The Army Warfighting Experiment has been and remains the flagship experimentation programme for the British Army. It is part of the selection process for hardware and software, preparing the Army for future conflict in an increasingly urbanised world. Forces News were able to see how the Army is testing the urban warfare kit of the future to the max, on a Salisbury Plain monitored by drones trialling new software to sharpen the Army’s skills.
ED: From my inbox: I had a member point me in the direction of the link below. I’m sharing this with you because I spent quite a deal of time reading through this history and found it very interesting. … enjoy.
CLICK LINK
HMAS Hobart (II) positioned on the ‘gun line’ in its initial Vietnam deployment, led by Captain GR Griffiths, DSC, RAN.
The Royal Australian Navy’s significant contribution to the Vietnam War, often overshadowed by the Army’s larger presence, involved various roles, including clearance diving, logistical support, medical services, and fleet operations.
Australian destroyers covered nearly 400,000 miles during the conflict, firing over 100,000 rounds of ammunition. The converted aircraft carrier HMAS SYDNEY, dubbed the ‘Vung Tau Ferry,’ transported around 16,000 Australian troops. Clearance Divers conducted several thousand ship searches for explosives, resulting in eight RAN personnel fatalities and nearly 50 injuries over a decade.
The Navy’s involvement began with goodwill visits in 1962, and as the war escalated, the RAN played a crucial role. Clearance Diving Teams, such as CDT1 and CDT3, were deployed to clear mines and booby traps, conducting about 7,500 ship searches. In 1967, guided missile destroyer HMAS HOBART joined the US Seventh Fleet, initiating a six-month rotation of RAN destroyers until 1971. These vessels fired over 100,000 rounds and travelled almost 400,000 miles, supporting Allied forces on the ‘gunline’ and participating in Operation SEA DRAGON.
Logistical support came from SYDNEY, supported by merchant ships JEPARIT and BOONAROO. The RAN Helicopter Flight Vietnam, comprising Fleet Air Arm members, provided airlift and gunship support, with LCDR PJ Vickers becoming the first fatality in 1968.
RAN medical and support personnel served at the Headquarters Australian Forces Vietnam, with Navy doctors aiding hospitals and participating in the Medical Civil Action Program. The RAN’s commitment persisted until the Australian government announced force reduction in 1971, leading to the withdrawal of clearance divers, the RANHFV, and the last gunline destroyer, BRISBANE, returning in 1971.
The final voyages of JEPARIT and SYDNEY1 occurred in 1972, aligning with the Whitlam Labor government’s decision to withdraw all remaining Australian forces and cease military aid to South Vietnam. In the decade of RAN involvement, eight officers and sailors lost their lives, while 46 suffered injuries, showcasing the dedication and professionalism that earned the respect of allies and continued the Navy’s proud traditions.
ED: Request … I’m looking for personal stories from sailors who served on ships during Vietnam, stories that I can share with the membership.
One must recognize the unwavering CAN-DO ethic ingrained in the Chinese approach. In the face of any challenge, no matter how formidable, the Chinese exhibit a resolute determination, particularly when resources—both financial and human—can be mobilized to fulfill the ambitions of their Leader.
Drawing from nine years of experience in constructing islands to support bridges, this expertise has seamlessly transitioned to the expansive South China Sea. The question now arises: could the next monumental endeavour involve linking these constructed islands with a bridge to the Spratly Islands? Remarkably, there seems to be little concern for bureaucratic hurdles, as evidenced by the absence of a comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
While the world remained oblivious, the Chinese, tirelessly advanced their bridge-building endeavours. The resulting engineering marvel stands as a testament to their technological prowess, placing them among the global elite in this field.
The scale of this achievement is staggering: a 55-kilometer bridge, accomplished in a mere nine years at a cost of $15 billion, without succumbing to the notorious pitfalls of cost overruns. This swift execution is particularly noteworthy, considering the intricacies involved in constructing a six-lane bridge connecting the bustling island of Hong Kong to the mainland at Macau.
The Chinese have effectively demonstrated that their capacity to transform ambitious visions into tangible infrastructure is not only unparalleled but also efficient. The silent progress of the bridge, coupled with its impeccable execution, serves as a testament to the formidable capabilities and commitment embedded in the Chinese CAN-DO spirit.
Photo: HMAS Anzac has been pulled out of the water indefinitely amid crippling crew shortages. Picture: Defence
HMAS Anzac, a frontline warship of the navy, has been taken out of active service indefinitely due to severe crew shortages and uncertainties surrounding planned life-extending upgrades for the long-range frigate fleet. The 27-year-old vessel, which underwent a mid-life overhaul just three years ago, is now docked on hard stands at Western Australia’s Henderson shipyard as the government grapples with decisions regarding the future of the surface fleet. This includes potential reductions in the Hunter-class frigate and Arafura-class patrol boat programs.
The inception of the Anzac class originated from the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) initiative to replace the six River-class destroyer escorts with a mid-capability patrol frigate. Initially, the Australian shipbuilding industry was deemed incapable of warship design, prompting the RAN to adopt a proven foreign design and modify it. Collaboration with the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) began in 1987, resulting in the order of eight ships by Australia and two by New Zealand.
Despite each Anzac-class ship requiring 179 personnel to operate, a shortage of crew members in crucial roles has made it nearly impossible to maintain all vessels in service. The government’s initial plan to upgrade all eight Anzacs to extend their operational life into the 2030s is now under scrutiny due to concerns at the highest levels about the value of such overhauls. The Defence spokeswoman stated that HMAS Anzac entered a “period of planned maintenance” on November 6 after returning from operations, but the vessel’s return to the water remains uncertain.
Sources within the Defence community indicate that the navy would need “extended notice” to deploy the ship, and there are discussions within the government about potentially mothballing the vessel to allocate crew to other Anzac frigates. The shortage of key personnel, particularly in the engineering department, poses significant challenges, and one unfilled position can prevent a ship from deploying.
There are concerns that it could take the navy years to recover sufficient crew numbers to operate the entire Anzac fleet. As a result, HMAS Anzac, and possibly other ships like HMAS Arunta and HMAS Parramatta, may be excluded from the planned upgrades. This situation echoes a past incident where HMAS Perth was out of service for four years due to crew shortages, returning to the water only in 2021.
Strategic Analysis Australia director Peter Jennings warns that the navy is losing capability, citing the Hobart-class guided missile destroyers as the only modern ships in the fleet. He expresses concern over the government’s reluctance to allocate more funds and calls for new leadership and decisive decision-making at the government level.
The government is expected to announce the results of its surface fleet review early next year, with potential reductions in the Hunter-class frigate order and reconsideration of the Arafura-class offshore patrol vessel program. The ongoing crewing challenges are part of a broader Defence workforce crisis, with uniformed personnel numbers falling short of targets.
The third-of-class Anzac frigate, HMAS Warramunga, is scheduled to be the first to undergo overhaul work starting in mid-2024. So far, the government has allocated $631 million over five years to fund the upgrade of three vessels.
PRECIS:
On September 21, 1971, 2 companies of 4RAR/NZ(ANZAC) Battalion were involved in a battle with the enemy that turned out to be 2 Battalions and the RHQ of 33rd Regiment North Vietnamese Army. D Coy lost 5 Killed in Action and 14 Wounded in Action. B Coy had 15 Wounded in Action. Several books have been written about the D Coy involvement, and a lot has been written and discussed about what happened to D Coy that day, and rightly so. However, the B Coy involvement not very far away from D Coy has received little mention in history, yet 6 Platoon had 15 wounded, 5 of whom were serious enough to be sent back to Australia.
4 Platoon, who was sent to help 6 Platoon, was in contact with NVA soldiers and, once the wounded were evacuated, took the remnants of 6PL back to CHQ in the dark and shots had to be fired to give 4 PL a bearing to CHQ. The OC 6Pl, 2Lt Dan McDaniel was winched aboard a Medevac Helicopter, on the 22nd Sep, that had already picked up 11Pl OC 2Lt Gary MacKay. Both had been wounded the previous day. Gary MacKay had no idea B Coy had been in Contact with the NVA. On the 21st whilst D Coy was getting involved with a battalion and the RHQ of the 33rd, B Coy was patrolling South of D Coy. 6Pl discovered a telephone cable and was following it, when they had multiple contacts from 1000hrs to 1600hrs with NVA soldiers resulting in enemy KIA’s. Around 1600 when they were in contact with a larger force, 6Pl was mortared by the enemy resulting in several men being wounded in varying degrees of seriousness.
4 Platoon was tasked to go to 6 Pl and help them. I believe the distance was around 400 metres. In that distance the NVA were contacted at least twice resulting in 1 Enemy KIA and possible wounding of others. RAAF and USAF gunships were called in to lay down fire to 4PL’s front and once we reached 6Pl’s position, air strikes and artillery was used around the position while the wounded were winched out. It was then dark. At 1850hrs, OC 4Pl Lt Ian Ballantyne, then pointed to CHQ’s position and told L/Cpl Ian Douglass to lead us there. We were holding onto the webbing of the man in front of us so we would not lose touch. I’m sure I was the last man with a hobbling Gary Wheatley, he had shrapnel in his ankle, in front of me. We had moved slowly for some time when a halt was whispered down the line of men with the warning that a shot will be fired to enable us to get a bearing. On hearing the shot, we moved off in that direction, some time later another halt was called with another shot being fired. We arrived at CHQ just on 2000hrs. Considering the events of the day the firing of two shots was a necessary risk to enable the Company to be in a single NDP.
To conclude I would like to include 1 Digger’s account of his day: Personal Report of his experience, Pte Trevor Bennett:
On the 20th of Sep 6Pl was dropped off by APCs in some light vegetation, we then went on the move for a while from what I can remember. Around 3 or 4 on that afternoon we stopped to settle down for the night.
Next morning was all fine, we had breakfast and started to move out Mac (Dennis) Mc Closkey’s section was the lead section, we had not moved too far when all hell broke loose, only for a very short time from his section then nothing. With this 1 enemy killed and 1 escaped. Our Platoon commander, 2Lt Dan McDaniel moved forward to assess the situation. Dennis’s section then moved forward to clear the area. Pte’s Don Miers and Happy Hammond then dug a shallow grave to bury this guy……. There was not much left of him. (a shit of a job).
We then were on the move again, patrolled for an hour so by this time it may have been 1000 –
1030 when the signal came back ……… stop, keep alert, get down ……… then after a few minutes have a fag (smoke). After a short time, we were on the move again, once again a few shots rang out, we hit the deck then Jim Collins like went mad and fired all of his Armalite rounds off. Things settled down and we moved of once again. We were patrolling then until lunch time. The 3 machine guns were set up around our position or perimeter and we all tried to eat but on full alert. The Section Commanders and the boss (2Lt McDaniel) were having a meeting then we received the signal up and, on our way, ……… we had not gone very far when a couple of shots rang out followed by us firing back. The area was once again cleared and then Cpl Doug Melrose’s section moved out, Pte Don Miers was leading the way when we came across some black telephone cable, so we followed the cable and around 3pm we stopped because Don Miers came across a large fresh track. By this time, we were all a little edgy we were told to drop our packs have a fag and keep your eyes open. No sooner had we lit up a fag when all hell blew up and we had to move forward in an extended line or arrowhead and just opened fire as we moved forward you could not hear any orders. There was so much noise from incoming fire and us firing back I think we went to ground. Somehow, we received a signal to move back, while moving back to our packs you could see movement to the side of us then the firing ceased and then a pop came from enemy Mortars, RPG’s or whatever ……. All I can remember was an explosion and me in the air. I didn’t even think to stay down. I was trying to fire but my rifle won’t work. The blast that knocked me over wrecked my rifle. I finally steadied myself, my ears ringing, and saw some of the boys pulling back, I followed. Our stretcher bearer Pte Graham Taylor, our Koori brother, was helping Pte Phil Nickleson who had been hit in the head with some shrapnel ……. All you could hear was more explosions. There were several of us wounded some worse than others. Graham Taylor was doing his best trying to patch up 16 of us with shrapnel wounds to our backs, bum, legs, head, arms and other parts of the body. While all this was going on Doug Melrose was firing a M79(Grenade launcher) back in the direction of where the mortars were coming from, and our own Artillery was near on top of us possibly 20 – 25 metres away. (Thank Fuck!) The battle itself from the first shot would only have lasted 15 – 20 minutes from when the contact first started, and the mortars stopped but there was still some firing from small arms for 10 minutes or so from what I remember. The artillery stopped and in came the choppers with Minnie guns a blazing and cut the jungle to pieces. There were a lot of prayers said on that day …… I thought we were goners. We were all laying down and was told to shoot anything that moved, then a call came through (the message) that 4 Pl was very close coming in from whatever direction …. Keep our eyes open and make sure it’s not one of 4pl you shoot.
While eyes peering out in the jungle a little bloke popped out of the scrub I yelled “Bob … Bob Caldwell” then “GT” Turner came into sight with the rest of 4Pl. A big relief came over me or all of us when 4Pl arrived.
After being patched up the medevac choppers came in to winch us out, Dennis McCloskey was the first up followed by me, Trevor Bennett, I said and I think Dennis probably had the same thoughts I feel safer on the ground than lying in the basket being winched up through the canopy as I reached the skids of the chopper it took off ..I am sure we were shot at.
This is all I can remember of the 21 Sep 197, until the next morning when I woke up to see a lot of
6 Pl and some guys from Delta Coy. Cpl Doug Melrose from 6Pl was now acting Platoon Commander and still wounded with shrapnel in his wrist and stayed out in the scrub with 4 Pl overnight, maybe a couple more nights I am not sure.
5 of us boys were CASEVAC’d back to Australia. Jerry Olde, tony Freeman, Jack Porter, Len Muller and myself. There were some from Delta coy also.
Thanks to B Coy we were all very lucky. The enemy forces came down to kick our arses and we were so lucky to get out alive. This is my belief I am proud of what we did and have many good friends from my time in the Armed Forces.
David Morris President
4RAR Association.
Australian Army Infantry the Truth is an overview of the qualities and the stoic requirements to serve within the Australian Army Infantry the Royal Australian Regiment and the School of Infantry that is the home of the training of the Infantry soldier and its specialist courses as well as promotion courses and the Infantry Regimental Officers Basic Course. The video presentation is called the Truth as it does not gloss over the current watered down nerf version of recruiting ads on mainstream ads for the Australian Defence Force the ADF. The Royal Australian Regiment is one of one and we need more to be honest, and this is a way as an Australian Infantry Veteran I can do my bit to welcome the next generation of capable, brave and resourceful young adults to try a career of adventure and mate ship as well as sacrifice of luxuries such as warmth, comfort and safety. Create a legacy and see all that you can be within the Royal Australian Regiment.
Considering the current events in the Middle East, let’s delve into a thought-provoking perspective. The following reflects on an article penned by Spanish writer Sebastian Vilar Rodriguez, which was published in a Spanish newspaper. While the context is specific to Barcelona, the message resonates beyond Europe, possibly impacting the global outlook.
The revelation occurred as the author strolled through the streets of Barcelona, leading to a sombre acknowledgment: Europe, as we once knew it, perished in Auschwitz. The author draws attention to a painful historical truth—the loss of six million Jews, a community that represented a wealth of culture, thought, creativity, and talent. The void left by their absence was filled by a subsequent influx of 20 million Muslims.
The author laments the tragedy of Auschwitz, where a unique group of people, truly chosen for their significant contributions to the world, was extinguished. The Jewish people, he argues, played a pivotal role in shaping various aspects of life, including science, art, international trade, and serving as the conscience of the world. The author prompts us to consider the potential greatness that was erased with the six million lives lost.
Under the guise of tolerance, Europe, seeking to distance itself from the stains of racism and bigotry, opened its doors to 20 million Muslims. The author contends that this well-intentioned move resulted in the importation of challenges such as ignorance, religious extremism, lack of tolerance, crime, and poverty. He highlights the perceived unwillingness of some members of this group to work and support their families independently.
The consequences, as described, paint a grim picture—train bombings, the transformation of once-beautiful cities into hubs of filth and crime, and a perceived plot against their generous hosts from within government-supported apartments. The author argues that Europe, in its pursuit of tolerance, inadvertently traded culture for fanatical hatred, creative skill for destructive tendencies, and intelligence for backwardness and superstition.
The narrative takes a poignant turn as the author addresses the recent debate in the UK about whether to remove The Holocaust from the school curriculum due to alleged offense to the Muslim population. The author expresses concern about the world succumbing to fear and appeasement, emphasizing the importance of remembering historical atrocities.
The narrative concludes with a call to action, urging readers to participate in a memorial chain for the victims of various atrocities, emphasizing the need to ensure that the world “never forgets.” The final plea invokes the risk of historical events being denied or forgotten, drawing parallels to potential denial of the World Trade Centre attack by some Muslims in the United States.
In essence, the article encourages reflection on historical tragedies and prompts readers to consider the implications of cultural shifts and historical omissions in the face of contemporary challenges.
“If you do not take an interest in the affairs of your government, then you are doomed to live under the rule of fools.”
—Plato
ED: If you can help please email Ken at [email protected]
G’day Ray
I dropped you an email back in early October, but I think went to an incorrect address.
No doubt you have plenty on your plate, but I am seeking your assistance.
My name is Ken Wriedt, and I am looking for Robert Edwards (3791170) and I was referred to you by the secretary of 1RAR Association.
In a past life, he and I worked in the Commonwealth Bank, got conscripted and went to Vietnam.
I am now attempting to garner together as many ex-CBA Victorian ‘Nasho’s’ with a view to a get together sometime in 2024.
If you have details of Robert, I would appreciate it you could onforward this email to him.
Many thanks
Cheers
Ken Wriedt
HQ 1ALSG 69/70
Two ballistic missiles were launched from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen towards the USS Mason, a destroyer of the Arleigh-Burke class, as reported by U.S. Central Command on Sunday night. The missiles landed approximately 11 miles from the ship in the Gulf of Aden, causing no injuries or damage. In response to a distress call from the commercial ship M/V Central Park, the USS Mason, part of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, intervened. After arriving, coalition forces demanded the release of the vessel. Subsequently, five armed individuals disembarked from the ship, attempting to escape in a small boat. The USS Mason pursued, leading to the eventual surrender of the attackers.
The M/V Central Park, described as a tanker carrying phosphoric acid with an international crew of 22, was confirmed to be safe by CENTCOM. The missiles were fired early Monday morning local time as the USS Mason was completing its response to the distress call.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who control the capital Sanaa, provided no comment on the incident. However, Yemen’s internationally recognized government, based in Aden, accused the rebels of the attack, denouncing it as an act of maritime piracy with the support of the Iranian regime.
The attack occurred in a part of the Gulf of Aden theoretically under the control of the Yemeni government’s forces, distant from Houthi-controlled territory. Zodiac Maritime has previously been targeted in the ongoing shadow war between Iran and Israel. The UK Maritime Trade Operations issued a warning about suspicious craft in the area, and the Central Park’s location was reported over 35 miles south of Yemen’s coast in the Gulf of Aden.
The incident with the Central Park follows an attack on another Israeli-owned ship, the CMA CGM Symi, in the Indian Ocean. The Symi and the Central Park had both turned off their Automatic Identification System trackers, raising concerns about potential threats. Global shipping has become a target amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, with recent incidents involving Houthi seizures and attacks on vessels. Analysts suggest that such attacks serve to support Iran and strengthen the Houthis’ position in Yemen.