Brian Kent London as a Sergeant 5 RAR interviewed by Greg Swanborough for 'The sharp end'

Scene 37 take 1; he was in the 5RAR ready reaction Company and task to clear out the village of Binh Ba; estimates that two platoons of Viet Cong were in the village; describes the village of Binh Ba; how 5RAR had no previous experience in built up operations and that all previous operations were in field patrols or ambushes; Take 2 retake of take 1; problems with village fighting; command and control; keeping a straight line; house to house fighting; searching houses in two to three man teams; heavy enemy fire necessitates the use of fire support; fighting was ferocious; describes how one of his men was killed in the assault; accusations of atrocities; London was there 6 and 7 June and saw no evidence of any civilians killed; the Viet Cong were dressed as civilians; initial stage of the battle civilians were ushered to the rear; responsibility of platoon commander is the welfare and safety of his troops; very few Australian casualties at Binh Ba – puts this down to the efficient combination of infantry, cavalry and tanks; Take 3. explains the technique of house clearance; on finding two enemy under a bed; Take 4 ; retake of take 3; take 5; during the battle some houses had to be destroyed by tank fire or by infantry Light Anti-Armour Weapon (LAW) rockets; after the battle the village was reconstructed by Civil Affairs.