BEILKEN, Brian Charles
| Service Number: | 5718195 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 4th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (4RAR) |
| Born: | Cottesloe, Western Australia, 12 July 1950 |
| Home Town: | North Fremantle, Fremantle, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Boilermaker |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Nui Le, South Vietnam, 21 September 1971, aged 21 years |
| Cemetery: |
Perth War Cemetery and Annex, Western Australia Plot X Row D No. 4 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Grafton Clarence Valley Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Holsworthy 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment - Holsworthy Memorial, Kallangur Vietnam Veterans' Place, Port Pirie Vietnam Veterans Honour Wall, Seymour Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Walk Roll of Honour |
Vietnam War Service
| 19 Aug 1971: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Private, 5718195, 1st Australian Reinforcement Unit, Vietnam | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Aug 1971: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Private, 5718195 | |
| 10 Sep 1971: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Private, 5718195 | |
| 21 Sep 1971: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Private, 5718195, 4th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (4RAR), Operation Ivanhoe |
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5718195 Private Brian Beilken, Aged 21 and a former RAN cadet from Cottesloe, Western Australia was a boilermaker prior to being called up for National Service in 1970 and was posted to 4RAR. He joined the Battalion as a reinforcement from 1 Australian Reinforcement Unit on 10 September 1971.
During Operation IVANHOE in Phuoc Tuy Province on 21 September 1971, D Company was assaulting a heavily defended enemy bunker system during the battle of Nui Le. 11 Platoon was moving forward in the assault with 6 Section on the left flank when the section was hit by heavy, sustained automatic fire from several mutually supporting bunkers. Brian and another 6 section soldier, Private Rod Sprigg were killed instantly.
"...5718195 Private Brian Charles Beilken, 4th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (4RAR), of North Fremantle, WA. A National Serviceman, Pte Beilken arrived in South Vietnam on 19 August 1971 with the 1 Australian Reinforcement Unit and was allocated to 4RAR/NZ (ANZAC) on 10 September 1971. This was a battalion comprising of 4th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment and a component from the 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. On 21 September 1971, as part of Operation Ivanhoe, D Company, 4RAR/NZ fought an intense battle at Nui Le, Phuoc Tuy province, against elements of the 33rd Regiment, North Vietnamese Army who were occupying a bunker complex. During this battle Pte Beilken and four other Australian soldiers were killed. They were the last Australians to be killed in action in Vietnam." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)
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