*** Welcome to piglix ***

Harry Smith (Australian soldier)

Harry Arthur Smith
B/W Photo of a gentleman pinning the Military Cross on Harry Smith in military uniform, 1967
Smith receiving the Military Cross, 1967
Born 25 July 1933 (1933-07-25) (age 83)
Hobart, Tasmania
Allegiance Australia
Service/branch Australian Army
Years of service 1952–1976
Rank Lieutenant Colonel
Service number 6776
Commands held D Company, 6 RAR
1 Commando Company
Parachute Training School
Battles/wars

Malayan Emergency
Vietnam War

Awards Star of Gallantry
Military Cross
Knight of the National Order of Vietnam
Gallantry Cross (Vietnam)

Malayan Emergency
Vietnam War

Lieutenant Colonel Harry Arthur Smith SG, MC (born 25 July 1933) is a former senior officer in the Australian Army, seeing service during the Malayan Emergency and the Vietnam War. He was Officer Commanding of D Company, 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (D Coy, 6RAR) during the Battle of Long Tan on 18 August 1966.

Smith was born in Hobart, Tasmania on 25 July 1933.

After service as a National Serviceman, Smith joined the Australian Regular Army and graduated as Second Lieutenant from the Officer Cadet School, Portsea. He was subsequently posted to the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment in 1955 and later served during the Malayan Emergency between 1955 and 1957.

From 8 June 1966 to 14 June 1967, Smith, then a major, was Officer Commanding D Coy, 6RAR. On 18 August, after heavy mortar shelling of the Australian base at Nui Dat the previous night, companies from 6RAR were sent out to locate the Vietnamese units involved. Smith led the 105 soldiers of D Coy and the 3 man NZ Artillery Party out on patrol, but at 3.15pm, while patrolling a rubber plantation at Long Tan that afternoon, they encountered a reinforced regiment-sized Vietnamese force (the Viet Cong 275th Regiment, supported by the North Vietnamese Army 806 Battalion and D440 and D445 Battalions) attempting to advance on the base. A monsoon struck at the same time, but Smith organised his forces to successfully hold off the assault, while coordinating support from Australian, New Zealand, and United States artillery units back at Nui Dat. D Coy was reinforced at 6.55pm by a B Company Platoon then A Company in APCs, the Vietnamese having started to withdraw. 18 Australians were killed and 24 wounded during the Battle of Long Tan, but under Smith's command, D Coy had fended off a numerically superior force, with at least 245 Vietnamese confirmed as killed, and another 300 believed wounded. 800 enemy killed or died from wounds were listed in records found in 1969. 9 Delta Company men were given gallantry awards, but many of these had been downgraded from the original nomination: Smith’s leadership of his men during the fierce fighting saw him recommended for the Distinguished Service Order, but he instead received the Military Cross.


...
Wikipedia

...