2021 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Nui Le 50c Uncirculated Coin

2021 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Nui Le 50c Uncirculated Coin

Nui Le was the last major enemy engagement by Australian troops in Vietnam. The five killed in action there were the last Australian soldiers to die in combat in Vietnam.

For their bravery under fire, seven Australians were recognised with awards. Operation lvanhoe concluded on 2 October. The following month, Nui Dat base was handed to the South Vietnamese and by December nearly all Australian troops had left Phuoc Tuy Province.

Operation Ivanhoe was launched on 19 September. Three companies of the 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, including a company from the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (4RAR/NZ), and one company of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR) - Supported by artillery, engineers, armoured personnel carriers (APCG) and helicopters from 9 Squadron, RAAF-were inserted near suspected enemy Concentrations south-east of the Courtenay Rubber Plantation.

But importantly, this time they had no tank support. As part of the staged withdrawal, 1 Armoured Regiment had recently departed Vietnam.

On 20 September, an ambush and a series of contacts suggested the enemy was trying to provoke a reaction, luring the Australians into a well-prepared bunker system.

B Company, 4RAR/NZ came under mortar attack while patrolling south-east of the rubber plantation, causing fifteen casualties.

Limited Mintage of 27,000