Thread: A brief history of RAR Batallions

May be of interest to some, Bob

Brief Histories of the Battalions

1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1 RAR) is a regular light infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 1 RAR was first formed as the 65th Australian Infantry Battalion in 1945 and since then has been deployed on active service during the Korean War, the Malayan Emergency, the Vietnam War and more recently in Somalia, East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan. Additionally, the battalion has deployed on peacekeeping operations to a number of countries including Japan, East Timor and the Solomon Islands. In 2006, 1 RAR was one of the Australian Army's most heavily deployed units sending detachments to Iraq as part of SECDET, Tonga, the Solomon Islands and Timor Leste. The battalion is currently based at Townsville, Queensland, where it forms part of the 3rd Brigade.

2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2 RAR) is a regular light infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 2 RAR was first formed as the Australian 66th Battalion in 1945 and since then it has seen active service during the Korean War, Malayan Emergency and Vietnam War. In addition, the battalion has participated in peacekeeping operations in Japan, Rwanda, East Timor and the Solomon Islands and has contributed rifle companies to the security force protecting the Australian embassy in Baghdad following the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In May 2006, 2 RAR's headquarters, support company and a rifle company deployed to Iraq as part of the third rotation of the Al Muthanna Task Group. In June 2011, the battalion deployed to Urozgan Province, Afghanistan as Mentoring Task Force Three (MTF3). The battalion is currently based at Lavarack Barracks in Townsville where it forms part of the 3rd Brigade. It has been selected to become the Army's specialist amphibious infantry battalion.

3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR) is an infantry battalion of the Australian Army, based in Townsville. 3 RAR was initially formed in 1945 as the 67th Battalion and has seen active service in Japan, Korea, Malaya, South Vietnam, East Timor, the Solomon Islands, Afghanistan and Iraq. A move to Holsworthy Barracks, Sydney, contemplated since returning from operations in South Vietnam, was conducted at the end of 1981. In December 1983, the battalion assumed responsibility for the Australian Army's conventional Airborne forces capability (previously, D Company 6 RAR had maintained an airborne company). In 1985, the battalion was granted permission to wear the dull Cherry beret, common to all parachute units worldwide, and to wear parachute wings identical to those worn by the 1st Australian Parachute Battalion during the Second World War. From 1989, 3 RAR formed the main combat elements of Australia's parachute battalion group. The battalion is a rapid deployment light infantry unit which makes up a major part of Australia's Ready Deployment Force.

4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, (4RAR) was an Australian Army infantry battalion and part of the Royal Australian Regiment. The battalion was formed on 1 February 1964 and was renamed the 2nd Commando Regiment on 19 June 2009.
On 18 January 1952, a Royal Australian Regiment Depot was raised as a training unit for special establishment on the Order of Battle. The depot was later renamed 4 RAR on 10 March 1952. This renaming was necessary because government approval had been given to raise a battalion and not a 'Depot'. The primary function of 4 RAR at the time was to train and hold infantrymen for service in Korea. On 24 March 1960, the unit was incorporated into the School of Infantry as 'Depot Company, Royal Australian Regiment'. The two units comprised resulted in the formation of the Infantry Centre.
The political decision to raise the fourth battalion of The Royal Australian Regiment was made in 1963. Consequently, instructions for the raising of the battalion were issued on 13 January 1964. The official raising of 4 RAR on 1 February 1964 was the first time a regular infantry battalion had been raised on Australian soil. Additionally, it was stated that this battalion was a new battalion and not a resurrection of the old 4 RAR.
The battalion subsequently served in Malaysia as part of the Far East Strategic Reserve from August 1965 – September 1967, and seeing active service in Borneo against the Indonesian army during the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation, South Vietnam and Iraq

5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (5 RAR) is a regular infantry battalion of the Australian Army. The 5th Battalion was formed at Holsworthy, New South Wales on 1 March 1965. 5 RAR together with 6 RAR were the first battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment 'to be composed of a mixture of regulars and national servicemen, their formation and development was a particularly vital experiment for this was to be the model for the infantry battalions of the Army from then onwards'. 5 RAR would serve two tours of South Vietnam before it was linked with the 7th Battalion to form the 5th/7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment in 1973. In late 2006 the two units were de-linked, and 5 RAR again joined the Australian Army's order of battle in its own right. It has since served in Iraq, East Timor and Afghanistan.

6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (6 RAR) is a motorised infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was originally raised in Brisbane, Queensland, on 6 June 1965. 6 RAR together with 5 RAR were the first battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment 'to be composed of a mixture of regulars and national servicemen, their formation and development was a particularly vital experiment for this was to be the model for the infantry battalions of the Army from then onwards'. 6 RAR has since served in a number of overseas deployments and conflicts including South Vietnam, East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan. During the Vietnam War the battalion earned a Presidential Unit Citation from the United States, when members from 'D' Company participated in the Battle of Long Tan on 18–19 August 1966. The battalion is currently based at Gallipoli Barracks in Brisbane and forms part of the 7th Brigade.

7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (7 RAR) is a regular infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was originally raised in 1965 as part of Australia's commitment to the Vietnam War and it eventually served two tours in Vietnam in 1967 and 1971. In 1973, following Australia's withdrawal from the conflict, the battalion was amalgamated with the 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment to form the 5th/7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (5/7 RAR).
These two units remained linked until 2007, during which time they served together in the mechanised infantry role in East Timor and Iraq. In December 2006 – early January 2007, 5/7 RAR was delinked and 7 RAR was re-raised. In January 2009, 7 RAR achieved operational status, a year ahead of schedule. It is currently part of the 1st Brigade and is based at RAAF Base Edinburgh in Adelaide.

8th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (8 RAR) was an Australian Army Regular infantry battalion. The battalion was formed in July 1966 as part of an expansion of the Australian Army in the mid-1960s due to the perceived threat of Communism in Southeast Asia. Initially the battalion was sent to Malaysia in 1967, before later being sent to South Vietnam as part of Australia's commitment to the Vietnam War. Between November 1969 and October 1970 the battalion undertook operations as part of the 1st Australian Task Force, before being brought back to Australia. In October 1973, after Australia's involvement in Vietnam officially ended, the battalion was amalgamated with 9 RAR to form 8/9 RAR.

9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (9 RAR) was a Regular light infantry battalion of the Australian Army. The battalion was raised in November 1967 and deployed to South Vietnam as part of Australia’s commitment to the Vietnam War in November 1968. 9 RAR served a year long tour of duty based out of Nui Dat conducting operations mainly in Phuoc Tuy province as part of the 1st Australian Task Force. The Battalion returned to Australia in November 1969 and was reformed at Enoggera, Queensland in January 1970 as part of the 6th Task Force, attached to the 1st Division. On 31 November 1973, following the withdrawal of Australian forces from South Vietnam and subsequent reduction of the Australian Army, the battalion was linked with the 8th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (8 RAR) to form the 8th/9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (8/9 RAR).

2nd/4th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (2/4 RAR) was an Australian Army infantry battalion. 2/4 RAR was formed on 15 August 1973 by linking 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment and 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. 2/4 RAR was unlinked to re-form 2 RAR and 4 RAR on 1 February 1995. Throughout its existence 2/4 RAR was based at Lavarack Barracks in Townsville and formed part of the 3rd Brigade.
Elements of 2/4 RAR served in Malaysia as Rifle Company Butterworth from 1975 until 1989, Cambodia in 1993 and Rwanda in 1994. In addition, 53 personnel were attached to 1 RAR during that Battalion's deployment to Somalia in 1993.

5th/7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Mechanised) (5/7 RAR [MECH]) was a mechanised infantry battalion of the Australian Army. The battalion was based at Robertson Barracks in Palmerston, Northern Territory and formed part of the1st Brigade. It was formed in 1973 by linking both the 5th and 7th Battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment together. In late 2006, as part of the expansion of the Australian Army, the unit was broken up into two separate battalions once again.

8th/9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (8/9 RAR) is an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was originally formed in 1973 by linking together both the 8th and 9th Battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment. Over the next twenty-four years the battalion would remain on the Australian Order of Battle based at Enoggera Barracks in Brisbane, Queensland, until it was disbanded in 1997 amid a number of Defence-wide cutbacks introduced by the Howard government. In 2006 it was announced that the battalion would be re-raised as part of a plan to expand the size of the Army and since then it has established itself as a fully deployable motorised infantry battalion as part of 7th Brigade.

Battalion Birthdays Royal Australian Regiment

1 RAR 12 October
2 RAR 16 October
3 RAR 20 October
4 RAR 1 February
5 RAR 1 March
6 RAR 6 June (6th of the 6th)
7 RAR 1 September
8 RAR 8 August (8th of the 8th)
9 RAR 13 November
2/4 RAR 15 August
5/7 RAR 3 December
8/9 RAR 31 October

6RAR, Presidential unit citation, Bob


United States Distinguished Unit Citation to D Company, Sixth Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment


Can't forget the NZ Gunners


161 Bty in Vietnam