“ …it’s the only place in the world where you can be bogged down in mud up to your neck and get dust in your eyes.”  Private Douglas Bishop 12 June 1966.

 Close to 60,000 Australian military personnel served in Vietnam from the mid 1960s to 1972 and as with any military force of the time a variety of wheeled and tracked vehicles and weapons were employed. Most of these vehicles arrived by sea onboard the converted aircraft carrier HMAS Sydney, the ‘Vuang Tau Ferry’ and were then moved to the Australian area of operations within 111 Corps area, mostly in Phuoc Tuy Province centred around Nui Dat.

 This latest title from the Australian War Memorial covers all types that were fielded in country by the Australian Army. Author Michael K. Cecil and his small group of assistants, using the resources of the AWM, brings us a volume that goes a long way to fill in what has been a sizeable hole in the information available to modellers and history buffs of the hardware employed during this conflict. Whilst many would know of the use of M113s, Centurions and the 105mm Howitzers the support vehicles have received little press. It is welcome to see the Land Rovers and other transports receiving some coverage.

 The contents are broken down into chapters covering each type or family of vehicle. So we have individual chapters on the Artillery, AFVs (M113 and Centurion families), Light, Medium and Heavy vehicles and Engineering Plant. These provide some background on their choice as well as their employment, serial numbers, modification and markings. Experiences of some of those who served are also included. Appendices provide listings of some specifications as well numbers used, units and other information that fills in some gaps.

 Image choice goes well with the text in showing the variations and modification in equipment over time and there are some very interesting shots of trial modifications and field experiments such as the fitting of a 7.62mm GAU-2B/A mini gun to the right of the commanders copula on an M113 and the transportation of troops atop a Centurion Bridelayer. Other interesting images include a captured Citroen 11CV which was repainted pink with ‘hippie’ flowers and used by Army nurses at Vung Tau, DUKWs being used for ship to shore transport from HMAS Sydney and one of the Go Karts that were raced on the beach at Vung Tau.

 I unreservedly recommend this book to any one with an interest in the Vietnam conflict and the Australian involvement in particular.

Graham Mison