Administration Coy 4RAR/NZ (ANZAC)

Administration Company 4RAR/NZ (ANZAC) 1971-1972

Administration Company provided the essential administrative support to the battalion throughout training and for operations in South Vietnam. The routine and tedious nature of the tasks involved is well known; nevertheless the jobs were done with many cheerful variations by company members.

"A" Echelon was deployed for the three major exercises in the first months of 1971 and the deployments provided many valuable lessons, not the least of which was the inadvisability of siting Echelon Headquarters in a gully when rain is imminent.

WO2 Danny Cook and Maj John Robbins.

In South Vietnam, the company spent most of its time in Nui Dat, providing maintenance throughout the battalion base and to the companies in the field. Perimeter defence, TAOR patrols and road resupply convoys were regular adjuncts to the base routine.

The company's activities in the latter part of the unit's tour of duty were very much coloured by the movements back to Nui Dat, within Nui Dat and from Nui Dat. Company members bore the brunt of stores collection, packing and relocation and the task of transportation of unit stores and equipment to new locations.

He did, didn't he? (Cpls Bill Osmond and "Jock" McFallen).

The AQ Cell was located with battalion headquarters in the field for the duration of the tour and was generally commanded by the AQM. The domestic affairs of the company were competently handled by the company sergeant-major, company quarter-master sergeant and of course the company clerk.

Keeping an eye on.... (Capt Mike Wadsworth).

New Zealand was well represented in the company by the company second -in-command and by our Kiwi drivers and RNZEME craftsmen who worked as company members. The New Zealand component was located with the company for rations and quarters and was much admired for its Elliot Ness-like quality, its ability to cause good food to appear and any liquor to disappear and an uncanny ability to shift Australian stores under New Zealand auspices.