
WO2 J.R. 'Jock' Stewart, B - 20 Mike Special
Forces, Pleiku South Viet-Nam
in 1969. I would prefer the beer over the rice wine.
Jock Stewart was awarded a Mentioned in Despatches in 1965 while serving with AATTV. Citation reads as follows:
Warrant Officer Stewart and Warrant Officer
Harris were posted as Advisers with the Australian Army Training Team in
South Vietnam in April and July 1964 respectively.
On 1 March 1965, these Warrant Officers were
accompanying the 3rd Battalion of the Third Regiment of the Army of The
Republic of Vietnam, in their capacity as advisers, on an operation to
flush an estimated Viet Cong platoon from the village of Vien Trinh. On
the approach to the village they were in position close to the Vietnamese
Company Commander behind the leading platoon. When this platoon reached
a rice paddy dyke approximately 50 metres from a bamboo hedge surrounding
the village it received heavy automatic and semi-automatic fire which wounded
four Vietnamese soldiers and brought the company command group under fire
thereby preventing the Company Commander from effectively directing his
troops. Warrant Officers Stewart and Harris then purposely exposed themselves
in order to draw the fire away from the command group.
Warrant Officer Stewart has just silenced
one of the automatic weapons with his carbine when the command group came
under fire by a 60 millimetre mortar. Warrant Officer Harris located the
position of the mortar and, under covering fire from Warrant Officer Stewart,
killed the crew.
The aggressive and courageous actions by these
Warrant officers inspired the Vietnamese into making a successful assault
on the enemy position driving the Viet Cong from the village.
Throughout the action Warrant Officer Stewart
and Warrant Officer Harris assisted the Vietnamese Commander
in the control and disposition of his troops
whilst displaying a high degree of coolness and courage under fire.
Their action reflected great credit on themselves as professional soldiers.
Footnote: Both WO2 Jock Stewart and WO2 George Harris have since passed onto a higher authority.
Lest we forget