Reunion remembers Operation Hammersley

The Eighth Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment Association held its national reunion at Ettalong during the week of Sunday, February 24.

The week concluded with a National Memorial Service on Thursday, February 28, at Woy Woy Memorial Park.

The Eighth Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment Association remembers February 28 each year and holds a national reunion every five years to commemorate Operation Hammersley.

"It was in February 1970 and the recently arrived eighth Battalion had only been in Vietnam for a little over two months, but were already veterans of two major operations: Operation Atherton along the Long Kahn - Phuoc Tuy province borders, and Operation Keperra in the Nui Dinh hills," said national reunion organiser Mr Kevin Sullivan.

"A platoon ambush on the edge of the Long Hai hills set in train a series of events that were to prove a turning point in the Australian commitment to South Vietnam.

"Other operations and other battles are more talked about but Operation Hammersley was where the eighth Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment took on the defenders of the Minh Dam Secret Zone in a text book incursion before becoming mired in a sea of both anti-personal and anti-tank mines.

"This operation taught One Australian Task Force and more importantly, the politicians back in Australia, the nasty nature of the war.

"At 1100 hours on Saturday, February 28, 1970, an M26 grenade booby trap, with an anti-lifting device, was located.

"An engineer party moving to neutralise the booby trap initiated an M16 mine causing seven soldiers to be killed and 13 to be wounded.

"While guiding a dust-off helicopter into an area cleared of mines, a member of the platoon stepped out of the cleared area detonating a further M16 mine which killed one and wounded three soldiers.

"One of the wounded later died.

"Our casualties during Operation Hammersley were 11 killed and 59 wounded.

"Of this number, two of the dead and 19 of the wounded were supporting arms.

"And so it is, that February 28 is known as Long Hai Day and it is on this day each year we remember, with sadness and respect, our 18 killed, including the two cavalry men who tragically lost their lives during Operation Hammersley along with those who were seriously wounded during the Eighth Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment Association's tour of duty in Vietnam.

"The battalion was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation, including Cross of Gallantry with Palm Unit Citation, by the South Vietnamese Government for its involvement in Hammersley.

"The Eighth Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment Association will also remember at this time another significant event; 2013 marks 40 years since all Australian troops were withdrawn from Vietnam and on this occasion, as well as remembering our loss, we remembered all Australians who paid the supreme sacrifice during the Vietnam War," said Mr Sullivan.

Online Submission, 19 Feb 2013

Kevin Sullivan, Umina