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“Elements of 131 came wandering in from the bush”
(A quote whose origins are lost, yet the sentiments expressed will not be lost on many who served with 131 Div Loc Bty SVN.)

We were part of a unique, multi-facetted, multi-tasked detachment of the Royal Australian Artillery. It comprised an LP Artillery Intelligence section, a Radar section and a section of Artillery Surveyors. The Battery was both diverse in skills and widespread in locale. This very nature is perhaps reason for its limited acknowledgement. Nevertheless within its wide parameters, each trade entity contributed to the conduct of operations and intelligence, vital to the defence of the Australian Taskforce based at Nui Dat, South Vietnam.

Very little has been documented about the Survey Section and hence the ordinary surveyor. This account is taken from the yet untold, rich and varied contributions made by surveyors of 131 Div Loc Bty, in an unbroken sequence of service in SVN from 1966 to 1971.

The pages herein originally chronical the experiences of those who were the 2nd replacement surveyors who arrived in early May 1967. There were 3 “old hands” who linked with the ’66 “originals”. They were: Gnr B Follington Dec 66, Gnr S Boutlis Jan '67 and Gnr P Endicott Jan '67. The ’67 May contingent comprised: Lt I Yerbury, Bdr P Hopper, Bdr M Poustie, L/Bdr B Irvine, Gnr K Long, Gnr J McFadden, Gnr K McNamara, Gnr W Brooker, Gnr R Evans, Gnr R Webb, Gnr T Bruce and Gnr G Green. Gnr P Fuhrmann joined us on the 20th June. In September Gnr G Holden, Gnr K Woodbine, Gnr N Armstrong joined us and in October/November Gnr J Greenway, L/Bdr J Menz and L/Bdr M Van Driel were new replacements to the surveyor's ranks.

NEW SITE OBJECTIVE

This website seeks to make contact with the Artillery Surveyors of 131 Div Loc Bty. We welcome your relevant contributions of photos, insights and observances so we might endeavour to expand 131 Artillery Surveying Vietnam record, beyond this window.

Please use the contacts page for details.