BRIEF
HISTORY OF
THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN REGIMENT
It should be noted that there was no standing army as such during the period covered by the deployment of Australian military forces in the Boer War and the two World Wars. A nucleus was made up of the Australian Staff Corps providing a trained cadre of officers, the Australian Instructional Corps providing other rank instructors and coastal artillery. A voluntary, part time militia and the enlistment of thousands of volunteers was relied upon to fill the ranks in the First AIF of the First World War and the Second AIF of World War II.
After the conclusion of World War II it was decided that a small regular army was to be established. At the same time the Government of the day made a commitment to contribute an Australian component to the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces (BCOF) in Japan. The 34th Infantry Brigade was raised in Morotai specifically for this purpose. It consisted of the 65th, 66th and 67th Battalions. As the brigade was formed mostly from volunteers of Australian Divisions of World War II, it carried on the outstanding traditions of the infantry battalions of that war.
On the 23rd of November 1948 the three battalions were designated the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the Australian Regiment. Shortly thereafter His Majesty, King George VI granted the title "Royal" to the Regiment and thus the Royal Australian Regiment was born.
To date some 65,000 infantrymen have served Australia on active service in the Regiment as a part of Australia's commitment to the United Nations Force in Korea, the Malayan Emergency, the Confrontation in Borneo and in the Vietnam War.
Three battalions served in the Korean War, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the Regiment. The Vietnam War saw a significant expansion of the Regiment, a total of nine battalions being raised to meet Australia's commitment. Some battalions served for a second tour of duty. In the Vietnam era national servicemen supplemented the regular soldiers in the battalions. These young men clearly demonstrated that they had the traditional fighting spirit of the Australian soldier.
After the withdrawal of Australian forces from Vietnam there was a reduction in the number of battalions of the Regiment. The 2nd and 4th Battalions amalgamated to form the 2/4th, 5 and 7 Battalions to form the 5/7th while 8 and 9 Battalions linked to form the 8/9th.
Later re-organisation saw the 1st and 2nd Battalions located in Townsville, Queensland. The 3rd Battalion was designated and trained as a parachute unit and located at Holsworthy, New South Wales, along with the 5/7th Battalion, now a mechanised unit. The 4th Battalion was disbanded. The 6th Battalion was located at Enoggera, Queensland together with the 8/9th Battalion which included a significant proportion of Reserve soldiers.
The current situation is that the 1st and 2nd Battalions remain in Townsville, the 3rd (Parachute) Battalion is in Holsworthy together with the 4th Battalion, now re-raised as a Commando unit. 5/7th (Mechanised) Battalion is now in Darwin and the 6th Battalion is based in Enoggera. The 8/9th Battalion has been disbanded.
Elements of the Regiment have taken part in peace-keeping operations in Somalia, Rwanda, Bougainville and Cambodia. The Regiment provided the major component of the INTERFET force in East Timor. In all of these operations the Australian infantrymen have received international acclaim for their conduct and professionalism.
Altogether 676 soldiers of the Regiment have paid the supreme sacrifice, being killed in action. Many thousands have been wounded, many very seriously. Since World War II, three members of the Regiment have been awarded the Victoria Cross, one the George Cross and 242 have received other gallantry decorations. In over 50 years of service to the Nation the Regiment has truly lived up to its Regimental motto:
DUTY FIRST