Five Tunnel Rats who had their valour recognised

The bravery of these five Tunnel Rats in Vietnam was suitably recognised with the awarding of the prestigious Military Medal

The Military Medal is not given lightly. Its about valour. Its about bravery in combat. It was instituted in March 1916 as an award for acts of bravery and bravery under fire. All Military Medals issued to Australian personnel are engraved with the name of the recipient, usually with impressed capitals, and all are announced with a notification in the London Gazette.

Here we take a close look at the events leading up to and surrounding each incident. So far we have detailed accounts directly from three of the recipients (Phil Baxter MM, Gary Miller MM and Neil Innes MM). For the other two recipients (Lionel Rendalls MM and Ray Ryan MM), we have details taken directly from the citations that accompanied their awards, and will be contacting them directly over the next few months to cover their stories in full.

Gary Miller MM

Gary Miller was a Sapper working as a Tunnel Rat with 3 Troop 1 Field Squadron in Vietnam from 27th August 1969 to 20th August1970.

Phil Baxter MM

On July 21st 1969, Sapper Phil Baxter was the “No.1” of a two-man splinter team attached to 6RAR on Operation Mundingburra.

Lionel Rendalls MM

On the 17th October 1966, during Operation Queanbyan Corporal Rendalls was in charge of anengineer combat team in support of an infantry company.

Ray Ryan MM

On 10th March, 1969 Sapper Ryan was the team leaderof an engineer splinter-team which was allotted to DCompany, 5th Battallion, The Royal Australian Regiment.

Neil Innes MM

The incident in which Neil Innes won his Military Medal took place on May 2nd 1967 during Operation Leeton