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School of Armour
Active15 February 1941 – present
CountryAustralia
BranchAustralian Army
TypeArmoured
RoleTraining establishment
SizeSingle regiment
Part ofCombined Arms Training Centre
BarracksHopkins Barracks, Puckapunyal
Motto(s)Forge
Principle equipment
Commanders
Honourary ColonelMAJGEN Roger Powell AM
Colonel-in-ChiefThe Prince of Wales
Insignia
AbbreviationSOArmd

The School of Armour is the Australian Army's armoured fighting vehicle and junior combat officer tactics training establishment, it is located at Hopkins Barracks, Puckapunyal in central Victoria and is considered the home of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps. Founded in 1941 during the Second World War as the Army Armoured Fighting Vehicles School, the School of Armour is responsible for delivering individual crew training to the Australian Army's armored fighting vehicle crewmen and commanders, as well as high end combined arms training to the Austalian Army's junior combat officers.

History[edit]

Throughout 1940 Australia's contributions to the Second World War rapidly increased; profoundly impressed by the speed and power of the German Army's armoured formations during the invasion of France, in June the Minister for the Army, Geoffrey Street, sought the approval of the War Cabinet for the provision for cruiser tanks and machine gun carriers for the Army and the formation of an Australian armoured division.[1][2] Unaware of Cabinet's deliberations, in Cairo the Commander of the 2nd AIF, Lieutenant General Thomas Blamey, was writing a long appreciation of the strategic situation and the development of Australia's war effort.[3] In a letter to the Prime Minister, Robert Menzies, dated 15 November 1940, Blamey wrote:

"I would urge that consideration be given to building this force [2nd AIF] up by the addition of at least two armoured divisions as soon as possible... Our AIF is organised as a Corps of four infantry divisions. It can only be a self-contained force if it has its due proportion of armoured formations, and both for this war and looking at our national future, we should be a force fully organised."[4]

In early November the Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Vernon Sturdee, approached the commander of the 7th Division Cavalry Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Hopkins, about how long it would take to raise an armoured division,[Note 1] having previously considered the problem Hopkins stated that six months after Cabinet approval, the first armoured units could be fielded, with others formed progressively until the division was complete.[6] One week later Hopkins was ordered to report to Sturdee in Sydney where he was told to hand over command of his unit and commence the process of implementing his plan.[3]

It was determined that a separate training regiment would be required to train in the first instance the officers and non-comsioned officers selected for the 1st Armoured Division, and subsequently train the reinforcement officers and instructors.[7]

On 28 December 1940 the task of establishing such a unit was assigned to Major R. A. Perkins of the Australian Staff Corps, his orders were to the have school functioning and ready to recieve the first student instructors by 12 January 1941 at the Balcombe Army Camp at Mount Martha, Victoria.[2][8] The school was established as the Army Armoured Fighting Vehicles School with three instructional wings to deliver aspects of tank crew training; following the pattern of the Royal Tank Corps at Bovington the wings were Junior Leaders Wing, Tank Gunnery Wing and Wireless Wing, at the time tank driving and maintenance training was carried out by School of Mechanisation at Seymour, this was later incorporated into the school as the Driving and Maintence Wing.[2][8]

The first course commenced as planned under the personal supervision of Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Hopkins, but the most limiting factor was availability of equipment to train on, the initial equipment provided to the school were three Vickers Medium Mk II tanks and four Vickers Light Mk VIA tanks, the unexpected arrival of a consignment of 3 pounder ammunition allowed the students to shoot the Medium Mk II main armaments at Cape Schanck.[2][8]

Role & organisation[edit]

Structure[edit]

The School of Armour is organised into a number of instructional wings that deliver different aspects of training as well as a headquarters and a training support squadron.[9]

Combat Command Wing

Combat Command Wing's primary role is the delivery of the Combat Officer Advanced Course to the Army's combat arms captains, the Combat Officer Advanced Course is a high end combined arms training course designed to develop tactically proficient combat arms officers as sub-unit commanders and unit operations officers with a heavy emphasis on the use of simulation.[10][11] Combat Command Wing also provides a mobile training team for use by the Army's manoeuvre Brigades.[11]

Communications Wing

Comminications Wing's primary role is the delivery of combat comminications training to both the RAAC and other Corps' on the operation and maintenance of in-service communications equipment.[12]

Corps Training Wing

Corps Training Wing develops and trains the new soldiers into the RAAC after they have graduated from the Army Recruit Training Centre, instruction delivered includes advanced weapons qualification and training, advanced navigation and reconnaissance techniques prior to the soldiers commencing armoured fighting vehicle training.[11][13]

Driving and Servicing Wing

Driving and Servicing Wing's primary role is the delivery of instruction on the driving and maintenance of armoured fighting vehicles.[14]

Gunnery Wing

Gunnery Wing's primary role is the delivery of instruction on the operation and maintence of mounted weapons and vehicle turret systems.[15]

Tactics Wing

Tactics Wing's primary role is the delivery of tactics training to the Army's junior officers, and non-commissioned officers on the command of in service Armoured Fighting Vehicles as well as armoured and mechanised tactics.[16]

B Squadron, 3rd/4th Cavalry Regiment
Main article: 3rd/4th Cavalry Regiment (Australia)

In 2017 the School of Armour's Support Squadron was renamed B Squadron, 3rd/4th Cavalry Regiment and assumed the customs and tradtions of that unit.[17] B Squadron, 3rd/4th Cavalry Regiment provides Armoured Fighting Vehicles, equipment and personnel to the School of Armour's instructional wings to support the delivery of courses.[17][18]

Hopkins Barracks[edit]

In addition to the School of Armour, Hopkins Barracks is home to the Australian Army Tank Museum, the Royal Australian Armoured Corps Memorial and the Royal Australian Armoured Corps' officer's mess, sergeant's mess and soldier's club.[19][20][21][22]

Australian Army Tank Museum and RAAC Memorial[edit]

Main article: Royal Australian Armoured Corps Memorial and Army Tank Museum

[19]

Messes and clubs[edit]

Hopkins Barracks Officer's Mess

In 1941 a temporary officer's mess was constructed at Puckapunyal to support the new AFV School from excess steel sections of aircraft hangar, the mess was designed to accommodate up to 300 officers (both instructors and trainees), despite it's initial temporary nature the Hopkins Barracks Officer's Mess continues to function in the same building.[20] Significant works were conducted to the building in the 1970s by the officers and soldiers of the School themselves to refurbish the extremely dated building, although the original steel framework was retained and is still visible on the inside of the building.[20][23]

Hopkins Barracks Sergeant's Mess

The Hopkins Barracks Sergeant's Mess was moved to its current location adjoining the Officer's Mess in 1985 when the previous building was deemed uninhabitable. The Sergeant's Mess shares a common kitchen with with Officer's Mess and some of its rooms were once part of the Officer's Mess, but otherwise the two messes operate independently of one another.[21]

Waler Club

The Waler Club is the RAAC's soldier's club for all junior non-commissioned officers and solders of the corps, it is also the soldiers club for non-RAAC soldiers posted to the School, it has occupyed its current location since 1985.[22]

Equipment[edit]

Current armoured vehicles[edit]

Former armoured vehicles[edit]

See also[edit]

Footnotes[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ At the time Hopkins was the most senior officer in the Australian Army with any training in the use of tanks, having been sent to Britain in 1937 to undertake comprehensive training with the Royal Tank Corps at Bovington and Lulworth, participating in manoeuvres and undertaking two armoured staff appointments in 1938.[5]
  2. ^ Two Chaffees were used by the School in the later war and early post-war years for training.[26]
  3. ^ A single Covenanter bridge layer was used by the School in the later war and early post-war years for training.[24]
  4. ^ A single Sherman was used by the School in the later war and early post-war years for training.[26]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Hopkins 1978, p. 36.
  2. ^ a b c d Agnew 2011, p. 1.
  3. ^ a b Hopkins 1978, p. 37.
  4. ^ Long 1953, pp. 538–539.
  5. ^ Beale 2011, p. 72.
  6. ^ Hopkins 1978, pp. 36–37.
  7. ^ Hopkins 1978, p. 40.
  8. ^ a b c Handel 2003, p. 38.
  9. ^ Bains, Branagan & Finlayson 2011, pp. 114–121.
  10. ^ Abbott 2015.
  11. ^ a b c Gillman 2016.
  12. ^ Bains, Branagan & Finlayson 2011, p. 116.
  13. ^ Bains, Branagan & Finlayson 2011, p. 121.
  14. ^ Bains, Branagan & Finlayson 2011, p. 118.
  15. ^ Bains, Branagan & Finlayson 2011, p. 117.
  16. ^ Bains, Branagan & Finlayson 2011, p. 115.
  17. ^ a b Cimbaljevic 2017.
  18. ^ Bains, Branagan & Finlayson 2011, pp. 119–120.
  19. ^ a b Handel 2011, pp. 131–132. sfn error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFHandel2011 (help)
  20. ^ a b c Sarkies 2011.
  21. ^ a b Mason 2011.
  22. ^ a b Little 2011.
  23. ^ Bryant 2011.
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h i Agnew 2011, p. 4.
  25. ^ Latchford 2011, p. 20.
  26. ^ a b c d e Agnew 2011, p. 7.
  27. ^ a b c d Murphy 2011, p. 40.
  28. ^ O'Donnell 2011.
  29. ^ a b Handel 1999, p. 6.
  30. ^ Handel 1999, p. 57.

Bibliography[edit]

  • Abbott, LTCOL Andrew (2015). "School of Armour". Ironsides: The Journal of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps. Hopkins Barracks, Puckapunyal, Victoria: The Royal Australian Armoured Corps: 20. OCLC 808384287.
  • Agnew, Brian, AM (2011). "The Forties: Armoured Centre a brief history. Part 1 the foundation years 1941–49". In Baines, John, RFD; Branagan, Peter, OAM; Finlayson, David (eds.). The AFV School: 70 years of training Australian armour. Royal Australian Armoured Corps. pp. 1–7.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Baines, John, RFD; Branagan, Peter, OAM; Finlayson, David, eds. (2011). The AFV School: 70 years of training Australian armour. Royal Australian Armoured Corps.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)
  • Bryant, MAJ Ian "Luigi", AM (2011). "The Forties: Armoured Centre a brief history. Part 1 the foundation years 1941–49". In Baines, John, RFD; Branagan, Peter, OAM; Finlayson, David (eds.). The AFV School: 70 years of training Australian armour. Royal Australian Armoured Corps. p. 126.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Cimbaljevic, MAJ Aaron (2017). "Southern Stingers: re-naming of Support Squadron to B Squadron 3rd/4th Cavalry Regiment". Ironsides: The Journal of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps. Hopkins Barracks, Puckapunyal, Victoria: The Royal Australian Armoured Corps: 30. OCLC 808384287.
  • Gillman, LTCOL Joshua (2016). "School of Armour". Ironsides: The Journal of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps. Hopkins Barracks, Puckapunyal, Victoria: The Royal Australian Armoured Corps: 20. OCLC 808384287.
  • Handel, Paul, RFD (2003). Dust, sand and jungle: A history of Australian armour 1927–1948. Puckaunyal, Victoria: Royal Australian Armoured Corps Memorial & Army Tank Museum. ISBN 1-876439-75-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Handel, Paul, RFD (1999). Fifty years of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps: 1948–1998. Puckaunyal, Victoria: Royal Australian Armoured Corps Memorial & Army Tank Museum.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Handel, Paul, RFD (2011). "History of the Australian Army Tank Museum and RAAC Memorial". In Baines, John, RFD; Branagan, Peter, OAM; Finlayson, David (eds.). The AFV School: 70 years of training Australian armour. Royal Australian Armoured Corps. p. 131–133.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Latchford, Kevin, AO (2011). "The Fifties: Consolidation & moving forward". In Baines, John, RFD; Branagan, Peter, OAM; Finlayson, David (eds.). The AFV School: 70 years of training Australian armour. Royal Australian Armoured Corps. pp. 20–21.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Little, Andrew (2011). "The Waler Club: Heart of the RAAC". In Baines, John, RFD; Branagan, Peter, OAM; Finlayson, David (eds.). The AFV School: 70 years of training Australian armour. Royal Australian Armoured Corps. p. 122.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)
  • Long, Gavin (1953). Greece, Crete and Syris. Australia in the War of 1939-1945, Ser 1, Vol 2. Canberra: Australian War Memorial.
  • Mason, Frank (2011). "Hopkins Barracks Sergeants Mess". In Baines, John, RFD; Branagan, Peter, OAM; Finlayson, David (eds.). The AFV School: 70 years of training Australian armour. Royal Australian Armoured Corps. p. 123.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)
  • Murphy, Gordon, AM (2011). "The Sixties: The Vietnam War & the introduction of the M113A1". In Baines, John, RFD; Branagan, Peter, OAM; Finlayson, David (eds.). The AFV School: 70 years of training Australian armour. Royal Australian Armoured Corps. pp. 40–41.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • O'Donnell, Laurie, AC (2011). "The Seventies: A time of war and peace". In Baines, John, RFD; Branagan, Peter, OAM; Finlayson, David (eds.). The AFV School: 70 years of training Australian armour. Royal Australian Armoured Corps. p. 65.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Sarkies, Richard (2011). "What was and now is". In Baines, John, RFD; Branagan, Peter, OAM; Finlayson, David (eds.). The AFV School: 70 years of training Australian armour. Royal Australian Armoured Corps. p. 125.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)

To be used[edit]

  • Beale, Peter (2011). Fallen Sentinel: Australian tanks in World War II. Newport, New South Wales: Big Sky Publishing. ISBN 9781921941023.
  • Devine, Paddy (2011). "The Noughties: School of Armour in the Millenium Dawn". In Baines, John, RFD; Branagan, Peter, OAM; Finlayson, David (eds.). The AFV School: 70 years of training Australian armour. Royal Australian Armoured Corps. pp. 103–114.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)
  • Handel, Paul, RFD (2011). "New wheeled vehicles of the RAAC". In Baines, John, RFD; Branagan, Peter, OAM; Finlayson, David (eds.). The AFV School: 70 years of training Australian armour. Royal Australian Armoured Corps. p. 27.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Jones, Gordon, AM (2011). "The Nineties: Winds of change". In Baines, John, RFD; Branagan, Peter, OAM; Finlayson, David (eds.). The AFV School: 70 years of training Australian armour. Royal Australian Armoured Corps. pp. 92–101.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Monaghan, Peter, CSC (2011). "The Eighties: Forging ahead with the available resouces". In Baines, John, RFD; Branagan, Peter, OAM; Finlayson, David (eds.). The AFV School: 70 years of training Australian armour. Royal Australian Armoured Corps. pp. 75–76.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

Category:Regiments of Australia Category:Armoured and cavalry regiments of the Australian Army Category:Military units and formations established in 1941 Category:Military education and training in Australia

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