Civil Affairs Vietnam DPR/TV/1113

Montagnard farmers in South Vietnam's Phuoc Tuy Province will reap a better rice crop this year, thanks to the help of the Australian Army's 1st Australian Civil Affairs Unit, based at Nui Dat. This month, soldiers of the unit distributed high quality rice seed, farming tools and fertiliser to Montagnard families in the hamlet of Vinh Thanh, about seven miles north of Nui Dat. As well as the farming commodities, each family was given five bags of high protein flour to help them avoid the temptation of putting the seed rice to culinary use. Helping in the distribution were Vietnamese social workers from the Refugee Social Services office in Baria, the capital of Phuoc Tuy. Australian Civil Affairs teams are no strangers to Vinh Thanh. Early this year, the unit built a windmill and installed a water reticulation system in the hanlet. The villagers also receive frequent gifts of clothing and household utensils through Operation New Life, contributions for which come from RSL committees throughout Australia. The Montagnard families in Vinh Thanh migrated from the central highlands and the mountain region near the demilitarised zone during mass migration in 1954. (Identified personnel: Corporal Doug Sawkins of Claremont, WA; Private Albert Bennell of Morwell, Vic; Pte Peter Rumsey of Oatley, NSW).