Enemy rice supply DPR/TV/525

Australian troops in Vietnam are continuing to disrupt vital enemy food supplies. This bagged rice, part of a hidden cache of thirty thousand pounds, was found by crews of armoured personnel carriers during recent Operation Ingham. The rice, along with tinned milk, beef extract and sugar, was found deep in the jungle of Phuoc Tuy Province, to the north East of Task Force base. The armoured personnel carriers of 1 Armoured Personnel Carrier Squadron (1 APC Sqn) operating with troops of 6 RAR were crashing through heavy undergrowth when the camouflaged rice stack was seen by 15261 Captain Ross Cameron Guymer 1 APC Sqn of Brisbane. The rice was taken to an open paddy field, and a fleet of 9 Squadron RAAF Iroquois helicopters made scores of flights to transport the bags back to the Task Force base. The rice was handed over to Government authorities. Loading the one hundred pound bags in fierce heat was an extra chore for these soldiers, but 5713799 Trooper Ken Castledine, of Perth WA, 213922 Lance Corporal Lawrence (Laurie) Bunworth of Kilmore VIC and 3787452 Trooper Desmond (Des) John Collins of Daylesford VIC regarded it as a bit of a change from jungle fighting. In six months, Australian Task Force troops have discovered dozens of hidden enemy rice stores and information from prisoners indicates that food shortage is now becoming a main problem for enemy forces in the Australian area. Also identified are: 43438 Lieutenant David John Watts, 3786944 Trooper Anthony John Welsh, 4717545 Trooper Maxwell Leigh Nicolson all of 1 APC Sqn, 3786844 Trooper Noel Francis Milikins and 2782108 Trooper Robert Charles Tetley.