Special donation to RSL

By Lachlan Ellis

A local RSL branch has received a significant donation this month, in the form of a replica Vietnam War memorial item.

Wishing to do something special in remembrance of Australia’s Vietnam Veterans, Mr Zack Betts decided to make replicas of the Long Tan Cross and donate them to selected Victorian RSL Sub-Branches. During its General Meeting on the 10th of June 2023, the Ballan RSL Sub-Branch was honoured to receive one of Zack’s crosses.

The Battle of Long Tan occurred in a South Vietnam rubber plantation during the afternoon of the 18th of August 1966, when 105 soldiers from 6th Battalion Royal Australia Regiment (6RAR) and 3 New Zealand soldiers from 161 Field Battery encountered a force of 2,000 Viet Cong soldiers. Even though they were outnumbered by more than 10 to 1, for 3 hours during a monsoon thunderstorm the Australians and New Zealanders held back the Viet Cong onslaught.

During the battle artillery support was called in, but the Viet Cong were so close that the shells fell very near the Australian and New Zealand positions. When all seemed lost, at about 7.00pm a relief company reached the surviving 6RAR soldiers and drove the Viet Cong off.

To commemorate the battle, on the 18th of August 1969 members of 6RAR erected the Long Tan Cross at Long Tan in South Vietnam.

Today the original Long Tan Cross is on display at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra after being donated to Australia by the Vietnam government in 2017. A replica of the Cross commemorates the site of the Battle of Long Tan in South Vietnam.

The Battle of Long Tan resulted in Australia suffering its heaviest casualties in a single action during the Vietnam War. 18 Australians were killed and 24 were wounded. The Viet Cong suffered 245 killed and 350 wounded.

The significance of the Battle of Long Tan is highlighted by the promulgation of the 18th of August as Vietnam Veterans’ Day.

Ballan RSL Sub-Branch Pippa Morris said the replica Long Tan Cross was a welcome addition to the RSL.

“The Ballan RSL Sub-Branch thanks Zack for his wonderful donation. The replica Long Tan Cross is proudly on display in the RSL Hall,” Ms Morris said.