1st armoured regiment australia 1st armoured regiment armoured regiment australian_army senior regiment formed tank unit new july regiment subsequently saw service vietnam war operating tanks currently unit based darwin 1st brigade plan reorganisation unit armoured cavalry regiments assigned army combat brigades brisbane darwin equipped tanks light armoured vehicles armoured personnel carriers consequence tanks currently operated unit split history formation 1st armoured regiment raised regular unit july victoria 1st armoured car squadron returned occupation duties japan months earlier converted tank unit formation occurred following renaming reserve unit subsequently 1st royal new south wales battle honours history unit order tank regiment established new squadron strong planning commenced expand strength soon possible command formal affiliation recognised years later regiment adopted regimental colours brown red green date world war colours prior second world war initially new regiment equipped churchill tanks temporary measure tanks acquired perceived churchill late arrival new platform regiment deployed australia commitment korean war number officers served exchange british formations unit provided machine gunners australian infantry battalions reinforcements finally began arriving june regiment receiving tanks numbers regular personnel steadily growing possible raise squadron regiment fully raised september command lieutenant colonel september tank squadron raised known based new south wales purpose forming basis second tank unit named 2nd armoured regiment regiment received scout car enabling raising following year 1st armoured regiment received time intention form tank unit abandoned subsequently returned regiment squadron designated squadron february governor general field marshal sir presented regiment regimental parade held regiment equipped armoured recovery vehicle allowing retirement churchill recovery vehicle following expansion squadron disbanded reducing regiment squadrons majority personnel formed regular squadrons 4th 19th prince wales light horse 2nd 14th light horse predominantly formations squadrons subsequently later redesignated 2nd cavalry regiment turn provided nucleus newly raised vietnam war regiment provided men troop squadron 4th 19th prince wales light horse subsequently equipped new deployed active service october australian government announced increase size 1st infantry battalions additional supporting arms including tank squadron added force february sent vietnam total strength tanks work closely tank troops initially held proved capable operating conditions tank squadron reached strength september regiment reached strength squadron raised order meet ongoing operational commitment years regiment operational squadrons eventually served vietnam providing close support infantry particularly clearance bunker systems value vietnam originally questioned proved powerful weapon offence defence responsible limiting infantry casualties able countryside easily expected vulnerable anti tank weapons mines firepower shock action decisive effect battlefield late tanks played significant role occupying blocking positions attempt impending communist offensive aimed influencing peace talks deployed battalions away base subsequently developing north east east following regimental sized assaults coral successfully repelled australians heavy casualties sides moved establish fire support base kilometres north coral infantry time supported tanks called forward road arrived hours subjected battalion attack following accurate rocket mortar barrage hours base assaulted north vietnamese infantry attack repelled heavy casualties combined firepower tanks infantry day australians coral assaulted number located outside base troop supported infantry destroying occupants loss second attack regimental strength hours called minutes north vietnamese defeated supporting fires tanks artillery mortars leaving dead resulted prisoners australian losses killed wounded performance demonstrated advantage armour vietnam battle infantry doubted necessity battle infantry like working february squadron relieved squadron june squadron involved fierce action village kilometres north attack began morning june australian tanks advanced infantry village occupied north vietnamese battle continued took blocking position prevent escaping fierce urban fighting infantry forced clear house communist troops occupying houses fired windows retreating tunnels australians passed time infantry fired tanks blast hole wall building small teams enter clear structure opposition fighting continued afternoon resumed day australians successfully cleared village bulk destroyed australian killed wounded communist losses included killed wounded captured december squadron designated squadron december squadron turn designated squadron australia beginning reduce commitment war size reduced infantry battalions tanks continued operations involved heavy fighting june numerous smaller actions elements regiment subsequently withdrawn vietnam september total served vietnam suffered battle damage repair crewmen killed action present following years traumatic regiment australian_army abolition end australian involvement vietnam strength point training severely restricted reinforced squadron designated subsequently carried extensive user technical trials evaluate replacement replaced service leopard selected american built april colonel chief prince wales presented unit regimental standard 1st moved darwin july regiment presented current standard governor general july years service leopard replaced aim delivered regiment remaining vehicles issued use training purposes seven hercules armoured recovery vehicles acquired delivered regiment saw operational service crisis regiment placed standby deploy event conflict escalated regiment deployed australia involvement invasion iraq members unit later deployed iraq afghanistan crews served period regiment main battle tank unit australian_army based darwin provided basis included infantry battalions cavalry regiment tank regiment medium artillery regiment plan reorganisation unit armoured cavalry regiments assigned army combat brigades brisbane darwin equipped tanks light armoured vehicles armoured personnel carriers reforms announced confirmed defence white paper brigades similar structure capabilities consisting brigade headquarters artillery regiment combat signals regiment consequence tanks currently operated unit split reported darwin based elements 1st armoured regiment transferred south_australia organisation regiment organised follows tank troops total attached troop operates unit currently process expected adopt following structure headquarters tank squadron cavalry squadron armoured personnel carrier squadron combat service support squadron battle honours vietnam war coral vietnam alliances united_kingdom
1st Armoured Regiment (Australia)