John Essex-Clarke as a Major 1 RAR interviewed by Greg Swanborough for 'The sharp end'

Major, 1RAR Scene 7, Take 1, roll 68: 1RAR prepared for conventional warfare as a Pentropic Battalion then trained for tropical warfare before going to Vietnam. Understanding of guerrilla fighting a great help in Vietnam situation and a big leap from experiences of Malaya. Soldiers knew little about Vietnam and underestimated the quality of Vietnamese guerrilla fighter. Scene 8, Take 1: Role of 1RAR was to attach to American 173 Brigade at Bien Hoa whose task was to defend the airbase. Used patrols to contact and prevent Viet Cong reconnaissance of airbase. The implications of this attachment for the Australians was a large amount of adaptation at command level and use to of artillery and air strikes. Cultural differences in attitude to guerrilla warfare. Americans had little training compared to Australian NCOs who had fought in Malaya. Australians used patience, planning and stealth compared to American bravado and aggression. General Williamson (Brigadier General Ellis Williamson) said he thought the war would be over by Christmas 1965. Americans wanted a ’Donnybrook’, major battle but the guerrilla fighters fight when and where they choose. The Viet Cong were not worried about US and Australian incursions into their territory. They used it as propaganda to demonstrate that they could not control Viet Cong territory. Major battles fought further north. Scene 8, Take 2: Australians established routine at base camp and rigidly adhered to procedure to maintain security so soldiers felt safe and could relax. In the American base camp there was less discipline. Scene 8, Take 4: Australian jungle fighting tactics used stealth to search for enemy and ambush. Americans set themselves up as targets with noise and aggression to attract contact and head on fighting. They were very brave. Australians operated similar to Viet Cong in jungle although Viet Cong had the advantage of knowing the country. Scene 9, Take 1, roll 69; Describes search and destroy in Ho Bo Woods in early 1966. The Americans knew the Viet Cong Headquarters were in Ho Bo Woods and it was laced with tunnels. 1RAR given task of being a holding force towards which the Americans would drive the Viet Cong. The landing zone ‘cabbage patch’ proved to be compromised and Essex-Clark decided on an alternative. Ho Bo woods biggest tunnel complex in Vietnam found at that stage with hospitals, administration, dining and logistic areas on several levels. Viet Cong could be heard above ground scuttling around in the tunnels. Australian engineers used smoke to flush them out. Scene 9, Take 2: The enormous number of tunnels was unexpected and the troops had no training to search and destroy them. Scene 9, Take 3: [retake 2] Only the engineers understood the tunnels. Scene 42, Take 1: Describes the Australian soldiers in Vietnam as being extraordinary, impressive and kept their sense of humour. The best he’s ever served with.