Diggers build road for Vietnamese DPR/TV/1210

Australian Army engineers in Vietnam are progressing rapidly on the reconstruction of seven miles of one of the major roads in Phuoc Tuy Province, the force's special area of responsibility. The work is being carried out on Route 23 between the province capital of Baria and the big southern provincial centre of Dat Do. The engineers are now tearing up and replacing the section of road through the village of Long Dien. Life goes on as usual in the market place and shops lining the road as the heavy earthmoving machinery thunder and roar about their tasks. The job is made more difficult because the villagers have built right up to the road alignment and on top of the old drainage system in place. The new drainage system was designed by Sapper Neil Ashmead of Yallourn, Vic, who is checking the width of a drain to be replaced. Both the engineer squadrons which support the Task Force are taking part in the project. They are the 17th Construction Squadron and the 1st Field Squadron. Seventeen Squadron is responsible for the section from Baria to and including Long Dien and the Field Squadron from Long Dien to and including Dat Do. Sapper David Graham of Thorpdale, Vic, manhandles the grader while Sapper Robert Brown of Rosewood, Qld, is behind the wheel of the dozer. Plant experts from the construction squadron, Warrant Officer Mick Mace of Puckapunyal, Vic, and Sgt John Bending of Townsville, Qld, arrive to discuss progress and plans with the workers. Work on the seven-mile section began in early July and is expected to be finished, including the construction of four new bridges, in either January or February. The road, through the most populous region of the province and its two largest centres, is winning the Australians many friends. Already the engineers have been given a dinner in their honour and recently one of the villagers walked up to one of the operators busy maneouvring his heavy mount and handed him a note in Vietnamese. An interpreter translated and the note said thank you to the Australians for the work they are doing. Australian Army engineers push ahead with a big road reconstruction job to help improve communications in rural Phuoc Tuy Province, Vietnam. Also identified: Lance Corporal Dale Britten of New Norfolk, Tas.