PRIVATE PETER FUSCHTEI.
Supplied by Bob Buick
Private Peter Fuschtei, a National Serviceman, was enlisted on 19 April 1967, and was allotted to the Royal Australian Infantry. He was posted to 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment in September 1967 and arrived in South Vietnam in April 1968.

On 8 October 1968 whilst on Operation Windsor, the leading elements of C Company came under extremely heavy automatic weapon fire from a well dug in enemy defensive position. The initial burst of fire, from ambush at a range of 10 metres, killed the leading scout and wounded a number of others. Private Fuschtei was moving forward in search of a member of his section who was missing after the initial contact. The missing soldier had been wounded and on sighting him Private Fuschtei, without through for his own safety, leaped forward into an area on intense enemy fire and dragged his wounded comrade to safety.

With this task completed he returned towards the enemy in search of his Section Commander, who was also missing, and saw him, obviously badly wounded, just forward of the enemy position near the body of the forward scout. Private Fuschtei called for medical assistance, but on attempting to move forward both he and the orderly were pinned down by accurate enemy automatic fire.

Seeing his Section Commander's body being repeatedly hit by enemy fire, Private Fuschtei made several desperate attempts to run forward and assist him, but on each occasion he was driven back by the heavy enemy fire directed at him. He was finally ordered to withdraw by his Platoon Commander because of the danger of his becoming a casualty from friendly artillery tire which had been called onto the enemy position.

Private Fluschtei's courage and initiative in close proximity to a determined, aggressive enemy saved the life of one of his comrades. His bravery and devotion to duty by repeated attempts to rescue his fallen Section Commander, in the face of intense enemy fire, displayed a personal courage of the highest order.

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