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Priorto17August2016Therehadbeenwarningsignsfromallsidespriortothe17thofAugust2016concerningarrangements–orlackthereof–fortheapproaching“50thAnniversary”commemorations.Problemsweredisappointingbutnotsurprising.Morning–17August2016OurVietnamesetourguideadvisedusthatHanoihadvoicedconcernattheprospectof3000+AustralianswhowereanticipatedintheVungTauandLongTanareasoverthenextfewdays.Theirfearswereinthreeparts:(1)Thesheernumberswereapotentialproblem,Thelargestcrowdpreviouslyhadbeenaround1000in2014and15andthathadbeenhandledwithsomedifficulty.ApparentlytheAustralianEmbassyonthoseoccasionshadagreedtocompensatethelocalfarmersforlossofcropsaroundthecross.But3000…?TheinfrastructuredoesnotexistattheLongTancrosssite–therearenoloos,norunningwater,noelectricity,nowet-weatheroptions,noseparationbetweensiteandcrops..…(2)TherewasincreasingapprehensionthattheANZACswerecomingto“celebrate”thevictoryatLongTanratherthantorespectfully“commemorate”thesacrificesmadebybothsidesduringthe10-yearwar.Thiswasexemplifiedwhenitwasfoundthataconcertwasbeingplannedwhichfeaturedartistsandmusicianswhohadentertainedthetroopsduringthewar–andtheywerecomingbacktoentertainthoseatVungTauagain–anentertaining“celebration”ratherthanarespectful“commemoration”.(3)ThesensitivitiesofthelocalpopulationwerethoughttobeahugeconsiderationintheVietnamesegovernment’sattitude.ItwasstressedthatmanyoftheVietnamesedeadatLongTanwerethefathersandbrothersandsonsoflocal(PhuocTuy)people.Howwouldtheyfeelwithallthesevisitors“celebrating”theirvictoryoverthem?Despitethesefears,weunderstoodthatwhilevisitingnumbersmightberestricted,theplanned3:40pmmemorialservicehadnot(yet)beencancelled.Butwealsounderstoodthatthingswereverybrittleandwewouldbewelladvisednottodoanythingtomakethesituationanyworse.Midday–17August2016AnAustralianTVnewsteam,includingcameraandsoundmen,tookvisitingKeithPayneVCtotheLongTancrossandrecordedaninterview,whichwasstreamedtothenewsservicesshortlyafterwards.WheneverpeoplevisitthecrosstheyneedtogototheLongTanpolicestationandregistertheirvisit.Fortheregistrationfee,theyareloanedtheLongTancrossplaque,which,whenhungonthecross,indicatesofficialapprovalforthevisit.

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Astillfromtherecordingshowstheplaquewasnotonthecross,leadingtotheconclusionthatthevisitwasnotauthorized.Asanaside,thechoiceofKeithPayneVC–ourmosthighlydecoratedVietVet–asthepersontorepresenttheoccasionofthe50thAnniversaryofLongTansurelyreinforcedtheimpressionheldbytheVietnamesethatAustraliawas“celebrating”amilitaryvictoryratherthancommemoratingthewardead.BoththeD/6RARCompanyCommanderatthebattle,HarrySmithSGMCandoneoftheplatooncommanders,DaveSabbenMG,hadbeenaskedtospeakatthecrossbutbothhaddeclinedduetothewrongperceptionitwouldhaveencouraged.OncetheVietnameselocalsandauthoritiesrealizedthattheTVrecordingwashappening/hadhappened,theyreactedswiftly.Hanoiimmediatelyissuedastatementthatallvisitorstothecrosssitewouldbestopped.OneoftheTourmembersreceivedthenewsviaanSMS–hardlyan“officialchannel”!ThereasonHanoigavewasthat“…therehasbeenanISISbombscareatthecross...”.WhiletheTVrecordingwashappening,theLongTanTrekTourgroupwashavinglunchintherubberplantationsome1000yardstothewestofthecross.Wehadearlierbeenapproachedbythemediatobewithusonthebattlefieldbuthadrejectedtherequestsonthebasisthatwehadobtainedpermission(andpaidfor)aspecifiednumberofTourpeople,hadprovidedthenamesandpassportdetailsasrequired,andweknewthatotherswouldnotbepermittedtoaccompanyus.ItwouldappearthatthelocalsreportedtheTVactivityatthecrosstothepolice.Aswewerefinishinglunch,thesamenewscamerateamarrivedatthelunchsite.AftertheyhadfilmedPayne,andsawthatthelocalsweremakingphonecalls,andknowingtheywerestillinsidethepolicecordonontheaccessroad,theycametous.Theywerenotinvited.Giventhestateofsensitivity,wecertainlydidnotwanttobringattentiontoourselvesandjeopardiseourvisit.Buttheywantedaninterviewandwouldnotlistentousortake“No”asananswer.Nothavinganyauthoritytoevictthem,weansweredtheirquestionsoncamerauntilthepolicearrived.Whenthepolicearrived,theysentthecameracrewawaybutalsoforbadetheTrekTourtoproceedtothecross.Thedamagewe’dfearedhadnowbeendone!Despitethis,theTourmovedthroughtheWesternpartoftherubberplantationtotheplaceontheNorth-SouthRoadwherethefirstshotsofthebattlewerefired–when11platoon’sSergeantBuickfiredonanNVAclearingpatrolatabout3pm.

Noon17Aug-ATVcrewvideosKeithPayneVCattheLongTancross…

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There,whilethe1966eventswerebeingexplainedtotheTourgroup,thepolicearrivedandstoppedusfromproceedingintotherubberplantationEastoftheNorth-SouthRoad.

TheTourspentafurtherhouratthatlocation,abletodistantlyseethecrossabout500yardsawaytotheEast,asthefurtherdevelopmentofthebattlewasexplained.Theplans(andthepermissionsobtainedandpaidfor)wereforustogototheplaceintheplantationwhereCHQhadgone,gotowhere10Platoonhadgone,andtowhere12Platoonhadgonebeforegoingtothecrosswhichwaswhere11Platoonspentmostofthebattle.TheTrekTourhaddonethisoneightpreviousoccasions,takingwithusvariousVietnameseauthorityrepswithoutpreviousproblems.Itwasmostunfortunatethatonthisoccasion–the50thAnniversary–wehadbeenstoppedbecausewehadintheTrekTourgroupof62,sixmenwhohadfoughtundertherubberatLongTan,plustwomoreofDelta/6whohadnotbeenundertherubber,plustwowhohadsupportedtheactionfromNuiDat,plusninefamilymembersandnext-of-kinofpeoplewhohadfoughtatLongTan.Foralmostallofthese,thiswastheirfirstvisitafter50yearsandnoneofthemexpecttobeabletogetbackagaininthefuture.Nottoforgetthateachhadpaidforaccesstotheplantationandconformedtotheauthority’sneedfornamesandpassportnumbers.Inotherwords,theTouristshaddoneeverythingrightandnothingwrong.Afterleavingthebattlefieldontheafternoonofthe17th,andwiththenewsofthebombscareandthetotalclosureofthecrossarea,theTourgroupreturnedtoVungTautoattendtheConcertfeaturingLittlePattie,LuckyStarrandothers.Unfortunately,itwasmarketedasthe“50thAnniversaryLongTanConcert”–anameonceagaindrawingattentiontotheLongTanactionforwhichtheVietnameseauthoritiesfeareda“celebration”ratherthana“commemoration”.ArrivingattheConcertvenue,wefoundthatthebanquethadnotbeencancelledbuttheentertainmentHADbeen–therewouldbenomusicorsingingorentertainment.Therewasnotalkofa$refundforwhathadbeenaverysignificantoutlaybyeachpersonattending.ItwasalsothoughtthattheConcerteventhadbeenorganizedwithouttheformalandnecessaryapprovaloftheappropriateofficials.

TheTourgroupwasstoppedontheroad...

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Morning18August2016Newsthismorningthatthebombscarehadbeenclearedovernightandthatthesitewasagainopen–butforverylimitednumbers.The3:40pmservicewasstillsupposedtobe“on”.BUT,themediawasbannedfromfilmingattheLongTancrosssite–obviouslyduetothemediaactivitiesonthe17thandwasrestrictedtoonlyfilmingpeopleinVungTaugettingontothebusestogotothecrosssite.TheTrekgroupbussedtoLongTan,arrivingattheturnofftotheLongTancrosstofindapolicepresenceagain,preventingentryto

thecrosssite.

Aswewaited,anAustralianFederalPoliceofficerboardedthebusandtoldusto“abidebytherulesorthelocalofficialswillshutthecommemorationdown…”.Thatwasgoodadvicebecausewewerelatertoldatleastonebusofvisitorshadbribedtheirwaytothecrosssite(“…moneychangedhands…”),and,whendiscovered,thedecisionwasmadetostopallaccess.Howsimplecantheselfishactionsofafewresultindamagetotheplansofthemany…!Unawareofthis,wewaitedforthreehoursbutweredeniedentry.Atfirstweweretoldthat100peopleatatimewerepermittedforbriefvisitsbut,aswesawno

trafficatall,webegantosuspectastall-job.Wethensentalocalmanwithacameratomotorbiketothecrossandtakeafewphotosofwhateveractivitymightbeoccurringthere.Hearrivedbackwiththereportthatthecrosswasdesertedbutforasinglepoliceormilitaryguard…andnopreparationsfora3:40pmservice.Understandingthattherewouldnowbenoservice,theTourgroupreturnedtoVungTauwherewehiredthehotel’smeetingroomandpreparedourownimpromptumemorialservice.

TheroadblockattheLongTancrossaccesssite…..

Thesitewasdeserted...

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Accessingtheinternet,wedroppeddownaphotoof6RAR’splacementofthecrossceremonyfromAug1969.

MikeRogers(6RAR,SecondTour,andpresentwhenthecrosswasputinplace)wasoneoftheTrekTourmembersandhadbroughtwithhimtheorderofserviceheldonthatday.Wethenadaptedthesameservicetoourservice,withmembersoftheTourgroupreadingthesameScripturesandsayingthesameprayers.Asamake-shiftstand-by,itwaswellreceived,underthecircumstances.Theeveningofthe18thwastohavebeenthe“FriendshipDinner”whereweexpectedtomixwithourformerenemyoveralavishbuffetdinnerinarelaxedmeet&greetatmosphere.WeofLongTanhadhopedtogetaninsightintowhatweretheintentionsoftheformerenemyatLongTanandgetamoreaccurateassessmentoftheoutcomesthanhadsofarbeenthecasefromthe“officialhistories”.This,ofcourse,alsofailedtohappen.Unknowntousuntilarrival,theVietnameseauthoritieshadcancelledpermissionforanyformerNVAorVCotherthanthosefrom33rdRegt(whohadnotfoughtatLongTanandhadnotbeenpresentintheProvinceuntillaterinthe1960s).Amidthisfurtherdisappointment,theintentionoftheDinnerfizzled,mademoredisappointingbythepresenceofmanyplain-clothedpolicepresentandthedepartureoftheformerNVAcontingentassoonasthedinnerhadendedbutwhileitwasstillearlyintheevening.Again–aswiththeConcert–therewassometalkofthecorrectpermissionsnothavingbeensoughtorgranted,andnomentionofany$refundconsideration.

Weheldourownmake-shiftmemorialserviceatthehotel-basedontheoriginal6RARservicefrom18Aug1969....

AussieVietVetsmeetthefewVietnameseVetsatthe"FriendshipDinner".

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Morning19August–early!TheTrekTourgrouptookearly-morningcallsandwereonthebussesbeforefulldaylight.TheintentionwastogettotheLongTancrossearly–beforethepoliceroad-blockwasinplace,visitthecrossandgetsomephotos(andaquickmemorial

serviceifpossible)andthengetonwithourday’sevents.WeweremetatthecrosssitebytheAustralianofficialsandwereabletospendabouthalfanhouratthecrosstotakephotographsbeforewewerewarnedtokeepmoving…..

So…whyhaditallhappened…?(1)Thenumbersarrivingwereindeeddaunting.Withsomethreetimesasmanyarrivalsashadbeenexperiencedpreviously,theinfrastructurewasnotinapositiontocope.(2)TheAustraliangovernment,mediaandex-servicegroupsseeminglyfailedtomakethedistinctionplaintotheVietnamesethattheANZACswereattemptingtocommemorateourpartinalongwarandtohonourtheirpartinthesamewar.ThemessagereceivedbytheVietnamese(rightlyorwrongly)wasthatitwasalla“celebration”ofthesuccessatLongTan.(3)Thedeliberatebreachingoflocalmediarestrictionswastakenasevidenceofthe“Idon’tcare”attitudeofthevisitors,andthatapparentattitudewasreturned.Andwhatofthefuture…?TheLongTanTrekTourhasobtainedassurancesthatitwillonceagainbeabletowalktheLongTanbattlefieldinOctober2017andlikelybeyond.TheVietnameseauthoritiesrecognisethatonatleast8occasionspreviously,thebattlefieldhadbeen“trekked”andmemorialservicesheldatthecrosswhichhaverecognisedbothsidesoftheconflict.Indeed,theVietnamesehavebeenincludedintheshortserviceswe’veheld.

PartoftheLongTanTrekTourgroupatthecross-19Aug2016.

TheVietVetsintheTrekTourgroupatthecross19Aug2016.

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Lessonstobelearned.VietNamisaone-partycommuniststate.AllthingsaremoretightlycontrolledthanweANZACsareusedto.Hotelsrequirepassportnamesandnumbers.Toursneedpermissionsandapprovals,oftentobepaidfor.Asasimpleexample:Wehiredaboatfor20peopleforadaycruisingonHaLongBay.Only19peopleturnedup,theauthoritiesrequiredtoknowwhowasmissing,wheretheywere,whytheywerenotpresentandanewapprovalformneededtobegeneratedandsignedoffforthe19.ThiswouldbeconsideredstrangeinAustraliabutweneedtounderstandthatthisisstandardpracticeinVietNam.WeneedalsotodisplaymuchmoreconsiderationofthelossessustainedbytheVietnameseintheirthreewarsof“liberation”or“reunification”.WhileANZACscananddoboastofthevictoriesasatLongTan,wemustunderstandthesensitivitiesoftheothersideandofthecivilianswhostilllivebesidethegravesoftheirwardead.Andthemediamustunderstandthatthe“freedoms”theyenjoyinAustraliacannotbetakenforgrantedandexercisedasarightinaCommunistcountry.Themantra“…thepublichasarighttoknow…”doesnotapplyallaroundtheworld!Despitealltheproblems,theLongTanTrekTourgottothecross,sawtheoriginalatDongNaiandachievedalltherestoftheitinerarytargets.Agreatgroupoffolks,andallwereinagreement:theywouldn'thavemisseditforquids.===============================================================

ABC journalist Bruce Atkinson, from Queensland's Sunshine Coast, joined us on the tour. He has previously done numerous stories for ABC television news, radio and online on Long Tan, including the medal dramas. Bruce paid his own way and it was primarily a holiday to pursue his interest in military history. He was always planning on sending a few interviews back to Australia to cover the historic 50th anniversary commemorations but when the drama of not being allowed to the cross started he found himself in the middle of a major international story. He spent six of the nine days working, on a couple of days from 0430-1800. During this time Bruce filed interviews with several of the trekkers, including Harry Smith, Dave Sabben, Laurie Drinkwater and his grandson Lawrence and Bill Akell as well as Marnie Wickham. You can also check out his Twitter account @bruceatkinson17 to see some of his tweets from August 15-23, 2016.

Okay-the"ambush"iswrongbutthesentimentisright!