GAFFNEY, Ronald James
| Service Number: | 3793157 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 9th Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment (9RAR) |
| Born: | Mudgee, New South Wales, Australia, 2 February 1947 |
| Home Town: | Mudgee, Mid-Western Regional, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | National Serviceman |
| Died: | Accidental, South Vietnam, 16 December 1968, aged 21 years |
| Cemetery: |
Mudgee General Cemetery, New South Wales Area: Roman Catholic Section: Sub section: Sector: Plot: Row: A Grave: 473 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Grafton Clarence Valley Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Kallangur Vietnam Veterans' Place, Mudgee District Fallen Soldiers Memorial, Port Pirie Vietnam Veterans Honour Wall, Seymour Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Walk Roll of Honour, Sydney 9th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment Vietnam Killed on Active Service Plaque |
Vietnam War Service
| 13 Nov 1968: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Private, 3793157, 9th Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment (9RAR) | |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Nov 1968: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Private, 3793157 |
A Friend From Recruit Training
I did my recruit training with Ron, we were in the same hut.
On a rare weekend leave during that time Ron, went with Ross Burris to his home town of Mornington to spent the weekend away from the army camp. It was to far for him to travel home to Mudgee.
When I got to Vietnam I was stationed at 106 Field Workshop and Ross at 1st Armoured Regiment LAD, both not far from the 9 RAR Lines.
When I first got to Vietnam just before Christmas 1968 I hunted Ross out at the LAD and we decided to go down to the 9 RAR lines to visit Ron.
When we asked to see him we were told he had been killed. This shook both of us immensely and I always remember the dreadful time and my mate Ron.
Peter Lucas
Submitted 13 May 2017 by Peter Lucas
Biography
Ronald was serving with 9RAR at the time of his death. He had only been in country 34 days.
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