KHMER REPUBLIC: TRIBUTE PAID TO THREE COLONELS AND TWO LIEUTENANTS AT FUNERAL FOLLOWING HIGHWAY ONE AMBUSH.

Record ID: 588564

  • Title: KHMER REPUBLIC: TRIBUTE PAID TO THREE COLONELS AND TWO LIEUTENANTS AT FUNERAL FOLLOWING HIGHWAY ONE AMBUSH.
  • Date: 23rd April 1973
  • Summary: 1. GV Bend preceding cortege 0.22 2. SV Coffins on armoured personnel carrier 0.32 3. SCU PAN General Dien Del walking behind coffins 0.40 4. SCU Weeping daughter of one of colonels sits in jeep throwing out flower petals 0.56 5. SV PAN Mourners watch as coffins taken off armoured personnel carrier (2 shots) 1.07 6. CU Woman relative weeps as coffin passes 1.17 7. CU Defence Minister General Thappanagan salutes with General Sosthene Fernandez behind 1.30 8. SCU PAN Photograph & cap on coffin 1.36 9. SCU Mr. In Tam lays posy on coffin & gives Buddhist sign of respect (hands together) 1.44 10. SV PAN Mourners watch as red & white smoke simulates Buddhist cremation 1.55 Initials ESP/1736 ESP/1819 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 8th May 1973 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: PHNOM PENH, KHMER REPUBLIC
  • Country: Cambodia
  • Reuters ID: LVA63XFKS5UEOIUNT186QQF3HVDO
  • Story Text: Military and civilian leaders of the Khmer Republic paid the highest tribute on Saturday (21 April) to the three Colonels and two Lieutenants killed in an ambush about 30 miles (48 kms) south of Phnom Penh, the Khmer capital, on Highway One on Sunday, April 15.

    The officers were from the 2nd Infantry Division. One of them was a Brigade Commander. The Colonels had been members of a small group of senior officers who are front-line fighters. Their loss to the Khmer Government Forces is very great.

    The dead officers had all distinguished themselves during the Khmer war and, in the recent drive from the south by the Communist-led forces, they had been in action constantly.

    In addition to the five dead officers, 27 rank and file soldiers also lost their lives in the ambush. There was only one survivor, badly wounded, following the attack which destroyed the vehicle carrying the soldiers and officers. Rockets and automatic weapons were used.

    Among the mourners was Mr. In Tam, who was narrowly defeated in last year's Presidential Elections by Marshal Lon Nol.

    There is a strong belief that Mr. In Tam, who has had a log and distinguished political career in the Khmer Republic may return to the Cabinet as Prime Minister very soon.

    There were masses of flowers and many women and girls dressed in white (the mourning colour) at the funeral. General Dien Del attended in battle uniform. He was the Colonels's Commander. The General led the funeral Cortege.

    It was a deeply emotional occasion as family and friends wept for their dead. General Sosthene Fernandez, the Army Chief-of-Staff, was there to see Defence Minister General Thappanagan place medals on the coffins.

    SYNOPSIS: Military and civilian leaders of the Khmer Republic paid the highest tribute on Saturday to the three Colonels and two Lieutenants killed the week before in a Highway One ambush. The Phnom Penh funeral of the five was attended by many military leaders and dignitaries from civilian life.

    General Dien Del followed the coffins to their last resisting places. He was the Colonels' Commander.

    The daughter of one of the dead.

    Twenty-seven rank and file soldiers also lost their lives in the ambush. Their vehicle was destroyed by rockets and automatic weapon fire.

    The dead officers had all distinguished themselves during the Khmer war. They were all from the Second Infantry Division. One of them was a Brigade Commander. Paying his respects, Defence Minister General Thappanagan. Behind him, General Sosthene Fernandez, Army Chief-of-Staff.

    The Colonels had been members of a small, select group of senior offices who fight in the front-line. The man heavily rumoured to soon become Khmer Prime Minister the distinguished Mr. In Tam, paid his respects. The loss of the ranking officers is great to the Khmer Government. It is also part of the fortunes of war.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register