31 October - 12 December 1969

Captain Mike Battle

This operation was in the same general area as Operation Camden. The contacts and pattern of enemy movement were still such as would indicate that the enemy, although he was taking continuous heavy casualties in this area, was compelled by his logistics system to remain there.

One company (B Company) with the tanks and APC's were deployed along that portion of Route 15 within AO (Area of Operations) Grace. A liaison team was established at Long Thauh to maintain close contact with the district authorities. Two companies were to sweep initially west to east in the southern half of the AO with a third party (D Company), blocking to the east.

Five major bunker contacts were made with the enemy. They were against HQ274 Regiment, 3 Battalion 274 Regiment, The Heavy Weapons Company 274 Regiment and the Sapper Reconnaissance Company of HQT7. These were nearly all within fifteen hundred yards of the highway where the enemy were free from B52 strikes and had quick access to the villages for resupply.

Around the fire base at Cape particularly, Shadow Gunships became nightly visitors. These aircraft not only prevented enemy movement and kept everyone awake, but provided an awesome spectacle of red curtains of tracer.

Throughout Operation Kings Cross, all available intelligence pointed to a large scale offensive against Route 15 posts by 274 regiment supported by HQ Sub Region 4. This operation did not eventuate, probably because of the presence of 5 RAR and its strong mobile armoured reaction force in AO Grace.

END

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