

3 PLATOON AND ASSAULT PIONEER PLATOON
ENCOUNTER THE 3RD BATTALION
274 REGIMENT ON THE 21ST AUGUST, 1969
Operation
Camden was undertaken by 5 RAR from 29th
July to 30th August, 1969. During the latter
part of the operation, 3 Platoon and the
Assault Pioneer Platoon were operating
together under the command of 2IC A Company,
Captain Bill Grassick
with a small Tactical HQ including an FO
Party in the VC Hat Dich Secret Zone. Total
strength of the group was 52. On 21 August
1969 they were involved in a sizeable
action on the western side of the 5 RAR AO,
(Area of Operations) engaging an unknown
force in what turned out to be a well
defended bunker system.

In the early afternoon, while the two
platoons were establishing separate ambush
positions on well used tracks, members of
the Assault Pioneer Platoon heard enemy
voices to their front in an area of dense
bamboo.
Captain
Grassick, summoned 3 Platoon from their
position to undertake a co-ordinated
assault.
After a short artillery bombardment called
in by Bombadier Gerry Dekker of 105 Field
Battery, the two platoons advanced two-up
onto the enemy position and were abruptly
met by fierce machine gun,
RPG and
AK47 fire across their
entire front. The intensity of this contact
caused immediate and heavy casualties -
including the leader of the assault,
Captain Grassick,
who was badly wounded in the leg, his
signaller Private Gavan Doyle who was hit in
the arm and leg while attempting to drag
Grassick out of a fire lane, and Private
Alan Collins who was severely wounded in the
face.
Captain Grassick,
despite the severity of his wound, continued
to maintain command of the battle until loss
of blood took its effect. Close air support
aircraft, placed on stand-by before the
assault, delivered their first ordnance on
the enemy position. Assuming command,
Lieutenant John James, commander of 3
Platoon, directed the right flanking
sections to pull back a short distance
to
conform with the left flank (Assault Pioneer
Platoon) that had been pushed back by the
weight of enemy fire. During this tightening
of the flanks,
Corporal Michael (Mick) Dench, Bombadier
Gerry Dekker and Private Ian Stewart, at
great personal risk, extracted the
semi-conscious
Captain Grassick from under enemy fire.
By now it was abundantly clear that the
enemy had a much wider frontage than the
combined two platoons. The noise was
horrific and clear orders difficult to give
or hear. Despite this, using their own
initiative, Section Commanders ensured the
integrity of the perimeter at all times.
Sustained hostile fire (including
RPG and 12.7mm heavy machine gun),
especially from the front and right flank,
continued to inflict casualties, including 3
Platoon Sergeant Alan McNulty. Lieutenant
James directed
Corporal Dench (7
Section, 3 Platoon) to secure a defendable
position to the rear to which the two
platoons could withdraw and from which the
most seriously wounded be evacuated. Serious
casualties at this stage numbered 9 (just
under 20% of the group).
With more air support on its way, the now
nearly surrounded group used fire and
movement to withdraw from visual contact
with the forward enemy bunkers to the newly
established rear defensive position in an
area of relatively dense bamboo. The first ‘Dustoff’
(US medevac) helicopter arrived soon after,
and while under heavy fire winched four of
the most seriously wounded on board,
including
Captain Grassick and
Private Collins. This aircraft was replaced
by a second (RAAF call sign Albatross 04)
piloted by Pilot Officer Bob Treloar, to
continue with the evacuation of the wounded.
Also under intense small-arms fire, the
second
Dustoff
remained on station until it was ordered
away for fear it would be shot down and
crash in the middle of the small perimeter.
The wounded on board the second
Dustoff, one of whom
was re-wounded with two
AK 47
rounds while in the chopper, returned fire
on the enemy below from their elevated
position. The helicopter was holed 19 times
while overhead and the door gunner badly
wounded. Lieutenant James made the decision
that no more casualties would be evacuated
until the immediate fight was won.
During the medevac the enemy added 60mm
mortars to his attack, landing rounds inside
the perimeter, killing
Private David Banfield
of the Assault Pioneer Platoon and wounding
eight further soldiers.
By this stage, Lieutenant James – himself
wounded by both mortar and
RPG fire – using the only remaining
fully serviceable infantry radio maintained
contact with the Forward Air Controller, who
was overhead, and
Major Reg Sutton, A
Company Commander, who was proceeding to the
contact area as fast as possible with 1 and
2 Platoons. An ammunition re-supply was also
urgently requested.
Following
their probing, the enemy launched a
concerted attack on the force’s right flank
- 3 Platoon’s position. With all but the
most seriously injured in firing positions
on the perimeter, this attack was repulsed,
aided by the Assault Pioneer Platoon who
maintained steady fire into the enemy
position to place as much pressure as
possible on their own front and the enemy’s
flank. Throughout the attack
Corporal Dench, who
had been directed by Lieutenant James to
assume battle control of the hard pressed 3
Platoon, moved around the perimeter, showing
a calm presence and offering encouragement
to all. 3 Platoon Medic, Corporal John ‘Doc’
Lloyd – wounded and using his rifle as a
crutch – also performing outstanding duty in
the dual role of medic for the combined
force and runner for Lieutenant James who
was fully engaged at this time coordinating
the defence and the vital air and artillery
support. Because of the number of wounds
being sustained among the defenders,
Corporal Lloyd was forced to remove shell
dressings from some of the more lightly
wounded to use on those more seriously
injured. Also at this critical time,
Lieutenant Graham Locke, head of the Assault
Pioneer Platoon, assumed responsibility for
ammunition re-distribution, as supplies were
down to three to six rounds per man in 3
Platoon. No man, wounded or unwounded, left
his position on the perimeter. All
steadfastly faced the enemy.
Of vital assistance too throughout the
defensive action was the RAAF ‘Bushranger’
helicopter gunship team. Such was the
severity of the situation, the mini-gun fire
from these aircraft was brought in so close
to the perimeter that the bullets chewed up
the tops of the bamboo trees and the leaves
fell on the soldiers below like rain. This
fire had a devastating effect on the
attacking enemy, critically preventing those
on the ground from being encircled.
As more air support arrived overhead – which
included ‘Dragon’ and ‘Raider’ US Gunships
and US ‘Black Pony’
OV10
ground attack fighters – the radio net
became dangerously overcrowded. To alleviate
the situation, ‘Bushranger
71’ (Flying Officer Michael Tardent), in
direct contact with Lieutenant James,
assumed the role of traffic controller and
co-ordinated a continuous wave of air
support around the shrinking perimeter.
Despite this intense assault from the air,
the enemy made another push against the
right flank but was again stubbornly
repulsed. By this time, the urgently needed
ammunition had been dropped by helicopter
and distributed, and Major Fred Spry, the
Acting Battalion Commander who had arrived
directly overhead in ‘Possum’ (Bell Sioux
helicopter) and unflinchingly assumed the
mantle of the fearless
Lieutenant Colonel Colin
‘Genghis’ Khan, dropped the much needed
shell dressings onto the position.
The almost non-stop aircraft attacks and the
distribution of resupplied ammunition
eventually began to have an effect on the
enemy. After some two hours of continuous
probing and attacks, enemy fire slackened
and then – with the exception of an
occasional single shot – ceased.
The small two platoon force of 52 men had
suffered 36 wounded — 10 twice — and one
killed in action. It did not have sufficient
numbers of fit men to attempt any follow-up
or investigation of the enemy position and
had established as strong a perimeter as
possible in-situ. As darkness approached,
Major Sutton
arrived with 1 and 2 Platoons and a stronger
position was established further to the rear
near a clearing more suitable for
helicopters. Clearing patrols were
dispatched to confirm the enemy was no
longer in contact.
Casualties needing immediate attention were
evacuated and, because of the numbers
involved, webbing and equipment belonging to
those evacuated was lifted out in a cargo
net. The last casualties evacuated that
evening arrived at 1st Australian Field
Hospital, Vung Tau around 2140 hours. Here
they found themselves in the hands of the
legendary “Weary” Dunlop who advised the
exhausted Corporal Lloyd (one of the last
evacuees that night), “It’s alright now son,
your boys are going to be OK”. Both
Lieutenants James and Locke remained with
the remnants of their platoons, with the
wounded Lieutenant James being evacuated
next morning.
Because of depleted numbers, the surviving
members of the Assault Pioneer Platoon and 3
Platoon were amalgamated into an under
strength sub-unit for the remainder of
Operation Camden, with
Lieutenant Locke commanding and
Corporal Dench as
acting Sergeant.
Captured
documents later revealed that the enemy
force encountered was the complete 3rd
Battalion of 274 VC Regiment. The VC report
of the action stated they had been engaged
by an enemy (Australian) force of around
battalion strength and themselves had
suffered 13 killed and 25 wounded.
The 21st August 1969 was the most intense
fighting 5 RAR’s 3 Platoon and Assault
Pioneer Platoon encountered during their
contact-filled and challenging 12 month tour
of duty. It is remembered by those involved
as the Battle of Hat Dich. Many, many acts
of bravery were performed that day when the
outnumbered two-platoon group displayed
great courage, composure and tenacity under
intense, continuous fire and attack. They
demonstrated all the qualities expected of
members of The Royal Australian Regiment.
"This article was written
jointly by John James, Mick Dench MM and John Lloyd all
veterans of this action. In preparing the article, they
consulted with other members of A Company 5RAR, the Assault
Pioneer Platoon 5RAR and 9 Squadron RAAF who had
participated in the action”.
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