Between 18th of November and the 3rd of December, 1966, the Battalion was given a Search and Destroy mission in an area to the east of the Task Force Base. Particularly the operation was designed to destroy the Provincial Mobile Battalion D445 and its base. This operation was code named INGHAM. At the outset, the Battalion was moved by APCs to the edge of a rubber plantation north of the Base. An approach march was then made in an easterly direction for approximately 7000 metres, before the companies reached their search areas.
The first contact
was at 1445 hours on the 19th of November., C Company clashed with 6 local Viet Cong,
resulting in the recovery of 4 packs containing food. On the following day, 100 metres
from an enemy camp, 3 VC were fired on by B Company. One Viet Cong was killed and 1
wounded. C Company also had two contacts on that day scoring 1
Viet Cong killed and 1 wounded. C Company sustained 1 man wounded by a Viet Cong detonated
claymore mine.
This was the pattern for the remainder of the operation; a
multitude of contacts with small groups of Viet Cong, by all Companies. The larger forces
had withdrawn, the smaller caretaker members of the enemy using delaying tactics such as
Claymore mines and booby traps, to slow down the Battalion advance and to cover their own
withdrawal. The armoured personnel carriers were also searching in the paddy areas to the
south finding tons of rice and other food supplies and many camps. It took over a day to back-load the bags by Chinook
helicopter. It was disappointing that no
major contact was made with D445, but the operation did much to once again disrupt the
enemy by destroying his camps and food stores. It is almost certain that the area was the
recently established base of D445. All camps were thoroughly destroyed and many
important documents and maps were recovered. Losses Enemy - 10 killed in action - 10 wounded in action 1 Prisoner of war (wounded) - 19 Detainees Own - 2 killed in action 22 wounded in action Finds 5 rifles - 4 carbines - SA ammunition - 4 x 75mm RCL rounds Clothing - Medical supplies - 85 tons of rice - 15 ox carts
(destroyed) 2 boats (destroyed) - 300 rice bags destroyed 27 camps from battalion size to squad size were destroyed Many documents and maps 3 radio sets 100 Ibs. beef
concentrate 30 tins condensed milk 113 cans lard 700 Ibs. sugar. [
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Mines were a constant hazard, and on the 22nd of December D
Company suffered 1 killed and 10 wounded from an incident initiated by a Viet Cong
claymore mine when sweeping down Routes 328 and 23.
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