parent administrative regiment regular infantry battalions australian_army senior infantry regiment originally formed battalion regiment size fluctuated battalions raised amalgamated disbanded accordance australian government strategic requirements currently regiment consists seven battalions fulfilled roles including light parachute infantry existence units deployed operations japan korea malaya borneo vietnam iraq afghanistan organisation state based infantry regiments senior corps regiments order precedence currently consists seven light infantry battalions 2nd battalion 6th battalion 7th battalion 8th 9th battalion battalions regiment capable providing seven regular australian_army available deployment current order battle sees 1st brigade based darwin adelaide 7th brigade brisbane battalions 2nd 4th battalion 4th battalion 2nd commando regiment 5th 7th battalion 8th battalion amalgamated 9th battalion amalgamated 10th late 1990s disbanded history formation origins lie decision australian government raise force occupation duties japan end second world war raised october 2nd personnel serving battalions brigade designated formed volunteers 7th division 40th battalion battalion received volunteers 1st troops formed 3rd 6th 11th divisions concentrating island 34th brigade moved japan joined february 34th brigade basis post war regular army decision taken withdraw battalions australia attention turned status designation units brigadier commander brigade concerned despite unit prestige regimental spirit developed october undesirable regular units highest numbered battle honours colours precedence militia units consideration given battalions designated separate regiments example 1st city sydney regiment proposal king australian rifle regiment instead decision taken number units large regiment november battalions 1st 2nd 3rd battalions australian regiment application royal title granted march came australia regiment regular infantry formation battalions regiment competed annual military skills competition known gloucester cup early years japan australia formation regiment following end second world war fundamentally important post war australian_army forming key component permanent professional army available peace war task government direct prior time australian_army substantially time militia permanent major influence raising regiment australia desire secure prominent role occupation japan eventual peace settlement delays battalions arrived japan february subsequent employment involved activities designed reinforce japanese lesson defeat addition guard duty patrolling training december australian component reduced brigade battalion 1st returning australia remained japan return australia 34th brigade 1st brigade subsequently based new_south_wales units significantly men discharged returning australia elected remain japan member regiment later recalled battalions returned australia eighteen months regiment existence times men discharged frustration discontent battalions strong undertake meaningful training activities barracks state disrepair experience came core dedicated soldiers destined non commissioned officers regiment korean war outstanding warrant officers battalions served malaya early vietnam campaign regiment provided units individuals virtually australian_army deployments operations formation period sustained operational service began regiment deployment korea continued withdrawal combat units vietnam years arguably significant regiment battalions involved combat operations time second lengthy period operational service commenced intervention commitments regiment continued present day approximately personnel served time casualties sustained regiment operations including killed wounded korean war korean war major test regiment following preparations japan arrived september attached 27th initial invasion south_korea broken general amphibious landing complicated war manoeuvre involved pursuit 38th parallel october took apple orchard north large scale engagement fought battalion regiment north advance north_korea area following near lieutenant colonel battalion commanding officer mortally wounded october november following chinese intervention withdrawing south rest allied fighting following defensive line established kilometres north seoul april princess supporting forces fought successful defensive action battle battle proved climactic point regiment year korea june moved position command corps battalion spend years war major action fought regiment second half battle san command lieutenant colonel assaulted hill october known hill captured days hard fighting following action war defined fixed defences trenches wire constant patrolling numerous clashes april joined command 28th passed australian officer result expansion commitment korea battalions resulted establishment regimental depot train hold service korea april replaced system unit rotation parade held mark occasion battalions regiment parade served year korea months armistice served war earning nickname old faithful major action war regiment fought july number major chinese assaults hours armistice agreement signed following armistice sides withdrew zone created period followed proved uneventful forces required maintain combat readiness ability react quickly case north violated april returned australia replaced remained south_korea march finally returned australia september years continuous service korea years japan total army casualties korea included killed wounded captured majority fighting korea provided regiment valuable combat experience establishing foundation development marking emergence korean war remains large scale conventional war regiment fought time army developed capability maintain battalions major operations time malaya borneo april australian government committed army navy air force elements assist defence malaya internal external security threats forces operating communist terrorists battalions regiment came relatively late arrived theatre october war running seven years replaced turn replaced emergency battalions involved contacts killing loss seven men killed action according attention detail required years infantry malaya exposed regiment jungle warfare skills developed british_army successful war experience later informed development doctrine emergency making significant contribution regiment regimental depot renamed soon formation subsequently incorporated renamed despite end malaya employed anti terrorist operations thai border late replaced malaya battalion involved training counter terrorist operations subsequently employed operations thai border months june involved number minor contacts handed august returned australia committed operations thai border early indonesia pursued policy confrontation malaysia based camp mainland malaysia subsequently british new_zealand forces small airborne landings near september october february warned service island borneo commencing march completed month tour mounting numerous security patrols area operations including number sensitive cross border patrols indonesian regency operation resulted actions late july operations border severe test skill discipline infantry involving long periods jungle company bases operations conducted reconnaissance patrols remainder fighting patrols resulted contact indonesian forces having reformed battalion previous year assumed responsibility camp october deploying forward borneo april remained september like predecessor conducted demanding routine internal security cross border patrols expansion regiment 1960s early 1960s period strategic uncertainty increasing commitments consequently australian government introduced selective conscription directed significant increase strength army unlike 1950s bolstered strength new scheme serve years instead substantial period service regiment australia malaysia vietnam saw government direct expansion regiment battalions september regiment consisted seven battalions july november formed february abandoned personnel revert personnel allowing form march formed drawn june assisted formation september formed august raised november vietnam war individual members regiment served advisors april government announced battalion deployed vietnam june march units regiment conduct sixteen vietnam seven battalions completing month tours serve consequently following period training administration joined outside june initially defending steadily increased scope patrols example january assaulted large headquarters complex woods americans hailed strategic intelligence victory war battalion subsequently completed month tour attached forces developed new tactics techniques later standard australian battalions supporting arms services subsequently operate vietnam march prime minister announced australia increase commitment vietnam newly raised arrived theatre 1st establishing base months constant patrolling battalions engaged action defining regiment war vietnam fought august men fought ferocious meeting engagement possibly reinforced north vietnamese battalion personnel fighting half hours company surrounded sides assistance strong artillery support able hold position timely arrival relief force infantry armoured personnel carriers finally forced break words official historian company achieved stunning victory assumed responsibility predecessors continued extensive patrolling searches characteristic conflict august fought elements regiment largely extensive artillery support proved decisive infantry battalion arrived december significant expansion time offensive serving theatre actions fire support base coral june later known battalions regiment fight battles conventional attributes seen june infantry company second tour supported troop tanks fought significant combined arms action battalion sized force north vietnamese regulars local force troops following remainder regiment commitment vietnam characterised largely policies emphasis patrolling protect local population training south vietnamese troops increasingly replace allied forces withdrawal australian forces began november completed tour duty replaced possible australians sought bring units battle operation north ward company fought elements guerrilla units august september august prime minister announced cease operations october combat elements regiment returning australia february regiment sustained losses killed wounded vietnam peacetime service withdrawal battalion serving singapore finally saw units regiment stationed australia time began period peace time sort seen regiment end significantly diminished strength army time government directed number battalions regiment reduced achieved linking strength units resources reduced shift strategic tactical concepts forward defence defence continental australia regardless september battalions regiment provided company monthly malaysia 10th raised provide opposing force units training jungle training centre 1980s saw introduction battalion light parachute regiment formation ready deployment force later concept tested mounted response fiji coup subsequently developed battalion equipped armoured personnel carriers parachute battalion australian celebrations contingent drawn battalions command lieutenant colonel supported deployed celebrations mount public duties buckingham palace windsor castle james palace tower london australian troops coronation queen elizabeth_ii brisbane based battalions 6th brigade battalions following trials concept battalion commenced conversion battalion initially issued modified land purpose built infantry mobility vehicle acquired individual members regiment served deployment locations balkans regiment conducted formed body deployment december government announced deploy led sanctioned operation restore hope australian commitment known operation saw deployed weeks square kilometre humanitarian relief sector centred township course months tonnes humanitarian aid delivered protected airfield provided security township conducted depth patrolling escorting aid convoys seriously challenged number contacts resulted casualties sides australian accidentally killed deployment detachment platoon company deployed provide security australian contribution operating airport north west support conducted static defensive tasks patrolling provided ready reaction force joined detachment personnel deployed undertake communications tasks deployment came end november raising fifth battalion approved linked following year returning order battle right august august companies regiment initially company company served australian contingent april member detachment including platoon company forced witness massacre refugees camp members vastly outnumbered frustrated mandate allow engage perpetrators forced passive role massacre incident worked fire attempting assist wounded refugees disbanded scheme iraq afghanistan present ballot favour independence years indonesian occupation august resulted wave violence militia groups pro integration factions indonesian military subsequently deployed september sanctioned charged restoring peace overseeing indonesian departure despite minor clashes including contact indonesian border october control quickly established handed february time battalion regiment serve command korean war serve twice giving regiment wealth operational experience soldier accidentally killed operations wounded years withdrawn deteriorating situation country known saw units regiment deployed conduct security operations time operation response initial crisis deployed special forces commando replaced early september combined australian new_zealand battle group based designated subsequent included elements years followed phased elements withdrawn events largely overshadowed developments elements regiment served periodically onwards member regiment died operations regiment minor role invasion iraq providing force element support based following invasion deteriorating security situation baghdad saw deployment combined arms security detachment charged protecting australian embassy personnel dozen companies regiment provided force elements february prime minister committed battle group southern iraq partially replace dutch unit operating regiment contribution battle group initially known rifle company second led respectively declared july led renamed west fifth battle group serve iraq based time operating based cavalry regiment headquarters time elements regiment conducted operations withdrawn casualties iraq included member regiment accidentally killed based 1st combat engineer regiment protective elements began arriving southern afghanistan early september operation formed dutch led operating task force based forward operating base outside australian commitment expanded task force evolved combined arms battalion sized battle group consisting infantry engineers cavalry artillery elements usually based unit known formed multinational brigade known combined team tasked counter operations conjunction united_states coalition forces partnered operated attached soldiers based took heavy fighting august corporal later awarded role battle member receive award task force withdrawn late following province forces small force protection element remains ongoing reduced australian training advisory mission members regiment killed afghanistan special operations owes heritage originally formed 1st independent company tasked providing army special operations capability regiment right august link time raised commando battalion commando served conventional light role battalion focusing development special operations capability role battalion designed flexible self contained force element able deploy short notice undertake offensive operations support australia national interests operational capability reached elements commando serve iraq afghanistan providing domestic counter terrorism capability east commando renamed 2nd commando regiment longer formally disbanded remained army order battle colours traditions maintained protected ready raised future required reorganisation australian_army began planning reorganisation initiative known army key impact plan regiment surrender parachute role moving sydney adelaide army second battalion august government announced regiment expand seven battalions initiative retitled networking army conducted linking parade december reforming reformed largely mature state included company serving operations iraq reformed company operations afghanistan battalions remained role regiment marked 60th birthday november parade victoria barracks sydney including provided colours regiment achieving operational status relocated adelaide new scheme relinquished parachute role light infantry battalion subsequently relocated reformed battalion october element equipped subsequently served operations afghanistan reorganisation titled time sought balance army shape learning organisation plan element reforms announced confirmed defence white paper brigades similar structure capabilities consisting brigade headquarters artillery regiment combat signals regiment establishment regiments begun giving armoured personnel carriers role light infantry battalions light infantry transport squadron established equipped provide protected mobility selected amphibious warfare theatre battle honours awarded theatre battle honours actions korea vietnam korean war san korea vietnam war coral vietnam note theatre honours displayed battalion colours following battle honours battalion korea vietnam long tan coral commando presented unit citation gallantry october operations afghanistan awarded august actions battle long tan foreign military decorations awarded american military decorations service alongside troops received unit service vietnam received distinguished unit citation following korean war honours shares 2nd battalion princess company received distinguished unit citation actions vietnam respective battle honours borne regiment awarded united_states held solely battalions received displayed regimental colours battalions awarded palm unit citation service vietnam war united_states presidential unit citation republic unit south vietnamese cross gallantry palm unit citation music wide variety regimental music addition regimental quick slow marches battalion set marches quick band pipes drums slow infantry song 1st battalion 2nd black pipes drums 3rd battalion director band pipes drums 4th battalion 5th battalion 6th battalion spirit youth band pipes drums 7th north pipes drums 8th 9th battalion brown grey battalion regiment identified different coloured worn left shoulder blue 2nd green 8th 9th grey beech brown alliances allied following regiments canada princess new_zealand malaysia united_kingdom brigade guards united_kingdom scots guards united_kingdom queens queen royal irish united_kingdom irish guards united_kingdom united_kingdom parachute regiment
Royal Australian Regiment