Ray Patten & Alan Talbot

Today we commemorate the death of Pte Ray Patten who died of wounds after a mine incident south-east of Phouc Buu in Phouc Tuy Province, South Vietnam.  Doctors and Ray fought for his life for 5 days to no avail.

Ray was severely wounded 5 days earlier on the 1st of Feb 1971 when Noel (Shorty) Godbold stood on an M16 mine whilst Recce Pl were on layover waiting for further orders. Alan Talbot died instantly on that day and Noel (Shorty) Godbold, Sgt Dick Williams and Pte Phil Ryan were wounded .

Sad footnotes:  Sgt Dick Williams was killed in a motor vehicle accident in 1973 and Noel Godbold, who lost his left leg in the incident, committed suicide in 1984.

Lest we forget.