Nui Dat concert DPR/TV/946

The members of the Third All Queensland Concert Party won the hearts of two thousand Australian soldiers at Nui Dat this week with their singing, dancing and jokes. The soldiers, dressed in jungle greens and clutching rifles, stamped their feet, cheered, whistled and clapped their way through the concert - an hour-and-a-half respite from the war in Vietnam. Many invaded the red earth amphitheatre hours before the concert started to make sure of good seats. The concert party, led by Mr Wilson Irving, of Brisbane, was sponsored by the South East Queensland Rotary District, which raised $7,000 to cover the entertainers' expenses. The eight-man party included Valda Scott, singer; Janie Richards, dancer; Judy Connelli, singer; George Hill, comic; and Jeff Smith and Les Crosby, musicians. The team is touring Vietnam for two weeks (until Oct 31) and is giving concerts to Australian and American troops from Saigon to Vung Tau, Nui Dat and Phang Rang. During 25 concerts the team expects to entertain upwards of 40,000 servicemen. It is the third time Mr Wilson Irving has led the Queensland concert party to Vietnam and it is the second year that Les Crosby and Jeff Smith have been members of the band. (Also identified: Private Colin Hanson of Townsville, Qld; Jim Howard, drummer; Lance Corporal "Scobie" Breasley of Townsville, Qld).