Story 99 - Early 139 Sig Sqn

 by Denis Hare OAM BEM

 

Denis Hare just before deploying to South Vietnam

Introduction

In March 1967 I was posted from 7 Signal Regiment (7 Sig Regt) to 139 Signal Squadron (139 Sig Sqn).  No details or information on the new unit but the orderly room at 7 Sig Regt advised it’s a typo and to go to 129 Sig Sqn at Wacol.

Arrived at 129 Sig Sqn and they didn't want to know me, as they were mainly line troops and suggested I go over to Enoggera and check there for 139 Sig Sqn.  Get to Enoggera and had enough searching - so started having a few drinks while looking for a new home.   Found some 104 Sig Sqn guys, who only had a few weeks to go before deploying to South Vietnam.  After many drinks with the 104 guys and others, the 104 guys suggested I bunk down in their lines for the night.   The lines were the old buildings on the small hill where the RAR National Memorial Walk is currently located.

Next morning after passing the toothpaste test (just), I proceeded to the 104 Sig Sqn orderly room and the very helpful Chief Clerk, Sgt Les Crutchfield starts checking.   He confirms I was in the right place, as 139 Sig Sqn was being raised to take over from 104 Sig Sqn after its tour in South Vietnam.

 AAB-83 Entry Denis Hare posted 139 Sig Sqn, 24 March 1967 (Reference: AAB-83)

Early Days from March 1967

The Royal Australian Corps of Signals Memorandum details 139 Sig Sqn was formed on the 18 March 1967.  When I arrived the 139 Sig Sqn Squadron Quarter Master (SQM), S/Sgt Ian Thorley had already started to take over all 104 Sig Sqn stores that was not being deployed to South Vietnam.  Note: As 104 Sig Sqn was replacing 103 Sig Sqn in South Vietnam this meant 139 Sig Sqn would inherit most of the departing unit stores including the communication equipment and vehicles.

By the end of March 1967 139 Sig Sqn had about six members.

104 Sig Sqn members partied hard in the few weeks before they deployed.  The advance party of 14 all ranks disembarked and arrived at Nui Dat on the 17 April 1967. The main body of the Squadron deployed in two groups, the first of 45 all ranks arrived Nui Dat 26 April 1967 and took over the Task Force communications from 103 Sig Sqn on the 28 April 1967.    Also 14 members of 103 Sig Sqn that hadn’t completed a full tour of duty were transferred to 104 Sig Sqn.

The second part of the main body of 57 all ranks arrived Nui Dat 3 May 1967, however their last night in Brisbane 1 May 1967, they had a hell of a piss up at the National Hotel in the City (remember Warren’s bar and that big poof).   At closing time, the first street battle for 104 Sig Sqn, with a few 139 Sig Sqn in support, occurred with the City’s finest, resulting in a number of the lads being locked up.  Full details see the 104 Sig Sqn website at:
 
    http://www.au104.org/Veteran_Stories/vetstory18.html

About dozens of us saw off the 104 Sig Sqn departing to war, which included myself, Ferret Thorley (SQMS), Andy Peterson (Q Store), Mal Fergusson (Operator), Bluey Joseph (Operator), Mick O’Brien (Clerk), Peter Edwards (Clerk) Mick Torrens (Chief Clerk) and the other forgotten in history.   We had an easy care free life with a full unit of stores and vehicles for 1-2 months. In fact, each of us had a vehicle to cruise around and if you lived off base, take home!   Someone crashed one at Wacol and it was missing for 3 months.  Clearly whoever the ‘bad boy’ driving it, he just abandoned the vehicle!  

Over the next few months Officers, SNCO’s and ORs arrived, including the unit’s first OC, Major Norm Munro and the first SSM, WO2 Ron Still.   I think our first Officer was Capt Graham Arnold (2IC). 

 First OC and SSM
OC, Major Norm Munro (Left) and SSM WO2 Ron Still (Right)
at Nui Dat in 1968 (104Sigs 1-1)

We started training hard to take over from 104 Sig Sqn in South Vietnam.  We did a very large tactical Task Force (Brigade) exercise in Shoalwater Bay Training Area, to prepare combat units and support troops for War service in South Vietnam with the 1st Australian Task Force.   

Also, a unit minor tactics exercise in the Wide Bay Military Training Area, Tin Can Bay.   Will always remember the last night of the exercise, as our remaining one-man ration packs were swapped with the trawler’s crews for king prawns, by our Sgt Cook, Bill Garside and our last night, was many beers and prawns!  

In addition, unit members completed jungle warfare training at Canungra.

During 1967 new buildings for the Squadron and OR Accommodation was constructed and we relocated into them as we trained hard for war service.  

  139 Sig Sqn 1967
New Squadron Buildings 1967 (Photo supplied by Denis Hare)

 139 Sig Sqn Ors Barrack Block 1967
New OR Accommodation Block 1967 (Photo supplied by Denis Hare)

Individual Replacements

The communications in Vietnam suffered when 145 Sig Sqn was replaced by 110 Sig Sqn (Force Signals) and 103 Sig Sqn was replaced by 104 Sig Sqn (Task Force Signals) in early 1967.   Replacing all ranks as a unit, at one time, was a problem because of the lack of background and experience to cope quickly with any communication problems.  Therefore, in late 1967 the decision was made to replace RASigs troops in Vietnam as individuals - not units.  

The result of this decision was that 139 Sig Sqn would be the ‘Bridesmaid Squadron’ and remain at Enoggera in support of 6 Task Force and became the main source of replacements for 104 Sig Sqn in South Vietnam.  In fact, about 80% who served in 104 Sig Sqn during the Vietnam War were also members of 139 Sig Sqn.  Almost all the 104 Sig Sqn veterans of the Battle of Coral Balmoral were original members of 139 Sig Sqn plus the first to deploy with the Armoured Command Vehicle (ACV), Callsign 85C.

I was posted to 104 Sig Sqn in South Vietnam in December 1967, at the start of the replacement cycle, with the remaining original 139 Sig Sqn members over the next four months.   The replacement cycle continued until late 1971.

Conclusion

139 Sig Sqn now has served the national for almost 60 years.  Like the other remaining Vietnam era signal squadrons, 139 Sig Sqn is no longer an independent squadron but is still based at Gallipoli Barracks, Enoggera, where it was formed and now supporting the 7th Brigade as a combat signal squadron of 7th Combat Signal Regiment (7CSR) .   The squadron now has its own history in peace keeping and war but it should never be forgotten trained the best for war service in South Vietnam.

139 Sig Sqn   139 Sig Sqn

Footnote:  About 50% of the soldiers the served in South Vietnam with 104 Sig Sqn were national servicemen and the same numbers will be reflected in 139 Sig Sqn for the early years (Vietnam war years) as about 80% of the ‘832’ 104 Sig Sqn veterans, were trained for the war by 139 Sig Sqn.  

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