By
Denis Hare OAM BEM
Dedicated to the memory of
ex
104 Sig Sqn member, CPL Mihran “Avi” Avedissian, SASR,
RASigs,
killed in the Black Hawk tragedy with seventeen
other warriors, on a training mission near
Townsville,
12th Jun 1996
1970’s Period
Home from Vietnam
After
its long and distinguished tour of South Vietnam, 104 Signal
Squadron (104 Sig Sqn) returned to Australia at the end of
1971 and was co-located with the 1st Signal
Regiment (1 Sig Regt) at Ingleburn, Sydney, NSW.
The unit arrived back in Australia without its M577A1
Armoured Command Vehicle (ACV) Callsign 85C as all the
armoured vehicles used by the HQ 1st Australian
Task Force (1ATF) had to be returned to the ordnance system
from South Vietnam.
Photo: 104 Sig Sqn Sigcen
ACV "Callsign 85C" and Radio Relay from 110 Sig Sqn plus
other HQ 1 ATF ACV's
at Courtenay Hill, South Vietnam during Operation Overlord,
June 1971 (Photo supplied by Pete Bird)
The unit continued to operate as the Task Force Signal
Squadron for the Holsworthy based
1st Task Force (1TF).
The first few years after the Vietnam War, the Army
had downsized, was in a poor state, with the loss of the
national service manpower and disinterest by the labour
government of the day.
However 104 Sig Sqn managed to maintain a high esprit
de corp during this period, as many of the soldiers had
served with the unit in Vietnam.
Background to the Issue of ACV’s to 104 Signal Squadron
 In
1975, as a result of a Defence White Paper, it was decided
that the two of the three Task Forces assigned to 1st
Division were to be re-organised for training and
development purposes and 1TF was to develop mechanised
skills.
In assigning the new operational requirements
for 1TF, it was noted that initial equipment limitations
would preclude full conversion of all units within the task
force to support this new role, however it was expected that
at least one battalion and its supporting elements would be
converted by mid-1977 to permit training and development to
commence.
In 1976, 104 Sig Sqn took over the old artillery barracks
(Kokoda Lines) so that it was closer to the HQ that it
served and away from the mothering of 1 Sig Regt.
The many lessons learned during the deployment of a TFHQ in
Vietnam were not lost on Signals or the Staff and in late
1976; two ACVs were issued to 104 Sig Sqn to support the
TFHQ function.
At the same time, 5/7 Battalion (Bn), Royal Australian
Regiment (RAR) began equipping for mechanised infantry
trials.
Barry English, the then Transport Sergeant at 104 Sig Sqn,
remembered that there were a few problems, mainly because no
one in Signals was trained to drive and operate the
vehicles. There
was little help from the Royal Australia Armoured Corps
(RAAC), either, as they were keen to keep these ‘trades’ as
an armour function.
Not being able to drive and move the carriers became a pain
for all involved and it was not long before some approval
was given for signals personnel to be cross trained to be
drivers and crew commanders.
The first of these were Ian Bardwell, Don Mackerson,
Arti Koopman and Bob Martin.
John Melrose and Barry English trained
as drivers only.
The first nickname for one of the ACV’s was “Sandy”, given
to the Communication Centre (Comcen) vehicle as it broke
down a fair bit with sand in the fuel.
Sand was also found in the floor compartment.
When Major Ken Twining (ex CMF RAAC digger and
a 104 Sig Sqn Radio Troop Commander from South Vietnam)
arrived as the incoming Officer Commanding (OC) of 104 Sig
Sqn in January 1977 the squadron already had two ACV’s, one
being for the TF Operations (Ops) Centre and the other as
the TF Comcen – the Ops ACV had been allocated to the
squadron, rather than the TFHQ on the basis that as one of
its prime roles was communications, it was better to have it
located and maintained by the signal squadron with its own
vehicle.
Both vehicles had to be operated and maintained
to unit level standards by 104 Sig Sqn personnel, thus
necessitating the need to have selected members trained as
drivers and crew commanders via RAAC resources.
The Comcen ACV at the time of Ken’s
arrival had been
converted to a near mirror image fit out of the old Comcen
ACV (less air conditioning) used by 104 Sig Sqn in South
Vietnam despite protests from Royal Australian Electrical
and Mechanical Engineers (RAEME) and Ordnance elements about
what was being done to the normal internal fittings.
With the Ops ACV, it was left virtually untouched in
its standard fit due the Ops Staff not coming up with a
modus operandi for it (this required the headquarters to
actually undertake some set up drills so the internal
requirements for the Ops ACV could be determined).
Photo:
One of
the 104 Sig Sqn ACV’s in the late 1970s.
(Supplied by
Colin Chappell, 104 Sig Sqn Facebook Site)
During the next eighteen months both ACV’s
underwent at least three major internal refits by the
squadron techs to meet the changing needs of the TFHQ as
critical lessons were learned, particularly about the speed
and requirement to move often in mechanised operations (two
night moves in total darkness became a regular event along
with the need to operate the ACV’s in a closed up mode for
extended periods during night moves).
Adapting the ACV
Some of the innovations adopted involved
swapping the standard ACV auxiliary generator mounted on top
of the vehicle for a 240 volt 2.5 KVA model (this provided
through convertors the required voltage and amperage to meet
radio, teleprinter, crypto, switchboard, lighting and
general power requirements), external connection plugs to
accommodate multi pair cable and cutover mains power (the
generator on top of the ACV was rarely removed, and it could
actually be used on the move, although the two operators
inside ended up with a fair degree of bruising) - one of the
things never practically solved
in the 1970s was the
overheating problem in the ACV’s when operating in the
closed up mode (the techs had come up with a number of
ideas, however the stumbling block was caused by the need to
install an outlet vent in the rear of the vehicles that met
military specs for the ACV).
In the end, it was decided not to modify either
vehicle further on the grounds that changes to a number of
supplementary services and equipment had either been
deferred, or could not be made available (eg the 1 Sig Regt
radio relay vehicles were still wheeled vehicles, none of
the step up tracked vehicles could be provided, design
changes to the ACV interconnecting tents had not taken
place) – it was also fairly clear that the mechanised
brigade development trial had reached a state of limbo as it
was beyond the Army’s then budget to take it to the next
level.
As well as being deployed on military exercises
in the late 1970’s, the 104 Sig Sqn ACV’s were used in aid
to the civil power operations which included the
Commonwealth Heads of Government protection task at Bowral
following the Hilton bombing in Feb 1978 (not true that the
majority of the 28,000 cats eyes reflectors destroyed on the
night move down the Hume Highway between Liverpool and
Bowral was done by the two 104 Sig Sqn ACV’s – Ian “China
Royal” Royale driving the lead ACV only owned up later to
about 3,000, blaming 5/7 Bn RAR
armoured
personnel carriers (APC) for the rest). The
quick reaction of HQ 1Bde
and its 5/7 Bn RAR convincingly demonstrated the
advantages of mechanisation.
104 Sig Sqn
ACV’s were also used to assist in the Blue Mountain
Bushfires in 1978.
Photo Left: Hilton Hotel bombing scene
Photo Right:
Bowral, NSW [Feb 1978] with armed Australian Soldier
patrolling the main street
(Photos: Left sourced
from Sydwalker
Internet. Right from NAA online collection)
The requirement for selected 104 Sig Sqn
personnel to be qualified ACV/APC drivers and crew
commanders was the subject of a special allowance claim for
them on the basis that infantrymen at 5/7 Bn RAR undertaking
similar duties had been reclassified to the higher for them
pay scale APC/ACV driver – the claim was still in the system
when Ken left the
unit.
Brassard Incident
 Ken
Twining gives some background on the 104 Sig Sqn brassard
used in the late 1970’s.
The concept design for the brassard was done by Lindsay
Hough who was on doggies, bored out of his brain in the Ops
ACV on an exercise in the Holsworthy Training Area.
The original design was for a wild idea he had for
painting a large jimmy on the side of the ACV.
I did a surprise visit to the ACV and he tapped it on
me in the hope that the OC would think it a great idea.
Whilst canning the idea on the spot, I told him to hang onto
the design as I thought it might beable to be incorporated
into a new unit sign for the entrance to Kokoda Barracks.
At some stage later in the exercise a few of the diggers
were called out by the TFHQ RSM for having inked in the
figures 104 on the pencil holder brassards that were fairly
commonly worn by a lot of people when working in the scrub
and although they came up with the shift worker
identification excuse, the final retort was something to the
effect that all you in 104 think you are different to the
rest of us.
The result of course was that number of pencil brassards
with 104 inked on them increased dramatically and at the
post exercise debrief the Brigadier in a nice way said to me
“will you do something about those brassards your troops are
wearing before the next exercise”.
Something came up shortly after that was deemed an injury to
unit pride that got up the nostril of
everyone in the unit to the point where some form of
retaliation was required on the TFHQ, and thus the idea of
doing something about the brassards by improving on them was
deemed a suitable up you method of making a stand.
Especially after a bit of research had revealed that the
Army Aviation unit patches worn on flying jackets had never
been officially sanctioned (probably never been questioned
because Army personnel were so used to seeing Air Force and
Navy pilots and crews wearing flying jackets with unit and
other patches on them).
Lindsay rejigged his design with the end result being the
104 Sig Sqn unit patch, with Barry English, John Melrose and
Dennis Wynne being given the job of getting around 130
made and having them sewn onto an Army green coloured
brassard – I think Barry had done some preliminary costing
and reckoned he could get the job done for around $5 each
(in the end the unit members brought them in at a nominal $2
each after the liney’s organised a “special” raffle – for
legal reasons it was necessary to make financial charge on a
voluntary purchase basis and “somehow” they
had 100% of the unit
purchasing the item).
Dennis Wynne explained the first use;
The ideal way to present the brassard to the TF occurred
after having just done an exercise with the ACV's and at its
completion the TF did a
route march that was 80 kilometres over 2 days.
104 Sig Sqn got right up 5/7 Bn RAR backside grunting like
piggies to keep cadence and for our enjoyment!
Just before Signals took the salute from the TF Commander,
all took the brassards out of their packs and wore them on
the right shoulder. The OC, Major Ken Twining was with TF
Commander, as 104 Sig Sqn went by for the salute. It was
quite funny to see the look of anguish on our Boss's face
when he realised what was happening - he was not in the
loop!
Ken, was to comment many years later;
Yes, I was totally caught out by the brassard display on the
march past, seeing as it had been deemed the first showing
would take place at the conclusion of the next task force
exercise – admittedly the route march was a result of a snap
decision by the TF Commander, however the brassard display
was obviously well co-ordinated by a few evil turds in the
unit (everyone knew the matter would blow up at some time,
with my neck being on the block – sometimes you have to take
a hit for the team).
The words the Brigadier said to me at the time are
unprintable but ended with “I’ll see you in my office
later”.
Luckily by the time I was summonsed the TF Ops Officer had
somewhat mollified the Brigadier (David Butler) about our
method of retaliation over insults suffered, along with
humorously pointing out that it was the Brigadier himself
who had instructed me to do something about the brassards,
rather than saying get rid of any writing on them (I also
learnt much later he had also told the Brigadier that he
would bet that the OC of 104 Sig Sqn would have some sort of
precedent to quote to him if outright disciplinary action
was threatened).
As a result I got a rather mild shellacking, with the
Brigadier coming right out and asking what was the
precedence I intended to quote to him for not taking more
drastic action – I told him about the Aviation Corps unit
patches that had not been officially sanctioned and then
produced a photograph from the Army newspaper showing the
Commander of 1st Division in a flying jacket with
Aviation Corps unit patches clearly visible.
In the end he indicated that providing the unit only used
the brassards at appropriate non embarrassing times he would
not push to have them officially removed.
The issue was never raised again during my time with
the unit so I guess we played by the rules.
The
Kidnap Caper Incident
Ken Twining gives some details on what is known as “The
Kidnap Caper” by 104 Sig Sqn and 1 Sig Regt past members;
The incident came at the end of the unit’s infantry minor
tactics exercise week in the State Forest to the west of the
Naval Air Station at Nowra.
Normally these unit infantry minor tactics exercises are a
bit of a walk in the park deal if you can pick a good
fishing spot, however in the case of our planned jaunt, the
CO of 5/7 Bn RAR (Murray Blake, later Chief of Army) decided
to extract revenge for the infamous “Chooks on Parade”
incident (instigated by the 104 lineys in a brilliantly
planned and executed deal), by conning the Brigadier into
letting his Recondo Squad provide assistance to the Squadron
in perfecting our infantry minor tactics (ie you buggers
will have to do it for real, because the Brigadier will be
asking me for an assessment of how you went, seeing as I
sent my super grunts to help you out).
To cut out all the tales of the Nowra Infantry Minor Tactics
Exercise, on the last night the traditional end of exercise
scrub bar-b-que was held, with the Recondo grunts deciding
to come to life and throw some good natured banter at the
104 throng, with somehow a gauntlet being thrown down, and
picked up by this is what we are going to do, and because
you lot are still attached to us you get to participate as
well - the ramifications of the expedition seemed minor as I
knew that the CO (Lt Col Brian Le Dan) and
RSM (WO1 John Chenoweth) would take it in good
spirit, plus the anticipated rescue mission piss up
reception we had planned for the OR’s Canteen at 104 would
go down well with 1 Sig Regt as a collective group.
The location of the CO and RSM at 3pm on a Friday afternoon,
was well known to me as I knew they would be attending the
weekly unit activities meeting held in the 1 Sig Regt
conference room (and having served at 1 Sig Regt I knew the
internal building layout) – this is where the snatch took
place.
The CO and RSM were only informed by myself about the drinks
invitation once they were inside the grab team ACV and we
were moving – from halt to go the whole thing took about 75
seconds, it was that well-rehearsed and the only thing that
got really damaged was the conference room door that kind of
got totalled when four guys hit it at once (none of this
turn the handle crap, plus we had a carpenter come in and
replace it at our expense on the Monday in any case).
5/7 Bn RAR Recondo
detachment commander who was located in the lead ACV
(protection party) was heard muttering as the ACV’s turned
into 1 Sig Regt “you guys are not seriously going to do
this, are you?”
During drinks the 104 Sig Sqn orderly room clerk came into
the bar and said to our me in front of everyone "The
Adjutant at 1 Sig Regt wants to know when they can have the
CO back". Needless to say the bar broke up with laugher!
The
CO, 1 Sig Regt after hearing the message from his adjutant,
phoned him back to ask about the rescue mission, only to be
told, sorry everyone has gone home – he and the RSM were
mortified (we did the right thing and returned them in
comfort to 1 Sig Regt and I think they ended up with a
complimentary brassard as well).
Unfortunately, I missed the 1 Sig Regt retaliatory raid as I
was at a TFHQ conference where at the end the Brigadier
(with a grin on his face) said “Murray (CO 5/7 Bn RAR), what
did your Recondo guys have to say about the Sigs Infantry
Minor Tactics?”
“Well” says Murray, also with a big grin. “they said that
despite the lot of them (104) being absolute nutcases, they
seem to know their minor tactics, it was the weirdest
exercise my guys had ever been involved in, with very few
rules, resulting in something which seemed like a free for
all from the moment it started until it finished, and by the
way, my guys do not want to go back out with them next year
as they reckon by then, 104 will have taken things to the
skinning prisoners alive stage”.
“Interesting” said the Brigadier, “Bit of a message here I
think from 104, particularly after the little drive they
took to Ingleburn after returning to Holsworthy, don’t mess
with the chooks!”
As an aside, the unit did tone down its future retaliatory
type actions, probably because the unit was viewed as a
bunch of crazies (we missed out on the following year’s
infantry minor tactics exercise thanks to us being deployed
at the time to Bowral as part of the Commonwealth Heads of
Government protection task).
1980’s Period
 In 1982, the
"brigade" designations was readopted by the Australian Army
and 1st Task Force was renamed 1st
Brigade (1Bde).
Early that year, the 1st Armoured Regiment was
placed under the 1Bde’s command, as part of the Army's
ongoing mechanisation trials. The new role the 1Bde, as a
mechanised force was confirmed in 1983 and following this
the capability was developed. This saw 5/7 Bn RAR
re-equipped with APC’s, which they began to receive
in July 1983.
During the 1980’s, one of the brigade's other infantry
battalions, the 3 Bn RAR began developing the Australian
Army's parachute capability, and by late 1983 it had become
a specialised parachute infantry battalion.
So as well as mechanised skills, 104 Sig Sqn had to
also train some of its members as paratroopers to work with
the airborne Bn.
In 1984 104 Signal Squadron moved into Malaya Lines.
This move encompassed the occupation of a vehicle and
administration compound at Holsworthy and the acquisition of
the old TFHQ building.
The
squadron was amalgamated
in 1986
on a trial basis with Headquarter Company 1Bde
to form Headquarter
Squadron 1st Brigade under the command of the OC,
104 Sig Sqn.
1st
Brigade Mechanisation
The Chief of the General Staff directed that 1Bde develop
armoured and mechanized capabilities.
As a result, Headquarter Squadron (104 Signal
Squadron) was issued with more M113 armoured vehicles and by
1986 had 7 x ACV, 3 x APC and 1 x M548 Tracked Load Carrier
(TLC).
In order to operate effectively it was necessary to train
more signals and its other Corp members as drivers and crew
commanders for the carriers.
Vehicle nicknames used including this period was “CONAN” for
the Radio Troop ACV and “ARMAGEDDON” for the Comcen ACV.
Photo: Evan “Scamp” Ray crewing and Ian “Stretch” Lambert
driving
(Supplied by John Guilk, 104 Sig Sqn
Facebook Site)
Greg “Happy” Kirk the Bde Ops
Sergeant at the time gives some details;
Armoured vehicles were located at 104 Sig Sqn about 180
metres away from the Bde HQ.
I was seconded from 2 Cav Regt , given the job of training
non-RAAC personnel, who were the "trained" drivers, in
Armoured deployments, gunnery, etc.
The drivers were all from Brigade units 104 Sig Sqn, 5/7
RAR, 8/12 Mdm Bty and 1 Const Regt.
They were posted to 104 Sig Sqn (2 Cav Regt were Div
troops not on Bde's orbat).
All Crew Commanders were Bde HQ officers, except for
myself. I was
the Crew Commander of “Callsign OA” or Ops One as it was
designated.
There
was a second ACV “Callsign OB” designated Ops Two which
contained Pers/Log Br staff, but changed crews with Ops One
when step-up was
required.
One APC was used for the Bde Commander and another two were
used for the Bde Air Liaison Officer (BALO) and Arty Ops
functions.
Arthur “Chappy” Chapman was in charge of ACV Ops 2 was
bitten by Tiger snake on Exercise Tasman Warrior in
Schoalwater Bay, Oct 1985. Nigel Shelton gives some details;
I think from memory Chappy had been out at the Generator
that we had dug in and what he thought was a stick he
brushed up against turned out to be a tiger snake. Never
forget him standing at the door of the ACV ready to do a
shift change and seeing him collapse in a heap. Good to see
everyone and everything swing into action to get Chappy out
that night. Can't think of our medics name but he did a
great job.
Harbour Bridge Incident
In late 1986 the Bde was preparing to depart on Exercise
Kangaroo 86 (K86), and the vehicles were loaded and parked
within the 104 Sig Sqn Transport Compound.
The hatch latch of the Ops One ACV was broken so it
was only dummy locked.
One of the 104 Sig Sqn LCPL drivers was having
marital problems at the time.
Peter
Zajac gives some details;
The LCPL was a quiet bloke who did his job and didn't annoy
anyone. He was
in fact AWOL at the time he climbed over the transport
compound fence, knowing that the latch was broken, he
entered the ACV started it and then drove it through the
gates out of the barracks and onto the freeway towards the
Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The police escorted the ACV onto the Sydney Harbour
Bridge where the LCPL stopped the vehicle.
The LCPL also did security work in his part time and unknown
to all he still had his security pistol on him in the
armoured vehicle.
When the police approached the carrier he pulled the
pistol on the police officer.
The police officer shot the LCPL with his revolver.
From the Police Officer involved, Ron Mason;
We knew he was going to kill somebody so I ran after him and
when I hopped on the front he appeared from the hatch and
pulled a gun on me.
We each fired a shot during the ensuing struggle and
the LCPL was killed.
Photos:
Taken by NSW Police on the Harbour Bridge
while investigating the incident
Greg “Happy” Kirk gives his details;
In the later half of 1986 we were a week out from K86 to be
held near Emerald, Queensland
when the ACV, fully fitted out for Exercise,
including maps, but excluding push bikes, fishing rods,
tennis racquets, golf clubs etc, was taken just on dark from
the 104 Sig Sqn compound and driven onto the harbour bridge
where the driver was shot dead by police.
It was my vehicle!
As one would expect, HQ produced another ACV out of
thin air, because OA was impounded by the police, and we
re-fitted it for the Exercise.
Two days out from the Exercise, the original was
returned, unwashed from the shooting.
Hay Plains Incident
Another incident in 1986 remembered by Nigel Shelton on
Exercise Predators Passage;
We were on the Hay Plains, Darren Druitt, Brad Beaumont
and myself moved into
a harbour up area, not knowing that we were under the power
lines, Darren
and Brad were putting up the RC-292 antenna and a large
lightning flash occurred!
Darren was thrown back through the hatch of the ACV
and Brad was blown off into the side of the camouflage net.
At the same time Mihran “Avi” Avedissian was hooking
up his ACV via a landline and got a chunk blown out of his
finger. Avi and
Darren were evacuated from the exercise area.
Photo: 1Bde Parade with 104 Sig Sqn members Evan “Scamp” Ray
driving the ACV and
Vince Green the APC (Supplied by Vince Green, 104 Sig Sqn)
Photo: 104 Sig Sqn moving to an Exercise Area
at a rest stop
outside a School
(Supplied by
John Guilk, 104 Sig Sqn Facebook Site)
Photo: 75th Anniversary 1Bde Parade with 104 Sig
Sqn ACV’s [11th Nov 19125]
(Supplied by John
Guilk, 104 Sig Sqn
Facebook Site)
139 Signal Squadron
During the 1986/87 period 139 Sig Sqn also started using
ACV’s and Doug
Purcell, a 104 Sig Sqn Vietnam Veteran recalls;
I had a license to drive APC and ACV when posted to 139 Sig
Sqn in about 1986/7. We
first took charge of the vehicles about that time.
I got in the shit for doing wheelies in the vehicle
compound (as a SGT) in the first of our ACVs.
Chewed up the bitumen.
Drove them many times on exercise (day and on night
lights,(scary stuff)). We
kitted them out with VHF and HF radio setups.
Often used for
step-up.
1990’s Period
Many Exercises occurred in the1990’s, using the ACV’s in
support of the 1Bde and Michael Ryan recalls that one of the
ACV’s had a gas leak that nearly took out ithe crew.
Also a RT-524 Radio Set came out of its cradle
smacking the troop commander in the head.
104 Sig Sqn moves to Darwin
In 1992, the
brigade began the process of moving to the Darwin area as
part of a force structure review focused upon relocating
defence assets in the north.
104 Sig Sqn held their last parade in Holsworthy on 22nd
October 1996 before moving to Darwin or to be more precise,
Robertson Barracks, Palmerston which is 30km South of
Darwin. The unit
became fully operational again in early 1997.
However 104 Sig Sqn
was absorbed into 1st Combat Support Unit (1CSU)
as 'A Sqn' on 1st Jan 1998.
Few details are known for the late 1990’s period onwards but
it was most likely the normal business of exercises plus
rewiring and testing the ACV’s and other carriers as new
communications equipment came into service.
Also all the original ACV’s were rotated through the
re-build system at Bandiana, Victoria, with overhauled
replacement vehicles issued to the unit.
From the late 1990’s
the Australian
Defence Force has be
on continue operations and peacekeeping since the
International Forces
East Timor (INTERFET) coalition began deploying to East
Timor on 20th September 1999, as a non-UN force
operating in accordance with UN Resolutions.
Led by Australia, who
contributed 5,500 personnel and the force commander.
Members of 1Bde and its signals personal have served
in East Timor, Iraq (Gulf War), Solomon Islands and the
ongoing war in Afghanistan and are still serving the nation
today in that war zone (2012).
Photo: 4 x ACV’s
from 1CSR deploying a HQ (Supplied by 1CSR)
2000’s
Period
Rebirth of 104 Sig Sqn
On the 18th May 2001, A Sqn name was changed back
to 104 Sig Sqn as part of the new 1st Command
Support Regiment (1CSR). By
this time a large fleet of armoured vehicles was owned and
operated by the Regt including many ACV’s and other vehicles
from the M113 APC family.
1CSR was renamed the 1st Combat Signal
Regiment (1CSR) in 2008 with a Regt HQ, a Support Squadron
and two operational
Signal Squadron’s, 104 Sig Sqn and 105 Sig Sqn.
Final Deployment of the ACVs at 1CSR
In May 2010, 1CSR was deployed to the Mount Bundy Training
Area (East of Darwin near Kakadu) on EX Coburg.
This exercise also saw 1CSR use their ACVs for the
last time. Most of the vehicles were back-loaded shortly
after the end of the exercise.
This was a milestone
in 1CSR’s history as, in some form or other; signals have
operated the ACV vehicles since Vietnam in 1968.
However 1CSR was
eagerly anticipating the arrival of replacement vehicles in
the form of 30 x Bushmaster’s Protected Mobility Vehicle
(PMV) and the new upgraded M113AS4 APC’s to commence a new
chapter of signals using armoured vehicles.
Photo Left: New M113AS4 and old M577A1 at 1CSR
Photo
Right: Old
M577A1 and new Bushmaster PMV at 1CSR
(Photos: Left
supplied by Peter Curran and right supplied by Denis Hare)
Approval was given for one ACV to remain at 1CSR
and the selection process was
simple. Whichever
vehicle started without the need for considerable RAEME
assistance would be the worthy champion.
There was only one
“Sandy”. She started
first time and rumbled her way to a safe haven, driven by
Sig Daniel Banks and commanded by Maj Gareth Robinson, both
Royal Australian Corps of Signal members of 1CSR.
Photo: Sandy being driven by Sig Daniel Banks and commanded
by Maj Gareth Robinson,
on its last Exercise (Supplied by
1CSR)
1CSR moves into new buildings at Nui Dat Lines, Robertson
Barracks in 8th Dec 2011 and as a final tribute
to the long service of the M577A1 ACV’s,
“Sandy” was positioned permanently outside the new RHQ, with
a new callsign painted on the old ACV
“85C”.
Photo:
Chaplain
Osbourne blesses ACV “Sandy” as it is parks up for the last
time by
Maj Gareth Robinson and WO2 Chris Macer
at 1CSR.
The
vehicle is proudly flying the
104 Sig Sqn pennant and
displaying the unit's South Vietnam callsign
"85C"
(see insert)
(Supplied
by 1CSR)
Click
Signals and ACV's - Part 1
Vietnam
References (Part
2 - Post Vietnam)
1.
Writings by Ken Twining on the use of ACV’s in 104 Sig Sqn
1977/78.
2.
Emails from Barry English, John Mines, Dennis Wynne (2N’s),
Peter Zajac, Bob Bunn, Tony Roberts,
Mike Cecil, Vince Green, Brendan Mutch (OC, 104 Sig Sqn) and
Murray
Thompson (CO, 1CSR)
3.
Facebook comments by Greg Kirk (Happy), Nigel Shelton,
George Venables, Doug Purcell, Tj Evans,
Lindsay Hough, Ray Stallard, Steve Béldi, Colin Chappell,
George Paterson,
Mal Davis, Michael Ryan,
David Williams, Daryl Hughes,
Darrin Druitt, Redge Trouble. Peter Curran, Vince Green and
John Guilk
4.
Armored Vehicle Theft, Orlando Sentinel 16 Oct 1986
(Internet Source)
5.
Superintendent Ronald Mason BM, APM detail his involvement
on his retirement,
The Southern Thunderer
(Internet Source)
6.
Article 1st Combat Signal Regiment, Signalman
2010 – Online Magazine of the Royal Australian Corps
of Signals
Addendum
Big thanks to Alan Dudley for additional information on
the ACV's, as follows;
I read
with interest your article particularly the background to
the issue of ACV's to 104 Sig Sqn. There appears
to be some anomalies as stated by your research during the
early phase in the relocation of the squadron from Ingleburn
to Kokoda Lines, Holsworthy and the initial training of
personal as Drivers/Signallers T0188 qualifications.
To correct some of the comments made the following
information is provided:
1. 104 Sig Sqn relocation to Kokoda Line
Holsworthy was in fact in June/July of 1975 as this was
notable period in that I celebrated my 21st
birthday on the 18/9/1975 whilst at the Kokoda Lines and a
number of significant events occurred involving members of
the squadron leading up to its relocation.
The following information is provided:
a In Mar 1974 members of the squadron
were deployed to Lord Howe Island during the
construction of the airstrip by 1st Field Engineer Regt from
Holsworthy..
b. The members of the squadron were
deployed to provide long range HF communications.
c. Those members being Ian Bardwell, Paul
Woods, Don Mackerson, Alan Dudley,
Bob Mcnee and name unknown with the completion
of the deployment in Nov 74
2. To add further support, during the period of
74/75 a number of personal from both 104 Sig Sqn and 1 Sig
Regt were deployed to Darwin on evening of Christmas Day and
arriving on Boxing Day to assist in the relief of Cyclone
Tracy. Therefore; the events that occurred during the
lead up to the relocation of the squadron was only some 5 -
6 months later as previously stated as being Jun/Jul 75.
So the statement of the relocation as being 1976 as being
incorrect..
3. The comment that the first of the qualified
personal was stated as being Ian Bardwell, Don Mackerson,
Arti Koopman and Bob Martin along with John Melrose and
Barry English and the issue of ACV's in part is incorrect.
To correct this statement the two ACV's where issued in
early part of 1976 resulting in the first personal to
qualify as T0188 and this course comprised of the following:
a. 16 non armoured corp
personal consisting of 6 members from the squadron to
include
Ian Bardwell, Don Mackerson, Bob Martin and Graeme Woodfield
along with myself and
one other who's name at this stage I cannot recall.
b. This course also consisted
of members from 8/12 Medium Regt and 5/7 RAR during
the
period 6 - 29 Mar 1976 for 4 weeks and the course was
conducted by 2 Cav Regt.
4. Therefore this dismisses the question of the
ACV's being issued in late 1976 and the information, as
stated, dismisses the claim of when and who where the first
qualified T0188 within the squadron. . The statement as
claimed may have been at end of 1977 where Ian Bardwell, Don
Mackerson and Bob Martin would have completed their Crew
Commanders course and the drivers, Barry and John, may have
attended their T0188 course after a number of members were
posted at the end of 1977.
I hope that the above may clarify and provide a more
accurate details of events.
Regards
Alan Dudley
(Ex 104 Sig Sqn)
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