The Battle of Coral-Balmoral

Lieutenant Colonel George Hulse OAM fought in the battle of Coral Balmoral

What started as a simple mission quickly escalated into one of the most dangerous and sustained battles of the Vietnam War.

Units of the 1st Australian Task Force 1 RAR and 3 RAR found themselves surrounded by the North Vietnamese regular army in Bien Hoa province, triggering a series of actions between 12 May and 6 June.

The fighting unfolded around Fire Support Patrol Bases (FSPB) Coral and Balmoral, with both bases sustaining prolonged enemy attacks. Twenty-six Australian lives were lost in the battle, and more than 100 Australians were injured.

Former President of the Toowong RSL Sub Branch, Lieutenant Colonel George Hulse OAM, was just 21 years old at the time and serving with the 1st Field Squadron. On the eve of the battle, he recalls landing in what was known as the Iron Triangle, an area controlled by the North Vietnamese.

“It was called the Iron Triangle by the Americans because they could never break into it. The North Vietnamese owned it, lock, stock, and barrel.

“The Americans couldn't believe it when we landed,” says George.

No Surrender, No Retreat

A helicopter hovering above FSPB Coral (image courtesy of the Australian War Memorial) 

Weakened North Vietnamese forces were supposed to be retreating from the area after a failed attack on Saigon.

“Intelligence told us that these guys are running away to the north, and that they were going to run to Cambodia to find their safe sanctuaries and lick their wounds,” says George.

“All we had to do was move from Nui Dat and get into this area of operation and round them up.”

But before the Australians could even finish setting up their base, a highly organised unit of North Vietnamese soldiers launched an attack on 1 RAR at FSPB Coral at 3.30am on 13 May.

“And then they came after us,” remembers George.

“And for the next 26 days, we came very close to being annihilated.”

An attack on 3 RAR followed on 16 May at FSPB Balmoral. It was during this phase of the fight that George says the Australian soldiers created a mantra for the battle. 

“We all looked at each other and said, 'No, bugger it, we'd rather die than bloody surrender'.” So there'd be no retreat, because we couldn't, there was no place to go. We were in a ball and they were right around us, where the hell were we going to go?”

“So, we decided our mantra would be, 'We will fight and live, or we will fight and die'.”

The Forgotten Battle

An Australian soldier at FSPB Coral in the aftermath of the battle (image courtesy of the Australian War Memorial)

The fighting continued for weeks. With heavy support from the US Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force, the North Vietnamese forces were eventually repelled. It’s estimated that over 300 North Vietnamese soldiers were killed in the fighting.

Despite being one of the largest battles involving Australians during the Vietnam War, the Battle of Coral-Balmoral is often overshadowed. The Australian Army regiments present at the battle were later awarded one of the five battle honours approved for the Vietnam War, but George believes more needs to be done to recognise the exceptional bravery of those who fought.

More than 50 years later, he remains committed to fighting for the appropriate medals and honours to be awarded.

George Hulse is the former President of the Toowong RSL Sub-Branch and the President of the Australian Defence Force Trackers and War Dogs Association. He released a book in 2019 about Australian military working dogs, In Dogs We Trust.

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