A True Story about an Armoured Trooper
Operation HOBART, a search and destroy operation by 6RAR was conducted in an area some 10 to 15 kilometres East of the Australian Task Force base at Nui Dat, Phuoc Tuy Province South Vietnam. The operation was to find and engage D445 VC Provincial Battalion, the home town Viet Cong unit identified with Phouc Tuy Province.
The area covered by the operation was deciduous tropical forest with rice
paddy fields and large stands of timber and thick bamboo. The climate, the change of seasons, about a month before the wet season was due, July 1966. There was thunder storms every couple of days but insufficient rainfall for the creeks to flow. The wet season was due in August.
It was very hot and humid as the soldiers of 6RAR in company groups
searched the ever expanding area of operations. They carried up to four
days rations, first line ammunition and equipment. All up some 40 to 50
kilograms in weight. Water was replenished from the stagnant, slim covered water holes in the creeks. The soldiers, after two days were desperately short of water. The operation continued, no resupply by helicopter was allowed due to the Viet Cong knowing the location of the companies. Water supply became critical for the foot soldiers', they had at least another day to go before resupply was available.
On the fourth day, D. Company 6RAR was tasked to porter rations, water,
ammunitions and other operational stores to the battalion some 5000 metres away. The APC Sqn brought the resupply out from their base.
The company had had no water for 12 hours and some of the soldiers were seriously effect by dehydration. The Infantry had been told that an APC's Troop always carried a days' water, rations and first line reserve of ammunition for an emergency for Rifle Platoon's. The Platoon Sergeant of 10 Platoon D. Company, knowing this, went to a Section Sergeant nearest to his platoon and asked for the water allotted to his platoon. The Section Sergeant refused to give up any water, he considered it his and his crew's. The Platoon Sergeant returned to his platoon frustrated, shitty and cursing the bloody Tankies.
Ten minutes later an APC crew member was seen standing naked on the rear ramp of the M113 having a bath and using a 20 litre green water
container. The 10 Platoon Sergeant stormed across to the Section Sergeant and threatened to butt stroke him with his rifle if no water was given to his platoon. The Platoon Sergeant got two drums of water from the Section Sergeant.
A month later the same APC Troop, 3 Troop 1 APC Squadron, came to D.
Company's rescue at the Battle of Long Tan. For the remainder of D.
Company's tour 3 Troop, when available, always tasked themselves to that company. The Platoon Sergeant who had moved to 11 Platoon in August had his platoon always picked up by the section commanded by that Section Sergeant he had met during HOBART, they became good friends.
On returning to Australia the Platoon Sergeant went to Puckapunyal for exercise. He asked after the Section Sergeant hoping to have a few beers with a fellow warrior. His Trooper mate was not about
Many years later, to his dismay he was told that the Section Sergeant, Noel Lowes, had taken his life at the Seymour Race Track after his wife had left him. This became a familiar story as the years went by, a sad ending to a good mate and warrior in the true ANZAC Spirit.
Rest in peace Noel, I have at told our story some 31 years after we met.
Robert S Buick MM
11 Platoon D Company
6th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment
Long Tan 18 August 1966
28 May 1997
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