UNIT: "A" Company, 1st Battalion. The Royal Australian Regiment. (1 RAR). 

HOME CITY: St Leonards. New South Wales. 
DATE OF BIRTH: 1941 to be confirmed . 
DATE OF LOSS: 08 November 1965 
COUNTRY OF LOSS: South Vietnam 

UNIT: "A" Company, 1st Battalion. The Royal Australian Regiment. (1 RAR). 

HOME CITY: Victoria to be verified . 
DATE OF BIRTH: 1945 to be confirmed . 
DATE OF LOSS: 08 November 1965 
COUNTRY OF LOSS: South Vietnam 

LOSS COORDINATES: YT164234 
STATUS IN 1973: Missing In Action 
 

Acft/Vehicle/Ground: Ground 
 
 
 

SOURCE:Compiled by Homecoming 11 Project 15 October 1990 from one or more of the following : Raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews, Eye witness accounts from Soldiers of 1RAR involved in the Contact, and Ian McNeill's Book "To Long Tan". 

REMARKS: 

SYNOPSIS:In 1984, the Australian Government sent a delegation to Vietnam to find fresh evidence on missing Australians. It was abandoned when the party failed to learn anything about the men's fate. Australian Foreign Affairs minister, Bill Hayden, recommended the cases be closed, that the Vietnamese Government had co-operated fully with the search and the subject of the missing men, and it should no longer be an issue between the two countries. 
 

However Our DELEGATES did not even bother to go to the site of the actual Contact. 
 

Yet, reports continue to be received in the U.S. from refugees and intelligence sources convincing many authorities that hundreds of servicemen are still being held captive. The veterans of Australia, and those of Canada and the U.S. refuse to accept their governments' dismissal of the issue. 
 

Six (6) Australians are missing who are not directly associated with the U.S. forces. Two of them are Private PETER R GILLSON and Lance Corporal RICHARD HAROLD JOHN PARKER, lost on November 8 1965. Parker and Gillson are the first two Australians listed Missing In Action. Michael HERBERT and Robert CARVER, R.A.A.F., David FISHER, S.A.S., and John F GILLESPIE 8 Fd Ambulance are also listed Missing In Action. 

Parker and Gillson were with a unit which came in close contact with the enemy during fierce fighting for the Battle of the Hump, 21 kilometres NE of Bien Hoa.1 RAR were on an Operation with the US 173rd Airborne Bde. In what was to be known as the Battle of the Hump . The account as recorded by 1 RAR . LCpl "Tiny" Parker was commanding a Section of 1 Pl A Coy 1 RAR on the 8 Nov 65. At approx 4.30 pm 1 Pl was struck by a withering hail of machine gun fire, the section had entered a bunker system. Fire enveloped the section and extended down the hill to encompass the Platoon. 1 Pl was pinned down in a cross fire of automatic weapons. All of the wounded were moved back, by crawling except LCpl Parker. Nobody could get to him and he made no response when called on. His body was continually being hit by rounds. Attempts were made to recover Parker's body but intense fire forced them back on each occasion. The Platoon was ordered to withdraw. Feelings were running high amongst the Australians who never left comrades behind. The 1 RAR C.O. attempted further operations into that area to possibly recover his body. His request was refused by the US Commander. A full account of this incident can be found in Ian McNeill's book " To Long Tan". The company came under heavy fire and Parker last seen lying on the ground during the ambush. Although he was heard to groan, he did not answer calls. 
 

Gillson and Parker were lost at the same location. The unit was forced to withdraw. Gillson was thought to be dead but Parkers condition was not really known. Both men were listed presumed Killed In Action/Body Not Recovered. Information since received has confirmed the statement KIA/Body not recovered. 
 

Australian comrades were furious when U.S. orders prevented them from returning to the site to locate Gillson and Parker. 
 

1 RAR was working with 173rd Airborne Brigade at Bien Hoa, as an attached Battalion. The 1st Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment (RAR) arrived in Vietnam in May 1965. 1R.A.R. has a very proud and Historic Record . 
 

Gillson and Parker do not appear on most U.S. lists since they were not U.S. citizens. However, as thousands of U.S. veterans would confirm the "Aussies" were welcome additions to any mission. Their bravery was well known and they were well-liked and respected. 47,000 Australians were sent to Vietnam between 1961 and 1971, 504 were killed, and 2500 were wounded. None were captured--OR WERE THEY. 
 

The Australians sent their young men to help in a war that was not their own. It is fitting that Americans should include their missing in their quest for freedom, for those still prisoner, missing, or unaccounted for in SE Asia. 
 

I cannot emphasis enough how important it is to keep pushing this issue. 
 

The need to get specific answers is more important now than ever before. If still alive, some MIA's are now in their 70's......They don't have much time left. We have to demand the answers from the bureaucrats and keep standing on their necks (figuratively speaking) until they get the message that THEY work for US and that we are serious about getting these long overdue responses. Diplomatic considerations aside ...We can no longer allow questionable protocols, established by pseudo-aristocratic armchair strategists, to determine or influence the fate of the men who were in the front line of battle while the diplomats sharing sherry and canapes and talking about "Their Plans" for the future of SE Asia. 
 

If you'd like to see what some others are doing in addition to writing to Government Ministers, Senators, our Ambassador in Washington, D.C. and the American Ambassador in Australia. 
 
 

• Hawks Page 
• Operation Just Cause 
• The Bring Grandpa Home Club
• Gunnys Home Page 
• Ausvets Home Page
• Email...ozaction@writeme.com 

We must urge the Government to obtain a full accounting and to investigate live-sightings reports in a timely fashion. If Your country sent Men or Women to Vietnam do you know how many are P.O.W./M.I.A.?. Will you join with us to see Justice done. Adopt a P.O.W./M.I.A. today and Join with us as we petition, write letters, send E Mails and talk to as many Government Officials as we can to further this Cause