Army issue camouflage rain smock : D Gibbons, Photojournalist

Place Asia: Vietnam, South Vietnam
Accession Number REL33462
Collection type Heraldry
Object type Uniform
Physical description Nylon, Plastic
Maker Commonwealth Government Clothing Factory
Place made Australia: Victoria, Melbourne
Date made 1967
Conflict Vietnam, 1962-1975
Description

Army issue olive green and brown camouflage nylon rain smock with long sleeves and black plastic buttons. The smock has a collar that can be worn folded or fastened upright with a button. The front and back have loose shoulder capes suspended over green nylon mesh for ventilation. The front fastens with seven buttons; the cuff fit is adjusted by means of a tab and two buttons. There is an inset left breast pocket with a single button rectangular flap, and two inset front hip pockets with flaps but no buttons. A small divided pocket and two loops are sewn to the upper left sleeve to take pens. The hem of the smock holds a green drawstring. The manufacturer's label inside the back neck reads 'C.G.C.F. VIC. 1967 (broad arrow) 8415-66-021-5442 Size M'.

History / Summary

Born in Sydney in 1937, Denis Gibbons had undertaken army training and work as a news photographer in Sydney before he arrived in Vietnam in January 1966. For the next five years, Gibbons recorded the tours of nine Australian infantry battalions for Fairfax press and United Press International. Australian readers could regularly view his photographic essays in People magazine. In all, he took tens of thousands of black-and-white and colour photographic that together provide a very comprehensive view of the activities undertaken by Australians during the war.
The extended period spent by Gibbons in Vietnam was highly unusual among Australian photographers. Most official photographers and other photojournalists tended to spend just a few days photographing an operation before moving on. They were also based in Saigon, a city that remained far removed from the gritty reality of the war. However, Gibbons lived at the 1st Australian Task Force base at Nui Dat and was able to spend months with a particular unit. In this way he could record all areas of the work of Australians in great detail.
Gibbons was flown out of Vietnam in November 1970, after being wounded when an Armoured Personnel Carrier he was travelling in hit an enemy mine; he was wounded six times over the course of his five years in Vietnam.