5th/7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
| 5th/7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Mechanised) | |
|---|---|
 Badge of the Royal Australian Regiment | |
| Active | 1973–2006 |
| Country |  Australia |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Mechanised Infantry |
| Part of | Australian 1st Brigade |
| Garrison/HQ | Darwin |
| Nickname(s) | The Tigers |
| Motto(s) | Duty First |
| Colors | Gold & Maroon |
| March | Dominaise |
| Mascot(s) | Sumatran Tiger "Quintus Secundus" |
| Commanders | |
| Colonel-in-Chief | HM The Queen (Royal Australian Infantry Corps) |
| Notable commanders | Simon Gould, DSC |
| Insignia | |
| Unit Colour Patch | File:5-7RAR UCP.PNG |
| Tartan | Australian (Pipers kilts and plaids) |
The 5th/7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Mechanised) (5/7 RAR [MECH]) was a mechanised infantry battalion of the Australian Army. The battalion was based at Robertson Barracks in Palmerston, Northern Territory and formed part of the 1st Brigade. It was formed in 1973 by linking both the 5th and 7th Battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment together. In late 2006, as part of the expansion of the Australian Army, the unit was broken up into two separate battalions once again.
History
DEAR GENIUS 15 YR OLD EDITOR
IT IS KINDA STUPID ASKING FOR CITATIONS WHEN THERE ARE NONE AND I WAS ACTUALLY THERE FOR THE 3 YEARS DURING THE MECHANISED TRIALS
ONLY SOMEONE WHO WAS INVOLVED WITH TH TRIALS WOULD KNOW WHAT I KNOW AND AS FAR AS I AM AWARE I AM THE ONLY PERSON TO ACTUALLY TAKE PHOTOS OF THESE TRIALS
ALSO THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE APPROVED IS FACTUALLY FLAWED
SINCE YOU IGNORED MY 2 POLITE ATTEMPTS TO EXPLAIN THIS TO YOU, YOU DIPSTICK, PERHAPS YOU CAN READ THIS
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO YOUR SUPERVISOR IS, PLS EMAIL ME THEIR CONTACT DETAILS (NOT YOURS)
Structure
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’).
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.[1] 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
United Kingdom – Welsh Guards (from 5th Battalion, RAR)- United Kingdom – The Highlanders (from 7th Battalion, RAR)
Notes
- ^ Horner & Bou (2008), p. 244.
References
- Horner, David (2008). Duty First: A History of the Royal Australian Regiment (2nd ed.). Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 9781741753745.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthor=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Kuring, Ian (2004). Redcoats to Cams: A History of Australian Infantry 1788–2001. Loftus: Australian Military History Publications. ISBN 1876439998.
