5RAR Reconnaissance Platoon 1966-'67

Quote from our Intelligence Officer Captain Robert O'Neill on the formation of 5RAR's Reconnaissance Platoon from his Book—Vietnam Task.

"The Reconnaissance Platoon was a platoon which had been specially formed to replace Anti-Tank Platoon. Colonel Warr began this experiment in November after our operational experience indicated that we had a need for a special team which could carry out reconnaissance to a distance a few miles ahead of the battalion. The platoon was composed of selected volunteers and was commanded by Second Lieutenant Deak. It had been trained in a special course which we had run at Vung Tau in November and December. The platoon was organised to operate as a number of small teams, each equipped with radio. Space precludes description of the large number of individual reconnaissances and ambushes which the platoon undertook. Suffice to say that the platoon was kept extremely busy being lucky to have one night a month in base ay Nui Dat, The platoon was very successful in its operations, killing many Viet Cong in swift encounters in the jungle and producing a great deal of intelligence information to assist my work."