VIETNAM THEATRE Use Of Battalion Unlikely

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31249, 22 December 1966, Page 1

VIETNAM THEATRE Use Of Battalion Unlikely

(From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, December 21. The employment in South Vietnam of the New Zealand battalion now in Malaysia is considered by high Army officers to be unlikely.

They gave two -easons for not sending the battalion to the Vietnam theatre: (1) It could not be at peak efficiency before the end of March, because of the need to absorb replacements for the half-battalion which has just returned to New Zealand, and (2) The next half-battalion is due for replacement in October. This would mean it is virtually impossible for a complete New Zealand battalion to be put into action in Vietnam under present conditions of recruitment and replacement. The battalion would be strengthened by the addition of two helicopters before such a move, but so far this has not been done. Training with helicopters would have to proceed for some weeks before the battalion was considered competent in this phase. The main difficulty in employing the New Zealand battalion, however, comes from the erosion of personnel which must be expected when on active service. Before the battalion could

b e considered ready for South Vietnam, two important matters would have to be decided:

(1) Units of a battlefield support squadron would have to be in service with the battalion, and (2) An adequate reserve of replacements would have to be built at Terandak —or in whatever area was chosen as base. This suggests a return to the discarded system of “trickle” replacements. A high official said today that unless the recruiting situation could be improved, it was obviously impossible to commit a New Zealand infantry battalion to Vietnam in an active role, and it was admitted that the situation is not likely to improve under the present system.

No comment is available on the suggestion that New Zealand might follow the Australian practice and commit citizen military forces for a

year of overseas service. It is also admitted that the position is complicated by the large number of short-service recruits with the permanent battalions. If further forces are needed in Vietnam, the following solutions are most likely (1) One or more S.A.S. units

could be sent. The size of a single unit is about 34 men, but they are trained to operate independently, particularly in pursuit of terrorists. (2) A Canberra squadron could be sent back. (3) The accent could be placed on service, medical, or engineering units.