RAA Liaison Letter 2024 - 2025 Edition

RAA L I A I SON L ETTER – 2024 – 2025 E D I T I ON C ANNON BALL S UP PLEMENT 132 entries in the Regiment’s War Diary correcting statements surrounding the events on 10 Nov 191966. This related to an incident on 10 Nov 1966 where Cubis apparently intervened to cancel a Fire Mission fired by 103 Fd Bty in support of 5 RAR. Cubis’ entry in his own Diary concerning this incident was apparently overwritten by Brig Jackson in the Task Force (TF) Comd’s Diary. On this basis, Cubis states that he asked to be relieved of his Command which took place on 11 Dec 1966. Given all of this, one can only assume that the Diaries from Jul – Dec 1966 existed but have been removed from public access? This probably suited both parties at this time, but it was not a recipe for close cooperation and liaison. Underlying all of this was an issue which clearly went to the heart of the considerable distance between Jackson and Cubis. For reasons which are unknown, Cubis lived in the Regimental area which was some distance from the TF HQ. This probably suited both parties at this time, but it was not a recipe for close cooperation and liaison. For all of us who followed from Jan 1967 to the end of the conflict as CO’s, BC’s or FO’s such an arrangement was unthinkable. So why was it allowed to happen when it did? The remainder of this article is an extract from Major General’s Don Begg’s book cited in the RAAHC article. I never met Don Begg, but he was in the opinion of many he was “a good bloke”. He started with the obvious by moving into the TF area from the 1 Fd Regt lines thus taking us back to where I think we were in 1945? As is clear from the extract from Don Begg’s autobiography, he had a lot of work to do in terms of organizing his HQ and restoring relations with supported arm. His War Diary for Jan 1967 is devoted to the scope of work required. In particular, there are detailed Instructions for the Operation of Arty Tac, no doubt greatly assisted by the now close proximity of the Artillery advisors to those they were supporting. Brig Jackson RTA on 8 Jan 1967 so Don Begg’s task was probably made easier in having a new Commander during this period. There is an interesting item entry on 31 Jan 1967 which is “that all papers of file RMCC of 1966 and 1967 are to be destroyed”. The Jan – Feb 1967 Diaries consist of some 179 pages as an indicator of the Staff Work required on the change of command. In this period, 103 Bty completed a trial on XM546 anti-personnel rounds which later was to be very useful for local defence. Instructions for the use of this munition were also issued in Jan 1967, but it seems supplies were not available until Sep 1967. Activity then was relatively normal until 1 Fd Regt was replaced by 4 Fd Regt on 9 Jun 1967. 103 Battery. The next article where some comment is required is 103 Bty citing Maj Mick Burge as BC. This partially correct but the BC who prepared the Battery in Australia and for their first 7 months in SVN (including the Log Tan battle), was Maj Neville Gair. Mick Burge succeeded Neville Gair when he RTA In Dec 1966 and then commanded the Battery until the end of their tour in May 1967. 101 Battery. The article states that Major Brian Johnson was the BC. Captain Johnson was in fact the BK for the period the Battery was in SVN. Major Nick Marshall served as BC for the entirety of 101 Bty’s tour (19 Sep 1966 to 11 Jun 1967). 106 Battery. The article states that the Battery had two tours which is correct but not unique given that 101, 104. 105 Batteries did likewise. The article states that Maj David Gilroy was the BC on the first tour which is incorrect. The BC from 30 Apr 1967 to 12 Dec 1967 was Major Evard Cape, who like Neville Gair one year