Appendix B

Citation accompanying the award of the Distinguished Service Order to Lieutenant Colonel J. A. Warr

Lieutenant Colonel Warr was commissioned into the Australian Army in 1947, after graduation from the Royal Military College, Duntroon. Since that time he has either served with the Royal Australian Regiment or held staff appointments in Australia or abroad. When the Fifth Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, was formed Lieutenant Colonel Warr was Second in Command until September 1 1965, when he was appointed Commanding Officer and the unit was warned for movement overseas. As Commanding Officer he was responsible for the training and welding together of both regular soldiers and national servicemen into an efficient combat unit in a short period of time. During a year’s service in Vietnam the Fifth Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, was in almost continual contact with the enemy whilst executing offensive patrol tasks, search and destroy missions, and cordon and search operations. The techniques for these latter operations were developed so successfully by Lieutenant Colonel Warr that they have been accepted as standard procedures in the First Australian Task Force. Lieutenant Colonel Warr was responsible for the planning and execution in detail which is so necessary for successful operations by a battalion group in air mobile operations. His thorough preparation and orders, his sound tactical knowledge, his calmness and leadership under fire was largely responsible for the accomplishments of the Fifth Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, in Vietnam.

Citation accompanying the award of the Military Cross to Second Lieutenant M. G. J. Deak

On October 17 1966, during Operation Queanbeyan in Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam, Battalion Headquarters of Fifth Battalion Royal Australian Regiment was held up by Viet Cong in a natural ambush position on a steep mountain track. The Anti Tank Platoon commanded by Second Lieutenant Deak was directed to clear the area. The enemy was located in natural fire positions on both sides of a deep re-entrant with a gradient of one in two. One section of the platoon covered by the remainder swept up the re-entrant but the Section Commander was mortally wounded and the remainder pinned down by fire.

Second Lieutenant Deak re-deployed the remainder of his platoon and under fire directed additional covering fire onto the objective from another company 800 metres away. He then successfully directed the fire of armed helicopters onto the enemy positions and then led his platoon back into the re-entrant and cleared the enemy position without loss.

At all times during the three and one quarter hours engagement, Second Lieutenant Deak showed complete disregard for his own safety even when it became apparent that the enemy were concentrating their fire on leaders. The calm and competent manner of Second Lieutenant Deak was a major factor in steadying his platoon under fire in a difficult situation. The success in clearing the Viet Cong ambush position was due in the main to the fine example of leadership and courage set by Second Lieutenant Deak.

Citation accompanying the award of the Military Cross to Second Lieutenant J. D. McAloney

On 18 October 1966, during Operation Queanbeyan in Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam, Second Lieutenant John Douglas McAloney commanding the Assault Pioneer Platoon of Fifth Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment was given the difficult task of clearing booby traps from a rocky, thickly jungled, cave riddled spur. The area was the scene of a bitter engagement between other elements of Fifth Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment and the Viet Cong on the preceding day during which the enemy had withdrawn deeper into the protection of the booby trapped caves. The clearance of the booby traps was to precede a detailed search of the caves. After positioning covering groups, Second Lieutenant McAloney, alone, entered the first cave entrance to commence delousing the booby traps. At this time, a Viet Cong sniper fired from another concealed cave entrance mortally wounding one of the Assault Pioneer sentries. With complete disregard for his own safety, Second Lieutenant McAloney moved from the shelter of the cave out to the wounded man and dragged him to a more secure area. After arranging for the evacuation of the casualty, Second Lieutenant McAloney, alone, again approached the suspect cave and personally tossed gas grenades into both the front entrance and possible exits. As the gas and subsequent firing of M79 grenades into the cave still failed to dislodge the occupants, preparations were made to employ flame throwers. Firstly Second Lieutenant McAloney again moved out alone under covering fire to recover the weapon of the wounded man. This was lying in the line of fire for the proposed flame attack. Whilst doing this he was wounded in the right temple but persevered and retrieved the weapon. He then gathered a flame thrower team of two men and personally led them in a frontal flame assault on the caves area, burning out each entrance in turn. The personal courage and leadership shown by this officer throughout the three and one half hour period of the action was of the highest order. His determination to close with and destroy an experienced and concealed enemy, in extremely difficult terrain was an inspiration to all ranks.

Citation accompanying the award of the Military Cross to Second Lieutenant D. C. Rainer

On 21 October 1966, Second Lieutenant Rainer was in command of 10 Platoon D Company on a routine search and destroy patrol in the Nui Thi Vai hills of Phuoc Tuy Province South Vietnam.

His platoon was searching a foot track, when the forward elements came upon a small rice cache and then a suspected enemy sentry post. Shortly afterwards, he saw a complex of three huts, set in an extremely rocky and steep re-entrant. He deployed a section in a wide sweep to the right and led two sections astride the main track. All members had to move carefully through bamboo panjis which surrounded the area. He could hear voices and the smell of food and fires. At this stage he had no idea of what was in the village, however he crawled forward with his two sections, to within 15 feet of the largest hut.

The right hand fire support section opened fire. Immediately, approximately ten to twelve enemy fled out of the large hut. They ran into the fire of the assault section and when the firing ceased, the platoon had killed ten enemy. Approximately four enemy fled away from the fire and escaped to the east. No casualties were sustained in his own platoon.

The success of the contact highlighted the degree of professional proficiency that Rainer had attained with his platoon. His platoon strength was only slightly larger than the number of the enemy, however, quite fearlessly, he deployed his men in what proved to be a perfect ambush.

Rainer had again displayed outstanding qualities of leadership and thoroughness in his duties as a platoon commander. Because of these qualities he was able to deploy his platoon so they could achieve such a successful contact.¹

Citation accompanying the award of the Military Medal to Private C. J. Cogswell

On October 8 1966, during Operation Canberra in Phuo Tuy Province South Vietnam, B Company Fifth Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment was directed to clear the Nui Thi Vai Hill which was a large rocky, steep, densely covered feature. The area was known to be heavily booby trapped by the Viet Cong. Private Cogswell and another soldier as forward scouts located a booby trap, deloused it and a few minutes later heard voices of enemy close by. Private Cogswell advised his platoon commander by hand signal and covered by the other scout moved forward to investigate. Initially he sighted fifteen Viet Cong and later thirty Viet Cong. Private Cogswell and the other scout remained in a position of observation for approximately fifty minutes; at times the enemy came within five yards of their position but the scouts were not seen. Based on the information passed back by Private Cogswell and the other scout and other information it was concluded that the Viet Cong could be up to battalion strength and B Company was ordered to withdraw four hundred metres to allow artillery and air strikes to be made on enemy positions. Both scouts then skilfully extracted themselves without disclosing their presence to the Viet Cong and so alerting them. Artillery and air strikes were then made on the enemy base which was later successfully destroyed.

The skill, courage and determination displayed by Private Cogswell was of very high order and enabled the area to be cleared without casualties to his platoon or company.

Citation accompanying the award of the Military Medal to Private P. Fraser

On October 17 1966, during Operation Queanbeyan in Phuoc Tuy Province South Vietnam, the Anti Tank Platoon of Fifth Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment was directed to clear a Viet Cong ambush. During the clearing a section commander was mortally wounded by a sniper and fell in an exposed position. Heavy enemy fire prevented movement of any members of the section. Private Fraser, the stretcher bearer attached to the Anti Tank Platoon was told by the platoon commander not to go forward to the casualty until the area had been cleared. Private Fraser however crawled forward under fire, reached the casualty and dressed the wound. Whilst Private Fraser was with the casualty a sniper concentrated his fire on Private Fraser and with the fire falling only inches from him, Private Fraser continued to assist the casualty.

The Platoon Commander then arranged for covering fire to be given by the remainder of the platoon at which time Private Fraser turned his back on the enemy fire to shield the casualty from fire and assisted a carrying party to evacuate the casualty.

During the extraction of the casualty Private Fraser showed complete disregard for his own safety in an effort to give maximum attention to the care of the casualty.

Citation accompanying the award of a Mention-in-Despatches (Posthumously) to Corporal N. J. Womal

On October 17 1966, during Operation Queanbeyan in Phuoc Tuy Province in South Vietnam, the Anti Tank Platoon of Fifth Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment was directed to clear a Viet Cong ambush located in a deep re-entrant on the side of a steep mountain. Corporal Womal, a section commander in the platoon was ordered to clear with his section across the re-entrant under covering fire from the remainder of the platoon. When the section reached the middle of the re-entrant, Corporal Womal was mortally wounded by a sniper who had obviously concentrated on him because he was controlling his section by voice and hand signals. From the position where he fell, Corporal Womal continued to control the covering fire of his section machine gun. In spite of a large volume of accurate enemy fire from several different positions which prevented Corporal Womal’s section from moving, Corporal Womal propped himself on one elbow in an exposed position to indicate by voice to his platoon commander the exact location of the enemy and continued to direct the section machine gun fire onto the enemy. Corporal Womal died shortly after being evacuated from the re-entrant.

The courage and leadership displayed by Corporal Womal under fire was of very high order and an inspiration to all members of his platoon. His efforts in directing fire and controlling his section even when wounded contributed directly to the successful extrication of his section without further casualties and the location of the enemy positions which were subsequently effectively dislodged.

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