Vietnam War: Lang Ca Thi ambush of D445 by 7RAR
Lang Ca Thi ambush of D445 by 7RAR on 31 December 1970 – the Vietnamese current recovery of D445 remains – seeking Australian assistance
The 7RAR Ambush of D445 at Láng Cà Thi – 31 December 1970: Recovery of VC Remains in September 2024.
“Earlier in September 2024, the official Vietnamese war-remains recovery organization in Baria-Vung Tau (ie: “Ban Chỉ Đạo 515”) – led by PAVN Colonel Nguyễn Thành Trung) began a formal search in the Xuyên Mộc area (vicinity of Láng Cà Thi – ie: Cà Thi Waterfall) for the burial site/sites of the remains of 23+ D445 soldiers killed in a 7RAR ambush (supported by 1 Troop B Squadron 3rd Cav Regt) on 31 December 1970 at “YS 690668” “ – see: the accounts in the official history – Fighting to the Finish to the Finish (AWM, 2012) pp.482-483; Chamberlain E.P., The Viet Cong D445 Battalion (2011 and 2016) pp. 136-137; and O’Brien M.P.J. – Major General, Conscripts and Regulars with the Seventh Battalion in Vietnam, 1995. The Vietnamese search group have a copy of the detailed sketch map of the area prepared in early 1971 by Major G.P. Warland (OC B Coy, 7RAR) – see below. The Vietnamese “Ban Chỉ Đạo 515” cadre have added “red vertical lines” to divide the Major Warland sketch map into “last”, “middle” and “first” sectors.
Despite a search of the area of the ambush area, the Vietnamese dig/recovery parties have not – as yet, been able to find any remains of the fallen D445 soldiers – and have sought assistance from Australian veterans. They are hoping that an Australian veteran might be able to indicate the burial site/sites on the “Major Warland sketch map” (below) – if only by indicating a location/location of the burials as either north or south of the central east-west track, or in their red “last”, “middle” or “first” sectors of the “Major Warland sketch map”.
Any information can be passed to Ernie Chamberlain at ernestchris@tpg.com.au – for on-forwarding to PAVN Colonel Nguyễn Thành Trung of the Baria-Vung Tau “Ban Chỉ Đạo 515” group. Further Vietnamese photographs of their current “dig” can also be provided on request.
Best wishes, Ernie Chamberlain (Vietnam 1969-70)
Regarding the 7RAR ambush of D445 at Lang Ca Thi (near Xuyen Moc) on 31 December 1970 and the current Vietnamese military search for about 24 sets of buried remains – see the FRONTLINE item. Any information from Australian veterans on the site of the burials can be passed to the Vietnamese search group through Ernie Chamberlain (Vietnam veteran 1969-70) at ernestchris@tpg.com.au – ie for on-forwarding to the Baria-Vung Tau “Ban Chỉ Đạo 515” group who are managing the on-site search near Xuyen Moc .