The Mystery of the Strange Stones.
Another Paul Rowe History Mystery
The Mystery of the Strange Stones is a bit different to other mysteries I have solved on this website. This time nothing is missing. Nothing is lost. In fact, quite the opposite. This time I have found some things. I even know what they were. And where they most likely came from. But they are still extremely mysterious, and I am sure many stakeholders who share their common history, will be very interested that I have re-discovered them.
Although they are not where they were originally placed, they are not lost. In fact they are in a most appropriate place. In a place which respects soldiers. Soldiers from a time when Viet Nam and Ba Ria were not fun places to visit. These artefacts are a small part of Australian history. They now take on a much larger role; they represent Vietnamese heritage. A part of a heritage that is so important that these artefacts are given a special place to be cared for. As mentioned before, this seems appropriate.
Although they are not where they were originally placed, they are not lost. In fact they are in a most appropriate place. In a place which respects soldiers. Soldiers from a time when Viet Nam and Ba Ria were not fun places to visit. These artefacts are a small part of Australian history. They now take on a much larger role; they represent Vietnamese heritage. A part of a heritage that is so important that these artefacts are given a special place to be cared for. As mentioned before, this seems appropriate.
How it happenedEveryday Vietnam presents a new mystery to me. This morning I was exploring near the town of Baria when I decided to grab a coffee at a quite coffee shop on the edge of the town. The outdoor coffee shop shares its property with a Liet Si Hall (war heroes hall).
It is always nice to wander aimlessly around the garden while sipping a coffee. A few days ago I was walking through the same garden when I noticed a painted rock. That's not so strange really, because both the coffee shop and the Liet Si Hall garden feature rock displays. The colour of this rock hit me straight away. It looked out of place. Genuinely old. It was the vivid blue colour that caught my attention. One half of the large stone was bright blue. I bent over to look closer. The underside held traces of red paint. Not much, but enough for me to get suspicious. |
And so starts the Mystery of the Strange Stones
Immediately, I knew what I was looking at. I had stumbled across a company stone. It is a world-wide military habit to mark bases, and also to lay claim to segments of bases. Stones are a favourite marking device.
.............................................. When I served in the RAAF I maintained C130s and painted rocks; but mainly painted rocks. "LAC Rowe !!!" "Yes Warrant Officer." "Today you paint those rocks white!!" "I painted them white yesterday sir." "Well, turn them over and paint them white!!!!" Painting rocks is a military thing. .............................................. I discovered three rocks. It was rock 2 which held the most interest. Rock 2 seemed to have traces of writing on it. The writing was done in white paint over the red paint. I even thought I could make out a date. A date would help identify the stone. I photographed the stones from a few different angles. I couldn't wait to download these photos to my computer. I needed to enlarge certain areas to reveal the hidden message from the past. I needed to solve this mystery. The secret to solving this mystery lay in cracking the code of the fragmented writing. |
Later that same day
Back at my place on beautiful Vung Tau island.
The photos have been loaded into the computer and I start to use some different programmes to try to see what is written (was written) on rock 2.
I used some modern-day forensic technology in an attempt to unravel this mystery.
The photos have been loaded into the computer and I start to use some different programmes to try to see what is written (was written) on rock 2.
I used some modern-day forensic technology in an attempt to unravel this mystery.
Above: Rock 2 after enhancement with AutoCorrect. The colours become brighter. The white paint became easier to see.
What I saw as an '8' with the naked eye is now definitely an 'S'.
This number was confirmed as a 7.
A reasonably clear date. A date is a major clue to work with.
I decided to open the photo of rock 2 in 'Paint'.
Paint does two things.
1. Paint enlarges the photo so that individual pixels can be looked at. And,
2. Allows pixels to be added to the photo.
So I added white pixels to empty spaces between other white paint remnants. The pixel filling was a bit slow and painful, but at the same time it was very exciting work.
This is what I managed to find.
I decided to open the photo of rock 2 in 'Paint'.
Paint does two things.
1. Paint enlarges the photo so that individual pixels can be looked at. And,
2. Allows pixels to be added to the photo.
So I added white pixels to empty spaces between other white paint remnants. The pixel filling was a bit slow and painful, but at the same time it was very exciting work.
This is what I managed to find.
1967 and something, SP or SF, something. 1967 - the second year of the Australian base of Nui Dat being open.
I couldn't do anything with the other traces of white paint left on rock 2. Could the lager shape to the right of the date be drawing of a person?
So What clues do i now have to work with?
After the forensic work I now have considerably more clues to work with.
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With answers come bigger questions
Now the real sleuthing can start.
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Now it is YOUR opportunity to assist in a real, live history mystery case. [email protected]
What can I do to find the answer to this mystery?
- appeal to Google God
- go through my library
- talk to interested parties.
- question returned veterans - formally known as 'pub research'
- spin this webpage around the net and see what happens
- contact battalion historians
- contact authors I know
- contact a friend who is a Nui Dat specialist
- contact the Australia War Memorial.
I emailed 2 RAR and 6 RAR via their emails. I could not access an email for 3 RAR. Within a couple of hours I had a reply from 6 RAR.
Graham Smith(GMAIL) 4:24 To me Hi Paul, I have had a look at the photos on your website. I don’t recall seeing anything like those around 6 RAR’s area in 66/67. Our companies did have colours; Delta was red however we did not have a rock. Bravo was blue but a darker shade. 1 ATF comprised many units or sub-units across all army corps. All corps and sub-units there-in had colour patches which is a tradition which dates back to WW I. You could try researching colour patches for clues. A friend of mine also lives in (or near) Vung Tau and he also was at Nui Dat in 66/67. You may know or have heard of Breaker (Graeme) Cusack. Graeme was the 6 RAR Signal Pl. Commander in ’66 (my boss for a time) and also from Corp Sigs. He does have a fair knowledge of Nui Dat. Regards, Graham www.6rarassociation.com |
I decided to take up Graham's suggestion to research colour patches for clues.
http://www.army.gov.au/Our-work/Equipment-and-clothing/Army-Dress-Manual/Unit-Colour-Patch-Register
http://www.army.gov.au/Our-work/Equipment-and-clothing/Army-Dress-Manual/Unit-Colour-Patch-Register
There are two possibilities that that leap off the page.
Headquarters is red and blue and artillery is red and blue diagonal.
My initial gut-feeling is with Headquarters.
1. Admittedly a patch is square and rock 2 is not square, however, there seems no attempt to divide the rock diagonally with red and blue.
2. To a victor, claiming something from Headquarters would be perceived as a more valuable souvenir, I would think.
My initial gut-feeling is with Headquarters.
1. Admittedly a patch is square and rock 2 is not square, however, there seems no attempt to divide the rock diagonally with red and blue.
2. To a victor, claiming something from Headquarters would be perceived as a more valuable souvenir, I would think.
About where these strange stones came from.
Part of my hypothesis regarding these stones is that they came from Nui Dat Base.
I have taken quite a few Battlefield Tours to Nui Dat, so I should know something about the base just off the top of my head. In January 1966 Sir John Wilton flew over Phuc Thuy Province looking for a suitable place for an Australian army base. High command had decided that while Australia was an ally to the USA, it did not want Australian troops too close to the US army. High command was of the opinion that the Americans were too cavalier with the lives of their soldiers. So 1ATF was given Phuc Thuy Provence to patrol (present day Baria-Vung Tau Province). Wilton chose Nui Dat because the small hill gave visuals over the area, had fresh water and was approximately in the centre of the Province. It was in a French rubber plantation. There was no town or village called Nui Dat, the base took the name of the hill. Some say it means Small Hill, while others say it means Clay Hill. |
The above map (thanks to www.diggerhistory.com) shows Nui Dat base in relation to Baria and Vung Tau.
The stones originated in Nui Dat and are now in Baria, about 10 kilometres away. Initially I think that these stones would have been situated in a place of obvious importance ion Nui Dat base. I thought maybe around flag poles. As this photo of HQ shows; no stones (at this time). Then I remembered that they were marker stones. They marked the boundaries of a company, or whatever.
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I think it is time to gather my thoughts. A time to check that I am heading in the right direction.
* The stones I found are (were) boundary markers. There would need to be more than one if the boundaries were large. A small section might only have one stone.
* Find some proof that stones were actually painted in patch colours at Nui Dat.
* HQ? I don't know much (anything) about army HQ. When there was more than one battalion in Nui Dat did they share the HQ in the above photo (near Kanga pad), or were there separate HQs? I do know where battalions were positioned across Nui Dat base. Could their HQ been with them?
* Are the markings on the stones reliable?
* The stones I found are (were) boundary markers. There would need to be more than one if the boundaries were large. A small section might only have one stone.
* Find some proof that stones were actually painted in patch colours at Nui Dat.
* HQ? I don't know much (anything) about army HQ. When there was more than one battalion in Nui Dat did they share the HQ in the above photo (near Kanga pad), or were there separate HQs? I do know where battalions were positioned across Nui Dat base. Could their HQ been with them?
* Are the markings on the stones reliable?
Xmas, New Year and tet are over it is time to get back to this mystery
Over the break I received many emails and queries about these strange stones from Nui Dat base. Most leads were good, but there was one lead that just complicates the mystery. Let's get the bad news over with first.
The photo to the left clearly shows something that hadn't crossed my mind; company stones were painted over.
[Photo found at http://www.panoramio.com/photo/22854980] The creates a dilemma. What are we looking at?
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Let's get back to brighter news.
I was looking for evidence that patch colours were actually used on the marker rocks by the companies, etc at Nui Dat base. I now have positive evidence of that practice.
On the left is F Troop's rock bedecked in the colours of the signals patch; blue below and white above.
I was looking for evidence that patch colours were actually used on the marker rocks by the companies, etc at Nui Dat base. I now have positive evidence of that practice.
On the left is F Troop's rock bedecked in the colours of the signals patch; blue below and white above.
The following is a very informative email from Terry Dinneen who was with 2RAR in South Vietnam 67/68.
Jan 31
Hi Paul London to a brick that they belong to the Gunners. At Nui Dat in 1967 there was a Kiwi Bty 161, 2 x Aust Btys (+) a Regt HQ and elements of a Locating Bty ie 131 Bty. Take your pick. I've attached some contact details of some Gunner organisations who were there and should be interested. 103 Bty was in direct support to 2RAR in 1967, Jock Jenvey was the BC. I was in 101, 102 and 103 Btys at various times. I think this subject was raised once before but cannot now be certain. Best of luck and come back to me if I can be of further help. Best regards Terry PS Is it OK if I forward your email onto a few x-gunners? |
NOTE TO SELF: Contact the gunner organisations Terry provided.
If you can help with this mystery? [email protected] Thank you. Paul Rowe
Vietnam History
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