Royal Australian Regiment
The Royal Australian Regiment (RAR) is the parent administrative regiment for regular infantry battalions of the Australian Army and is the senior infantry regiment of the Royal Australian Infantry Corps. It was originally formed in 1948 as a three battalion regiment; however, since then its size has fluctuated as battalions have been raised, amalgamated or disbanded in accordance with the Australian government's strategic requirements. Currently, the regiment consists of seven battalions and has fulfilled various roles including those of light, parachute, motorised and mechanised infantry. Throughout its existence, units of the Royal Australian Regiment have deployed on operations in Japan, Korea, Malaya, Borneo, Vietnam, Somalia, Rwanda, Cambodia, East Timor, the Solomon Islands, Iraq and Afghanistan.
| The Royal Australian Regiment | |
|---|---|
Cap badge of the Royal Australian Regiment | |
| Active | 23 November 1948 – present |
| Country | Australia |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Line infantry |
| Role | Mechanised infantry (3 battalions) Motorised infantry (3 battalions) Amphibious infantry (1 battalion) |
| Size | Seven battalions |
| Part of | Royal Australian Infantry Corps |
| Garrison/HQ | 1st Battalion – Townsville 2nd Battalion – Townsville 3rd Battalion – Townsville 5th Battalion – Palmerston 6th Battalion – Enoggera 7th Battalion – Adelaide 8th/9th Battalion – Enoggera |
| Nickname(s) | 1st Battalion – The Pony Soldiers or The Big Blue One 2nd Battalion – Second to None 3rd Battalion – Old Faithful 4th Battalion – The Fighting Fourth 5th Battalion – The Tiger Battalion 6th Battalion – Bluedog 7th Battalion – The Pigs 8th Battalion – The Grey Eight 8th/9th Battalion – Old Dependable Brisbane's Own |
| Motto(s) | Duty First |
| Colours | 3rd Battalion and 6th Battalion entitled to wear the Unit Citation for Gallantry and the US PUC streamers on the Regimental Colour; whilst the 1st Battalion has been awarded the Unit Citation for Gallantry, the US MUC and Gallantry Cross (South Vietnam) streamers on the Regimental Colour |
| March | Quick – El Alamein (Band); Black Bear (Pipes and Drums) Slow – Infantry Song |
| Mascot(s) | 1st Battalion – Shetland pony "Septimus" 3rd Battalion – None 4th Battalion – None 5th Battalion – Sumatran tiger "Quintus Rama" 6th Battalion – Blue Heeler Corporal "Ridgeliegh Blue" 8th/9th Battalion – Merino ram John "Stan the Ram" Macarthur |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Major General Shane Caughey (Colonel commandant) |
| Colonel of the Regiment | General David Hurley (Governor-General of Australia) |
| Insignia | |
| Unit colour patches | |
| Tartan | The Australian (2 and 7 RAR piper's kilts and plaids) Royal Stewart (3 RAR piper's kilts and plaids) |
| Abbreviation | RAR |