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The original Long Tan Cross. Despite an increasing cultural need for necronominalism – to individually count and identify the fallen – the memorial plate on the Long Tan Cross does not name the dead. Rather, it collectively honours them: ‘In memory of those members of D Company and 3 Troop 1APC who gave their lives near this spot during the battle of Long Tan
Episode 3102 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature the conclusion of a story about the Battle of Long Tan and its effect on the Australian troops who fought there. The featured story appeared on the Tand F Website and was titled: Combatant grief and military mourning: 6RAR in the aftermath of Long Tan, 1966–1969. It was submitted by Kristen Alexander and Kate Ariotti.
The Battle of Long Tan remains one of the most defining and harrowing episodes in Australian military history, a testament to the extraordinary bravery and sacrifice of Australian soldiers. In the aftermath of the intense battle, Major Harry Smith insisted that his D Company return to the battlefield to retrieve their fallen comrades. Though a painful task, he believed it essential for morale and closure. Initially met with reluctance, this decision ultimately provided a sense of peace for many survivors, allowing them to confront the physical and emotional weight of their sacrifice.
The scene they encountered was haunting: torn trees, abandoned weapons, and their mates lying exactly where they had fallen in combat. The silence of the rubber plantation was pierced only by the static of a fallen soldier’s radio and the accidental discharge of a rifle still gripped by a dead platoon commander. The men of D Company, especially 11 and 12 Platoons, were overwhelmed by the confronting sight and the pungent smell of death—but they stood their ground, honouring their dead through raw courage and shared grief.
Despite their pain, the soldiers took solace in knowing their comrades’ deaths had been swift and free from mutilation. From this tragedy, a powerful legacy emerged. The Long Tan Cross, erected shortly after, became a symbol of sacrifice, binding survivors in a lifelong process of remembrance. The bravery of those at Long Tan—facing overwhelming odds and unimaginable loss—remains a cornerstone of Australia’s collective memory of the Vietnam War.
Listen to Episode 3102 and discover more about the Battle of Long Tan and its effect on the Australian troops who fought there.
