| Accession Number | PR03776 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Private Record |
| Record type | Collection |
| Measurement | Extent: 1 cm; Wallet/s: 1 |
| Object type | Letter, Souvenir |
| Maker |
Anderson, Phillip Oxley |
| Place made | Australia |
| Access | Open |
| Conflict |
Vietnam, 1962-1975 |
| Copying Provisions | Copyright expired. Copying permitted subject to physical condition. Permission for reproduction not required. |
Anderson, Phillip Oxley (Private, b.1946)
Description
Collection relates to the Vietnam War service of 2785677 Private Phillip Oxley Anderson, Vietnam and Australia 1968 – 1988.
Wallet 1 of 1 contains 8 newspaper clippings relating to those killed in action in Vietnam and articles on Coral and Balmoral, one safe conduct pass for Vietnam, and a 1RAR ‘Beating of Retreat and Coral Day Commemoration’ booklet from 12 May 1988.
The collection also includes three letters written by Anderson to family in Australia. Letter dated 13 May 1968 from Nui Dat written by Anderson to his grandmother details receiving a fruit cake, visiting soldiers in hospital, his camera being stolen by local children and bargaining with them to get it back, and finding out that 8 soldiers from 1RAR were killed in action and how it changed his attitude towards the war.
Letter dated 26 May 1968 from Fire Support Base Coral details the weather, seeing friends ‘Bluey’ and ‘Lenny’ in Vietnam, Viet Cong POWs, the roof of their bunker leaking, not getting a lot of sleep, food, soft drink and beer rations, and care packages
Letter dated 4 June 1968 from Nui Dat details his experience at FSB coral, including sleeping arrangements, the rain, helicopters landing next to their tent, bombing enemy positions, night time attacks lighting up the sky, receiving parcels from home, happy about fighting communism, beer and coke rations, and movies.