Operation Hammersley - 50th Anniversary Exhibition
Operation Hammersley begun on 10 February 1970 during the Vietnam War. It concluded on 3 March that same year.
It was a costly operation for the 1st Australian Task Force which resulted in 12 men killed and 59 wounded.
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Operation Hammersley an exhibition of 27 photographs depicting the operation, some never before shown to the public is being held at the Memorial's Entrance Corridor gallery.
Centurion tanks of 1 Armoured Regiment provided vital fire support throughout Operation Hammersley. The tanks’ main guns were particularly useful in dealing with enemy bunkers.
Wearing flak vests and helmets in the tropical heat took a physical toll on the men. Here soldiers from 8RAR pause during the ascent into the Long Hai hills. Though D445 Battalion had escaped, the threat of mines remained all too real.
Photo: John Fairley.