Tac plate ID on 17 Const. Sqn. 112-951

[bronzie66610]

Can anybody help me ID the LHS Tac plate.
I found a photo of one of my Land Rovers in SVN. Would like to rebuild it as per photo. Is it 21 over ?
Also is it a bear head on door ?


David

[Diana Alan]

The tac for 17 Construction was 108, this must be another RAE unit! Or a sub unit vehicle attached to 17 construction.  I'm wondering if it was 21 Engineer support troop?



In sovos 1967 17const is "27" and 21 const was "21/292" but I guess that only applied in Aust.

The motto of 17 Const Sqn was "a little bear will fix it" and the logo was the bear from bear brand sticky tape.  RAEME attached to 17 Const used a Yogi Bear logo carrying a spanner over his shoulder.

When were you in country?  My cousin was in 17 Const in May 1968 through April 1969.

These were the other RAE units in theatre.
Royal Australian Engineers
    Det 198 Works Section     9 Jan - 1 Mar 67
    198 Works Section     2 Mar 67 - 23 Dec 72
    Det 11 Movement Control Group     1 Apr 66 - 12 Mar 72
    3 Field Troop     14 Sep 65 - 31 Mar 66
    1 Field Squadron     1 Apr 66 - 18 Nov 71
    21 Engineer Support Troop     1 Apr 66 - 9 Dec 71
    Det 55 Advanced Engineer Stores Squadron     1 Apr 66 - 16 Feb 68
    Det 55 Engineer Workshop & Park Squadron     17 Feb 68 - 12 Mar 72
    55 Engineer Workshop & Park Squadron
    17 Construction Squadron    1 Apr 66 - 12 Feb 72
    Det 11 Movement Control Group     1 Apr 66 - 12 Mar 72
    30 Terminal Squadron     9 Jan 67 - 12 Mar 72
    Det 1 Division Postal Unit     1 Apr 66 - 8 Nov 67
    Det 1 Communication Zone Postal Unit     19 Oct 66 - 23 Feb 72
    1 Small Ship Troop (Clive Steele)    26 Jun 66 - 23 Nov 66, 3 Dec 66 - 9 Jan 67, 17 Jan 67- 16 Mar 67, 29 Jan 68 - 27 Apr 69, 21 Jul 69 - 2 Mar 70, 11 Jul - 3 Sep 70 and     2 Mar - 12 Mar 71
    1 Small Ship Troop (Harry Chauvel)     23 Oct 67 - 21 Mar 68 and 2 May 70 - 6 Jun 70
    3 Small Ship Troop (Vernon Sturdee) nbsp;   11 Apr 66 - 25 Jun 66 and 23 Jan 67 - 14 Dec 67
    4 Small Ship Troop (Brudenell White)     22 Sep 70 - 24 Oct 70
    Det 32 Small Ship Squadron (John Monash)     5 May 66 - 14 May 66, 3 Dec 67 - 31 Jan 68, 17 Feb 68 - 31 Mar 68, 16 Dec 68 - 26 Dec 68, 20 Feb 69 - 4 Mar 69, 25 Oct 69 - 7 Dec 69 and 27 Jul 71 - 14 Aug 71
    Det 32 Small Ship Squadron (Clive Steele)     23 Feb 71 - 20 Mar 71
    Det 32 Small Ship Squadron (Harry Chauvel)     11 Nov - 15 Dec 70

[bronzie66610]

Hello Diana
The vehicle in photo is 112-951 which is the one I picked up from Melton. On REMLR Data Base it says it was from 17 Construction Squadron. At the moment I have removed all civilian mods and ready to send Chassis away to get blasted then fix up any problems. The Unit plate on LHS rear has dirt on it and cannot read it.
An email just came through and the driver will give me the history of the vehicle in SVN. The internet is a great tool. Will keep you posted on the outcome of my investigation.
THANKS for reply Diana.
Regards
David.
PS my wording not right, the vehicle is mine at the present and want to restore it to the pic.

[glbest]

that photo was that of ford bullfroh (usa)

[glbest]

i mean bullfrog

[Diana Alan]

David

No worries, good to have it as in country.  You'll have to bring it up to cookey, he has a Mk3 attached to 17 Const Sqn  in SVN and at the AAMME Moorebank, we have much of the plant used, including an armoured dozer blown up by a mine and the mine clearing M113 Bukoo Boom Boom.

[bronzie66610]

Is that what that septic tank vehicle is.

[Diana Alan]

It's an Aussie M113 (yes built by the Yanks) with additional armour plating to clear land mines (placed by the Sth Vietnamese US Armies) around Phuc Tuoy provence.  The RAE operators would drive around the left hand edge of the mind field and the tyres on the arm were supposed to detonate the anti personnel mines.

It lives in the Starch hangar at the AAMME in the grounds of the School of Military Engineering at Moorebank.

[zulu delta 534]

The white on blue Tac sign signifies 21 Support Troop RAE who supplied a lot of the vehicles and plant that was used by 17 Construction Troop.
A Construction troop only has a specified number of vehicles posted to its strength so when a major task such as setting up a major base, Fire support base or airstrip was concerned they drew in reserve vehicles and plant from a number of outside sources, predominantly their local Support Troop and from various specific Transport units.
The semi permanently borrowed MUTT with the 21 Construction signs on it is another indication that the 'paper allocation' of vehicles set up in Australia under strict budget guidelines, was generally unsatisfactory in the field.
 The Bukoo Boom Boom written on the "home modified" track always brings a smirk to my face as it is quite a clever witticism,  Bukoo being an Australianised version of the Vietnamese pronunciation of the French word "Beaucoup" meaning many, much, lots or in some contexts, more; whereas the "Boom Boom" in this case could be taken as a euphemism for explosions, seeing the mine blowing task of the vehicle itself.
Actually what the term "Bukoo Boom Boom" generally refers to was what the average Aussie on leave in town at one of the many bars was actually hoping to score with one of the professional ladies!
Regards
Glen

[aussiegregmac]

And you never went to "those" bars did you Glen

[Diana Alan]

The white on blue Tac sign signifies 21 Support Troop RAE who supplied a lot of the vehicles and plant that was used by 17 Construction Troop. ...
... The Bukoo Boom Boom written on the "home modified" track always brings a smirk to my face as it is quite a clever witticism,  Bukoo being an Australianised version of the Vietnamese pronunciation of the French word "Beaucoup" meaning many, much, lots or in some contexts, more; whereas the "Boom Boom" in this case could be taken as a euphemism for explosions, seeing the mine blowing task of the vehicle itself.
Actually what the term "Bukoo Boom Boom" generally refers to was what the average Aussie on leave in town at one of the many bars was actually hoping to score with one of the professional ladies!
Regards
Glen

And you never went to "those" bars did you Glen

Depends if Patsy is reading th site! 

[rednjoey]

The M113 APC 'FLINT' was used to clear the barrier minefield built by the Australians in 1967. It was an 11 kilometer long barrier minefield designed to stop the VC from accessing the local populations in Dat Do and Phuoc Loi. It was seeded with 20000 M16 anti personnel mines.
It was the decision of Brigadier Stuart Graham to build this minefield but any soldier will tell you. minefields need to be secured and covered by machine guns and patrolling. 1 ATF didn't have this man power so it was left basically undefended except for a Type 2 double fence (cat wire).
The VC ratted the minefield removing a large quantity of the M16 mines which were the Jumping Jack type which were propelled from the ground by a small charge before exploding usually around 1 metre above ground level causing maximum casualties.
The amount of Australian casualties caused by the relocation of these mines was horrendous.
In July 1969 the M113's 'FLINT' and 'STEELE were sent to the Horseshoe to commence clearing the minefield by the only safe means, detonation.
Australian casualties continued to mount right up until the withdrawal, mostly from our own mines stockpiled by the VC.
I am presently reading the book 'The Minefield' by Greg Lockhart. (as you can proably tell) Its a very sobering read.

[Chazza]

There was also an excellent ABC TV documentary about the minefield, including interviews with the Vietnamese men and women who used to lift the mines. The stupidity of the Brigadier defies belief!

[mzungumagic]

There was also an excellent ABC TV documentary about the minefield, including interviews with the Vietnamese men and women who used to lift the mines. The stupidity of the Brigadier defies belief!

It's not quite that bad, though the outcome was probably predictable.  Graham thought he was doing the right thing to add protection to the base and as an experienced infantry/armour soldier, he knew the mantra about observing any obstacle with fire and view.

The trouble was that, with a task force of only two infantry battalions and supporting arms/services, he didn't have the manpower to accomplish this and his other tasks, with his own troops.

He opted instead to use the least palatable alternative - local indigenous forces-  to patrol the minefields, but the faith he put in this alternative was misplaced and as we all know, the minefield was compromised.

I didn't see the documentary, but historical accuracy is often missing from these productions, in favour of sensation or bias.



Jack