A Past National President Visits

On Tuesday the 7th of August we were delighted to have Major General Peter Phillips AO MC (Retd), president of RSL Australia from 1997 to 2003, visit the RSL National Office and attend the RSL Defence and National Security Committee meeting.

Major General Peter Raymond Phillips AO MC (Retd) served as the Officer Commanding D Company 3rd Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR) in South Vietnam 1967-1968. He commanded Delta Company 3 RAR at Coral-Balmoral. It was one of the most ferocious yet least known campaigns of the Vietnam War. In 26 days of torrid fighting the battles of Coral-Balmoral saw major enemy assaults on their fire support bases, 25 young Australian soldiers from the 1st and 3rd Battalions were killed and almost 100 wounded. More than 270 enemy were killed, and dozens wounded, and 11 prisoners taken.

The two bases, north of Bien Hoa, were established to disrupt enemy troops withdrawing from Saigon during the so-called “Mini-Tet" offensive under an operation codenamed Toan Thang. Australian troops supported by Centurion tanks repelled numerous frontal enemy assaults by well-trained North Vietnamese Army regular troops and Vietcong guerrillas.

Major General Phillips was awarded the Military Cross in August 1968 for his role during the conflict. He said he was saddened by the age of many of the enemy troops who were mere boys. Major General Phillips, who also served in the Malayan Emergency went on to serve in the Army for another 20 years after his "life changing" experience in Vietnam.