The Battle of Long Tan, Vietnam 1966, as told by two combat commanders who fought the battle

Dave Sabben and his men would probably have died in hand-to-hand fighting had not Adrian Roberts led a troop of armoured personnel carriers to their rescue.

The two young army officers had recently arrived at Australia's newly established base at Nui Dat in South Vietnam.

Their first battle, in the nearby Long Tan rubber plantation, on 18 August 1966, would become military history

Sabben's 30 man platoon was one of a company of 108 men who infamously fought off a vast force estimated at up to 2500 Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army regulars until the literal arrival of the cavalry.

00:00 Opening title
00:05 David Sabben conscripted. Adrian Roberts moves from CMF to officer training at Portsea
02:23 Deployed to the new Australian base at Nui Dat, Vietnam
03:05 The base comes under mortar attack. D company set out to find them
08:41 First contact made and the battle begins
19:27 Meanwhile the task force at Nui Dat is enjoying a concert by Little Patti
25:49 Artillery has been called in, now reinforcements are called
30:38 The delayed ammunition resupply is delivered by helicopter
37:27 The APC squadron led by Lt Roberts makes first contact.
41:27 Human wave attacks begin. Artillery called in close.
51:17 The aftermath - the personal cost