Facts & Figures

New book by Long Tan Commander Harry Smith

Lt. Col Harry Smith SG MC (retd), former Officer Commanding of Delta Company, 6RAR during the Battle of Long Tan has released his own book. Written in partnership with award-winning journalist Toni McRae, “Long Tan A lifelong battle” is also Harry’s life story and portrays his many personal battles, from failed marriages to commando-style killing; […]

Passing of another Long Tan Veteran – Harry Esler

Sadly, another of the brave, gallant, Battle of Long Tan veterans has passed away this week. 20 year old Harry Esler was conscripted into the Australian Army in 1965 as part of the very first intake of Australian National Servicemen for the Vietnam War. After National Service training, Private Harry Esler was posted to 10 […]

Coincidence and Fate on a Battlefield called Long Tan

By Tim McCormack “What an extraordinary coincidence that two young McCormack’s, unrelated and from different states, ended up dying next to each other on a battlefield in Vietnam.” A knock at the door….the fateful telegram….and then the 20th August 1966 headlines in that evening’s edition of the Examiner Express – ‘Launceston Boy Killed in Viet. […]

Jack Kirby – An Unsung Hero of the Battle of Long Tan

Arguably the backbone and discipline of any infantry company is the Company Sergeant Major (CSM). These soldiers of Warrant Officer rank are part father figure, part teacher and part principle / headmaster. Almost all of the CSM’s I’ve come across have had very strong and unique personalities made up of steadiness, humour, discipline but ultimately […]

Secret Australian Army Intelligence – Battle of Long Tan

One of the little known and fascinating aspects of the Battle of Long Tan is the intelligence that was being collected, analysed and distributed to the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) Commander Brigadier David Jackson and some of his headquarters staff. During the Vietnam War a secret radio intelligence and tracking unit from the Australian […]

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