
Hi Sean - my apologies as I have been off the web, off the grid completely on a trip and just arrived home today.
Well, congrats, a, for identifying 174-444 and, b, for living in Vincentia/Hyams. Top spot.
174-444 [ chassis 25328129D ] is a great find because it has a lot of documented info and unit service photos in-country as well -the jackpot!! This has not happened for a couple of years and when it happens it makes us all very happy. Just before ANZAC Day too. Cheers.
This 109WB GS census 6028 did indeed go to SVN. It has a departure date and a return date. It has a recorded traffic accident and also a incident leading to a theft/illegal use report. It was also logged into a Vungers restricted/secured area, ie, a guard post log of every vehicle entering and leaving and it also noted who the vehicle belonged to.
These are the specific notes: (this not a summary of the docs, this is all the info verbatim)
Departed 17nov1969 Brisbane with 8RAR Troops, arrived 28nov1969 at 2AOD at Vung Tau.
DLP Provo logbook entry: "14apr1970, driver 1Fd Hosp."
Accident: MP report "MVA 14aug1970, attention 1 Fd Hosp."
also MVA when stolen: "hit concrete pole on Le Loi Street in Vung Tau on Sunday 31jan1971 at 2030hrs."
Returned to Australia 18dec1971 on HMAS Sydney (see note ** below). Disembarked 4RAR Troops at Townsville then proceeded to Sydney to unload full cargo of vehicles etc. 174-444 transferred/allocated to 1Aust Field Hospital Ingleburn NSW.
** Note that this voyage was somewhat historic: Canberra had announced that the Australian Task Force was withdrawing from South Vietnam. HMAS Sydney fired a 21 gun salute and held a farewell parade on deck at 1200hrs 08dec1971 at Vung Tau. The Aust. Ambassador to SVN, and the SVN President Nguyen Van Thieu were present to officially "thank the Australian Forces for their task in South Vietnam."
Lest We Forget.