I was a national serviceman and army officer, I was born on 12
January 1945 in Brisbane, son of James Grant x, a motor trimmer
from Scotland who became a prominent Gold Coast businessman, and
his second wife Leonora Jean, née Shaw, who was born in New South
Wales. Educated at St Joseph's College, Nudgee, and at The
Southport School, I studied medicine for a term in 1964 at the
University of Queensland. One of the best-known junior Rugby Union
footballers in Queensland, I played for the Combined Great Public
Schools first XV and for the firsts at both my schools. I was
employed as a cadet with the Australian Estates Co. Ltd when I was
called up for national service on 29 September 1965.
Selected for officer-training, I was sent to Scheyville, New
South Wales, where I was described as 'steady', 'intelligent' and
'possessing leadership qualities'. In April 1966 I was commissioned
second lieutenant in the Royal Australian Infantry Corps and posted
to the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. Next year I
successfully applied for an extension of my national service to
enable myself to be considered for a one-year deployment to the
Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). In October 1967 I was
transferred to the 3rd Battalion, R.A.R. As commander of 'C'
Company's No.9 Platoon, I sailed with the battalion to Vung Tau in
December. Known for my 'gap-toothed ever-ready grin', I often led
the singing of the 3RAR's ballad, 'There Won't be Many Coming
Back'.
The unit began Operation Pinnaroo—probably the most dangerous it
conducted in South Vietnam—with the object of capturing and
destroying bases of the People's Liberation Armed Forces (Viet
Cong) in the Long Hai hills. The Viet Cong designated this area the
Minh Dam Secret Zone. Its natural caves and subterranean streams
provided a haven from which they launched raids and propaganda
missions into the surrounding countryside. Within a short time 'C'
Company occupied the Hon Vung foothills where it began to locate
and neutralize enemy mines and booby traps.
One fateful day No.9 platoon was engaged in clearing a safe lane
along a gully towards a suspected tunnel entrance. During this slow
and deliberate phase, I accidentally triggered a captured M16
anti-personnel mine which had been placed by the Viet Cong to
protect the tunnel's mouth. The M16 was of American manufacture and
designed to jump about 3 ft (91 cm) into the air before exploding.
When I heard the mine arming, I deliberately used my body in an
effort to smother the effects of the blast and minimize injuries to
those members of my platoon who were close by. The explosion
fatally wounded me and seriously injured three of my men. As I lay
on the ground, I told my comrades not to approach because there
were more mines around me. I died that day while being evacuated by
helicopter; the other wounded soldiers recovered in hospital. I was
buried with Catholic rites and military honours in the Allambe
Garden of Memories cemetery, Nerang, Queensland.
What would you do?
Parking:S 28°
00.460 E 153° 25.649
WP1:S 28° 00.494 E
153° 25.649
GZ: S 28° 00.(I-1)F(F-1) E 153° 25.(I-1)JH
You may encounter homeless people in the vicinity of the cache,
it took me an hour to hide it as one of them rounded me up for a
discussion on the environment and our current water crisis