Contact front with 7 RAR on Operation Santa Fe DPR/TV/735

When Viet Cong (VC) are sighted by troops of the 1st Australian Task Force on operations in Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam, it is massive artillery support which usually levers 'Charlie' from dug-in positions. Often it is the accuracy of Australian and New Zealand gunners, using 105mm howitzers, which puts the VC on the run. But many times it is a combined effort with the big 155mm self-propelled guns of the United States Army also based at Nui Dat which give battalions, companies, platoons or even smaller patrols, massive fire support. Operation Sant Fe produced many contacts for 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. The VC were either in camps, or sighted moving along tracks as the Australians closed in. To attack some camps, located in thick jungles in the north east of the province, Delta Company of 7th Battalion had to ford creeks. Many times it was not long before forward scouts contacted VC - then moved quickly into position. 3789148 Lance Corporal Paul Deimos, of Airport West, Melbourne, fired his 7.62mm self loading rifle at fleeing VC on one occasion. Machine gunners, Private Jeff Andrews, of Newcastle, NSW and Corporal Dick Bailey of Mayfield, Newcastle, NSW were quick to come to his aid. Orders were yelled by Corporal Peter Harriss, of Dee Why, Sydney, NSW as his troops moved up. An artillery group with the company, from 108 Field Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, immediately called for artillery suypport for the attacking troops. Fire was called in by Bombardier Dick King, of Floreat Park, WA, left and Peter Lynch, of Canberra, ACT. The call for support was received at the battery command post by Sergeant Doug Blanchonette, of Wacal QLD, and positions plotted. Orders were then relayed to guns by 2nd Lieutenant Bill Ritchie, of Wilson, WA and pieces swung onto target. One gun was directed on its target by Gunner Gordon Cook, of Auburn, SA. Finally Bombardier Nick Carberry, of Gundagai, NSW gave the order to fire. Meanwhile in Battery 'A' of 2nd/35th Battalion an American unit at Nui Dat, 155mm self propelled howitzers were prepared to add to the support. At the end of the barrage, 7 RAR troops continued their sweep. More than 15,000 United States Army, Vietnamese and Australian troops are taking part in Operation Sante Fe. The area being searched is a new one for Australian Task Force troops.