7th Battalion, Royal Australian RegimentPrint Page

The monument commemorates soldiers of the 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment who died in service or were killed in action in the Vietnam War. Thirty-three died on service in Vietnam on 7RAR's two tours, from 1967 to 1968 and from 1970 to 1971.

7th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (7RAR) was raised on 1 September 1965 at Puckapunyal, Victoria. The battalion began arriving in Vietnam in April 1967, relieving 5RAR. It was part of the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) and was based at Nui Dat in Phuoc Tuy province. The battalion spent the majority of its tour patrolling in Phuoc Tuy. It also carried out numerous cordon-and-search operations. It was relieved by 1RAR on 9 April 1968.

7RAR returned to Vietnam in February 1970, again relieving 5RAR. It was mainly involved with pacification operations in Phuoc Tuy, which had become the 1ATF priority in April 1969. This involved seeking out and destroying the enemy in its base areas, preventing enemy access to the civilian population, and helping to create a secure climate for South Vietnamese social, political, and military life. The work was demanding, dangerous, and monotonous for the troops. The battalion returned to Australia in 1971.

Australia's military involvement in the Vietnam War began with the arrival of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) in South Vietnam during July and August 1962.  Australia's participation in the war was formally declared at an end when the Governor-General issued a proclamation on 11 January 1973.

However, the end-date of Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War has officially been amended to 29 April 1975 to reflect Australia’s further involvement in the war during the fall of Saigon in 1975.  The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Australian War Memorial, in Canberra now recognise this new date.

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