AWARDS
TO AUSTRALIANS FOR HEROISM AT LONG TAN
AT
A SPECIAL CEREMONY AT THE AUSTRALIAN TASK FORCE BASE NORTH OF BARIA, AT WHICH
THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT GAVE AWARDS TO THE AUSTRALIANS WHO
DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES IN THE EPIC " BATTLE OF LONG TAN" ON AUGUST
18TH.
RECIPIENTS
:
Brigadier
O.
D. Jackson : Commander of the Australian Task Force.
Lieutenant-Colonel
Colin Maurice Townsend
: Commander of the Sixth Battalion who took personal command of the
reinforcements which relieved the surrounded company.
Major
Harry Smith :
Of Glenorchy, Tasmania, officer commanding D Company.
Captain
Charles
Mollison : Of Chermside, Brisbane, Queensland, acting commander of A
Company, Sixth Battalion, which went in to relieve D Company at the height of
the battle.
Second-Lieutenant
David Sabben
: A National Serviceman, of Gosford, New South Wales, who commanded 12
Platoon, D Company, which made a courageous effort under heavy fire to relieve
the men of 11 Platoon surrounded by a large enemy force.
Second-Lieutenant
Geoffrey Kendall
: Of Bunderdale, South Australia, who commanded 10 Platoon, D Company, which
took part in a spirited attack on a large enemy force to relieve the pressure
on 11 Platoon.
Sergeant
Robert Stanley Buick :
Of Brisbane, Queensland, who took over command of 11 Platoon after the platoon
commander had been killed and led 14 survivors back to the company position.
Corporal
William Richard Moore :
Of Stafford, Brisbane, Queensland, who commanded a section of 11 Platoon.
Trooper Paul McNamara : Of Hilton,
Adelaide, South Australia.
Lance-Corporal
Graham Truss
: Of Coorparoo, Brisbane Queensland.
Lance-Corporal
William Roche
: Of Narandera, New South Wales.
Lance-Corporal
Barry Magnussen
: Of Aspley, Brisbane, Queensland.
Bombardier
Alec Graham
: Of Auckland. New Zealand.
Gunner
Phillip Prosser
: Of Lansvale, Sydney, New South Wales.
Sergeant
Ronald Richards :
Of Essendon, Melbourne, Victoria.
Private
Geoffrey Peters
: Of Yagoona, Sydney, New South Wales.
Private
Allan
May : Of Wynnum, Brisbane, Queensland.
Private
Neil Bextrum :
Of High Wycombe, Western Australia.
Private
Noel Grimes :
Of Stuart Town, New South Wales.
Private
Ian Campbell :
Of Murwillumbah, New South Wales.
Private
William Akell :
Of Townsville, New South Wales.