The Governor-General and the Prime Minister have each spoken at the 50th anniversary commemoration service of Long Tan.
The service was held in Canberra this morning. It commemorated the 50th anniversary of the battle at Long Tan on August 18, 1966. Eighteen Australian soldiers from the 1st Australian Task Froce were killed and twenty-four wounded in the conflict. It is estimated that the Viet Cong lost at least 245 soldiers.
The battle took place near a rubber plantation. There were 105 soldiers involved, including a contingent from New Zealand.
In his speech, the Governor-General, who served in Vietnam, drew attention to the treatment meted out to Vietnam veterans at the time and since. He lamented that even veterans organisations did not respond well to the service of Australian soldiers in the controversial war.
