This week’s talk was given by our very own Max Puddey – the President of our Club! His topic was The Battle of Long Tan. Last Monday happened to be the 59th anniversary of the conflict, and Max gave a very comprehensive and interesting account of the developments that occurred that day. The battle took place in a rubber plantation near Long Tan in Phuoc Tuy Province South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, and the action was fought between the Viet Cong (VC) together with the People's Army of Vietnam, and elements of the 1st Australian Task Force. Max started with some very useful comments about the political background that prevailed at the time, and then moved on to a blow-by-blow account of the battle which started at about 3.15 pm and went on until about midnight. The Australian forces faced huge difficulties including running out of ammunition, but they were eventually assisted by American forces including Armoured Personnel Carriers which were able to cross a vital river – which resulted in the Viet Cong withdrawing from a very dominant position. All in all, the Western forces suffered 18 deaths and 24 injuries, whereas the Vietnamese lost around 2500 personnel. This fact was made known many years later; it had been hidden by the actions of the VC who removed their dead overnight to give the impression of limited casualties.