7th NVA Division Remains-Recovery
Ceremony commemorating the recovery of 20 sets of remains of 7th NVA Division soldiers – Battle of Balmoral May 1968.
Battle of Balmoral May 1968 – 7th NVA Division Remains-Recovery: Friday 26 April 2024.
The Australian Ambassador to Vietnam – Andrew Goledzinowski, the Defence Attache – Group Captain Michael Jensen, the Assistant Defence Attache – Lieutenant Commander David Ngothanh, and the Administrative Assistant WO2 Duncan Reid attended the remains-recovery ceremonies in Chòi Dúng hamlet of Bình Dương Province on Friday 26 April 2024. 3RAR Vietnam veteran (Coral and Balmoral) John Bryant – wearing light grey pants and white shirt with tie, and Luke Johnston (son of a 3RAR veteran and a Vietnam resident – seen offering incense) also participated in the ceremonies.
Regards, Ernie Chamberlain
Further information: The hamlet of Chòi Dúng is in Bình Mỹ village, Bắc Tân Uyên District of Bình Dương Province – the remains and “artefacts” were found during a “dig” in a rubber plantation close to Chòi Dúng hamlet (which in 1968 was reportedly “Bàu Hang hamlet”). The ceremony on 26 April took place in the “Nghĩa trang liệt sĩ tỉnh Bình Dương” (Bình Dương Province Martyrs’ Cemetery). The Vietnamese media has reported that – over 20 years, there had been 9 “digs” in the area – involving both Vietnamese and Australian veterans. The successful dig began in April 2024, with remains discovered on 5 April. Vietnamese dignitaries at the ceremony included the former National Chairman (ie “President” 2006-20011) Nguyễn Minh Triết and PAVN Major General Đoàn Quang Hòa. The remains and artefacts (including 35 sandals, aluminium water bottles, cloth, pens etc) were discovered during a “dig” into a “filled-in” bomb crater (“No.5”) by personnel of the Bình Dương Province Military Headquarters on 5 April 2024 and were brought to the Province Cemetery on 12 April (the site o the 26 April 2024 ceremonies).