Toowoomba veteran reflects on his involvement in Battle of Coral-Balmoral, one of Australia’s most important conflicts

It’s been described as one of Australia’s most important armed conflicts — and also one that has been under-appreciated. One Toowoomba veteran reflects on the Battle of Coral-Balmoral.

Mike Dwight is a veteran of the Battle of Coral-Balmoral, fought during the Vietnam War in May 1968, Friday, May 14, 2021. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Mike Wright still remembers the moment he realised parts of his battalion at Fire Support Base Coral had been overrun by North Vietnamese fighters on May 15, 1968.

“My vivid memory was I had just sat behind the machine gun when the rockets came in,” he said.

“We virtually fought them to a standstill.”

Mr Wright didn’t know it at the time, but he had found himself in the middle of what historians now call one of the most important and under-appreciated military conflicts in Australia’s modern era.

The Battle of Coral-Balmoral, which raged for 26 days between the 1st Australian Task Force and both North Vietnamese and Vietcong forces, left more than two dozens soldiers dead and nearly 100 wounded.

Mike Dwight back at main base camp during the Vietnam War.

Reflecting on the battle’s 53rd anniversary this week, the Westbrook resident said one of his best mates was one of the wounded.

“A good mate of mine was wounded, there were two or three blokes wounded and couple killed,” Mr Wright said.

“In my section, which was a seven-man section, we had two wounded.

“We were fighting so hard, there wasn’t any time to think about anything else – just our drills and weapon handling.”

Archival footage of the Battle of Coral-Balmoral in May 1968, during the Vietnam War.

After the initial firefight, Mr Wright was involved in several patrols as Australian forces began to gain the ascendancy after being initially unprepared.

“When it was quiet, we dug our pits deeper, down to where we could stand up in them,” he said.

“A-Company did have three or four contacts during that time.

“The Australians always went out on patrol, so that’s why those contacts happened.

“I was happy I had survived the overrun, but we were switched onto our job.”

Australian soldier Richard Barron stands near his pit at Fire Support Base Coral, during the Battle of Coral-Balmoral during the Vietnam War.

Dr Leonie Jones, a film lecturer at the University of Southern Queensland and expert on the battle, said the conflict was a victim of the changing political winds.

“Politically, strategically and militarily, this was one of the most important battles Australia has fought in the modern era,” she said.

“When they came home, the world had changed — people didn’t want to acknowledge our veterans like they had in the past.

“The war became unpopular, so our soldiers were not recognised as they should — it coincided with the turning point in popular opinion.

“They deserve major recognition.”

Mr Dwight and Dr Jones attended a service at Mother’s Memorial on Thursday to commemorate the battle.

The 1st Battalion Royal Australian Regiment at the Battle of Coral Balmoral in 1968.