41 Of course, the highlight of the entire tour is the battery’s participation in the Battle of Long Tan – the first major contact by Australian troops during the war. They would fire 1078 rounds over the course of the battle in arduous conditions of relentless rain, failing light and very poor visibility due to both. 103rd Battery were the General Duties Battery – meaning they’d fire any adjustments in the case of a regimental fire mission. Using 105mm Pack Howitzers, all 6 guns fired in support of 6RAR for Long Tan, as well as guns from the 105th and 161st – and at one point 155mm Guns from an American callsign. Teams of people were labouring hard to supply the battery with ammunition, ferrying bombs for the constantly firing Pack Howitzers. According to the AWM, the Battery has been recorded as the only artillery unit to be supplied by air during the battle. A Chinook reportedly delivered ammunition directly to the gun position without stopping. Its reported that the Chinook hovered a few feet off the ground, nose up and skull dragging the tail end to deliver ammunition out the back. This was all done to avoid being an easy target in the case of counter battery fire. Following Long Tan, the Battery would operate in support of 5RAR and as a result they would begin to spend more time away from the relative safety of Nui Dat. The AWM states that the battery supported 5 RAR during Operation Toldedo (AKA Darlinghurst). The 103rd Battery occupied a position in the vicinity of Binh Bah village and awaited the call for fire when 5 RAR inevitably sought out the enemy.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjE4NTMz