Rumours the Long Tan Cross may be removed from its site in Vietnam have been quashed

Rumours the Long Tan Cross may be removed from its site in Vietnam have been quashed.

Minister for Veterans Affairs, Dan Tehan, told 3AW Drive the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have confirmed with the provincial government that there are no plans to remove the Long Tan Cross.

‘The site remains open for private visits and that will be the case for Anzac Day this year’

Mr Tehan said there has been a push to try and get the Long Tan Cross back to Australia.

‘I wonder whether that has maybe contributed to these rumours…it did come as a bit of a surprise to us at this end, and obviously it was the same in Vietnam’, he said.

Vietnam Veteran Merv Smith, who is based in Vietnam, told Neil Mitchell there were rumours last year’s Long Tan commemoration services went ‘haywire’ which would lead to the cross being removed.

The memorial cross was erected in 1969 to mark the site of Battle of Long Tan, and currently sits on private land.

Click PLAY to hear Dan Tehan on 3AW Drive

Click PLAY to hear Merv on 3AW Mornings