5TH/7TH BATTALION (MECHANIZED), THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN
REGIMENT
A BRIEF HISTORY
At Tobruk Lines, Holsworthy on 3 Dec 73, 5 RAR and 7 RAR linked to
form the new battalion, 5/7 RAR. Soldiers, non-commissioned officers
and officers were drawn from both battalions to form the new battalion.
The 5 RAR mascot, then SGT Quintus, and the 7 RAR Pipes and Drums
were adopted by 5/7 RAR.
Throughout 1974, the battalion was involved in individual and collective
company training. Charlie Company spent the period Mar - Jun 74 in
Malaysia supporting the RAAF at Butterworth. The Rifle Company Butterworth
commitment would continue to provide valuable training with a company
being detached almost every year until the Battalion was delinked
33 years later in 2006.
On 13 Jan 75, the battalion received a warning order from 1 TF to
form the major part of Field Force Group Darwin (FFGD). The task of
FFGD was to assist the civilian population of Darwin in the clearing
of houses damaged by Cyclone Tracy, which had struck Darwin on Christmas
Day 1974. The Commanding Officer, LTCOL E.J. O'Donnell, MC was appointed
Commander of FFGD. The reconnaissance group arrived in Darwin on 15
Jan 75 and the main body arrived from 18 Jan 75.
On 8 Mar 75, CO 5/7 RAR handed over command of FFGD to CO 6 RAR,
and the Battalion returned to Holsworthy. During 5/7 RAR's tour, it
cleared 3288 blocks of land, 26 schools, two warehouses, one recreational
ground, four shops, one hospital and re-roofed 136 houses.
In 1976, 5/7 RAR began a mechanized infantry trial. The trial was
sponsored by Field Force Command and directed by 1 TF. 5/7 RAR accepted
its first armoured personnel carriers from 2 Cav Regt at a parade
on 17 Sep 76. The trial continued for just under two years until Jul
78. The CO during the trial, LTCOL M.P. Blake, MC, concluded that
“… a mechanized battalion has the capacity of three infantry
battalions.” In an impressive demonstration of speed and flexibility
the battalion responded to a short notice call out to secure the route
from Sydney to Bowral following a terrorist threat to the Commonwealth
Heads of Government Meeting in Sydney in Feb 78.
At the completion of the trial, the battalion returned the majority
of its APCs. A company allocation and a limited number of headquarters
and specialist vehicles remained and these were rotated annually between
companies to keep alive the skills learnt during the trial.
Exercises during the following years often included the use of carriers
from the Divisional Pool at Puckapunyal. Major activities in this
period included Exercise ‘DROUGHT MASTER’ in western NSW
in 1980, umpiring and exercise control tasks during ‘KANGAROO
81’, a deployment of the battalion (minus) to Tasmania in early
1982 to assist with bush fire fighting and participation in the overload
trial of HMAS Tobruk in 1982.
In 1983, it was decided to equip a second mechanized Company (Delta
Company). The battalion was authorised to re-equip to its full peace
time establishment of APCs in June 1984 and the battalion adopted
the suffix “(Mechanized)” from that date. APCs continued
to arrive to complete the new establishment until November 1984. The
first battalion level mechanized exercise was ‘TASMAN WARRIOR’
conducted at Shoalwater Bay in late 1985.
The next 15 years were demanding years of peace time soldiering,
with the battalion generally afforded a lower priority for manning
and equipment than the units of the newly established Townsville based
Operational Deployment Force (ODF). The battalion sustained the hard
won Battle Group mechanized skills required for the higher levels
of war, and in response to changing strategic direction, in the 1990s
gained additional skills in widely dispersed operations necessary
for Defence of Australia operations in Northern Australia. The battalion
supported a wide range of trials of developing concepts and some equipment,
most notably in 1998 when the battalion was committed to the trials
associated with the Restructure of the Army.
Training at Battle group level was conducted at least annually, and
occasionally at brigade level. The routine of mechanised training
at Puckapunyal and Cobar; and later at Shoalwater Bay, Woomera and
the Northern Territory, was interspersed with periodic three month
company deployments to Butterworth in Malaysia in support of the Five
Power Defence Agreement. Typically these deployments involved exercises
with the Royal Malay Regiment in Sabah, the use of urban training
facilities in Singapore, live firing at Pulada and local jungle training
near Sik. During the 1993 Butterworth tour of Bravo Company, five
soldiers were killed in a vehicle accident at Pulada.
Through the 80s and 90s the battalion supported a series of company
level exchanges of four to six weeks with allied armies under the
auspices of North Star / Southern Cross with the British Army, Pacific
Bond with the US Army, and Tasman Exchange with the New Zealand Army.
Numerous junior officers and NCO participated in individual exchanges
for periods of three months with the British, US and NZ Armies.
The 5th/7th Battalion maintained one of only three pipe bands in
the Australian Regular Army. The pipes and drums were inherited from
the 7th Battalion in 1973 at the amalgamation. Initially, the pipes
and drums had no tartan, until in 1979 the Gordon tartan was adopted
in recognition of the battalion's alliance with the Gordon Highlanders.
In 1992, the new Australian Macquarie tartan was adopted. The Pipes
and Drums served as combat medics, primarily driving the fleet of
M113 ambulances.
As a lower priority battalion than those of the ODF, the battalion
was frequently tasked to support the Army’s major exercises
through the 80s and 90s. The Kangaroo series of exercises (K1, K2,
K3, K81, K83, K86, K89, K92 and K95) drew heavily on the battalion
for umpires and enemy support. In K89 the battalion fielded a mechanized
Combat Team as part of the Blue Force for the first and only time.
In K95, the battalion led the Red Force Land Component in a series
of demanding air landing and raiding operations from the Kimberleys
in WA to the Gulf in western Queensland.
In addition to these tasks the battalion was a frequent visitor to
Canberra providing guards of honour for visiting Heads of State and
military chiefs, a task in later years to be performed by the Australian
Federation Guard. In 1988 the battalion made a significant commitment
to the conduct of the Bicentennial Military Tattoo which for six months
redirected the battalion’s efforts from training to drill and
ceremony.
Through this period, the battalion supported a series of operational
deployments by small teams. 15 officers and NCO deployed in January
1980 to Rhodesia/Zimbabwe as part of the Commonwealth Monitoring Force.
In 1983-84 several NCO deployed to Uganda as part of the Commonwealth
Military Training Team Uganda (CMTTU) to train and discipline the
Ugandan National Liberation Army, which was formed after the overthrow
of Idi Amin. About 90 soldiers of the battalion served in the UN Transitional
Authority in Cambodia in 1992-93, most serving as Regimental Signallers.
In 1995 six men from the battalion deployed to Rwanda as part of Operation
TAMAR in support of the UN. In providing crews for the M113 of the
Australian contingent’s Quick Response Force, they marked the
first operational deployment from the battalion requiring mechanized
skills.
In 1992 the battalion was advised that it would in time relocate
to Darwin as part of the Army Presence In the North (APIN) project.
In 1998 the final planning was completed for the relocation of the
Battalion from its home of 25 years to Robertson Barracks, Palmerston,
30 km south of Darwin. The farewell to Holsworthy parade was held
in September 1998 and within one week families began the move to the
Top End. This was a complex task given the need to move over 1200
people, 200 vehicles and the fact that parts of our new home were
not ready for occupation at the time.
In 1986, Delta Company was presented with a bush piglet by staff
from Land Command Battle School, Tully who was subsequently named
‘Willis’ and became the unit’s unofficial ‘live-in’
mascot recognising the ‘pig’ tradition of 7 RAR. Renowned
for his massive bulk and appetite for apples, ‘Willy’
resided in a wallow not far from the back kitchen door of the ORs
Mess. He wandered freely in the battalion area but always returned
for meals. Willis died of old age not long before the battalion departed
for Darwin, perhaps he knew the quarantine rules would prevent him
from going North.
WO2 Quintus, the original mascot inherited from 5 RAR, having taken
discharge on 2 Dec 85, died in 1988. His replacement, Quintus Secundus,
a Bengal Tiger, was housed at Bullens’ Animal World. Enlisted
on 3 Dec 85 and promoted to CPL on 9 Sep 88 he was retired on the
move of the Battalion to Darwin. Quintus Septimus, a resident of Crocodylus
Park in Darwin was enlisted as the Battalion’s new mascot in
2004.
In early 1999, at the same time that Tobruk Lines, Holsworthy were
being handed back, the Minister directed the 1st Brigade to become
part of the Ready Deployment Force, in response to the deteriorating
security situation in East Timor. So began the Battalion’s work
to achieve reduced readiness notice, whilst still trying to settle
in to the new lines – named as Binh Ba Lines and officially
opened on the 31 Mar 99 by Brigadier Colin Khan, former CO 5 RAR.
The Battalion was put though several long and demanding exercises
to test its deployment and operational capabilities. New military
equipment and personnel arrived almost on a daily basis and within
a compressed timeframe the Battalion was declared ‘ready’.
With the possibility of a deployment to East Timor becoming more likely,
the Battalion’s training became tightly focused and the Battalion
Group was formed, with: 103rd Medium Battery providing a forty man
Civil-Military Liaison Group; 2nd Field Troop (Mechanized) from 1st
Combat Engineer Regiment providing mobility support; and a 2nd line
logistic Company from 1st Combat Service Support Battalion in direct
support making up the larger attachments. The three mechanized rifle
companies were at full strength and Support Company restructured with
Mortar and Reconnaissance Platoons to become Patrols Company.
The Battalion Group was warned for active service on 23 Sep 99 and
deployed to Dili by a combination of C130 sorties, RAN and civilian
shipping over the period 7 to 20 Oct 99. The initial task for the
Battalion was to relieve both 2 and 3 RAR of their AOs centred on
the capital. This task was complete by 11 Oct 99, with the enhanced
mobility, communications, firepower and protection allowing the Battalion
Group to undertake wider security tasks than the two light battalions.
The Battalion group was allocated from under command HQ 3rd Brigade
to under command of DILICOMD from 11 Oct 99 (commanded by Brigadier
Martin Dunne of the NZ Army) where it was the primary unit responsible
for the security of an expanding AO CITADEL. These security tasks
were essentially conducted by the sub-units within their designated
TAOR (all named after previous COs of 5, 7 and 5/7 RAR – a method
that stayed with the battalion throughout its tour). Companies performed
these responsibilities through extensive and continual patrolling
on foot, supported by the vehicles. On a typical day the Battalion
Group was involved in approximately 40 patrols throughout the AO,
in addition to the required key point security tasks. The Civil-Military
liaison and intelligence functions in support of the security tasking
were coordinated through Battalion Headquarters. Key activities conducted
within AO CITADEL were:
a. security to over 150,000 people;
b. security for Xanana Gusmao’s return to Dili;
c. protection of remaining infrastructure in Dili and surrounds;
d. coordination of displaced persons returning to Dili;
e. assisting with the removal of TNI units from East Timor; and
f. reconstruction of schools, community facilities and the Central
Dili Markets.
The Battalion Group continued operations in AO CITADEL until late
December when it conducted simultaneous reliefs in place to hand-over
its central responsibilities to Kenyan and Italian units, whilst taking
over 2RAR’s responsibilities on the border with West Timor.
This task was complicated by a short notice surge activity in Dili
on New Years Eve, when the Battalion was ordered back on the streets
to counter a predicted attack on key East Timorese leadership. Delta
Company and Patrols Company were hastily returned to patrolling and
key point security tasks within the capital, further highlighting
the flexibility of the Battalion to rapidly change its point of main
effort when required.
On 3 Jan 00 the Battalion assumed responsibility from 2 RAR for the
northern sector of the border region, having redeployed from Dili
in a combination of RAN Landing Craft, Blackhawk and Russian MI26
helicopters together with a road move by the echelon. AO ROBERTSON
covered 57 kms of ill-defined border, more than 1600 sq kms of rugged
hill country and approximately 20,000 souls. With the Battalion Group
Headquarters and Echelon situated at the ‘infamous’ town
of Balibo, the sub-units were dispersed throughout the AO, centred
on major villages of Batugarde, Maliana, Aidabaleten, and Tonibibi.
Again the modus operandi saw sub-units responsible for their own TAORs,
with Battalion Headquarters coordinating the Civil-Military liaison,
enhanced information gathering assets, quick reaction elements and
assigned special forces. Sub-units held responsibilities within a
TAOR for six weeks before being relieved.
The Battalion was again assigned to under command of HQ 3rd Brigade,
now styled as WESTFOR, with 2/1 RNZIR as our neighbouring battalion.
With the draw down of Australian troop commitments in Jan/Feb, the
Battalion Group remained in position and worked to Commander SECTOR
WEST, Brigadier Duncan Lewis. On 21 Feb 00, the Battalion donned ‘blue
berets’ to become the first Australian infantry battalion to
be permanently assigned to a UN force since the Korean War. Importantly,
the Battalion now had very real responsibilities to the local UN Administrator
and had to set the standard for educating the locals on the primacy
of the civilian authority, a circumstance that they had not necessarily
been witness to before.
The border region lent itself to hostile activity by the militias,
now predominantly based in West Timor. Incursions across the border
by these groups continued throughout February, March and April. Most
of these were ineffectual due to the aggressive patrol program of
the Battalion. However in early March a Patrols Company post came
under direct grenade and rifle fire whilst they were at Memo and,
later that month, a patrol from ‘Pegasus’ Platoon (Attachments
from 3 RAR permanently allocated to Patrols Company) encountered a
militia patrol and fired shots at the infiltrators. The uneasy relationship
with the Indonesian battalion monitoring the West Timor side of the
border, 432 Airborne Battalion, ensured that things were never dull
on the various junction points, particularly when the Battalion conducted
the weekly reunion visits at Junction Point Alpha.
The Battalion worked extremely long hours, with little rest, to maintain
a high profile for the rest of the tour and was instrumental in seeing
the return of the population in the Maliana/Bobonaro District to 37,000
people, with community facilities and agriculture activity returning.
Technical Support and Administration Companies were able to maintain
95% availability for the APCs which proved themselves time and time
again as a versatile and effective vehicle in all terrain despite
a heavy wet season.
After a memorable Anzac Day service at which the Administrator of
the Northern Territory, Dr Neil Conn, was the honoured guest, the
Battalion handed over to 6 RAR who became AUSBATT II. After a short
refurbishment period in Dili, the Battalion departed East Timor on
1 May 00 by HMAS JERVIS BAY. So ended the Battalion’s first
operational tour, having made a significant contribution ‘to
helping the people of East Timor’ – our primary mission
throughout the seven months.
During the remainder of 2000 the battalion received reinforcements
to again bring it back to strength following its return from East
Timor. The major activity for the rest of the year was leave, courses
and re- building the battalion and its readiness.
In October and November 2001, elements of the battalion were committed
to OPERATION RELEX in support of the RAN in the interception and marshalling
of illegal immigrants. This difficult and sensitive task was dealt
with in a way that brought great credit to the battalion and the Australian
Army. Concurrent with this task, the Battalion was preparing to return
to East Timor.
The 5/7 RAR Main Body deployed on its second tour of East Timor on
13 Oct 02. The Battalion assumed the role of AUSBATT VII from 3 RAR
(AUSBATT VI) on 25 Oct 02. The deployment was OP CITADEL as part of
The United Nations Mission in support of East Timor (UNMISET). A Government
decision saw the Battalion raise and train an Army Reserve Company
for the deployment. The Company spent a year with the Battalion. The
Battalion’s tour was characterised by continuing security operations
and the development of the East Timorese security agencies as the
UN Mission commenced to wind down.
The Battalion undertook a major repatriation of excess stores and
equipment and commenced the closure of former bases within the AO,
including Bobonaro, Batugade, and Balibo. The battalion’s AO
also increased significantly with the unit taking over the responsibility
for an additional two districts. This involved setting up a new base
at Gleno where the Battalion had elements during its first tour. The
men of Delta Company were warmly welcomed with shouts of “Aussie
Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi”
During its tour the Battalion also took under command a Fijian Rifle
Company, trained and built the fledgling Border Patrol Unit and embarked
on a humanitarian project that built/rebuilt schools, churches, provided
basic sanitation, and built a major Government services facility near
Batugade to house the East Timorese Police, Border Patrol Unit, Customs
and Immigration personnel.
The Battalion had the last contact of the UNMISET Mission with a
group of armed ex-militia that infiltrated from West Timor and murdered
some bus travelers within the AO. The Battalion mounted a full cordon
and search operation and was rewarded within three days when the Fijian
Reconnaissance Platoon detected the ex-militia and called on them
to surrender. In the ensuing contact, one ex-militia was KIA and one
wounded. Importantly the information gained from the questioning of
the wounded man was passed to TNI and within two weeks the other members
of the group had been arrested by Indonesian authorities in West Timor.
The Battalion also captured a former militia Company Commander in
the vicinity of the border. The battalion handed over to 1 RAR on
20 May 03.
The return to Australia saw the battalion reconstitute the mechanized
capability with Charlie Company whilst the remainder of the Battalion
completed the necessary courses. On 4 Dec 03 the Battalion was presented
new colours by the His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffery, AC
CVO MC; Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. The old
colours were subsequently laid up in the Soldiers Chapel at Kapooka.
The new colours were a single set, emblazoned V/VII, replacing the
two sets of 5 RAR and 7 RAR.
In March 2004, Spt Company HQ and a Platoon from Charlie Company
deployed to the Solomon Islands as the Response Force for OP ANODE.
The Regional Assistance Mission Solomon Islands (RAMSI) began in July
2003 when the Solomon Islands Government requested assistance from
the Pacific Island Forum in restoring law and order. Along with our
diggers, were soldiers from Tonga, PNG and New Zealand, along with
members of the Australian Federal Police and police from 13 other
Pacific nations.
In May 2004 the Battalion commenced the first of two four-month long
company minus rotations to Iraq as part of OP CATALYST. As the Security
Detachment located in Baghdad, along with a troop plus from 2 Cav
Regt, they provided security for the Australian embassy and its officials.
Concurrently, a number of officers and NCO were deployed to the Australian
Army Training Team Iraq (AATTI) for a six month tour to assist in
the training of the new Iraqi Army.
Whilst the Battalion provided forces for ongoing operations it remediated
the Battle Group mechanized capability with a test exercise on EX
Predator’s Gallop 04 and became the online Deployable Battle
Group.
In February 2005 the Prime Minister, Mr. Howard, announced that the
Australian Government had agreed to a request from the British and
Japanese Governments to assist with the provision of a secure environment
for Japanese reconstruction work in the southern Iraq province of
Al Muthanna. In response to the Government direction the ADF created
the Al Muthanna Task Group (AMTG), an Army combined arms Battle Group
based on units from 1 Bde. AMTG, through the Australian Army Training
Team – Iraq, was also tasked to train and mentor the Iraqi 4th
Brigade, 2nd Division.
The first AMTG (AMTG 1) deployed in April 2005 and was based upon
2 Cav Regt with Bravo Company, 5/7 RAR providing the infantry company,
known as Combat Team Tiger. A number of other personnel from the Battalion
deployed with AMTG 1 to round out the HQ and logistics. Combat Team
Tiger worked from a combination of ASLAV armoured recon vehicles and
Bushmaster infantry mobility vehicles. Operating from CAMP SMITTY
(named after a British soldier KIA) CT Tiger provided security to
Japanese and other reconstruction activities, conducted counter threat
security patrols and secured the AATTI during their mission.
AMTG 1 handed over to the 5/7 RAR led AMTG 2 in early Nov 2005. AMTG
2 consisted of the Battalion’s Headquarters, Charlie Company
(Combat Team Quintus), Logistics Company (including Technical Support
Company which had amalgamated with Admin Coy earlier that year), elements
of Support Company, a squadron from 2 Cav Regt (Combat Team Courage)
and contributions from other units across Australia but largely 1
Brigade. AMTG 2’s operations were similar in nature to AMTG
1. AMTG 2 handed over to AMTG 3 (2 RAR lead) in late Jun 2006.
The Al Muthanna province was part of the British area of operations
and had previously been secured by the Dutch. Al Muthanna was a very
large but relatively poor rural province, mainly populated by the
Shiite community. The regional capital, As Samawah, was a city of
approximately 250,000 people. The Province was one of the more stable
locations in Iraq but the security situation remained unpredictable
as local militia considered the British and Australian forces as obstacles
to achieving political and economic influence. During the 5/7 RAR
led tour, the British and Australian forces recorded 42 contacts yet
managed to achieve their operational tasking whilst maintaining the
Province’s character as ‘relatively peaceful’.
Back in Darwin, Delta Company continued to maintain the mechanized
capability for the Battalion, learning and re-learning hard won experience
in the conventional operations that had of necessity been undermined
by constant security operation deployments. With the short notice
deployment to Timor in May 2006 of the 3 RAR led RAR Battalion Group
(with companies from 1 RAR and 2 RAR), Delta and Bravo companies commenced
working up to ensure that there was a reserve capability available
to respond to any other immediate operations.
Bravo Company deployed to Uruzgan province in southern Afghanistan
in August 2006 as part of OP SLIPPER, providing force protection for
the 1 CER led Reconstruction Task Force (RTF 1). Operating from the
Dutch led base at Tarin Kowt, Bravo Company patrolled on foot, in
Bushmaster IMV and supported by LAV 25; to provide security for the
engineers undertaking reconstruction tasks in support of the provincial
government. They would return to Australia in April 2007.
In November 2006, Delta Company deployed to southern Iraq as part
of the 2 Cav Regt led Operational Overwatch Battle Group (West) Two
(OBG(W)). The OBG(W) was a flow on from AMTG and operated out of the
US led Tallil Air Base in Dhi Qar Province. The Battle Group was responsible
for providing security in depth by maintaining a presence within Al
Muthanna and Dhi Qar Provinces as the Iraqi security forces took the
lead for providing their own ecurity. The Battle Group continued to
train and mentor Iraqi forces through the AATTI.
Delta Company’s deployment to southern Iraq marked the last
operational deployment for the 5th/7th Battalion prior to de-linking.
Since East Timor in late 1999, the Battalion was continually operationally
deployed or preparing for deployment up until the time of de-linking.
With its organic mobility and inherent flexibility to be able to adopt
other mobility platforms or deploy dismounted, the Battalion became
a ‘highly preferred’ option for operational deployments.
The Battalion had returned from AMTG 2 to see the “Hardening
The Army” Plan reshaping the combined arms capability of the
Brigade. The plan would see the Leopard MBT of 1 Armd Regt replaced
with Abrams M1 MBTs, the introduction of the Tiger Armed Reconnaissance
Helicopter into 1 Avn Regt, among many other developments. Most significantly,
on 24 August 2006, the Prime Minister, Mr. Howard, announced that
the Battalion would be de-linked, with 5 RAR and 7 RAR both to be
established as mechanized battalions, initially in Darwin, until new
facilities were established for 7 RAR in Adelaide. Charlie Company
immediately began training IETs in the Battalion to provide for the
necessary reinforcements.
The de-linking occurred on the Brigade Parade Ground at Robertson
Barracks, on 3 Dec 06, the anniversary of the founding of the Battalion.
In Afghanistan, Bravo Company would pause whilst on operations to
acknowledge the end of an era. After a simple ceremony in Darwin,
the colours were marched off separately, bringing to an end 33 years
of loyal and faithful service to the nation and the Regiment. The
colours of the Battalion would later be laid up in the Soldier’s
Chapel at Kapooka. Both events were witnessed by Colonel Paul Greenhalgh,
AM, Retd, the founding CO of the Battalion.
In its relatively short history, thousands of men passed through
the Battalion; some for short tours, for others their service would
encompass almost the entire history of the Battalion. Whether their
service was short or long, most would agree with the celebrated summation
made by Jo Gullett [1] of his service in an infantry battalion:
‘An effective battalion, in being, ready to fight, implies
a state of mind--I am not sure it is not a state of grace. It implies
a giving and a taking and a sharing of almost everything--possessions,
comfort, affection, trust, confidence and interest. It implies a certain
restriction, and at the same time, a certain enriching and widening
of the human spirit. It implies doing a hundred things together--marching
to the band, marching all night long, being hungry, thirsty, exhausted,
filthy; being near but never quite mutinous. It involves not the weakening
but the deferment of other bonds and interests; the acceptance that
life and home are now with the battalion. In the end it is possible
to say ‘the battalion thinks’ or ‘the battalion
feels’ and this is not an exaggeration.
In assisting other Australians to recover from disaster: cyclone,
fires and floods; in conducting stabilization operations in Zimbabwe,
East Timor and the Solomons, peacekeeping in Cambodia and Rwanda,
and war fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, the 5th/7th Battalion served
the nation with distinction in war and in peace.
The men of the battalion inherited a proud tradition of soldiering
and service from those of 5 RAR and 7 RAR at the linking in 1973.
They sustained that tradition through the long and meagre years of
peacetime soldiering in the 70s and 80s where Holsworthy, Puckapunyal
and Sydney Field build another generation of soldiers and their leaders
ready for the challenges of operations in the 90s and a new century.
In 2006 they returned that tradition to where it belonged, not only
sustained, but embellished; to be honored and sustained with pride
in the new 5 RAR and 7 RAR.
COMMANDING OFFICERS
3 Dec 73 - 12 Jan 75 LTCOL P.N. Greenhalgh
13 Jan 75 - 10 Jan 77 LTCOL E.J. O'Donnell, MC
11 Jan 77 - 7 Nov 78 LTCOL M.P. Blake, MC
8 Nov 78 - 11 Dec 80 LTCOL G.C. Skardon
12 Dec 80 - 9 Dec 82 LTCOL P.M. Arnison
10 Dec 82 - 13 Dec 84 LTCOL P.L. McGuinness
14 Dec 84 - 12 Jan 87 LTCOL J.A. Jones
13 Jan 87 - 15 Jan 89 LTCOL J.R. James
16 Jan 89 - 14 Dec 90 LTCOL R.J. Margetts
15 Dec 90 - Dec 93 LTCOL P.A. Pedersen
Jan 93 - Dec 94 LTCOL G. Byles
Jan 95 – 18 Dec 1996 LTCOL C.G. Appleton
19 Dec 1996 - 18 Jan 1999 Lt Col W. T. Bowen, SC, AM
19 Jan 1999 - 19 Dec 2000 Lt Col S.C. Gould, DSC
20 Dec 2000 - 15 Jan 2003 Lt Col M.G. Tucker, MBE
20 Jan 2003 - 15 Jan 2005 Lt Col M.D. Lean
16 Jan 2005 - 3 Dec 2006 Lt Col P.J. Short, DSC
REGIMENTAL SERGEANTS MAJOR
3 Dec 73 - 21 Jan 76 WO1 D.M. Palmer
22 Jan 76 - 23 May 78 WO1 B. G. Burnett, OAM
24 May 78 - 11 Dec 78 WO1 J. H. Chisolm
12 Dec 78 - 11 Dec 80 WO1 B.A.J. Hassall, OAM
12 Dec 80 - 12 Dec 82 WO1 D. G. Holmes (Deceased)
13 Dec 82 - 13 Dec 84 WO1 G. W. Hanson
14 Dec 84 - 6 Jan 87 WO1 W. T. Wills
7 Jan 87 - 16 Jan 89 WO1 P. A. Hill
17 Jan 89 - 8 Dec 90 WO1 B. T. Boughton, OAM
6 Dec 90 - 20 Jan 93 WO1 R. D. Campbell, OAM
21 Jan 93 - WO1 B. S. Burton
19 Dec 1994 - 9 Dec 1996 WO1 D.C. Dockendorff, OAM
10 Dec 1996 - 17 Jan 2000 WO1 D.A.Siggers
18 Jan 2000 - 7 Dec 2001 WO1 R.H.Speter
8 Dec 2001 - 16 Aug 2002 WO1 R.L.Wilhelm
13 Sep 2002 - 16 Jan 2005 WO1 C.M. Moffat
17 Jan 2005 - 3 Dec 2006 WO1 K.M. Ryan, OAM
RCB TOURS
Mar - Jun 74, C COY, MAJ Green
Nov 76 - Feb 77, D COY, MAJ Terry Nolan, AM
02 Sep - 02 Dec 79, D COY, MAJ David J. Mead
02 Jun - 09 Sep 81, B COY, MAJ 'Blue' Craze
07 Dec 82 - 23 Feb 83, D COY, MAJ Ron P. White
22 Feb - 22 May 84, C COY, MAJ Peter A. Pederson
05 Mar - 04 Jun 86, B COY, MAJ Patrick MacIntosh
04 Mar - 03 Jun 87, D COY, MAJ Mark P. Sampson
Rotation 9, 03 Jun - 10 Sep 89, C COY, MAJ Wayne T. Bowen, SC
Rotation 13, 01 Jun - 08 Sep 90, D COY, MAJ Jeffery M. Quirk
Rotation 18, 03 Sep - 06 Dec 91, C COY, MAJ I.T. Campbell
Rotation 25, 02 Jul - 01 Nov 93, B COY, MAJ Ross M. Jacob
Rotation 26, 01 Nov 93 - 01 Mar 94, D COY, MAJ Neill Marshall
Rotation 30, 05 Mar - 29 Jun 95, C COY, MAJ Mark Mathews
Rotation 37, 07 Feb - 08 May 97, D COY, MAJ Roy Bird
Rotation 54, 03 May - 02 Aug 01, B COY, MAJ John Dempsey
ALLIED REGIMENTS
The Welsh Guards and The Gordon Highlanders. 5/7 RAR (Mech) has maintained
the alliances between 5 RAR and the Welsh Guards and 7 RAR and the
Gordon Highlanders.
Battalion Associations. 5/7 RAR (Mech) maintains close links with
the 5 and 7 RAR Associations. Members of these associations regularly
attend Battalion functions and the
Battalion sends representatives to annual church services and similar
functions.
'Gabby Hayes'. CPL J.F. 'Gabby' Hayes was a section commander in A
Company, 7 RAR. He was
killed in action in South Vietnam on 6 Aug 67. He left a sum of money
in his will to be used
to drink a toast each year on the 7 RAR birthday. To provide a lasting
memorial to Gabby,
the Sergeants' Mess purchased silver in his name with the money. Each
year on 'Gabby
Hayes Night', the corporals of the Battalion visit the Sergeants'
Mess and join its members in
drinking a toast to the 'Australian Infantryman'. The toast is funded
by the mess in memory
of CPL Hayes.
Affiliated Army Reserve Battalion. 5/7 RAR (Mech) maintains an affiliation
with 8th/7th
Battalion, The Royal Victoria Regiment. Soldiers from 8/7 RVR have
participated in a
number of RCB tours and several have served on full time duty with
the Battalion.
Marching song for quick march is DOMINAISE a combination of 5 RAR’s
quick march song DOMINIQUE and 7 RAR’s quick march song AUSTRALAISE
BATTALION SONG
'Who is the man with the big red nose'
[1] Gullett HB (Jo) 'Not as a Duty
Only – An Infantryman's War.' Melbourne University press, 1976,
p.1.
