Attack repulsed at Australian base (DPR/TV/842)

[rikibeesta]

Coral was a swamp when it rained and a dust bowl when it didn't - not exactly officer tacticians finest placement for heavy weapons, tanks and A.P.C's. - Bill Errington (written by his daughter)

[67DieHardPatriot454]

IF you got enough poly and treatment on that wood it wont mold or warp in anyway and the water will run right off it. I am sure they had ways to do it then, so thats why it was never a major problem. Aussies are smart I am sure they figured it out fast. There environment is alot drier then vietnam. Not completly dry but vietnam is a very swampy jungle country.

[dpsherry]

@67DieHardPatriot454 it didn't matter a damn if the wood did warp - it never affected the rifle (apart form appearance) at all. nly two screws held the pair halves onto the rifle and apart from stopping your hand being burned and no structural strength role to play. It wasn't just the Aussies who were smart for using them, the Brits who fine tuned the rifle had quite a bit to play in refining the Belgian original. If you compare them visually and technically there is a world of difference.

[Roberto29071976]

i just wondering if the L1A1 and SLR functioned well in vietnamese climate. The M16 had a poor function and the M16A1 was a little better. I saw a picture of a US Green Berets with a Heckler&Koch 33A2, probably a good choice for this climate.

Best regards and thank you so much for your effort.

[AustWarMemorial]

Hi Roberto29071976,

The L1A1 SLR was one of the most reliable self loading rifles used by combatants in the Vietnam War and was held in very high esteem by Australian forces. Some issues were raised regarding the possible formation of mould on the wooden forend and buttstock due to the humid environment but to the best of my knowledge it was never a major concern due to the good construction and workmanship of this weapon.

[AustWarMemorial]

Unfortunately the bad rap the rifle received has lingered to some extent to this day although the latest incantations of the weapon are amongst the most reliable made and are in service with many countries worldwide.

[Roberto29071976]

Hi AustWarMemorial

Thanks for your reply.

The FN FAL (and variants) is like other rifles of this decade (M14, HK G3, SIG Stgw 57, Beretta BM59) very solid. Do you know the differences between ballistic trauma of the M193ball in 5.56NATO and projectile effects of the 7.62 NATO?

Furthermore why the Australian Army had M60 machine guns and not the FN MAG58, i meen the L1A1 rifle and the L9A1 pistol were all FN licensed weapons, why not the machine gun, too?

Many thanks and best regards.

[gnarkillkicksass]

Australia had the L1A1 as part of a procurement deal between Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK for a standard semi auto battle rifle. In the Falklands War the UK had their L1A1 and the Argentinians the full auto FN which actually performed worse. Trauma wise - depends on the velocity of the projectile coming out of the weapon. Now days we fire the Austyer which is 5.56 but has a much higher velocity then the SLR but slower then a FN MAG, so much different energy carrying characteristics.

[WallabyPhil]

@AustWarMemorial

Too bad about the M60; jamming piece of rubbish...

[bobkats]

@AustWarMemorial  and bloody cleaning mate

[RamboAmbo]

@Roberto29071976 A workmate of mine who served in Vietnam told me that US Soldiers were forever trying to trade him for his SLR failing that they'd try to steal it

[masterfastblast]

The thing that was amazing is how little the NVA valued their lives. If you were wounded there was little chance of anything but a medic, few doctors, very poor or no ambulance services, just men or women carrying you on poles or a litter.

Maybe they would have a hospital deep underground with a flimsy light bulb to operate on you. No burn medicines, we would roast tens of thousands with napalm they had very little medical ability, it was a mercy if they died. M-16 makes terrible wounds.

[drumdust]

Where's the sound?

[AustWarMemorial]

Hi drumdust, this is all silent footage. It was rare to have footage that had sound accompanying at the time that this was shot.

[drumdust]

Ah.

It's great footage, good onya lad's.

Thanks for the reply.

[petethebastard]

Sound is hard at the best of times, editing doubly so... Battles aren't conducive to recording ANY media.

[homhuk]

oh the poms were there alright... not officially though. they were working with the cia.

[reddog0820]

there were pomms in vietnam but they were fighting under the flag of there adopted country Australia

[greg313662]

Aussies also used two of our own homegrown SMGs, the Owen and the F1. Most of our boys used the SLR and (I think) the fellas that used the M16 or F1 generally had heavier loads to carry such as the M79 or a radio for instance.

[TOMP66666]

Many pro-communist peace activists make dead wrong argument that millions of Vietnamese would be saved without the Vietnam war given the fact that millions of Vietnamese lost their lives in "re-education" camps and at sea on their journey for freedom after 1975; not mentioning two milliions of Cambodians executed by Khmer Rouge backed by China. In fact, Vietnam war is an ideological war between capitalism and communism like the current Afghanistan war is a war between democracy and terrorism.

[wattlebough]

@TOMP66666 I know it's a bit of a delayed answer but re: your last sentence- what the Afghanistan war is about: nah ah, it is a war for Islam. These terrorists are fighting to take power BismAllah (in the name of God) just like the Qur'an tells them to, if you've read it you'll know this is true Islam. Muhammed was a soldier and so were *all* of his male followers. The Taliban are just following in his footsteps.

[nighthawk006]

These are a great series of films. Thanks for posting! *****

[MatiXB8TU]

haha love the part at 1.04 the guys freak out in front of him for a second.

[toober52]

I have great respect for the Aussies that fought with us in Vietnam. You boys got some!

[madbloodydog]

well very interesting to find that old black and white movie here ,the bloke having a shave at the end is me,the bloke toying with the ak47 was 2nd lieutenant john salter who became colonel salter and commanded the 1 rar years later , good to see us as young men again, if you dont know this was fsb coral may 1968 the largest and longest continuous battle australia ever had in vietnam

[Muff0]

Thats fantastic mate, You blokes kicked some serious arse apparently. Good on Ya.

[gell7]

dam mright and i tnt even thier war. mate

[dean11081988]

gaday cober im english and i was just wondering haw meny english were with you cos on one bit he is trying to put a bayonet on whot looks like a SLR 7.62 riffle and i didnt think you had them i could be wrong so please answere

[fkellis]

SLR was our standard issue rifle. Was replaced by the Steyr prior to Timor and Iraq

[wattlebough]

fkellis is right there mate. The Aussies used the L1A1 SLR from about 1959. They were phased out from 1989 and replaced with the Steyr AUG (F88). In Vietnam the Aussies mainly used the SLR. Scouts, NCOs, Medics and Officers used the M16A1. The Aussies also used the M60 GPMG & Browning L9A1 pistol (SLP).

[hilrush]

yes mate it was our standard weapon during the Vietnam war.

[AlienFirefox]

there wern't any british in vietnam

[petethebastard]

The was a British Army Observation Team, I strongly believe...

Probably to see how badly the Yanks handled things.

PtB

[neoconsnightmare3]

@petethebastard how 'badly' the yanks handled thing? when they americans won all the battles? okay.

the only thing the americans did wrong was BEING THERE in the first place. the fighting men, however, did a fantastic job on their level.

[Eshayzbra96]

@AlienFirefox yeah cause they were to busy siping tea behind their desk while our forces practially died and lost but thats cause of the yanks they pulled out cause of the casualty measure and its not like we didnt have that much either...*mumbles*bloody americans.

[mytube308]

Great Footage!

Cheers:)

[wizart49]

another great video