Viet Cong supplies disrupted DPR/TV/367

Australian soldiers now on operations are using hunger as a potent weapon against the Viet Cong by seizing supplies of rice, fish oil and other food hidden in caches deep in the jungles of South Viet Nam. The Australian-infantrymen of the First Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, and troopers of the First Armoured Personnel Carrier Troop - using closed up armoured personnel carriers, move out on their search and destroy mission passing impassive villagers as they advance into a suspect area. The force encounters Viet Cong obstacles such as newly dug "keyhole" trenches and fallen rubber trees laid by Viet Cong in a bid to stop the advance. Sergeant Larry Symons, of Puckapunyal, Victoria, keeps a wary lookout on the landscape as the M113s' leave the rubber and enter the jungle. The foot soldiers leave their carriers and cautiously advance ahead of the Armoured Personnel Carriers ready to counter any ambush. A cache is sighted and assault pioneers of the First Battalion, led by Corporal Bill O'Shea of Enmore, Sydney, check the area for Viet Cong booby traps. More than 30 booby traps were found hidden amonst the rice. As soon as the area is cleared the soldiers escort the Montagnards, friendly tribesman from the high hill coutry, into the area in trucks and they load the rice for shipment to their own positions. Their trucks loaded, they head out of the jungle, still under Australian protection, to store the rice and oil for use in their own wet season operations against the Communists. However, the Australian pioneers remain to complete the operation. The rice gone, they set about destroying the barns used to store the supplies. Corporal O'Shea moulds and prepares plastic charges to blow the shelter sky high.