This book by Colonel F Peter Scott DSO MID (Retired) Former Commanding Officer 3rd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment in Vietnam 1971 records the basic details of the twenty-six commanding officers of Australia’s Infantry Battalions in Korea 1950-1953 and Vietnam 1965-1971. Only four of those Commanding Officers are still alive.
It covers the selection of commanding officers in World War 1 and 2 and the differences in selection for Korea and Vietnam.
From basic military information from their service records, families of deceased COs have added their comments and subsequently endorsed the story on their service, husband or father. Extensive research has extended to books on these two campaigns as well as eulogies and war diaries.
This book is not a deep study on the personality and achievements of these outstanding military officers of the Australian Army. Just a snapshot of their life. A few families have not been located and therefore their story stands alone. This has been disappointing but their story is still told. Note that six of the RMC Class of 1948 were infantry battalion COs in Vietnam.
The book can be ordered by depositing $45 (which includes postage) into the ANZ Bank account of FP Scott BSB 015627 A/c No 5821 07472 with your name. Any surplus funds will be donated to the Australian Virtual War Memorial and Legacy.
Please advise Peter of your home address by email [email protected]
If ordering multiple copies please indicate to whom each should be addressed and their home address for individual postage.
Below is an email from Bob O’Neill, eminent historian and author of the History of the Korean War:
Dear Peter,
Your book arrived yesterday afternoon, and I have been able to spend a few hours in browsing through it. Well done! It is an excellent account of the Army’s key operational leaders in the Korean and Vietnam wars.
I think it will do much to make our part in those wars more accessible to readers. All your chapters are well-structured. The essential information is there because you knew so many of these people personally and have faced the same problems and dilemmas. Your writing style is easy to draw the essentials from. It is succinct, and it is accurate.
Well done indeed!
Thank you for your inscription to myself – I really appreciate it. Have a very good celebration of the book’s publication with friends and family.
Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Yours sincerely, Bob ( IO 5 RAR to IO 3 RAR)
