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 134 Roll of Honour 16 Gunners died in SVN. If you scroll through the detail you will find two pages devoted to Captain. Ken Bade a FO with 105 Fd Bty KIA on 8 Jan 1966; reported as the first Australian Officer to die in the conflict. Prior to that, Gunner Thomas Simpson of 105 Fd Bty died of illness on 9 Dec 1965 and his ashes were sent by post to A Fd Bty at Camp Terendak for interment in the Military Cemetery there. (It is an important part of history to note that for much of our military history very few bodies were RTA (don’t mention General Birdwood or the horses). In the early years of our deployment the bodies (mainly RA Inf and RAA) were repatriated to the Military Cemetery at Camp Terendak Malaysia for burial. 16 Gunners died in SVN Gunner Richard Cliff is the next entry. Gunner Cliff was a Signaller in Lieutenant. Barrie Winsor’s FO Party when stray rounds from 161 Bty killed Gunner Cliff and the CSM WO2 Jack Kirby DCM of D Coy 6 RAR on 6 Feb 1967. Gunner “Bluey” Tregear is mentioned in the 108 Fd Bty narrative. He was KIA on 4 Nov 1967 when the enemy infiltrated FSB Lion and set off some claymore mines. Lieutenant Bob Birse is mentioned at some length in the 106 Fd Bty (first tour) narrative. Bob Birse was murdered on FSB Bravo on 10 Dec 1967 by Gunner Leonard Newman who threw a grenade into the Officer’s sleeping pit. The 102 Fd Bty narrative covers the attacks on FSB Coral in May 1968 in some detail and despite a number of WIA they had no KIA The article notes but does not name two Gunners from HQ Bty 12 Fd Regt who died during the battle.at Coral. (They are formally recognised in the next Section dealing with the unacknowledged deaths). 101 Fd Bty (second tour) lost Lieutenant Bernie Garland to a mine incident, tragically quite late in his tour of duty on 22 Apr 1970. The next entry was also a FO when Second Lieutenant Ian Mathers was KIA on 7 Jun 1971 when B Coy 5 RAR was heavily engaged with a NVA Regiment. Seven are specifically honoured in the short history (while two soldiers from HQ Bty 12 Fd Regt) are now identified in this contribution make up the 8 RAA personnel not mentioned The other 9 are: • Bombardier Ross Anton accidently killed, 4 Fd Regt 22 Mar 1970. • Major George Constable CO 161 Recce Flight shot down by ground fire on 23 May 1968 (it is claimed the first CO to die in battle during the War). • Staff Sergeant John Hall Chief Clerk 12 Fd Regt (2nd Tour) murdered in Vung Tau on 27 Oct 1971 (certainly among the last to die in SVN). • Warrant Officer Class Two Ron Lees AATTV KIA 13 Jan 1966 (just 5 days after Ken Bade). • Lance Bombardier James Menz Det 131 Div Loc Bty KIA 18 Feb 1968. • Gunner Chris Sawtell HQ Bty 12 Fd Regt died at FSB Coral on 13 May 1968. • Gunner Ian Scott HQ Bty 12 Fd Regt died at FSB Coral on 13 May 1968. • Sergeant Rod Parker 12 Fd Regt (2nd Tour) died of an illness 19 Oct 1971. • Gunner Thomas Checkley Det 131 Div Loc Bty accidental death 5 Aug 1966. While not being members of the RAA at the time of their deaths, two officers are worthy of mention. Major Peter Badcoe VC AATTV was KIA near Hue on 7 Apr 1967. Badcoe graduated from OCS in Dec 1952 and served in the RAA until Aug 1965 when he was allotted to RA Inf. (at his request, so that he could get into the War). Captain Barry Donald AA Avn. was KIA on 3 Dec 1969 when his aircraft was shot down near Bin Bha. Barry Donald had joined the Army as a Gunner in Feb 1958 serving in Malaysia with 101 Fd Bty during the Emergency. He was commissioned at OCS in Jun 61 and was allotted to 4 Fd Regt before transferring to AAAvn. (like