SURVEYING ENTITIES

The surveyors of 131 Div Loc Bty, were not the only surveyors operating out of Nui Dat. There were 3 distinct layers of survey all combining to cover the needs of the Taskforce.

• The over riding layer were the topographical surveyors of Detachment 1, Topographical Survey Troop. Their job in simple terms was the preparation, production and upgrading of maps used by the Taskforce. They had 3 merged sections to accomplish this brief, Survey, Cartography and Screen Printing. Of the many tasks allocated to them, their surveyors were responsible for map control of an area by placing in highly accurate survey points. Over time these points were continually rechecked to upgrade their accuracy.
• The middle survey layer consisted of the Regimental Surveyors of 131 Div Loc Bty. Our responsibility lay in the transfer of survey from the highly accurate Topo points to the gun battery positions. We gave them accurate coordinates for a Bty centre, a Bty director’s position and a highly defined bearing between both. Like Topo surveyors, we were not limited just to our prime responsibilities. Although scant mention has been recorded, it wasn’t uncommon for the surveyors of Topo and 131 to be found working together on mutual survey projects.
• The 3rd survey layer was the Battery Surveyor of each gun Bty. They took the information supplied to the Bty centre and Director’s peg and applied it to each of the guns in the Bty. The laying and sighting of the guns was a wonderful mesh of Maths and Mechanics to achieve a predictable accurate fall of shot in another world.

As surveyors we were privileged to be part of this Mathematical sequence.