4 Field Regiment (SVN) 'Old Boys' Sep 25 Newsletter

allocated to write the Statement of Reasons for the Board’s decision on the case. So each member would have five complex Statements to prepare each week, typed by yourself to publishable standard, outlining the contentions and the evidence, giving an understandable explanation of the notoriously complex law that applied, and explaining how the Board then arrived at its decision given the evidence and the law. It paid not to get behind! To be continued next edition. Finally, some numbers, to keep you awake at night – perhaps! During 4 th Field Regiments first tour of SVN (May 1967 to May 1968) which included, HQ Bty, 106 and 108 Bty, there were 463 gunners (all ranks) who deployed. Of these, 284 were National Servicemen. This number does not include non-RAA personnel eg cooks, medics, pay and RAEME personnel. It also does not include the Kiwis or members of the Detachment 131 Div Loc Bty. During the Regiments second tour, (Feb 1970 to May 1971) with HQ Bty, 106 Bty and 107 Bty, there were 491 gunners (again, all ranks) who deployed of which, 302 were National Servicemen. Again, not including the support troops, Locators or the Kiwis who went home in May 1971. I calculated 38 RAEME members posted to the Regiment or the LAD, during the Regiments first tour and 26 for the second tour. There were 151 Locators with the Detachment 131 Divisional Locating Battery during 67/68 and 158 during the 70/71 deployment of the Regiment. These numbers are my extraction from the DVA website. I know that some of our Old Boys are not listed on that site for various reasons including Don Sinclair. The total number of gunners (all ranks) who served in Vietnam was 3,387. Some of these did more than one deployment. A different set of numbers is the rainfall at our place today (Thursday 21 August 2025). This morning, I tipped out 144 mm since yesterday morning and as at 1.00pm today we have had another 72mm. That’s 216mm (just shy of nine inches) in the last 29 hours. Still raining and more to come. Update Friday morning August 22 – 271mm (just under 11 inches!) in the last 48 hours. Our thanks again to Graham Hampton and the Australian Artillery Association website for publishing our newsletters. No word yet from 4 th Regiment regarding our sponsorship of an annual award. Most ADF units including 4 th Regt have been involved in Exercise Talisman Sabre and I dare say taking some well deserved leave at the moment. There are some good Utube reports on the exercise – just search Talisman Sabre 2025. That’s it for now Old Boys. I trust all is well and you are all in good condition for the condition you are in. Please drop me a line and let me know what you have been up to in recent times. Best wishes to all Pete