5th/7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=5th/7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Mechanised)


caption=Badge of the Royal Australian Regiment
country=Australia
allegiance=
type=Infantry
branch=Army
dates=1973-2006
specialization=Mechanised Infantry
command_structure=Australian 1st Brigade
size=
current_commander=
garrison=Darwin
ceremonial_chief=HM The Queen (Royal Australian Infantry Corps)
ceremonial_chief_label=Colonel-in-Chief
nickname="The Tigers"
motto=Duty First
colors=Gold & Maroon
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_label=Unit Colour Patch
identification_symbol_2= [http://www.regiments.org/tradition/tartans/austral.htm Australian (Pipers kilts and plaids)]
identification_symbol_2_label=Tartan
march="Dominaise"
mascot=Sumatran Tiger "Quintus Secundus"
battles=
notable_commanders=Simon Gould, DSC
anniversaries= The 5th/7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Mechanised) (5/7 RAR [MECH] ) was an Australian mechanised infantry battalion. The battalion was based at Robertson Barracks in Palmerston, Northern Territory and formed part of the Australian 1st Brigade.

History

5/7 RAR was formed on 3 December 1973 at Holsworthy Barracks in Sydney by combining the 5th and 7th Battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment to form a single light infantry battalion. Throughout the battalion's history 5/7 RAR formed part of the Australian 1st Brigade.

In January 1975 the battalion deployed to Darwin as part of the clean-up following Cyclone Tracy. Between 1976 and 1978 5/7 RAR trialed a mechanised infantry organisation using M113 armoured personnel carriers . The value of this mechanisation was demonstrated when the battalion was able to quickly respond to the Sydney Hilton bombing in 1978 by guarding the route between Holsworthy and the site of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting at Bowral. While the mechanisation trial was judged a success, it was decided that only one of 5/7 RAR's companies would be mechanised, with the mechanised role rotating between the battalion's rifle companies every 12 months. The battalion was fully mechanised in 1984.

In 1999 5/7 RAR relocated from Holsworthy to Darwin. Later that year the battalion made its first operational deployment when it deployed to East Timor as part of INTERFET and transitioning in February 2000 as the 1st AUSBATT of the UNTAET mission. This deployment proved highly successful, with 5/7 RAR providing the force with a powerful and highly mobile battalion. After a seven-month tour, the Battalion returned to Australia shortly after ANZAC Day 2000. 5/7 RAR served a second tour in East Timor between October 2002 and May 2003, though it operated largely as a light infantry battalion on this deployment. The deployment also included a company of General Reserve soldiers.

5/7 RAR's final deployments were to Iraq. In 2004 5/7 RAR provided a rifle company for security duties in Baghdad. During 2005 and 2006 a rifle company from the battalion formed part of the Al Muthanna Task Group in southern Iraq. 5/7 RAR provided the headquarters and support elements of the second rotation of the Task Group from November 2005 - April 2006. The rifle company in Iraq was mounted in ASLAVs from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment as it was judged that these fast and well armed vehicles were better suited to conditions in Iraq than 5/7 RAR's elderly M113A1s.

On 3 December 2006, the 5th/7th Battalion was formally de-linked into its antecedent units.

Current composition

5/7 RAR consisted of:
* Battalion Headquarters
* Three mechanised infantry companies
* Support Company
* Administration Company
* Technical Support Company

All elements of the battalion were mechanised with M113A1 armoured personnel carriers.

Role

5/7 RAR was Australia's only mechanised infantry battalion. Under the doctrine developed by 1st Brigade, 5/7 RAR combined with 1st Armoured Regiment to form two battle groups (one ‘infantry heavy’ and one ‘armour heavy’).

On 24 August 2006 Prime Minister John Howard announced that two new battalions would be established in two stages, with one eventually to be based in Adelaide and the other in south-east Queensland. The first of the two new battalions would be formed by splitting the 5/7 RAR creating the separate 5th and 7th battalions. Both 5th and 7th battalions will keep their mechanised infantry role. The new 5th Battalion will remain at at Robertson Barracks while 7th Battalion will relocate to Adelaide. The 5th/7th Battalion was formally delinked on 3 December 2006 into the new 5th Battalion and 7th Battalion. At the time, elements of the battalion were deployed in Iraq, so the operational establishment of the new units was undertaken during 2007.

Pipes and Drums

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 upon the amalgamation with the 5th Battalion. 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 tartan was adopted by both the 5th/7th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion. The pipes and drums served as combat medics, primarily driving the fleet of M113 ambulances.

Alliances

*GBR - Welsh Guards (from 5th Battalion, RAR)
*GBR - The Highlanders (from 7th Battalion, RAR)

References

* [http://5-7rar.org/index.html 5/7 RAR Association Website] (note this website is poorly maintained)

* David Horner (Editor) (1990). "Duty First. The Royal Australian Regiment in War and Peace". Allen & Unwin. Sydney.
* Ian Kuring (2004). "Redcoats to Cams: A History of Australian Infantry 1788 to 2001". Loftus in association with the Australian Army Historical Unit. Sydney.