Scheyviilians and Friends
The OTU Association always tries to help members in their endeavours! The latest to get involved with an activity worth supporting is John O’Hallorn, one of our ‘founding fathers’. Ric Teague has spent many hours with John and has written a book named The Platoon Commander. The following are details available on the website for this book that is to be launched on 9 June 2021.
Neil Leckie, Editor, The Scheyvillian
Ric Teague’s book ‘The Platoon Commander’
At the start of the Vietnam War John O’Halloran was a National Serviceman who never expected to serve overseas. He would go on to lead with distinction as a Platoon Commander in 6 RAR’s B Company at some of the biggest conflicts of the Vietnam War. This is one soldier’s extraordinary account of a war that still haunts Australia.
John O’Halloran was a country boy from Tamworth, NSW, who was called up for National Service not long after the start of the Vietnam War. By then a tough and determined 21-year-old, he guided 5 Platoon B Company 6 RAR through some of the biggest conflicts of the war. He faced his hardest military challenge on Operation Bribie, leading a fixed bayonet charge against a deadly Viet Cong jungle stronghold.
The Platoon Commander is an unmissable and devastating first-hand account of the realities and brutalities of war, and especially this war fought in jungles, not trenches, which would go on to bitterly divide Australians. O’Halloran’s sense of duty and strong character carried him and his men through fierce battles and uncertainty. His sense of humour kept him going through the years afterwards. His indomitable spirit inspired the men of 5 Platoon to fight against the odds to achieve the mission – no matter how treacherous – and even away from the action and in the many years since O’Halloran kept the respect of his men.
Now regarded by many of his peers as a National Treasure, John Patrick Joseph O’Halloran has been quoted in almost every important book written about Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War, yet has never told his own remarkable story – until now!
Although the book cover credits the now West Australian John O’Halloran as being an author, he advises that South Australian Ric Teague was the actual author. Ric wrote the book using many sources, including countless one-on-one interviews with John. Ric Teague is a retired newspaper and television journalist and documentary maker. His career spanned 46 years across Australia, England and South Africa, and he has worked for Ten Network, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, The Australian, The Age and News Limited. His first book, Born on ANZAC Day, was published in 2015.
The Platoon Commander will be launched on 9th June 2021. It will be available for purcahse ‘online’ and at all good bookshops. An electronic version will also be available.