Special Forces
Roll Of Honour
Special Forces
Roll Of Honour
Home
Categories
Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New media
New articles
New media comments
New profile posts
New article comments
Latest activity
Entries
Roll Of Honour
Awards
Popski's Private Army Roster
Operations
War Diaries
Today In History
Web Links
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Members
Current visitors
New profile posts
Search profile posts
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Home
Forums
Entries
Awards
Bolitho, Mervyn Richard (Merv)
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
A Chindit's Chronicle
By Bill Towill
Code Talker : The First and Only Memoir By One of the Original Navajo Code Talkers of WWII
By Jeff Bingaman, Chester Nez & Judith Schiess Avila
Message
<blockquote data-quote="John Robertson" data-source="post: 28190" data-attributes="member: 1"><p> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>SURNAME</strong></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><em>Bolitho </em></p> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>FORENAME</strong></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><em>Mervyn Richard (Merv) </em></p> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>UNIT</strong></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><em>Royal Australian Infantry Corps </em></p> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>RANK</strong></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><em>T/Warrant Officer Second Class </em></p> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>NUMBER</strong></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><em>5411664 </em></p> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>AWARD</strong></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><em>Mention in Despatches + US Bronze Star</em></p> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>PLACE</strong></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><em>South Vietnam </em></p> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>ADDITIONAL INFORMATION</strong></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><em>born 09.11.1935</em></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><em>AATTV 19.11.1968-5.11.1969 </em></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><em>WIA 19.07.1969, A Shau Valley </em></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><em>member Australian SAS</em></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><em>died 20.12.2013, Perth, Western Australia</em></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><em>cremated</em></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><a href="https://www.specialforcesroh.com/index.php?media/m-bolitho.2979/" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.specialforcesroh.com/data/xfmg/custom_thumbnail/2/2979-34205237f580c0eb249c98e13a2eeab2.jpg?1637866749" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="width: 300px; height: 300px" /></a></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="color: rgb(184, 49, 47)"><em>Warrant Officer Bolitho enlisted in the Australian Regular Army in 1953 and served with The Royal Australian Regiment in Korea and in Malaya. He joined the Australian Army Training Team in Vietnam in November 1968.</em></span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><em><span style="color: rgb(184, 49, 47)">For his full tour with the Training Team, Warrant Officer Bolitho served in operations with Hac-Bao (Black Panther) Company of the 1st Division, Army of the Republic of Vietnam and for the majority of this time was the company’s senior adviser. Only the best advisers were selected for this elite Company and it contained carefully selected Vietnamese soldiers. The company was tasked with special operations in some of the most difficult areas of Vietnam, including the Demilitarised Zone and the mountainous region of the A-Shau Valley. Warrant Officer Bolitho’s outstanding personal example and professional ability resulted in this small unit producing operational result previously thought unattainable.</span></em></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><em><span style="color: rgb(184, 49, 47)">During July 1969, the Hac-Bao Company was assigned to a search and destroy operation in the A-Shau Valley, adjacent to the Laotian border. On numerous occasions throughout his protracted operation, Warrant Officer Bolitho displayed outstanding leadership and personal bravery. He was constantly moving forward to the leading elements of the company while under enemy fire, encouraging the Vietnamese junior leaders and their soldier by his personal example. He was wounded during the operation, but refused to be evacuated until he ensured that the company was settled in a temporary defensive position. He returned to the field after only three days in hospital to continue the operation. His guidance to the Vietnamese Company Commander, and in the more hazardous situations his direct leadership and command of the company, in the actions involved in this operation were outstanding.</span></em></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="color: rgb(184, 49, 47)"><em>Warrant Officer Boltiho’s professional ability, his personal example and his devotion to duty throughout his operational tour with the Training Team were an inspiration to all who served with him and reflect great credit upon himself, the Australian Army Training Team and the Australian Army.</em></span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="John Robertson, post: 28190, member: 1"] [LIST] [*][B]SURNAME[/B] [/LIST] [INDENT][I]Bolitho [/I][/INDENT] [LIST] [*][B]FORENAME[/B] [/LIST] [INDENT][I]Mervyn Richard (Merv) [/I][/INDENT] [LIST] [*][B]UNIT[/B] [/LIST] [INDENT][I]Royal Australian Infantry Corps [/I][/INDENT] [LIST] [*][B]RANK[/B] [/LIST] [INDENT][I]T/Warrant Officer Second Class [/I][/INDENT] [LIST] [*][B]NUMBER[/B] [/LIST] [INDENT][I]5411664 [/I][/INDENT] [LIST] [*][B]AWARD[/B] [/LIST] [INDENT][I]Mention in Despatches + US Bronze Star[/I][/INDENT] [LIST] [*][B]PLACE[/B] [/LIST] [INDENT][I]South Vietnam [/I][/INDENT] [LIST] [*][B]ADDITIONAL INFORMATION[/B] [/LIST] [INDENT][I]born 09.11.1935[/I][/INDENT] [INDENT][I]AATTV 19.11.1968-5.11.1969 [/I][/INDENT] [INDENT][I]WIA 19.07.1969, A Shau Valley [/I][/INDENT] [INDENT][I]member Australian SAS[/I][/INDENT] [INDENT][I]died 20.12.2013, Perth, Western Australia[/I][/INDENT] [INDENT][I]cremated[/I][/INDENT] [INDENT][URL='https://www.specialforcesroh.com/index.php?media/m-bolitho.2979/'][IMG width="300px" height="300px"]https://www.specialforcesroh.com/data/xfmg/custom_thumbnail/2/2979-34205237f580c0eb249c98e13a2eeab2.jpg?1637866749[/IMG][/URL][/INDENT] [INDENT][COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)][I]Warrant Officer Bolitho enlisted in the Australian Regular Army in 1953 and served with The Royal Australian Regiment in Korea and in Malaya. He joined the Australian Army Training Team in Vietnam in November 1968.[/I][/COLOR][/INDENT] [INDENT][/INDENT] [INDENT][I][COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]For his full tour with the Training Team, Warrant Officer Bolitho served in operations with Hac-Bao (Black Panther) Company of the 1st Division, Army of the Republic of Vietnam and for the majority of this time was the company’s senior adviser. Only the best advisers were selected for this elite Company and it contained carefully selected Vietnamese soldiers. The company was tasked with special operations in some of the most difficult areas of Vietnam, including the Demilitarised Zone and the mountainous region of the A-Shau Valley. Warrant Officer Bolitho’s outstanding personal example and professional ability resulted in this small unit producing operational result previously thought unattainable.[/COLOR][/I][/INDENT] [INDENT][/INDENT] [INDENT][I][COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]During July 1969, the Hac-Bao Company was assigned to a search and destroy operation in the A-Shau Valley, adjacent to the Laotian border. On numerous occasions throughout his protracted operation, Warrant Officer Bolitho displayed outstanding leadership and personal bravery. He was constantly moving forward to the leading elements of the company while under enemy fire, encouraging the Vietnamese junior leaders and their soldier by his personal example. He was wounded during the operation, but refused to be evacuated until he ensured that the company was settled in a temporary defensive position. He returned to the field after only three days in hospital to continue the operation. His guidance to the Vietnamese Company Commander, and in the more hazardous situations his direct leadership and command of the company, in the actions involved in this operation were outstanding.[/COLOR][/I][/INDENT] [INDENT][/INDENT] [INDENT][COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)][I]Warrant Officer Boltiho’s professional ability, his personal example and his devotion to duty throughout his operational tour with the Training Team were an inspiration to all who served with him and reflect great credit upon himself, the Australian Army Training Team and the Australian Army.[/I][/COLOR][/INDENT] [/QUOTE]
Verification
Post reply
Home
Forums
Entries
Awards
Bolitho, Mervyn Richard (Merv)
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
Accept
Learn more…
Top