June 6th 1969...The village of Binh Ba lay just 5 kilometres north of
the Australian Task Force headquarters. The sturdy Concrete and Tile houses was home for around 1000
Vietnamese, most of whom were Farmers of Rubber workers in the surrounding plantations.
By the following evening, the name of Binh Ba would be indelibly etched in the annals of Australian military
history.
The Battle triggered shortly after 8am, when a Centurian tank travelling through the village was hit by a rocket-
propelled grenade.
Initial intelligence suggested there were two Viet Cong platoons in the village.
From the strength of the fire met by the company sent to deal with them, however, it was apparent that the
enemy presence was much greater. The District Chief, who had called for assistance but held back his clearance
while waiting for civilians to be evacuated, then ordered the force to “do what you have to do”.
There followed several hours of devastatingly fierce fighting. Twice the tanks swept through the village, returning
fire by blowing open the walls of houses. Then each house was cleared room by room by the infantry.
By nightfall the village was still not secure, and fighting continued in the area the following day.
When the battle was finally over, the enemy toll was 91 - at a cost of just one Australian life and eight wounded.
The Battle of Binh Ba posed the perennial problem of the war in Vietnam - how to separate the enemy from the
innocent civilians. The occupation of towns and villages by the Viet Cong was a deliberate tactic designed to either
ambush the relieving troops or to cause the Australians to use an excess of force. While Binh Ba was a significant
victory for the Australian Task Force, the end result was the destruction of the most affluent plantation village in
the province.
(excerpt from the book “Australians at War - Vietnam the Australian Experience - Time Life Book written by John
Rowe)
40th Anniversary of the Battle of Binh Ba
Welcome to our new Website
If you haven’t visited our site before then you’re in for a big
surprise. Just move your mouse over the small pictures above to
view a larger picture to the left which tells you something about
the history of the picture.
At the top of the screen (below the RAE Vietnam Association
(Inc.) banner, you will find buttons which if clicked will take you
to that page of our website...enjoy!
Bruce Shaw and his mate
