6 RAR -The Sixth Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment(RAR) Supporting the Battalion

Support Company

Support Company provides the Battalion's support weapons, specialist communications personnel and assault pioneers and administers Battalion Headquarters. A better insight into the operation of the company can be gained by writing of the platoons separately.

Battalion Headquarters Platoon

In Base the Battalion Headquarters can best be compared to the executive level of a commercial company, providing the policy, staff work and co-ordination upon which the unit runs from day to day. The Intelligence Section receives information and reports, from Task Force and other allied sources, and builds up a probable intelligence picture of the enemy and his likely activities on which operations are subsequently planned and conducted. The Regimental Police working under the Regimental Sergeant Major control traffic in the Base and are generally responsible for the security of the area. During operations the Regimental Police Section holds any prisoners passed to it by the Intelligence Section, after interrogation, for custody until they can be handed over to the Military Police at Task Force.

Mortar Platoon

The Loud Hailer echoes across the mortar line, "Platoon position -bearing 4800 mils - 1240 metres -charge 2". The crews race to the mortars and lay on the target given. Such orders as these are likely to ring out at any time; the targets being an enemy withdrawal route, an enemy camp, or a fire task called down by the companies. In base the mortars fire at suspected movement on the perimeter wire or general harassing and interdiction fire. With its range of 3500 metres the mortar is an excellent weapon for close support of the Battalion.

On operations the mortars either move in APCs or are flown in to the base plate position by helicopter. During the year's tour of duty the mortars fired approximately 9000 high explosive, smoke and illuminating bombs.

Signals Platoon

The overhead telephone lines weave a pattern like a spider's web from the Signals Centre to all parts of the Battalion Base Area. Telephone communication between the Companies and other elements of the Task Force is a 24-hour requirement and the buzzer on the switchboard constantly mingles with the background hum of the myriads of insects. The unseen web of radio waves is the invisible product of the Signal Platoon's other task; a link between the platoon or company on patrol and the Battalion Command Post.

On operations radio is the only means of contact, 'from the reporting of contacts with the enemy, the discovery of installations and requests for help to the passing of orders between the Tactical Headquarters and the Companies.

The Corps of Signals Detachment mans the link from the Battalion to the Task Force Headquarters. The relay station on Nui Dat in the centre of Task Force helps the platoon to ensure that communications are maintained.

Assault Pioneer Platoon

The Pioneers operated independently to some extent for they were located between the Engineers of Ist Field Squadron and D Company, and as such were responsible for that part of the defence of the Task Force Area.

In Base the platoon worked on the construction of huts, destroying defective ammunition and any other tasks requiring their specialist knowledge. The platoon was on call at all times for the destruction of unexploded ammunition found by patrols, and flew out on many occasions to do just that.
The Pioneers on operations were employed mainly on mine clearing, landing zone construction, water reconnaissance by assault boats or assisting in the protection of Battalion Headquarters.

Anti-Tank Platoon

The Anti-Tank Platoon were placed under the command of D Company while in Vietnam and worked within the Company mainly as a fourth rifle platoon. They, like the Pioneers, were needed to man the perimeter defences. The techniques of the employment of the 106mm recoilless anti-tank guns were kept alive during the tour of duty of South Vietnam.

The Echelon

No battalion would be able to exist for long without the Administration Company, or A Echelon as it is called when the unit is on active service. The forward movement of stores and supplies is a constant requirement. All the Battalion re-supply in the field is coordinated by the Echelon, and sent to the various locations by helicopter, armoured personnel carriers, vehicles or porterage as the situation demands.

The Transport Platoon and RAEME Detachment

The Battalion vehicles have kept motoring through all conditions, from the sand at Vung Tau to the mud, and in the dry, the dust of Nui Dat, covering some 170,000 miles.

At the outset the rubber plantation was a sea of mud, the safe passages down the lines of rubber trees being successively made into tracks as yet another vehicle became bogged in the red liquid mud. With the rainy season over, the Engineers moved in and made roads throughout the battalion area. The daily carriage of personnel and stores is essential to the smooth running of companies and the battalion. The Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Detachment worked to maintain the vehicles, weapons and other specialised equipment.

The mechanics repaired over 950 defects to the vehicles, from tuning the engines to a complete overhaul. On the electrical side, over 1000 repairs and servicings were made to radio sets, projectors, public address systems and washing machines, apart from the laying of the electrical wiring system throughout the Battalion. The small arms section repaired 600 weapons and tested all weapons that arrived in the Unit. Daily the sound of firing would be heard in the area, for the section's test firing was an important and constant part of weapon checking.

Quartermaster Platoon

Daily there would be a need to indent for further stores and equipment, and these would then be held against any contingency.

Companies were able to obtain any item of clothing or equipment from the QM Store in order to keep the force at instant operational readiness and individuals equipped with all they needed for their daily tasks. The QM Platoon also ran the heli pad known as "Eagle Farm", from which all aerial re-supply was flown to the unit on operations. Other tasks necessary to the Battalion, such as the laundry, the control of stores and the rationing of the unit, were also co-ordinated by this platoon.

Medical Platoon

In this theatre the Regimental Aid Post came under the control of Support Company, as its location was in the Battalion Headquarters area.

However, each company had a medical assistant and usually four stretcher bearers permanently attached. In base the Regimental Medical officer would treat the sick in the RAP. On operations the medical assistants gave first-aid to the wounded before they were evacuated, usually by the Dust-Off helicopter.

The Battalion Band are the stretcher bearers of the unit and of necessity this primary role of medical assistance and evacuation was detrimental to any musical practice or accomplishments. Nevertheless the Band was able to play on occasions and in fact "Beat the Retreat" a number of times in base camp.

The Cooks

An army marches on its stomach, so it is said, and 6 RAR was certainly no exception. The cooks attached to the Battalion from the Australian Army Catering Corps did a sterling job in feeding the men. Each company had its own kitchen and mess hall. The rations were picked up from the Ration Store in A Echelon and then prepared and cooked in the companies. Even a good hot meal was sent out to the bush when circumstances permitted, to relieve the monotony of combat rations.

Mail

Everyone without exception eagerly anticipated the daily mail call. Having been collected from the Task Force Post Office, it would be sorted in A Echelon and delivered to individuals by the companies.

This was the only source of contact a member had with his loved ones and friends. It was also the usual method by which parcels from home, the RSL and other organisations reached us.