Medvac training DPR/TV/581

Rapid air evacuation of wounded and injured soldiers is one of the most important factors in maintaining the morale of Australian troops serving in South Vietnam. Exercise umpires at Exercise Nilla Qua, now underway at the Army's 1,200 square mile Shoalwater Bay training area decided to test the casualty evacuation system during a search and clear phase of the exercise. Within minutes of Private Ken Daley, 21 of Sydney, being declared wounded by the umpires a Siox helicopter from 1 Divisional Aviation Regiment, Amberley, Queensland, had touched down at a helipad cut in thick bush in the middle of the training area. Private Daley was given first aid, strapped to the side of the Sioux and was flown back to the Plains airstrip within of being wounded. There a waiting ambulance from 8th field Ambulance, based at Melbourne, rushed Private Daley to the field hospital for further treatment by Army doctor Captain John Stephens of Melbourne. Umpires later said the evacuation was a success and allowed Pte Daley to return to 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. Exercise Nilla Qua is a counter insurgency type operation designed to complete the training cycle for 7th Battalion, who wil go to South Vietnam shortly with the 2nd Battalion, to relieve the 5th and 6th Battalions. The Exercise will end shortly with an attack by 7th Battalion on Raspberry Vale, the headquarters of 1st Battalion, who are acting as the enemy "Queensland Cong" during the exercise.