Viet Cong ammunition pouch : 2 Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, Operation Coburg

Post Second World War Mosin Nagant ammunition pouch. Pouch would have originally consisted of two compartments on a single backing, this example has been cut in half and crudely repaired with cotton string. It is made from a synthetic leather known as kirza and features a leather loop strap at the back for attaching to the wearer's belt and a Y-shaped strap at the front for securing the closing flap. Both straps attach to a long brass post attached to the base of the pouch.

Captured by members of A Company, 2 Royal Australian Regiment (RAR) on 3 February 1968 during Operation Coburg. Operation Coburg was the defensive reaction to the impending Viet Cong Tet Offensive, where elements of the Australian Task Force moved from Phuoc Tuy to Bien Hoa Province to operate alongside American forces preparing to block any thrust against the vast complex of military installations around Bien Hoa city and adjoining Long Binh, located some 25 kilometres north-east of Saigon. The task force included the bulk of 2 RAR/NZ (ANZAC) and 7RAR, along with supporting armour, artillery and engineers. In the late afternoon of 3 February, some 12 Viet Cong were engaged by 3 Platoon, A Company, 2 RAR over the period of 60 minutes, resulting in three enemy deaths and two wounded, with one wounded captured. The prisoner revealed that he had been involved in the attack on Bien Hoa airbase. Besides the personal equipment (see REL/1565.001 to .006) six weapons were also captured.