In early December 1968 the first Australian units were inserted into their new area of operations (AO)-known as AO Townsville-east of Saigon, halfway between Bien Hoa and Nui Dat, 30km to the south-east.
North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong units identified in AO Townsville included 274 VC Regiment, 74 NVA Artillery Regiment, D67 Engineer Battalion, Thu Duc Regiment, D1, D2 and D6 Sapper Reconnaissance Battalions and D440 and D445 Provincial Mobile Battalions; all under the overall command of Headquarters Military Region 7 [REF].