DESCRIPTION
A search and destroy operation by 7RAR in an area 5km NW of Binh Ba. 106 Fd Bty would be in direct support from a FSB just out of Binh Ba.
A Sq 3Cav on sentry duty just off the old airfield in the rubber. Photo courtesy P Hopper.
Gnr K Long on the tellurometer in front of Gallia's Rubber Factory. Bdr Poustie booking and keeping an eye out. Photo courtesy M Poustie.
The Binh Ba kids who tagged surveyors on the airstrip. Photo courtesy B Follington.
131 SURVEY
On the 7th Survey sect moved north in convoy to the FSB position YS 440737, a reportedly “disused” cemetery on Binh Ba’s outskirts. Surveyors dug weapon pits and set their hootchies on their section of the FSB perimeter. 106 Fd Bty was to arrive the next day. Early the next morning surveyors awaited transport and protection from 3 Cav. Our Bdrs checked with 106 Bty recce party HQ tent. The news was not good, 3 Cav could not supply protection due to operational commitments. Limited assistance is offered if we can link up with an APC on sentry duty on the old airfield.
It became fairly apparent early in the piece that protection would be afforded if and when possible. We all knew that 3 Cav would be working with the Infantry much further out.
Gnr McFadden June 1967.
Surveyors gathered equipment and set forth in staggered formation through the rubber to rendezvous with the APC on the disused airstrip.
This must’ve been quite a sight! Surveyors loaded up with theodolites, stands, tellurometers, car batteries and banderols trying to effect an Infantry patrol. We were well spaced out but we’d have been in one big mess if challenged.
Gnr McFadden June 1967.
On making contact with 3 Cav’s APC on sentry duty, 2 surveyors were taken to a known bearing picket in an area close to the Binh Ba Rubber Factory ( 454 748 ). The APC was then called north to join 7RAR’s movement.
Gnr Long and myself loaded batteries, tellurometers and theodolites into the APC and directed the carrier CO to the initiation point which was a Topo survey mark outside Gallia’s Rubber Factory.
I clearly remember sitting on top of the APC as it stormed through the rubber plantation, ducking my head regularly as the radio aerials whipped against the tree branches.
Bdr Poustie June 1967
Resupply Chinook. Photo courtesy P Hopper.
A diamond traverse was initiated from this point and taken down the airstrip, through the rubber plantation to the FSB.
above: Diamond traverse Broken Hill operation.
Computations were completed as 106 Fd Bty arrived by road from Nui Dat.
While we were surveying just outside Binh Ba, we were visited by a team of 2 tracker dogs and their 7RAR handlers.
Bdr P S Hopper June 1967
SECONDARY ROLES
Gnr Long and Bdr Poustie help out in a 106 Bty fire mission. Photo courtesy J McFadden.
Brewing up in the "old cemetery". Gnr McFadden and Gnr Long facing the camera. Bdr Poustie checking the fwd area. Photo courtesy J McFadden.
Funeral cortege. Gnr Long front and centre. Photo courtesy P Hopper.
Gnr Follington brewing up. Photo courtesy B Follington.
After theatre grid had been given to 106Bty, it wasn’t long before they were given a fire mission. During this mission Bdr Poustie and Gnr Long volunteered to act as “gun numbers”. They worked with the gun crew to give them a spell and to experience the hard work and cohesion needed to keep the mission active.
I remember our work with 106 Bty at Binh Ba, preparing the various charges required for the shells, passing shells to the loader and burning the left over bags of cordite in a bonfire afterwards.
Bdr Poustie June 1967
The gunners of 106 Bty told us their 105mm guns were Italian Pack Howitzers. Although they could be disassembled quickly they were finding them a bit light for the heavy work being asked of them. They were looking forward to changing over to the heavier US model.
Gnr McFadden June 1967
Surveyors weapon pits being part of the FSB perimeter were manned with a piquet during the night. Without radio a string line between our pits afforded a crude communication. Passwords and challenging procedures became more important.
After a few nights of no incursions apart from tripping over string lines, we discarded them in the interest of safety.
Gnr McFadden June 1967
In a weird twist to our occupation of this FSB, we were visited by a funeral cortege displaying a large South Vietnamese flag. We were told to keep a low profile and watch our language. They were either burying their dearly departed or checking out our defences.
Gnr McFadden June 1967
14. The survey section was employed on its first operational survey task during the period 7 – 13 June 67. The nature of the task was to provide theatre grid for 106 Bty, who had established a FSB at YS 440737 near Binh Ba, for operation “Broken Hill”. Survey was brought to the FSB from Binh Ba by diamond traverse. On completion of the task, the members of the survey section who had been employed in bringing survey to the FSB, then worked with 106 Bty. The Survey Sect Comd worked as a sect comd with 106 Bty and the surveyors worked as gun numbers.
15. A certain amount of trouble was experienced with using instruments in the rain. The first trouble occurred with a tellurometer, when water entered inside the instrument. This apparently caused a short circuit which blew a valve and fuses. The tellurometer was allowed to dry and when the valve and fuses were replaced it operated satisfactorily. The damp conditions caused one theodolite, a Tavistock, to fog up. This could not be remedied in the field, but the fog cleared after the instrument had been placed in a heated cupboard in NUI DAT.
131 Bty Reports, Survey Section June ‘67
GERALDTON (14th Jun 1967)
Limited involvement from 131 Surveyors. On the 14th June a party was sent to the Horshoe to provide theatre grid for the 1/83rd Bty US. They'd been moved there for this operation.