- Title: NEW ZEALAND: ARMY GUNNERS IN TRAINING BEFORE LEAVING FOR SOUTH VIETNAM.
- Date: 1st June 1965
- Summary: 1. LV GUNNERS IN TRAINING AT CAMP. 0.08 2. SV THEY PLACE HOWITZERS INTO POSITION. 0.29 3. CU GUN DIRECTOR WITH RANGE FINDER. 0.35 4. SV GUNNERS WITH HOWITZERS (3 SHOTS). 0.47 5. CV MAJOR JOPLIN PAN TO GUNNERS AT ATTENTION. 0.58 6. SV MAJOR JOPLIN ADDRESSES THEM. 1.01 7. SV GUNNERS AT ATTENTION (5 SHOTS). 1.07 Initial
- Embargoed: 16th June 1965 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: NEAR AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND
- Country: New Zealand
- Reuters ID: LVAB69SPGNVF9JO2CJT3GL7Q9YVP
- Story Text: AN ARTILLERY UNIT OF THE NEW ZEALAND ARMY -- SOON TO LEAVE FOR SOUTH VIETNAM -- HAS BEEN UNDERGOING INTENSIVE TRAINING AT A CAMP NEAR AUCKLAND FOR SOME MONTHS.
THE 120-STRONG BATTERY COMPRISES MEN FROM THE 16TH FIELD REGIMENT, WHICH SERVED WITH THE COMMONWEALTH BRIGADE IN THE KOREAN WAR. THEY ARE EQUIPPED WITH 105-MILLIMETRE ITALIAN-BUILT HOWITZERS.
THEY WILL TAKE PART IN COMBAT DUTY AGAINST THE ANTI-GOVERNMENT VIETCONG FORCES. A NON-COMBATANT NEW ZEALAND ENGINEER UNIT ALREADY THERE WILL BE WITHDRAWN.
THE NEW ZEALANDERS ARE GOING TO THE WAR-RAVAGED COUNTRY FOLLOWING AN OFFER TO THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT BY THE NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER, MR. KEITH HOLYOAKE. THE OFFER WAS OFFICIALLY ACCEPTED, WITH "GRATEFUL THANKS," YESTERDAY (MONDAY).
THEY WILL SUPPORT AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY ALREADY ON THEIR WAY TO SAIGON, WHO IN TURN WILL BE FIGHTING ALONGSIDE SOUTH VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT AND UNITED STATES FORCES.
(SOUTH KOREA ALREADY HAS TROOPS THEE, WHILE THE PHILIPPINES IS PLANNING TO SEND A 2,000-MAN CONTINGENT, IN SPITE OF PROTESTS FROM ORTH VIETNAM.)
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