John Milton (Randsy) RANDS

RANDS, John Milton

Service Number: 2787069
Enlisted: Not yet discovered
Last Rank: Lance Corporal
Last Unit: 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR)
Born: Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia, 21 October 1946
Home Town: Temora, Temora Municipality, New South Wales
Schooling: Temora High School, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation: Accountant
Died: Killed in Action, Bien Hoa, South Vietnam, 12 December 1968, aged 22 years
Cemetery: Temora (Old) Cemetery, New South Wales, Australia
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Grafton Clarence Valley Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Kallangur Vietnam Veterans' Place, Port Pirie Vietnam Veterans Honour Wall, Seymour Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Walk Roll of Honour, Townsville HB - 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, Wollongong Vietnam Memorial
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Vietnam War Service

27 Mar 1968: Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Lance Corporal, 2787069, 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR)
27 Mar 1968: Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Lance Corporal, 2787069
12 Dec 1968: Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Lance Corporal, 2787069, 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR)

Help us honour John Milton Rands's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed

John worked as a clerk before being posted to 1RAR on 27 March 1968. John was wounded in action during the Battle of Firebase Coral on 13 May 1968. On 12 December 1968 Corporal Rands was fatally wounded during enemy contact in Bien Hoa. He was 22 years old at the time of his passing.
Lance Corporal John Milton Rands lies in rest at Temora (Old) Cemetery, New South Wales, Australia.

Biography contributed by John Edwards

"2787069 Lance Corporal John Milton Rands, 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment Age 22 from Coffs Harbour NSW. He was killed in action on 12th December 1968 during an enemy contact in Bien Hoa." - SOURCE (www.findagrave.com)

Biography contributed by Bev Fischer

While he was born in Coffs Harbour, Temora was always where John's home was and heart belonged. People loved being around Johnny, he was interested in and respectful of othes, he'd have a go at anything, he loved sport, he was funny, adventurous and up for anything. As a testament to the continuing impact of his short life, in 2008, 40 years after his death a group of his army comrades commissioned the John Rands Perpetual Memorial Award presented annually at Temora High School. Speaking at the inaugual presentation in 2008 Major Michael Barrett, John's Commanding Officer in Vietnam said "John quickly emerged as a fine soldier and a very good leader-he was intelligent, had a great sense of fun bordering on larrikinism, he was tough, strong in moral fibre and very brave. He was a credit to his family and the Temora community in which he grew up. 

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