As a result of the announcement, the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1 RAR) was deployed. Advanced elements of the battalion departed Australia on 27 May 1965. Accompanied by a troop of armoured personnel carriers from the 4th/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse as well as logistics personnel, they embarked upon and following their arrival in Vietnam in June, they were attached to the US 173rd Airborne Brigade along with a New Zealand artillery battery. Throughout 1965 they undertook several operations in Biên Hòa Province and subsequently fought significant actions, including Gang Toi, Operation Crimp and Suoi Bong Trang. Meanwhile, 1 RAR's attachment to US forces had highlighted the differences between Australian and American operational methods and Australian and US military leaders subsequently agreed to the future deployment of Australian combat forces in a discrete province. This would allow the Australian Army to "fight their own tactical war", independently of the US. In April 1966 1st Australian Task Force (1 ATF) was established in Phước Tuy Province, based at Nui Dat. 1 ATF consisted of two (and after 1967 three) infantry battalions, a troop and later a squadron of armoured personnel carriers from the 1st Armoured Personnel Carrier Squadron and a detachment of the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) as well as support services under the command of the 1st Australian Logistic Support Group (1 ALSG) based in Vũng Tàu. A squadron of Centurion tanks was added in December 1967. New Zealand infantry units were also deployed in 1967 and were integrated into Australian battalions serving with 1 ATF after March 1968. These combined battalions being designated "ANZAC Battalions". Special forces from the New Zealand Special Air Service were also attached to each Australian SASR squadron from late 1968. 1 ATF's responsibility was the security of Phước Tuy Province, excluding larger towns.