Chapter 6 of The Fighting Fourth: Reflections

Chapter 6 of The Fighting Fourth: Reflections

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A pictorial look back at the tour.

The highlights, the bad times and the good.

RSM's Conferences

Originally for RSMs of various units at Nui Dat to discuss problems of administration, the RSMs' Conference was held on a Sunday morning on a weekly, but later fortnightly, basis. Units would take their turn as host and on the occasion of its being held at 4 RAR/NZ, the conference was held in the afternoon to allow the battalion to farewell many of the units now leaving "the Dat" for the great south land. Needless to say, the "choosing of the colour" had its lowly place on the agenda.

RSM's conference at Nui Dat (Sgts "Stoney" Burke, Kevin Philp, Davey Jones, S/Sgt Bob Hann, Sgt Mick Farrell, WO1 W. Thompson, S/Sgt "Toad" Fletcher, S/Sgt Frank Galvin and Sgt "Killer" Kinnane).

The Good the Bad and the...........

In Vietnam, an Australian girl is a delightful thing. A break from the grind of looking at your mate in his grimy greens and that instant feeling of happy memories which you never dreamt of being so good. The concert parties, organized by the Australian Forces Overseas Fund, provided those breaks and good feelings that helped to keep morale as high as possible.

The battalion saw the last concert party to visit the field in Vietnam - remember them on 2 September at Courtney Hill. The battalion saw the last concert party at Nui Dat - remember them at Luscombe Bowl on 19 October. We also saw the last concert party in Vietnam for Australian Forces -- D Company remembers them at the Kevin Wheatley Stadium.

We refer to them as The Good, and The Bad - we were the Ugly (diggers) who thoroughly enjoyed those civilians selling gags, strumming guitars, and thinking of casting our fate to the winds with those Australian girls.

Let it all hang out!