Here are some citations copied from the 1st Armoured Regiment “Centurions “Newsletter
Army Number. 312785
Substantive Rank: Second Lieutenant
Christian Name: Bruce
Surname: CAMERON
Honour or Award: MC
Second Lieutenant Bruce Cameron graduated from the Officer Cadet School, Portsea on 14 June 1969, and was allotted to The Royal Australian Armoured Corps. He joined C Squadron, lst Armoured Regiment, on 1 January 1970, and arrived in South Vietnam on 21st January 1971.
On 7 June 1971, during Operation Overlord, Second Lieutenant Cameron was deploying his tank Troop to give support to an infantry Company when the Troop was engaged by fire from an enemy bunker system. He immediately gave orders for his Troop to launch an attack against the well defended bunker complex. In the course of the attack, Second Lieutenant Cameron was wounded by the heavy fire which the enemy was directing against the tank Troop, but despite his wound, he remained calm and resolutely pressed on with the Troop attack. His determined leadership and swift action forced the enemy’s withdrawal from the forward bunkers and contributed greatly to the defeat of the entire enemy force.
Late in June 1971 during an assault on another bunker system, his tank was hit by enemy fire and his driver received head injuries and collapsed across the front of his tank. Ordering his crew to continue firing, Second lieutenant Cameron dismounted and moved his driver to safety thus saying him from further serious injury. Again in July 197 1, Second Lieutenant Cameron moved his tank Troop to give support to an infantry Platoon which had taken casualties from, and was pinned down by, enemy fire from a bunker complex. However, due to the position of one of the platoon’s casualties, his Troop was unable to give effective fire support. At the request of the Platoon Commander, Second Lieutenant Cameron moved his tank forward to crush a bunker from which enemy fire was being received. As a result of this action, the remainder of his Troop was able to be moved between other bunkers and the casualty and give the covering fire needed to allow evacuation of the wounded.
Second Lieutenant Cameron’s sustained personal courage and determined leadership reflect great credit upon himself, his Regiment and the Australian Army.
Army Number: 5410984
Substantive Rank: Corporal
Substantive Rank; Sergeant
Christian Name: Michael Reginald
Surname: RAINEY
Award. MM
Corporal Michael Rainey enlisted in the Australian Regular Army on 21 December 1960 and was allotted to the Royal Australian Armoured Corps. He joined C Squadron, lst Armoured Regiment in October 1967 and arrived in South Vietnam with 3 Troop of the Squadron in April 1968.
On 22 August 1968, during Operation Nowra, Corporal Rainey was a tank crew Commander with 3 Troop when the Troop was sent into Long Dien with an infantry Company, to clear it of enemy.
At approximately 1025 hours, Corporal Rainey’s tank came under small arms and anti-tank rocket fire from both sides. Because of the narrowness of the road, 3 Troop was able to advance only in line ahead formation with Corporal Rainey’s tank leading and receiving heavy fire. Despite this he continued to advance, returning the enemy fire and destroying several strong points. In the face of his accurate fire the enemy commenced to withdraw.
A running battle then commenced which lasted for six hours during which Corporal Rainey continued to lead the advance. During this period his tank suffered a gunnery failure which limited his ability to return fire. He continued to advance firing his machine gun only until, after an hour, he was able to rectify the fault. In the course of the battle Cpl Rainey’s tank was constantly under fire and was twice hit by rockets.
By his sustained and resolute action he greatly contributed to the speed of the advance and the rout of the enemy. His disregard for his own personal safety and his leadership of his crew were an inspiration to the remainder of the Troop and showed a standard of sustained courage; which reflects great credit upon himself and his Regiment.
Second lieutenant Brian Sullivan graduated from the Officer Training Unit, Scheyville, on 22 July 1966 and was allotted to the Royal Australian Armoured Corps. He joined C Squadron, lst Armoured Regiment in South Vietnam on 5 August 1968, and B Squadron on 11 February 1969.
On 6 June 1969, Second Lieutenant Sullivan, Troop Commander, l Troop B Squadron, was supporting D Company, 5th Battalion ‘ The Royal Australian Regiment. On arrival at Binh Ba Village, Phuoc Tui Province, the company group immediately encountered heavy, sustained anti-tank and small arms fire from strong elements of a North Vietnamese Regiment. Counter action by the force involved sweeps through the village with armour leading, followed by a detailed search by infantry supported by armour. House to house fighting developed.
In the face of constant anti-tank rocket fire, Second Lieutenant Sullivan showed no hesitation in leading the Australian assault into the village. He and his troop were constantly required to destroy enemy strong points and retaliate to heavy enemy fire. Throughout heavy fighting for more than two hours, Second Lieutenant Sullivan’s tanks bore the brunt of the action. Countless rockets were fired at Second Lieutenant Sullivans tank. One wounded him. Despite this, and penetration by rockets of three other tanks with subsequent casualties, he and his Troop continued to fight with aggression.
His cool leadership and gallantry were an inspiration to all on that day. He paved the way for the remainder of the force to defeat the enemy.
On many other occasions Second
lieutenant Sullivan displayed the same attributes. His performance throughout
1969 was characterised by cheerfulness, conscientiousness, and courage. His
attitude and conduct demands great admiration and reflects considerable credit
upon himself, his Regiment and the Australian Army.
SECOND
AWARD M.I.D.
Army Number; 2783093
Substantive Rank: Second Lieutenant
Christian Name: Brian John
Surname: SULLIVAN
Honour or Award: MID
Second Lieutenant Sullivan graduated from the Officer Training Unit, Scheyville, on 22 July 1966 and was allotted to the Royal Australian Armoured Corps. He joined C Squadron, lst Armoured Regiment in South Vietnam on 5 August 1968, and B Squadron on 111 February 1969.
On 16 February 1969, Second Lieutenant Sullivan was commanding 1st Troop, B Squadron, 1st Armoured Regiment, supporting B Company, 4th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment on a search for a protected arms cache.
At approximately 1320 hours the company headquarters came under heavy fire from claymores, rockets and automatic weapons, from a bunker system about 30 metres away. Five casualties occurred in the initial exchange of fire.
Second Lieutenant Sullivan moved his Troop forward of the casualties to protect them and to cover the deployment of the platoons. The Troop was then heavily engaged with RPG and machine gun fire. One tank was hit repeatedly, caught fire and the entire crew wounded.
Second Lieutenant Sullivan then dismounted from his own tank and, under fire, ran forward, engaging the enemy with his pistol, mounted the burning tank, extricated its wounded driver, and then backed it out from under the enemy rocket fire. He then returned to his own tank and continued to engage the enemy until the contact was broken at 1500 hours,
His actions enabled the dead
and wounded to be evacuated, prevented the company from sustaining greater
casualties and enabled the infantry to redeploy. Throughout the engagement Second
Lieutenant Sullivan displayed outstanding leadership and personal courage. His
actions were a credit to himself and the service.
Corporal
Garry John Gott. M.I.D.
Army Number: 1200180
Substantive Rank: Corporal
Christian Name: Garry John
Surname: G0TT
Honour or Award: MID
Corporal Garry Gott enlisted into the Australian Regular Army in April 1964. He first served in Vietnam with A Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment in 1966. He joined A Squadron, lst Armoured Regiment in Vietnam on 6 August 1969.
On 18 February 1970, Corporal Gott’s Troop was part of an all arms group operating with C Company, 8th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment which made contact with the enemy in a heavily fortified bunker system in the Long Hai hills. During the initial fire fight, an armoured personnel carrier was hit by rocket propelled grenades from close range, its crew and passengers wounded, and the vehicle started to burn.
Corporal Gott, moved his tank to within ten yards of the enemy occupied bunker system in order to recover the still burning armoured personnel and rescue the wounded crew.
Whilst still in a position to receive enemy fire, Corporal Gott and his radio operator dismounted from the tank. They attached a towrope from the armoured personnel carrier to the tank, remounted their vehicle and attempted to tow the armoured personnel carrier into a safe area. When the towrope disengaged from the armoured personnel carrier, Corporal Gott and his operator dismounted in order to secure it again. During this attempt, the armoured personnel carrier exploded as Corporal Gott was four feet away and he was wounded. The explosion totally destroyed the armoured personnel carrier and killed the crew. Corporal Gott, realising that there was no point in further risking his crew and vehicle, directed his vehicle back out of the contact area, firing as he went.
Corporal Gott displayed outstanding courage, leadership and selflessness reflecting credit upon himself, his Regiment and the Australian Army.
These
are some of the many Armoured personal that won awards in action in
Vietnam. Courtesy
Ian McVie
Below are other
Armoured personal that were awarded decorations. I have not listed awards by
other countries.
There were many.
Major Peter Richard Badman MID……………………….Mentioned
in dispatches.
L/Cpl Peter John Best MID
Lieutenant John Harry Brennan MID
Trooper Peter Stanley Cadge MID
Trooper John Alexander Carter DCM
Second Lieutenant John Frederick
Crossman MID
Corporal Andrew Martin Anderson MID
Captain Thomas Henry Arrowsmith MID
Corporal David William Davies MID
Lieutenant Ramon De Vere MC……………………..Military
Cross
Captain Rodney Michael Earle MID
Sergeant John William Fogarty MID
Trooper Daniel John Handley MID
Captain Robert Keith Hill MC…………………….Military
Cross
L/Cpl David John Izatt MID
Second Lieutenant Grame Victor
Jones MID
Major John David Keldie MC……………………Military
Cross
Sergeant Grantly Michael Kemble MID
Sergeant Edmund Sidney Levy DCM
Corporal Ronald Charles Macey MM……………………Military Medal
L/Cpl Peter Joseph Moore MID
Major Gordon James Murphy MID
Sergeant John Patrick Murphy MID
Captain Peter John Murphy MID
Lt. Col. Laurence George
O’Donnell MID
Major Kenneth Roy Phillips MID
W.O.11 Thomas Dudley Phillips MID (Posthumous)
L/Cpl Peter Francis Joseph
Purcell MID
Sergeant Kenneth Alfred Richards MM……………………Military medal
Lieutenant Francis Adrian Roberts MID
Major Ronald Ellis Rooks MID
Corporal David William Sheppard MID
W.O.11 Peter Simpson MID
Major Alexander Henry Smith MID
Sergeant Grahme Bruce Snook MID
Trooper Peter Frazer Strudwick MM
Second Lieutenant Brian John
Sullivan MC…………………….Military
Cross
Second Lieutenant Brian John
Sullivan MID
L/Cpl Jeffery James Swan MID
Lieutenant Roger Leslie Tingley MC…………………….Military
Cross
Lt. Col. Martin Terence Tripp OBE
W.O.11 Percy White DCM
Sergeant Joseph Archibald Wilson MID
Colonel Mark Bradbury CBE
Brigadier Stuart Clarence Graham DSO
Brigadier Cedric Maudsley Ingram
Pearson DSO
Lt. Col. Kevin William Latchford MID
Major Graham Roy Lovegrove MBE
Major Alan Desmond Wells MBE
Major Kevin Gurney MID
Major Richard John Godfrey Hall MID
Major Dimitri Richard Kepper MID
Major Jeno Altorjay MID
Major Bruce Chrieghton Barrett MID
Major Henry John Coates MBE
Major Malcolm Alwynne Count MBE
Courtesy
Ian McVie
The Australian Army works on the British system in the awarding of medals. Only so many per action and so many by offers and then so many for enlisted men.
In actual fact you could have six men worthy of a Victoria Cross but only one would be awarded
Many of the people that have won MID (Mentioned in despatches),
would in other circumstances have won higher awards
Remember
them 