A memorial erected by Australian soldiers to mark the bloody battle of Long Tan during the Vietnam War has found a new home in Canberra.
Diggers installed the Long Tan Cross in Southern Vietnam in 1969 to commemorate their comrades who fought and died during the battle three years earlier.
The cross was returned to Australia during a secret operation in early 2017.
On Friday morning it was unveiled as the latest exhibition on display at the Australian War Memorial.
The battle of Long Tan on August 18-19, 1966 saw Australian and New Zealand soldiers fight a Viet Cong force that was 10 times their size, for over three hours in monsoonal rain.
Eighteen Australian soldiers died and 24 were wounded in the battle, considered to be the most costly single engagement for Australia in the war.
The Vietnamese government donated the cross to Australia, and it will remain as a permanent exhibition at the War Memorial, in time for the 52nd anniversary of the battle on Saturday.
Retired Lieutenant Colonel Len Johnson was the operations officer in 6RAR/NZ in Vietnam in 1969, and oversaw the construction and installation of the concrete cross.
"The idea of commemorating the third anniversary of the battle of Long Tan was raised during a routine discussion in Townsville in April," he said.
"We agreed that the battalion would soon be in the position in Vietnam to do something."
Mr Johnson said the mission to install the cross was only possible due to a time gap between operations, which overlapped with the battle's anniversary.
The plan was costly. In preparations, two land mine explosions killed a lieutenant and a non-commissioned officer, leaving other soldiers severely wounded.
After occupying the area, the three-metre cross was finally positioned using concrete mixed on site.
"When I look at the cross I see those young men, and I stand still for a moment remembering them. Telling them, they have done their soldiers duty, and have earned their right to never be forgotten," Mr Johnson said.
Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove, a veteran of the Vietnam War, served with Long Tan soldiers.
"This cross was intended to mark a particular time, a particular battle. Its journey here to this place, sacred to all Australians, has come to reflect not just the battle of Long Tan and the gallant men who fought there, but to recall to us all that entire war," Sir Peter said.
"The Long Tan Cross has come home to us all."
