The Royal Australian Regiment - Definition and Overview

Cap badge of the Royal Australian Regiment

The Royal Australian Regiment is the main regular infantry formation in the Australian Army. It has its origins in the three battalions of the 34th Brigade, raised in late 1945 — from soldiers in other units of the Second Australian Imperial Force — to form the body of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan. In 1947, it was decided that the unit would be the army's first ever standing, regular infantry formation (see Australian Army). The brigade was renamed The Australian Regiment in 1948, with the "Royal" prefix being granted the following year.

The regiment has served in several major conflicts, including the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

In 2004, the regiment consisted of six separate battalions:

• 1st Battalion (1 RAR)
• 2nd Battalion (2 RAR)
• 3rd (Parachute) Battalion (3 RAR)
• 4th (Commando) Battalion (4 RAR)
• 5th/7th (Mechanised) Battalion (5/7 RAR)
• 6th Battalion (6 RAR)

Decorations from the United States Military

The 1st, 3rd and 6th Battalions have all been awarded US military decorations for service alongside US troops; the 1st Battalion received the Meritorious Unit Commendation for its service in Vietnam, while the 3rd Battalion received the Distinguished Unit Citation following the Battle of Kapyong during the Korean War (an honour it shares with the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry). D Company of the 6th Battalion also received the Distinguished Unit Citation, this time in Vietnam at the Battle of Long Tan; although the respective battle honours are borne by the whole regiment, the three citations awarded by the United States are held solely by the battalions that received them, and are displayed as streamers on the respective regimental colours of those battalions.

See Also

Non US Winners of US gallantry awards

External Links

• 1st Battalion Meritorious Unit Commendation (http://www.vvaa.org.au/1rar.htm)
• 3rd Battalion Distinguished Unit Citation (http://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/pow/korea/3rar_citation.htm)
• 6th Battalion Distinguished Unit Citation (http://www.vvaa.org.au/dcoy.htm)

Battle Honours