Vietnam War The battalion began its first tour of Vietnam on 1 June 1968, relieving 2RAR. Based at Nui Dat, in Phuoc Tuy Province it was joined by Victor and Whisky companies from the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (RNZIR) on 2 June, and was formally renamed 4RAR/NZ (ANZAC) Battalion. From 23 June the battalion took part in Operation Toan Thang II on the Bien Hoa-Long Binh border, before conducting patrols through Phuoc Tuy. It was subsequently conducting patrols, ambushes, and searches along the Long Khanh-Bien Hoa border from 15 September in an attempt to disrupt Viet Cong activity and deny them access to supplies as part of Operation Hawkesbury. 4RAR/NZ returned to Nui Dat on 24 September. 4RAR/NZ returned to the Long Khanh-Bien Hoa border as part of Operation Goodwood on 27 December, in response to increased in Viet Cong activity that suggested a communist offensive was being planned. The battalion was given a brief respite at Nui Dat from 13 January to 7 February, before taking part in Operation Federal in the Bien Hoa province. Operation Overlander commenced in the Bien Hoa province on 8 April, before the battalion again returned to Phuoc Tuy on 17 April. It was subsequently replaced by 6RAR on 1 May and departed for Australia on 19 May. Total casualties during the deployment included 19 killed and 97 wounded. 4RAR subsequently underwent a period of further training in Australia, and subsequently returned to Vietnam for its second tour in May 1971, again relieving 2RAR. Continuing the pacification program that that 1ATF had adopted in Phuoc Tuy in April 1969, 4RAR/NZ engaged in operations designed at seeking out and destroying the Viet Cong in their base areas, preventing their access to the civilian population, and in helping to create a security for the South Vietnamese. However with the Australian commitment to Vietnam reducing, intelligence reports had indicated the presence of North Vietnamese Army (NVA) troops in northern Phuoc Tuy, and the final battles fought by Australians in Vietnam began following the launch of Operation Ivanhoe (18 September – 2 October 1971). The battalion became involved in intense fighting and although it sustained heavy casualties during these engagements, it successfully hindered communist attempts to move south. Its final involvement came during the Battle of Nui Le on 21 September 1971. The battalion's tour was cut short by the Australian withdrawal, however, and it ultimately completed only eight months of its designated twelve-month tour. The last Australian battalion to leave Vietnam, the majority of 4RAR/NZ withdrew from Nui Dat to Vung Tau on 7 November 1971, before departing for Australia on 8 December. Casualties included 9 killed and 46 wounded. 'D' Company, 4RAR, remained behind until 12 March 1972 in order to provide security to rear details