Witnessing what artillery and bullets can do to a man following the carnage of Long Tan in 1966 has stayed with former mortarman, Robert Dean.

At 19, Mr Dean spent three gruelling days soaked in sweat and burying enemy fighters after the battle where 108 Australian and New Zealand soldiers from D company, 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, defeated a 2000-strong Viet Cong force.

Mr Dean was one of the men in support near the area where D company was positioned the night before. Re-entry into the battle area was led by D company mid-morning the next day.

“D Company recovered their fallen brothers in arms. They were received by us to load them on the RAAF helicopters to be taken to Vung Tau,” Mr Dean said.

He said he lost good friends that day, but gained valuable lessons.

“We learned quickly that trust and teamwork could mean the difference between life and death,” Mr Dean said.

The war’s brutal reality was revealed again when a 105mm artillery round struck a nearby mortar-carrying armoured personnel carrier vehicle.

'Coming home was a shock. It took time to feel normal again, and I carried the memories with me every day.'

The impact bent a friend’s rifle barrel back 90 degrees. 

“The blast was so powerful [that] it ripped it out of his hand and threw it over his head into the bush, and also wounded two other mortarmen,” Mr Dean said.

His tour ended in January 1967 when a faulty mortar round exploded during a firing operation to harass suspected enemy positions, injuring his hand and forcing a medical evacuation home.

“I had a faulty round and it came out of the tube – it only came out about a foot or so and then exploded,” he said.

“I ended up with a face full of cordite and some shrapnel in my right hand and wrist.”

Decades on, Mr Dean said sharing his memories was how he kept them alive.

“Coming home was a shock. It took time to feel normal again, and I carried the memories with me every day,” he said.

Mr Dean joined as a 17-year-old school kid in 1964 and served his country for six years.

Now at 79, he is bringing three generations together to march in Adelaide on Anzac Day. They will wear the medals of family and friends who came before them, carrying a history of service that spans more than 100 years.

Mr Dean’s grandfather fought in three wars, his mother served in World War II, his father survived years as a prisoner of war in Japan and was there for the atomic bombing of Nagasaki.

His niece, Leading Aircraftwoman Sarah Dean, will march with Mr Dean.

'We learned quickly that trust and teamwork could mean the difference between life and death.'

The march will be a significant homecoming for the military recruiter based in Canberra.

“Our family is quite spread out now – my brother is coming from Darwin, my cousin from Sydney and Uncle Rob from the Gold Coast,” Leading Aircraftwoman Dean said. 

“Because we’ve lived so far apart, there are family members I’ll be reuniting with that I haven’t seen since I was five years old. We are all flying into Adelaide for this – it’s a huge deal for us.”

She grew up with Mr Dean’s stories and joined the Air Force because of the family’s long military legacy.

“Having that deep lineage was a big deciding factor in joining later in life,” she said.

“I still have my grandmother’s old WAAAF [Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force] cuff links and service pins.

“Being able to march with Uncle Rob, especially since he’s getting older and wanted us all together, is a way to carry memories forward.”