 The battalion's motto – the Latin word "Urgens" – was approved in 1927.It was headquartered in Perth, but also had detachments in Northam and Western Australia.At the outset, in 1921 the Citizen Forces units were maintained through a mixture of voluntary and compulsory service, but in late 1929, the scheme was suspended by the Scullin Labor government, and replaced by an all-volunteer "Militia" scheme.