In August 1993 a
group of Vietnam veterans returned to Phuoc Tuy
Province to commemorate the battle of Long Tan at
the commemorative "Long Tan Cross". One of the
veterans - Raymond Walter BENNETT who served with
the Royal Australian Artillery (Detachment 131
Divisional Locating Battery from Sept 1968 to Jan
1969) was photographed wearing numerous medal
ribbons and citations/awards and his behaviour caused
suspicion amongst the other veterans.
ANZMI holds two
statutory declarations (see attached) to the effect
that whilst at the military museum of Long Phuoc
BENNETT signed the visitors book dishonestly
claiming service with the Sixth Battalion Royal
Australian Regiment 1966/1967 (indicating he was a
veteran of that famous battle), additionally he
signed 4th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment
1968/1969 - knowing full well that these written
entries were false.
During that tour a
remembrance service was held at the Long Tan Cross
on the 18th of August and BENNETT had one of the
fellow veterans read aloud tributes to his "mates
who died that day" BENNETT became visibly emotional
and cried as these tributes were read out - and to a
man all there were sympathetic to a fellow veteran
in distress - a genuine veteran who through guile
and rat cunning had stolen the valor of those 17
members of 6 RAR who made the ultimate sacrifice all
those years before.
One of the veterans
accompanying the tour asked BENNETT if he could
recognize his old unit locations on a tour of the
old Task Force area in Phuoc Tuy Province and
BENNETT replied "I can't remember where my old lines
were" - this stuck a chord of suspicion as he
supposedly served two years in the area!!
Acting on his own
suspicions, one of the veterans returned to
Australia and some years later requested through the
National Archives the entire military history of
BENNETT's service - it was then that the realization
hit him like a thunderbolt - all in attendance that
day had been duped - BENNETT had no involvement with
any Infantry battalion actions in Vietnam....
As fate would have
it - our informant had been handed a photograph of
BENNETT at the Long Tan Cross (see photo) and his
medal entitlements were false - as were his other
accoutrements worn. Looking at the attached photo
we will educate our readers just how inane BENNETT's
display was on 18th August 1993:
On his right breast
he wears the (US) Meritorious Unit Citation - No
Entitlement
Left Breast:
Infantry Combat Badge - No Entitlement
General Service
Medal Ribbon - No Entitlement
Defence Force
Service Medal - No Entitlement
Long Service and
Good Conduct Medal - No Entitlement
Vietnamese Campaign
Medal - No Entitlement
Beret badge of
Australian Commando Company - No Entitlement.
BENNETT was
contacted by ANZMI and given the opportunity to
explain his fraudulent behavior - accompanying the
letter was a copy of the recent bogus 6 RAR Long Tan
dreamer TISDALE's exposure in the Sydney media -
BENNETT capitulated and offered full apologies to
ANZMI - his unit of Det 131 Div Loc Bty - all
Vietnam veterans and veterans of all conflicts (see
reply) He appeared most
contrite and requested forgiveness.
From: Ray Bennett
<>
Date: 28 September 2010 14:42
Subject: ray
To:
enquiries@anzmi.net
rodney
i recieved your letter dated 10/9 after
returning from sydney .. sorry for the delay
in responding by the date reqested .
my only medal entitlement are
vietnam medal
active service medal
australian service medal
during 1993a small group decided to visit vietnam
aug 1993.before leaving i purchased some
ribbons and a i c b that i was not
entitled.
the ribbons were
vietnam campain medal
good conduct [maron and white in color]
a ribbon for effective service[blue and
yellow]
a red and gold ribbon
i c b
i wore these ribbons at the long tan
memorial service 1993
during 2002 i was confronted about my
military service and the incident in 1993
i indecated that as part of my military
service earlier had service with 6RAR and
also had worked with 4RAR during op TOAN
THANG II
when131 was at FSB lion i think it was
in AO CURTIN and during nov 68 we were then
moved to the horseshoe.
i have continuosly regreted the hurt i have
caused to veterans and their families and
many good friends i have lost due to my
misleading and lying to them.
for years i have been living with the guilt
and dishonesty of saying what i did and at
near 70 i wish i could understand why i did
those things.i raised my son to be a good
honest person and to respect others
in 1993 i done the complete oppisite trying
to impress others and trying to gain friends
i have let a lot of people down having been
in a civilian career of trust and someone
people relied on to help them
i appologise sincerly for having lied and
misled the veteran community and their
families and especially to all members of
6RAR and 4RAR
could you please give me time to respond to
any emails you send or do you have a
PO BOX iam still trying to learn about the
computer and how to do emails
ray
TO ALL MEMBERS OF 131 DIV LOC BTY
during my service in the army i was posted
to 131 div loc bty ..during1993 i let the
unit down with my inapropriate actions and
portraying that i was someone i was not .
in august 1993 i returned to vietnam with a
small group and at the long tan memorial
service iwore ribbons and i c b which i was
not entitled i was with 131 div loc bty from
16 sept 1968 to 14 jan 1969
iappologise to all members and there
families of 131div loc bty and to the
personell from radar lp s bhq when we were
tgether there
ray bennett
Again the question
must be asked - why would a genuine Vietnam veteran
behave in such a disgraceful and disgusting manner?
It is bad enough
when those exposed have not pulled a boot on in
defence of our country - but why would a genuine
veteran feel the need to magnify his service?
ANZMI congratulate
the veteran who finally approached us with his
research and evidence, it took him some years to
steel himself to what do must be done. There will
be those who take the attitude of: "This happened 17
years ago, why not let it go?" - Our reply is
simple, 17 members of Delta Company 6 RAR paid the
supreme sacrifice at Long Tan 44 years ago - time
holds no pardon for those who would walk in the
blood of our brothers. One of ANZMI's investigators
lost a very close mate in that horrific battle and
cannot forget those brave fellows and their actions
on that day so many years ago.
Another photo taken at the Long Tan
Cross, Bennett is on the right
Raymond Walter
BENNETT will remain on this website for eternity.
This is published in the
public interest, particularly that of the Vietnam
Veteran Community. All information presented here is
fact and the truth. Reports from private citizens are
supported by statements of fact and statutory
declarations. |
BENNETT Raymond Walter
