James Raymond Bourke as a Lieutenant 1 RAR interviewed by Greg Swanborough for 'The sharp end'

Scene 9. Take 1. describes the events coming into the Landing Zone (LZ) on the third lift of helicopters for the Ho Bo Woods operation on what they thought was a blocking position; the helicopter machine gunners laying suppression fire around the edges of the LZ indicated to him that this was something was more than being in a blocking position as a policeman; his job with his platoon was secure one end of the LZ; encounter with one enemy who threw away his weapon and ran away on being confronted by the twenty two soldiers and helicopters hovering above; secured end of the LZ and rest of 1RAR flown in; ‘Bravo’ Coy and ‘Charlie Coy’ initially receiving heavy casualties; Scene 9 Take 1; once B and C Coys were on patrol decision made to push Delta Coy up between the two Companies; Bourke’s Platoon happened to be point platoon in Delta Coy; move into the village and receiving fire from the left flank; his lead section deployed into a wash out; unaware that there was a tunnel with firing slit running along the washout; enemy started to fire at his soldiers at very close range; Cpl Smith and Delaney hit; enemy from inside the tunnels released grenades which were hidden in the trees above them and two soldiers wounded by shrapnel; enemy then opened up from the right with automatic weapons; pushing forward and being hit from very close range when pulling back Delaney into some shelter; so close that there were powder burns on his lip; dropped Delaney in front of slit; thought was going to die but though he may as well continue his job, in fact terrified and almost having feeling like running but his training overcome this; continued to give orders though at a whisper because his jaw was broken; Ted Ellis being hit in the lip with a spent round; started to find it hard to breath and eyes were closed because of the swelling; remembers having to open his right eye with his fingers when calling in mortar rounds; radio operator Pte Ray Mott correcting his co-ordinates for mortar fire; US Lieutenant from the 101st attached to the platoon as an observer convinced him to go back to the RAP;
The Lieutenant escorted him through the enemy trenches; being put on a US helicopter; US crew chief offering him a copy of the ‘The Stars and Stripes’ not to read but to put on the floor because his blood was messing up the crew chief’s helicopter; out of twenty two men in his platoon that went on that operation ‘only eleven walked back the rest had holes in them”; Scene 7 take; his thoughts before leaving for Vietnam; briefed that the Viet Cong were formidable “ten feet tall and could cut your throat with their toe nails”; excited about being able to do the real thing they were trained for despite the briefing on the Viet Cong; the Viet Cong were experienced fighters and at that stage in the war he believes they had almost won; though professional they proved to be “just like us bullets would kill him” ; worst aspect of the war for him was coming home he would have liked stayed there; tremendous welcome on return to Sydney; carrying Queens Colour in the march; Scene 42 take 1; remembers the sheer professionalism of the officers and soldiers of 1RAR; thoughts on his second tour with AATTV spent a more exciting time with the US Special Forces Mobile Strike Force; learnt the MIKE Force phycology or of the philosophy of war that you get so wrapped up what you doing that you can do anything good or bad; opportunity as a soldier to do what you have been trained for; Scene Take 2; retake of take 1 on thoughts on Vietnam; Scene 8 Take ; essence of 1RAR first tour was a great team professionalism shown by officers and NCOs like a “big family”; no regrets except that he had to come home a bit early.