

© Brian
London OAM., DCM.
Both Tours |
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The
concept of mine warfare is not new. Highly developed
during the Second World war and used in conflicts since
that time, mines and their use remains a contentious
issue.
Mines in all their variants, were designed as a means of
defence and a deterrent against attack from enemy
forces.
Minefields (Anti-personnel mines in the main) are
usually placed around defensive positions or to deny
access to areas of strategic value. These areas should
be protected by barricades of barbed wire, recorded and
accurately plotted on military maps as well as being
covered by fire from infantry weapons. The deterrent
value is best achieved by the obvious signs that a mined
area exists.
In Vietnam, allied forces used these weapons
conventionally; around defensive outposts
and bases. One example was the construction of a
minefield by the Australian Task Force from the feature
known as the "Horseshoe'' to the coast of South Vietnam.
The construction consisted of two parallel belts of
barbed wire six feet high and six foot wide and
separated by two hundred yards. The length was about
seven miles and a dense minefield was laid between the
two fences. This barrier fence and mine field presented
a formidable obstacle provided it was patrolled daily to
check for breeches or attempted breeches.
To allow local farmers to work the land outside the
fence, several gaps were made and controlled by
Vietnamese police. Farmers were required to register as
they left for their
day of work. On return each person was accounted for and
the gaps sealed at night. Any attempt by unregistered
persons to enter the protected areas were soon
discovered as they had not registered earlier in the
day. In principle the system worked well. A great deal
depended on surveillance of the entire area 24 hours a
day. This task was given to various units and sub-units
including the South Vietnamese forces. Observation from
the air during daylight hours and patrols at night
prevented the Viet Cong access to the valuable rice
harvest and tax money which they so desperately needed.
To be vigilant was the key, to falter in this regard
would cause a weak link in the chain.
A weak link did develop; South Vietnamese units tasked
to do a share of the patrolling failed to adequately
perform their duty. This allowed the Viet Cong to breech
the fence and over a period of time, remove hundreds, if
not thousands of mines from the mine field. The Viet
Cong now had a weapon to be used against allied forces -
the M16 'Jumping Jack' mine.
The mines taken from the Horseshoe Mine Field were used
against The Fifth Battalion
during 1966/67 and 69/70. The Viet Cong did not use the
M16 mines in the conventional form. Instead, the VC
planted mines in villages, likely helicopter landing
zones and approaches to their jungle bases. As VC units
were dislodged from camps and villages, their mines
remained in the ground, unmarked. The amount of
indiscriminate mine laying by the Viet Cong may never be
known.
The Doctors, Nurses and Medical staff have our respect
and admiration for having to contend with scenes like
these; day in and day out.
The lackadaisical approach by government forces in
patrolling the mine field, indirectly
led to the death or horrendous wounding of many
Australians throughout the remainder of the war in
Vietnam.
The situation became so bad that the mine field was
dismantled and the remaining mines destroyed; leaving
the eastern approaches open to the enemy.
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