Greetings Gunners,

Somewhere, a while ago, I read that there was some interest in re-location the large rock that was near the entrance to 161 Bty’s position in Nui Dat. This was the rock that Tiny HILL, in his time as BSM, had painted in the Gunners colours.

As I am now living at Vung Tau, another story, I went out to Nui Dat to have a look at said rock.

I have a couple of problems with 161 Bty’s Lines.. I did not spent a great deal of time living with the Bty and so the layout is a bit vague. Also over the years, the bubbles in the Coca Cola have played merry hell with my recall mode but I will try and pass on what I can.

While walking around the area, I found a partly filled in small bunker with steps going down.   A wee way in front of this, there was an area that was sunken when you looked at it.  My thought were perhaps the bunker was part of the CP and the sunken area was the CP proper, filled in and now settled down.   In front of all this by about 20 yards or so was a piece of concrete.

This piece of concrete was pyramid shaped with the top lopped off.   It would be about 2’6″ square and the same high.  These measurements are a guesstimate only.

The top of the concrete has a small sunken area in the middle and I could see where “1967” had been scratched into the setting concrete.  See photo.  I think that there was something else on the other side of the top but that’s harder to read.

As I have said before, I not sure about the Bty layout, but I believe that this piece of concrete is something called “Battery Centre”, again another guess.   I don’t know if this is in its original position or it has been moved. I would think that this piece of concrete will be a lot easier to move than the rock.   Somewhere in the back of my mind, I seem to recall if it is the Bty.Centre, then Gunner George LOVE may have had something to do with its making.  Again not sure, bloody Coca Cola.

I have more photo’s if you require then and I am quite happy to go back out there , if there is anything you may require checking.

As a side issue, I am considering getting a group of Vietnamese together and clearing out that concrete bunker to see if there is anything of interest buried there, but that’s in the future.

Food for thought and again, happy to help if needed.

Regards to you all.

Mayne MANSON.
 
Coming to you from Vung Tau.  Find me if you can.