4TH BATTALION, THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN REGIMENT A BRIEF HISTORY

Transcription

1 1 A BRIEF HISTORY The decision to raise a fourth battalion of The Royal Australian Regiment was made in Raising instructions were issued on 13 Jan 64 stating that the Battalion was to be at full strength by 31 Mar RAR was the first regular battalion to be raised on Australian soil, the older battalions having been formed overseas in The original members were selected personnel from the three existing battalions of the Regiment. The Pacific Islands Regiment provided some of the officers and subsequent reinforcements came through the Infantry Centre. On 1 Feb 64, at the inauguration Parade at Woodside Barracks, South Australia the first CO, LTCOL D.S. Thomson, MC, while addressing the Battalion said 'Although we are a new battalion we inherit great traditions, forged for us by the older battalions of The Royal Australian Regiment, in the snows of Korea and the jungles of Malaya. We must live up to these traditions and help make new ones'. The next 18 months were spent at Woodside in preparation for the relief of 3 RAR in Malaysia. Confrontation with Indonesia was an added spur to training all elements of the Battalion up to a high degree of combat readiness. Two very significant events took place during this period. On 11 Apr 65, The Right Honourable Viscount De L'Isle, VC, GCMG, GCVO, presented the Colours at Adelaide Main Oval. Shortly afterwards news was received that Her Majesty The Queen had approved an alliance between the Irish Guards and the Battalion. In Oct 65, 4 RAR joined 28 COMWEL Indep Inf Bde Gp at Terendak Camp in Malaysia. Training was stepped up immediately as the unit was required to move to Sarawak, at short notice if necessary. In Apr 66, deployment took place into the Bau District; Battalion HQ was located at Cambrai Camp, the rifle companies occupied three bases on the border, Gumbang, Stass and Bokah and the remaining rifle company was held as a reserve at Old Bau Camp. Except for two significant contacts, the Battalion had a fairly quiet five months in Sarawak. The unit received maximum co-operation from the local Dyaks and the 'Hearts and Minds' programmes were very successful. In early September 'Confrontation' finished and the bases were handed over to 3 RMR. The Battalion was completely relocated in Malacca by 10 Sep

2 2 66. The year 1967 was peace-time soldiering at its best, interesting exercises, plenty of sport coupled with excellent entertainment facilities afforded by the Garrison and Malacca district. Towards the end of the year, LTCOL C.H.A. East who had replaced LTCOL D.S. Thomson on 11 Nov 66, received word that the unit would be moving to South Vietnam in mid He immediately arranged that all sub-units would undergo training at the jungle warfare school at Kota Tingi in Johore. The decision was also made at AHQ that members of the Battalion would not be reposted when returned to Australia and that the complete unit structure would be retained. By the end of October, the Battalion was back in Australia. Training began during Jan 68; it followed the traditional cycle, JTC Canungra, sub-unit training, Battalion exercises, resulting in the testing exercise at Shoalwater Bay in April. LTCOL L.R. Greville was now in command having taken over from LTCOL C.H.A. East, MBE in early January. On the 13 May 68 the advance party moved by air to South Vietnam. The main body arrived on the Troop Carrier HMAS Sydney on 1 Jun 68 and relieved 2 RAR at the 1st Australian Task Force Base, Nui Dat, Phuoc Tuy Province. Two Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment Companies, V and W, joined the Battalion and it became 4 RAR/NZ (ANZAC) Battalion. This union was particularly successful with the Battalion consisting of five rifle companies. Extra Signalmen, Mortarmen and Pioneers were also provided. During its year long tour in South Vietnam the Battalion completed 11 major operations and five operations of company size. It also maintained a company group at all times on the Horseshoe feature four miles south east of Nui Dat. The scope of operations was widely varied to include offensive reconnaissances in force, defensive operations (mainly in the Long Binh - Bien Hoa area), destruction of enemy assets and pacification and food denial operations. During the tour of duty, over 200 enemy were killed for the loss of nineteen 4 RAR/NZ (ANZAC) soldiers killed. The Battalion's advance party departed Australia on 30 Apr 71 for the unit's second tour of Vietnam. The New Zealanders had joined the advance party at Nui Dat in early May 71, having come from Singapore. The main body arrived on 22 May 71 and operations began soon after the Battalion concentrated at Nui Dat. The Battalion relieved 2 RAR/NZ (ANZAC) at midnight on 23 May RAR/NZ (ANZAC) after a week of settling in and 'In theatre training' moved to the bush for the remaining seven and a half months of its tour. This meant the soldiers spent their tour entirely on operations during the monsoon season. The ANZAC Battalion conducted nine operations against their main targets, the 274 VC Main Force Regiment and the 33rd North Vietnamese Army Regiment. The Battalion received excellent support from all other arms and services during all operations.

3 3 4 RAR was the last Battalion to leave South Vietnam (also the last Battalion to leave Borneo in 1966). For two months it was the only Battalion left in the theatre of operations. It was actively engaged on operations until 9 Dec 71 when the Battalion group less D Company departed for Townsville on the Troop Carrier HMAS Sydney. D Company remained providing security for the 1st Australian Task Force administrative units until being withdrawn on 12 Mar 72 to Townsville. During its tour of duty the Battalion killed 91 enemy and captured 5 for the loss of eight 4 RAR/NZ (ANZAC) soldiers. On 15 Aug 73, 4 RAR linked with 2 RAR to form 2/4 RAR. The Battalion was unlinked on 1 Feb 95 with 4 RAR moving to its new lines in Holsworthy Barracks, Sydney.

4 1 Appendixes: 1. 4th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment - Theatres of Service 2. 4th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment - Commanding Officers 3. 4th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment - Regimental Sergeant Majors 4. 4th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, Allied Regiment - The Irish Guards 5. 4th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment - Miscellaneous Information

5 APPENDIX 2 TO COMMANDING OFFICERS 01 Feb Nov 66 LTCOL D.S. Thomson, MC 11 Nov Jan 68 LTCOL C.H.A. East, MBE 08 Jan Sep 69 LTCOL L.R. Greville, DSO 01 Oct Apr 72 LTCOL J.C. Hughes, DSO, MC 06 Apr Jul 72 MAJ E.H. Stevenson (Administering Command) 08 Jul Aug 73 LTCOL L.D. Johnson 01 Feb 95 Dec 97 LTCOL R.C. Smith Jan 98 LTCOL Thompson H:RAR\CH06D2

6 APPENDIX 3 TO REGIMENTAL SERGEANT MAJORS 01 Feb May 66 WO1 L.E. Brennan, MBE 20 May Nov 66 WO1 J. Clarke 18 Nov Oct 69 WO1 A.C. Toghill 17 Oct May 70 WO1 J.M. Healy 01 Jun Aug 73 WO1 W.T.C. Thompson 01 Feb 95 Dec 97 WO1 K.R. Kahler Jan 98 - WO1 A.Forsyth,OAM H:RAR/CH06D3

7 APPENDIX 4 TO ALLIED REGIMENT - THE IRISH GUARDS Origin The following Army Order was promulgated on 1st April 1900: 'Her Majesty The Queen, having deemed it desirable to commemorate the bravery shown by the Irish Regiments in the operations in South Africa in the years 1899 and 1900, has been graciously pleased to command that an Irish Regiment of Foot Guards be formed, to be designated the 'Irish Guards'.' The following Regimental Order was published on 4th December 1907: Battle Honours 'His Majesty The King has been graciously pleased to direct that the following record be made respecting the creation of the Irish Guards in 1900, viz: "The Irish Regiment of Foot Guards was raised by order of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Vasey John Dawson".' The following Battle Honours are those carried on the Queen's and Regimental Colours: Retreat from Mons, Marne 1914, Ainse 1914, Ypres 1914 and 1917, Festubert 1915, Loos, Somme 1916 and 1918, Cambrai 1917 and 1918, Hazebrouch, Hindenberg Line. Norway 1940, Boulogne 1940, Mont Pincon, Neerplet, Nijmegen, Rhineland, North West Europe , Djebel Bou Aoukaz 1943, North Africa 1943, Anzio. H:RAR/CHO6D4

8 APPENDIX 5 TO MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION Battalion 'Firsts'. First regular battalion raised in Australia 01 Feb 64. The Bearded Pioneer Sergeant. When Lord De L'Isle presented 4 RAR with the Colours he suggested to the CO that the Pioneer Sergeant wear a beard and was the only bearded member of the Australian Army. The 'Old 4 RAR'. 4 RAR Depot was raised on 18 Jan 52 and renamed 4 RAR on 10 Mar 52 as a training unit on a special establishment on the Order of Battle. This renaming was necessary because Government approval had been given to raise a battalion and not a 'Depot'. The prime function of 4 RAR at the time was to train and hold infantrymen for service in Korea. Later, on 24 Mar 60, the unit incorporated with the School of Infantry as 'Depot Company, The Royal Australian Regiment', the whole forming the Infantry Centre. Members of 4 RAR from 10 Mar 52 to 24 Mar 60 are still regarded as having served with the Regiment, but as that unit was not a line battalion, recognition as a '4th Battalion' by the Association of 4th Infantry Battalions is a matter of decision by that Association. When 4 RAR was raised on 1 Feb 64, it was officially stated that it was a new infantry battalion and not a resurrection of the old 4 RAR. On 1 Feb each year (4 RAR Birthday) the original Battalion flag (Khaki) is removed from the Museum and flown on that day. Battalion Association. A close liaison is maintained with the Association of 4 Infantry Battalions. Many members and exmembers of 4 RAR belong to the Association. Battalion Music. The Company marches are as follows: A Coy 'Hey Look Me Over' B Coy 'Killworth Hills' C Coy 'World of our Own' D Coy 'Boots were Made for Walking' Spt Coy 'St Louis Blues' Admin Coy 'Puff the Magic Dragon' Other Ranks' Mess. The Sporting Personnel United Club, abbreviated as the SPU Club was founded in This is a H:RAR/CH06D5

9 social club organised by the Battalion's other ranks. On 15 Aug 73, 4 RAR was linked with 2 RAR to form 2/4 RAR. The Battalion was subsequently unlinked on 1 Feb 95 at Townsville with the new 4 RAR being raised in Holsworthy. H:RAR/CH06D5