.
- Visited our site, and once again I was amazed at the progress our boys had made. Talking to the lads about sandbagging (and it would appear that they enjoyed it), I was told;
- "I enjoy the sand bagging trips, the kids sell us Coca Cola at 20 cents a bottle and it is colder than what we get in camp".
- "Are there any girls there?"
- "Yes, some pretty ones, who speak good English. They tried to sell us some clothes."
- "What about sex?"
- "You can go behind the sandhills for $2."
- "Have any of the boys gone behind the sandhills?"
- "No, too scared."
- The soldiers are learning about the country and its people by virtue of contact. Unfortunately they get the wrong concept from these camp followers.
- Aclimatization of the Advance party is pretty well complete. The soldiers can now work all day stripped to the waist.
- Friday — 5 January 1968
- The ASM WOl Don JUERS, and the 2IC went into VUNG TAU to collect some stores from 2 AOD. Also, to introduce Don to the various RAEME units in the area.
- I was introduced to the Deputy Commander, Col. SMITH today and had quite a long talk with him. Spoke to the DAQMG in relation to our Stores Section stores. Maj RALPH (2AOD) wants the stores cleared from his area. I don't want them up here just now.
- Received a set of SOPs from Registry.
- Visited 3 RAR and met Maj Geoff COHEN, 2IC 3 RAR. I informed him that we were working in our area from 0800 to 1700 hrs daily and we would be erecting our tents in the week 23 - 30 January 1968. I also informed him that we would be occupying our area on 30 January so please do not shoot us. Maj COHEN is in charge of the area defence in our sector. Met Maj Dick FLINT ex Adjt PIR. He is looking after Civil Affairs and PSY/Ops 1 ATF.
- Saturday — 5 January 1968
- There is a hold up with tent boards so the lads are working on sandbagging and protection pits.
- Our vehicles and stores were due in today on the JEPARIT, but owing to our stores being loaded on top of the RAAF ammunition, bombs, etc., it was necessary for our stores to be off loaded at a place called CAN RANH Bay.
- The vehicles and stores should then have been loaded on an LST (Landing Ship Tank) and shipped to VUNG TAU, but owing to operational requirements the LST could not transport our equipment. This is bad luck because at the moment nobody at HQ 1 ATF knows where my stores are!! Capt. BRIGGS has given his LAD and my advance party an INT briefing.
- CSM LILLEY is not well so I told him to rest up this afternoon.
- On our arrival we were given a heap of SITREPS, ISUMS, Instructions, RO's, etc. I have waded through the Workshop lot and almost completed the 1 ATF SOP's.
- At tea this afternoon I was informed that our vehicles and stores have arrived and it is desired that we pick them up tomorrow.
- With a little chasing around I have organised transport to take us to 2 AOD VUNG TAU. We will have 16 of our own drivers plus ORD. Transport should arrive at 0900 hrs.
- Capt BRIGGS showed Lt JONES and myself slides of VUNG TAU — temples etc. He used a CABIN projector and it worked very well.
- Saturday — 5 January 1968
- All of the RAAOC Sect and the Advance Party of the Workshop left NUI DAT at 0900 hrs and arrived at 2 AOD at 1000 hrs. The information I received about all the vehicles being ready was wrong. There were only 2 x 2.5 ton veh and 4 x 3/4 ton veh and four trailers.
- Once the vehicles were prepared for the trip back, we had a few beers at 102 Fd Workshop and then we had a swim and the boys visited the BADCOE Club. It was decided to keep back 12 men for Monday's arrival of the JEPARIT. We were accommodated by 102 Fd Workshop.
- That night WO I Doug CROSSDALE took W02 Bob PETTETT and WO 1 Don JUERS and myself to an American Club (Soldiers and Sailors Club).
- Monday — 8 January 1968
- We were told to be at the wharf by 0800 hrs at the latest. Once again we were given the bum drum. The JEPARIT did not dock until 1000 hrs.
- Morning tea was enjoyed at the PX. 40¢ for four donuts and a milkshake.
- By lunchtime the wharfies had unloaded two of our landrovers and one 1-ton trailer. Upon looking at the cargo in the ship I could see it would be a long time before our vehicles could be extricated so I ordered everybody back to NUI DAT to get on with our site work.
- It was 1 pm when I assessed the situation down at the docks and at 2.30pm I was told that Capt COLE had rung to say 8 vehicles were awaiting collection at the wharf and could we come down to get them. I said "no" as I did not believe that they were ready. Anyway, we will see tomorrow when we go down.
- The first of the concrete has been poured so we can now see some progress. Floor boards are still very scarce.
- Tuesday — 9 January 1968
- Things brightened up today. We received all of our vehicles except our half-ton trailer which has all of our Q records.
- We arrived at the wharf to collect the vehicles at 0900 hrs and found that they had been delivered to 2 AOD.
- The Wrecker (M543) had a brakeline damaged.
- One 21/2 ton Mk 3 was locked in bottom gear.
- The 21/2 ton Mk 3(RAAOC) has a US RHF wheel bearing.
- No problem convoying the vehicles back except the Provos coming from the opposite direction maintained the convoy was doing in excess of 15 miles per hour in HOA LONG Village.
- The vehicles were parked in an area nominated by the DAQMG (Maj Wells). But the Deputy Commander (Col White) sent a message to get these vehicles out of the HQ area, so Lt JONES produced Plan B. We parked our vehicles at 6 OFP (OC Capt Mike CLARKE).
- The afternoon was spent at the site. 6 OFP let us use 3 bundles of 4 x 1 timber as floor boards. These bundles were surplus to 6 OFP.
- Sand bags are arriving at 1,500 per day. There is a limit of 6,000 a day for the ATF and is handled by civilians under Civil Affairs.
- The concrete poured yesterday for our toilets and showers has sagged and is a very poor job. The Engineers had a lot of work and find it very difficult to have adequate supervision.
- It will be interesting to see how our water system pans out. We are expecting a thousand gallon tank for our three showers. This will be excellent if it comes off — (10 gallons per man).
- One RAAOC soldier, Pte BISHOP is in hospital with diarrhoea. It is thought that possibly this was caused by eating ice. The lads are getting cans of soft drink covered in ice at the site.
- Wednesday — 10 January 1968
- Lt JONES has organised 9 urinals. They are very well made and should give no smell. Ken's assistance has been invaluable. I have given him a free hand at the site. I gave him my policy and he has very high standards for hygiene for which I am very thankful.
Urinal- Filed the heap of paperwork which had been waiting for us to arrive. Am also dividing C Sqn's paperwork into Ops, A, Q, and G.
- No sandbags again today. Managed to get two more bundles of floorboards from 1 ATF LAD.
- Tomorrow Lt. JONES and W02 GALLAGHER are on a scrounge run into VUNG TAU, so we hope we may win some more floorboards, water tanks, steel beds, etc.
- Out at the site we now have all of the protection pits roughed out and half are completed and look well.
- The Officers, Sgts and WO's lines are our prime target for completion. All the floorboards are now made for this section so we will finish the protection pits and the sand bagging.
- Once again we are indebted to the Engineers. Today they finished roughing out the remainder of our weapon pits; cleared an area by the OR's canteen for the picture theatre, cleared a path from our lines to the OR's Canteen and the Mess area. Cleared the bottom of our tent lines and filled in a well. This has saved us months of hard work.
- The centre toilet block has sagged and cracked. I think it will be OK but it is very disappointing. No vent pipes have been fitted to the toilet. I must speak to the Engineers and try to get this rectified.