V3 2017 Reunion Organiser:

John Capill
03 579 1665
021 0294 8679

Email Organiser

Webmaster::
Victor Johnson
Email Webmaster

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Mounting Medals

Details on website,
nzmilitarymedals.com

Victor 3 Reunion Friday 17 March to Monday 20th March 2017 ~ Blenheim, New Zealand

This web page is that of Victor 3 Infantry Rifle Company, First Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment that served in South Vietnam during 1968 and 1969 as a military sub unit within the 1st Australian Task Force [1 ATF] based in Nui Dat, located in Phuoc Tuy Province.

VENUE

Combined Clubs of Marlborough

Register, meet and greet on Friday at Combined Clubs of Marlborough. Pay-as-you-go restuarant service available.

Activities

Friday 17th March

Registration

Meet and greet

Drinks

Dining, in house restuarant pay-as-you-go

Saturday 18th March

Late Registrations 10.00 - 11.00 hrs

Local markets

Car boot sale at Railway Station, also Artisan Market in town center

Golf challenge

The Blenheim Golf Course is only 800m from the Venue.

Green fees $20 - Cart hire $20.

Saturday exercise for those that need it. Numbers required prior, for arrangement of clubs and tee off times

Lunch ~ own arrangements.

Saturday Afternon Options

Option 1: River Cruise ~ Limited to 20 persons

• Depart 1200hrs, return 1530hrs
• BBQ lunch provided
• BYO refreshments
• $45.00 per person, local subsidy possible & will be advised

Option 2: Train journey to Aviation Heritage Centre, or Vintage Farm Machinery

• Depart 1230hrs, return 1600hrs
• 2ft guage train ride
• Leaves either from across river from Clubs of Marlborough, further downstream

First venue is Vintage Farm Machinery ~ biggest in New Zealand, includes vintage car display and replica of Blenheim shops of the past

• Pickup by train returning from Aviation Heritage Centre
• Cost $5.00 person

Second venue is Aviation Heritage Centre

• Sir Peter Jackson Knights of the Sky Exhibition
• WWI aircraft & WWII aircraft
• Cost for WWI exhibition $25.00 per person
• Cost for WWII exhibition to be advised

NOTE: Only one venue can be visited.

Option 3: Brewery & Winery 1/2 Day Tour ~ Limited to 22 persons

• Brewery and winery
• Makana Chocolate Factory, Quilters Barn, Gift Shop
• 1130 - 1600 hrs: Lunch platters at St Clair Winery
• Dodson Street Bar & Brewery, refreshents at own expense
• Cost per person ~ Lunch of your choice. Platter, refreshments, tasting and suchlike at own expense

Saturday Evening

1900hrs ~ V3 Company Dinner at Clubs of Marlborough, with entertainment.

Sunday 19th March

10:30 ~ Travel by bus to Omaka Cemetary

• Memorial parade Donald Benseman's gravesite. Killed In Action during Operation Capital II, 16 Nov 1968.
• Memorial Cross placed for Michael Wickman [KIA]

Return to Clubs of Marlborough for finger food lunch

Meeting of V3 Company personnel, agenda includes determination of next reunion.

Evening meal povided at Clubs of Marlborough

Monday 20th March

Morning tea and farewells at Combined Clubs of Marlborough

Registration

$120.00 per person. Includes:

• 2 x Finger foods
• 2 x Evening meals, one with music
• Return bus trip to cemetary
• Train ride & wine tour

Planning Notice

As the timing is within the high season for weddings, early registrations and bookings is essential! The registration does not include personal refreshments purchased throughout the weekend or an evening meal partaken at the Clubs Marlborough on Friday evening.

The $120.00 registration fee can be paid into the bank account shown below. Ensure some means of depositor identification is made as Reference, such as surname and initials.

Payment Transaction:

Payee Name: Victor 3
Payee account: 01 0598 0207814 46
Statement details: Ensure your surname and initials are in payee statement.

The organising team welcome all who arrive in Blenheim to enjoy the hospitality. Please contact those who do not have internet services and let them know.

Contact in Blenheim

John Capill
03 579 1665
021 0294 8679
Email V3 2017 Re-union Organiser

Register Attendance & Selected Activity

Register your attendance and select the activities you want to join on Saturday.

First and last name: Name for name tag: Attending Wife/Partner's name: Name for name tag: Attending the Reunion? YES     NO    just update records with my details. Postal Address: Street address: Suburb: City/Town: Postal Code: email address: Phone: Option 1: River Cruise Option 2: Train Journey Option 3: Brewery & Winery Tour Enter payment status: Paid YES Paid NO Comments: Click ONCE Only

Accomodation

Bella Vista 81 Charles Street, Blenheim Phone landline: 03 928 7064 SKYPE: New Zealand 03 928 7064 New Zealand Free Phone: 0800 BELLA VISTA Website Bella Vista Motel, Blenheim Email: stay@bvblenheim.co.nz From $135.00 for Queen Studio to $280.00 for 2-bedroom apartment.

Blenheim Palms Motel Cnr Henry & Charles Streets, Bleheim Phone landline: 03 577 8845 SKYPE: New Zealand 03 577 8845 New Zealand Free Phone: 0800 256 725 Website: Blenheim Palms Motel Email: From $155.00, cooked & continental breakfast.

Lugano Motor Lodge 91 High Street, Bleheim [closest to venue] Phone landline: 03 577 8808 SKYPE: New Zealand 03-577 8808 Website: Lugano Motor Lodge Email: From $151.00, cooked & continental breakfast.

171 On High Motel 71 High Street, Bleheim[700 metres from venue] Phone landline: 03 579 5098 SKYPE: New Zealand 03 579 5098 Website: 171 On High Motel Email: From $145.00, cooked & continental breakfast.

Aorangi Manor Motel 193 High Street,Bleheim [800 metres from venue] Phone landline: 03 578 2022 New Zealand Free Phone: 0800 507 050 SKYPE: New Zealand 03 578 2022 Website: Aorangi Manor Motel Email: From $155.00.

Chateau Marlborough [Hotel] Cnr Henry & High Streets, Bleheim Phone landline: 03 578 0064 New Zealand Free Phone: 0800 752 275 SKYPE: New Zealand 03 578 0064 Website: Chateau Marlborough Booking site: Chateau Marlborough booking From $329.00.

Quality Hotel Malborough [500 metres from venue] 120 Nelson Street, Bleheim Phone landline: 03 577 7333 New Zealand Free Phone: 0800 443 101 SKYPE: New Zealand 03 577 7333 Website: Quality Hotel Marborough Email: Quality Hotel Marborough From $155.00.

Criterion Hotel [Backpackers] 2 Market Street, Bleheim Phone landline: 03 578 3299 SKYPE: New Zealand 03 578 3299

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About Victor 3 Infantry Rifle Company

   The Victor 3 Vietnam veterans have a Yahoo Group to which former members can subscribe, click here to see the Groups' Yahoo Page.

The Company [V3] was comprised of personnel who were members of the 1st Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment [1 RNZIR], garrisoned at the time in Terendak Military Camp, about 15 kilometres north of Malacca on the Malay peninsula. 1 RNZIR was a highly-trained, combat-ready unit, well able to fulfil the roles envisaged in various SEATO contingency plans and as well as combat operations in South Vietnam.

Extensive training programs culminated in testing operational exercises designed to assess the Company's preparedness for active service.

Given that early training had commenced in New Zealand this was followed with more intense training on the Malay peninsula where New Zealand infantry troops had been stationed since 1955. Some of the V3 soldiers and many of the junior and senior NCO's were experienced in the techniques of jungle warfare in Malaya and Borneo, the most recent prior to Vietnam being during the Indonesian Confrontation in the mid-1960's. Such experience was to hold V3 in good stead in South Vietnam during its deployment from May 1968 to May 1969.

The V3 sub unit ultimately had 172 personnel posted to its strength in South Vietnam, two were killed in action. The rotation of Australian infantry battalions saw V3 attached as a rifle company for a short period of time with the 2 RAR/NZ [ANZAC] Battalion. The remainder of its tour of duty was with attachment to the 4 RAR/NZ [ANZAC] Battalion. Both battalions were integral components of the 1st Australian Task Force garrisoned at Nui Dat in the Phuoc Tuy province.

The following comment from Brigadier Ian Thorpe, a former second-in-command ot a 2 RAR/NZ [ANZAC] Battalion sums, up the conribution of V3 personnel:

'If there is one element in the New Zealand military ethos that is worth emphasis, it is, to me, the attitude that, in the international field where we have always served and planned to serve, we are always a small increment in a larger force, and therefore can only make our mark through quality and I think that amongst regulars there has been the recognition that quality does not fall like manna on the chosen but results from serious study and hard training.'
Source: The Australian Army and the Vietnam War 1962-1972.

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