Bi-Monthly Medal Winner:

Major David Rankin graduated from the Office Cadet School, Portsea on 26 June 1954 and was allotted to the Royal Australian Infantry. He joined 8th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment on 13 January 1969 and arrived in South Vietnam on 19 November 1969.

On 8 July 1970, Major Rankin's Company was engaged in Operation Petrie in northern Phuoc Tuy Province. The company was moving to an area thought to contain an enemy installation, when they came into heavy contact with enemy well dug in, in a bunker system. The support section of the company was pinned down by very heavy fire. Major Rankine immediately deployed his supporting troop of tanks to relieve the situation and personally led and co‑ordinated the relief operation, driving the enemy from the bunkers. Major Rankin's professional skill and personal leadership turned a potentially disastrous situation into a notable tactical success.

On the night 11/12 August 1970, 8 Platoon of C Company was inserted into an ambush position south west of Hoa Long village, adjacent to Route 2. Major Rankine's cover plan for the insertion was to have the platoon drive through the ambush site in the evening and then return, with the platoon debussing from moving vehicles and locating the ambush in darkness. Later in the night a large number of enemy were seen by the platoon to move into Hoa Long. The platoon changed location and when the enemy moved out of the village at approximately 0315 hours, the ambush was sprung and the enemy suffered severe casualties.

A number of enemy not caught in the ambush were thought to be still in the area and Major Rankine deployed a Troop of armoured personnel carriers and personally controlled the clearing operation. This operation was conducted with great skill and resulted in two additional enemy casualties and five prisoners being captured. The company under the leadership of Major Rankine has consistently displayed morale and operational capability of the highest order and has accounted for a high number of enemy casualties in a number of heavy contacts. Major Rankine's leadership and professional skill have been the main contributing factors to this outstanding performance and reflect great credit on himself, the Battalion and the Australian Army.