About 40 people, including 10 veterans, attended the service. RSL president, Pat McMahon, explained the significance of the battle to those gathered prior to wreaths being laid by a number of community groups, including Macintyre High School and the Red Cross.

Inverell RSL secretary Graeme Clinch said they were really happy with the turn-out on the day.

“There were more people there than in previous years,” Mr Clinch said. “In particular we were very happy with the Macintyre High School kids turning up. They weren’t invited, but they turned up off their own bat and we think that was marvellous.

“It is really good to see the younger generations taking an interest and being part of these sorts of celebrations, especially on Anzac Day and Remembrance Day.”

Vietnam Veteran’s Day is always held on the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan, which took place on August 18-19, 1966, and was the first and largest single unit battle fought in Vietnam by Australian troops.

It was fought by 6th Battalion RAR, which was called the ‘Baby Battalion’ because it had only been there for a few months, and was made up largely of national servicemen. 

It was their Delta company that was ambushed by Viet Cong and North Vietnamese units while on patrol in the rubber plantation called Long Tan, in the Phuoc Tuy Province.

It was a huge ambush and the Australian infantry had to hold against thousands of enemy troops. 

They were backed up by New Zealand and Australian artillery, when they ran out of ammunition they were resupplied by Iroquois helicopters from the RAAF’s 9 Squadron and later reinforced by 3 Troop of 1 Armoured Personnel Carrier Squadron that brought fresh troops into the battle. Eighteen Australian troops were killed and it is thought up to a thousand of the enemy were lost. 

For the baby battalion it was certainly a baptism by fire.