A dead enemy soldier and the capture of this Chinese Communist SKS rifle are the results of a contact between the Viet Cong and the soldiers of Matilda Force. Examining the weapon are four of the men in the action, from left: Private (Pte) Ivan Heard of Cairns, Qld; Pte Graham Dyer of Eidsvold, Qld; Corporal Raymond Fell of Erskineville, NSW; Pte John Kerkman of Pooraka, SA. The Australians are from B Company of 6RAR /NZ (ANZAC) (The ANZAC Battalion comprising 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment and a component from the 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment), providing infantry support for Operation Matilda, an armoured sweep through three provinces. Forty four armoured vehicles and 270 soldiers were involved in the sweep which was the largest Australian armoured operation mounted since World War 2.
Ward, Peter Anthony
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