Long Tan Cross facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Long Tan Cross |
|
|---|---|
| Australia | |
The Long Tan Cross on display at the Australian War Memorial in August 2012
|
|
| For the Battle of Long Tan | |
| Established | 18 August 1969 |
| Location |
Australian War Memorial, Canberra
|
|
In Memory of those members of D Coy 6 RAR and 3 Tp 1 APC Sqn who gave their lives near this spot during the Battle of Long Tan on 18th August 1966. Erected by 6 RAR/NZ (ANZAC) Bn 18 Aug 69
|
|
The Long Tan Cross is a special memorial. It was put up by the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment on August 18, 1969. The cross marks the place where the Battle of Long Tan happened. This battle took place three years earlier during the Vietnam War.
After the war ended in 1975, the cross was taken away. It was then used to remember a priest. But in 1984, the Đồng Nai Province Museum found it. They put it on display. Later, a copy of the cross was also put up at the battle site. Many Australian soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War visit this copy. The original Long Tan Cross was given to Australia in 2017. You can now see it permanently at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
Contents
History of the Long Tan Cross
The Battle of Long Tan
On August 18, 1966, a big battle took place in South Vietnam. D Company of the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (6 RAR) fought a large group of Vietnamese communist soldiers. The Australian force had only 108 men. The communist force had about 2,000 soldiers.
Even though they were outnumbered, the Australians won the battle. They had help from artillery and air strikes. The Australian forces lost 18 soldiers and 24 were hurt. This was the most costly battle for Australia in the Vietnam War. Australian records say 245 communist soldiers died. However, Vietnamese records say only 47 died. The exact number of deaths is still not known.
Building the Memorial Cross
The 6 RAR soldiers put up the Long Tan Cross. They did this to remember the third anniversary of the battle. The idea for the cross came from Lieutenant Colonel David Butler and Warrant Officer James Cruickshank. Sergeant Alan McLean built the cross using concrete. It weighs over 100 kilograms (220 pounds). It stands almost 2 meters (6.5 feet) tall.
Dedication Ceremony
On August 17, 1969, soldiers from 6 RAR landed near the battle site by helicopter. They made the area safe. The next morning, they cleared the spot where 11 Platoon of D Company had made their last stand. A Royal Australian Air Force helicopter then brought the cross to the site.
The rest of the battalion arrived later that morning. The chaplain of 6 RAR led a special ceremony to dedicate the memorial. Ten soldiers who had fought in the battle stood by the cross. The ceremony finished before noon. Then, 6 RAR went back to their base at Nui Dat. D Company was the last group to leave the site.
The words on the cross say: "In Memory of those members of D Coy 6 RAR and 3 Tp 1 APC Sqn who gave their lives near this spot during the Battle of Long Tan on 18th August 1966. Erected by 6 RAR/NZ (ANZAC) Bn 18 Aug 69".
The Cross After the War
After the Vietnam War ended in 1975, the Long Tan Cross was taken from the battle site. It was later used as a memorial for a Catholic priest. In 1984, the Đồng Nai Province Museum in Biên Hòa found it. They added it to their collection and put it on display.
In the late 1980s, a copy of the Long Tan Cross was put up at the battle site. This was done by the Long Dat District People's Committee. Many Australian soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War often visit this copy. As of 2012, it was one of only two memorials for foreign military forces allowed in Vietnam. The other was for French forces who fought in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954.
Return to Australia
The original Long Tan Cross was loaned to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra in 2012. It was shown at the Memorial on August 17. It went back to Vietnam in April 2013. In 2016, the Australian War Memorial tried to borrow the cross again. They wanted it for the 50th anniversary of the battle, but it did not happen.
In November 2017, the Vietnamese Government officially gave the original Long Tan Cross to Australia. It was put on permanent display at the Australian War Memorial on December 6, 2017.
See also
In Spanish: Cruz de Long Tan para niños
