CO 1RAR LTCOL Ben McLennan and 2IC 1RAR MAJ BJ Pearce dressed in Vietnam era uniform

64 | JUNE 2017

Tammy , Jamie and Darren Pratt

49th anniversary of th

CORAL Day was marked by 1RAR w respectful ceremony in the unit ’ s trai It was the 49th anniversary of the Battle 1RAR LTCOL Ben McLennan described “ It could easily have ended in catastrophe this Battalion ; for this nation ,” he said . “ It was characterised by friction , mishap confusion and sheer luck – good and bad LTCOL McLennan said the battle prove comprehensive victory for 1RAR and the “ So , what was the difference between suc and failure at the Battle of Coral ?” he sai He said he thought the tipping point was determined by two factors : “ being ‘ better the adversary ; and superior teamwork ”. “ Everything I have read about the Battle tells me the soldiers and officers of this B and its supporting arms , were better led , disciplined , better trained and better equi their North Vietnamese and Viet Cong ad “ Being better allowed the Battalion to rep day and night , against far superior numbe enemy fighting with a ‘ home ground ’ adv He said the second factor was superior t team , section , platoon , company and batt It was not individual brilliance that tippe the balance - it was superior teamwork . “ Today , we commemorate those whose v won the Battle Honour emblazoned on ou and the Meritorious Unit Citation we wea on our right chest ,” LTCOL McLennan sa “ We honour those who fought and died a Support Base Coral by dedicating ourselv better led , better disciplined , better traine better equipped than any potential advers “ For while 49 years have passed since the of Coral , these factors will most certainly balance in our favour if , or when , we are A contingent of 1RAR members led by M Johnson attended a Battle of Coral reunio were well received by the veterans who w