Above is the video for the folk-rock song I Was Only 19, which was featured in the 2019 war movie Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan.
Directed by Kriv Stenders, the film portrays the events of Aug. 18, 1966, when 108 soldiers from D Company of the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) faced off against a vastly superior force of over 2,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong soldiers in the Long Tan rubber plantation in South Vietnam.
The Australians were conducting a routine patrol in response to recent Viet Cong activity when they encountered the enemy. As the battle intensified, the Australians found themselves outnumbered nearly 20 to 1. Despite these overwhelming odds, they held their ground, assisted by artillery support and a timely resupply of ammunition.
After several hours of fierce fighting, the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces eventually withdrew.
Most of the Australian soldiers killed in the battle were 21 years old or younger. Seventeen from D Company died in the battle, and a trooper from 1 APC Squadron died nine days later from wounds he sustained in the fight. Their names and ages are listed at the end of the above video.
Danger Close dramatizes the battle with its storyline centering on the soldiers of D Company, especially their leaders, Major Harry Smith (played by Travis Fimmel), and the soldiers under his command. The film also stars Luke Bracey, Daniel Webber, Nicholas Hamilton, and Richard Roxburgh.
Stuart Beattie wrote the screenplay, while the movie’s producers were Martin Walsh, John Schwarz, and Michael Schwarz.
Australian Band Redgum
I Was Only 19, written and performed by the Australian band Redgum became one of the most significant anthems about the Vietnam War from an Australian perspective. Released in 1983, it offers a raw, first-person account of a young Australian soldier’s experiences during the conflict and the lasting impact on him.
The song was inspired by the stories of Vietnam veteran Mick Storen, whose recollections were shared with John Schumann, the band’s lead vocalist and songwriter. It reached number one on the national charts following its release.
To watch and listen to it, click the play button at the left of the feature image above.
Approximately 60,000 Australians and 3,000 New Zealanders served in the Vietnam War. Among them, 521 Australians and 37 New Zealanders lost their lives, while over 3,000 Australians and 187 New Zealanders were wounded.
