Page 6 - Flaming Cauldron – Issue 56

ACC ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER

Member Request
Former WO1 Rod Spring is trying to contact another former WO1 Steve Barratt as they both were
members of the 26th Intake JTR and joined up together in 1966. Anyone who knows Steve Barratt is
asked to contact me at Secretary@accassociation.org

The Army has recently launched the Healthy
BOOK REVIEW Soldier Cook Book in recognition of the

The Vietnam Wars fact that so many single servicemen and
women cook for themselves and want
to eat healthily. The Cookbook can be
There have been many books
The combatants in the three Vietnam downloaded from the internet (www.
wars from 1945 to 1975 employed widely
contrasting supply methods. This fascinating
book reveals that basic traditional
techniques proved superior to expensive
state of the art systems. army.mod.uk/media/8260/healthy-soldier-
During the Indochina or ‘French’ war,
written about the Vietnam Wars,
and, finally, air supply proved vulnerable
BRIGADIER NS ‘TANK’ NASH CBE was France’s initial use of wheeled transport
educated at Latymer Upper School before given the terrain, climate and communist
entering the catering industry. He enlisted adaptability. The colonial power gave up
in the infantry battalion of the Honourable the unequal struggle after the catastrophic
so why did Tank Nash choose to
Artillery Company in 1957 and served until defeat at Dien Bien Phu. cookbook.pdf) and includes some quick
To stem the advance of Communism
conscripted for National Service in 1960. throughout the region, the Americans
Briefly a Royal Fusilier, he was
commissioned in the Army Catering Corps stepped in to support the pro-Western South
and, for thirty years, was employed in logistic
Vietnam regime and threw vast quantities
management in the UK, Germany, the Far of manpower and money at the problem.
East. Between 1975 and 1977, he was an The cost became increasingly unpopular at and easy healthy recipes. Although somewhat different to the Manual of
pen another one? In this instance
‘exchange officer’ with the US Army in a home. General Giap’s and Ho Chi Minh’s
logistic appointment. He retired in 1991. ruthless use of coolies most famously on
He has an MA in Military History from
the Ho Chi Minh Trail proved resistant
For thirty-three years, from 1973, he wrote
Birmingham University. to carpet-bombing and Agent Orange
defoliation.
humour under the pen name ‘Sustainer’ and The outcome of the final war between the Army Catering Services that we all know and love, it is very much a recipe
he concentrates on the vital part
his work was published internationally in a Communist North Vietnam and the corrupt
number of military journals. There are three
Southern leadership, now with minimal US
published anthologies of his column: Reveille
support, was almost a foregone conclusion.
& Retribution (1997), Spit & Polish (1999)
The Author is superbly qualified to
and Friend & Foe (2001). examine these three wars from the logistic
His five previous books with Pen and
perspective. His conclusions make for
Sword are K-Boat Catastrophe (2009), compelling reading and will be instructive to book for today’s soldier. Editor
played by logistics during the
Chitrál Charlie (2010), Valour in the acting practitioners and enquiring minds.
Trenches (2011), Strafer – Desert General
(2013) and Betrayal of an Army (2016).
Jacket design: Jon Wilkinson
For a complete list of current titles ring or write to: three wars, set against the back-
PEN & SWORD BOOKS LIMITED
47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 2AS
E-mail: enquiries@pen-and-sword.co.uk uk £19.99
Tel: 01226 734222 us $34.99
Or visit our website at: uk £19.99 · us $34.99 www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
www.pen-and-sword.co.uk ground of the campaigns, the
PEN & SWORD BOOKS (US)
1950 Lawrence Rd, Havertown, PA 19083, USA
E-mail: Uspen-and-sword@casematepublishers.com
Tel: +1 610 853 9131
Or visit our website at: www.pen-and-sword.co.uk Veterans In Need CIC
www.penandswordbooks.com
OVER 7000 TITLES AVAILABLE. tactics of the armies involved www.veteransinneed.org.uk
and political indecision; thereby providing a new Community Interest Company Are a Community Interest Company,
slant on the wars. that has been set up to reduce the
Veterans many problems facing Veterans,
His book illustrates the very different
In Service Personnel and their Families.
approach to logistics taken by the French, We hope to achieve this by providing as
Need
American and North Vietnamese armies. In much Help & Information as possible,
doing so he has come up with some very interest- both on the website and popular Social
Media platforms. Most subjects are
ing and sometimes astonishing facts and figures
covered and we have put all of the
which demonstrate clearly the importance of Help and Information in one location.
logistics in support of battle and which were We are not a Charity and are 100%
key factors in enabling the North Vietnamese Volunteer’s, any funds we get through
Here To Help Everyone advertising are donated to charities
to cause the disastrous withdrawal of the most
less essential expenditure only. We are
powerful army on earth. Please Visit Us And proud to have been invited to appear
His book is a valuable addition to the bibli- Share With Others on the Veterans Gateway App, as Help
ography of the wars. https://www.veteransinneed.org.uk & Information providers and we are
contact@veteransinneed.org.uk working in support of them.
From our Friends Down Under
Dear Wally,
Well, we managed to hold our first Returned Services League families, the Federal Minister for Home Affairs,
(RSL) Sub Branch commemorative service this year on 18th two State Government MP’s, the Regional
August 2020, Vietnam Veterans’ Day. This date was chosen Council Mayor, Local Councillors and
as it’s the Anniversary candidates for the next State Government
of the Battle of Long election. However, only a small number of
Tan, South Vietnam attendees could take refreshments in the
which took place on Services Club, where temperatures were
18th August 1966. We taken, photo ID was checked against
had strict Covid 19 signatures and time in/out was recorded. These
restrictions on numbers services were held in Queensland (which has closed its
attending, social dis- borders) but not in Victoria where the ‘second wave’ of the
tancing, hand sanitising pandemic has resulted in almost complete shut down of social
and attendance record gatherings. What a NEW world we live in! I hope restrictions
keeping. But even as a are easing a bit for you, though I expect commemorative ser-
small traditional RSL vices will remain very restricted or even completely cancelled
Sub Branch, we attracted like our Anzac Day parades earlier this year. Best of luck with
Brian and Jan Kay all set for the Vietnam attendance from 50 all of that! Keep safe.
Veterans’ Day commemorative Service RSL members and their Best regards, Brian Kay
PAGE 6 SECRETARY@ACCASSOCIATION.ORG | WWW.ACCASSOCIATION.ORG