Land sea operations DPR/TV/142

Nearly 1400 Regular Army troops are engaged this week on land, sea and air operations on the south of New South Wales. They are men of the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, and a divisional signal troop. Aims of the exercise are to accustom infantrymen to conditions and travel in landing ships, polish-up anti-guerilla techniques and test the sea movement of troops in an overseas theatre. The Battalion moved by companies to Jervis Bay and embarked on 1000-ton landing ships for a 150 mile overnight journey to Twofold Bay, near the Victorian border. They embarked fully-equipped and were accompanied by their unit transport. At dawn the following day they disembarked at Twofold Bay and were whisked by RAAF Iroqouis helicopters into the nearby East Boyd State Forest for counter-insurgency exercises. Here, the helicopters made the task of movement relatively simple. Colonel C M I Pearson, the Battalion Commanding Officer, is directing the exercise over a period of 18 days. Sea movement of the troops has been conducted as shuttle service using only two landing ships. Troops will be returned to Jervis Bay in the ships and will complete the exercise on April 17.