The Monash University Regiment was an
officer
An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...
training regiment of the
Australian Army
The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (Austral ...
, based in
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
near
Monash University
Monash University () is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Named for prominent World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. The university has a ...
. It was a direct command training unit of the
4th Brigade, and part of the
2nd Division, it was responsible for training of ARes officer cadets (OCDTs) for graduation as
lieutenants
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
, and provided driver training and promotion courses for junior non commissioned officers.
The regiment was named in honour of General Sir
John Monash
General Sir John Monash, (; 27 June 1865 – 8 October 1931) was an Australian civil engineer and military commander of the First World War. He commanded the 13th Infantry Brigade before the war and then, shortly after its outbreak, became co ...
, one of Australia's most famous soldiers and arguably one of the most effective commanders on the
Western Front during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. Its last
commanding officer
The commanding officer (CO) or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitu ...
was
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
Margaret Sorial, and the last honorary colonel was
Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Greg Garde.
[
]
History
The regiment, which is known as MONUR (not to be confused with MUR, being Melbourne University Regiment
The Melbourne University Regiment (MUR) is an officer training unit in the Australian Army Reserve (ARes). It has a depot at Grattan Street, Carlton, Melbourne, Australia.
History
MUR traces its origins to 1884 as D Company, 4th Battalion of th ...
), traces its origins back to 23 April 1966, when Monash University Company was formed as a detachment of MUR. On 23 February 1970 it ceased to be the Monash University Company of MUR, and became a regiment in its own right. As a training unit, MONUR does not carry any battle honours on its colours which are laid up in the Religious Centre on the Clayton campus of Monash University. However, past and present members of the unit have been involved in every major Australian deployment since 1966, with a large number of members assisting in natural disaster relief, including the Black Saturday bushfires
The Black Saturday bushfires were a series of bushfires that either ignited or were already burning across the Australian state of Victoria on and around Saturday, 7 February 2009, and were among Australia's all-time worst bushfire disasters. T ...
.
Since its formation the Regiment enjoyed a loose association with Monash University
Monash University () is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Named for prominent World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. The university has a ...
, with a majority of officer cadets also studying at the university. This relationship has not always proved an easy one, especially during the Vietnam War-era when Monash University's Clayton campus was a hotbed of student activism.
The last commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Margaret Sorial.
The last regimental sergeant major, Warrant Officer Class One Christopher Kund.
In 2013, MonUR was amalgamated with Melbourne University Regiment
The Melbourne University Regiment (MUR) is an officer training unit in the Australian Army Reserve (ARes). It has a depot at Grattan Street, Carlton, Melbourne, Australia.
History
MUR traces its origins to 1884 as D Company, 4th Battalion of th ...
under Plan Beersheba.
Structure
Immediately prior to its removal from the order of battle, the Regiment was structured into a Regimental (Battalion) Headquarters and two sub-units: Cadet Company and Logistic Support Company. Cadet Company contained all the officer cadets
Officer Cadet is a rank held by military cadets during their training to become commissioned officers. In the United Kingdom, the rank is also used by members of University Royal Naval Units, University Officer Training Corps and University Air ...
undertaking the commissioning course to become commissioned officers in the Australian Army. The Logistic Support Company provided training and logistic support to the Regiment, particularly to the Cadet Company training program in support of the First Appointment Course to train reservists as commissioned officers. Logistic Support Company consisted of a catering cell, a rifle section for demonstration and OPFOR
An opposing force (alternatively enemy force, abbreviated OPFOR) is a military unit tasked with representing an enemy, usually for training purposes in war game scenarios. The related concept of aggressor squadron is used by some air forces. ...
purposes, Q store, a transport section, and administration cell.
Monash University Regiment sent approximately 10 Staff Cadets each to the Royal Military College, Duntroon
lit: Learning promotes strength
, established =
, type = Military college
, chancellor =
, head_label = Commandant
, head = Brigadier Ana Duncan
, principal =
, city = Campbell
, state = ...
(RMC-D) each year to complete this part-time officer course, graduates of which were commissioned as lieutenants at Duntroon before being allocated to their Corps and posted to their first unit. For much of the 2000s decade, MONUR came under command of the Royal Military College of Australia, a brigade-sized formation that included RMC-D and all university regiments in the Australian Army.
Traditions
The regiment's motto is ''Ancora Imparo'' which is attributed to Michelangelo
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (; 6 March 1475 – 18 February 1564), known as Michelangelo (), was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was insp ...
and translates as "I am still learning", which is also the university's motto. Members of the Regiment wear an Academic Blue (or Cambridge Blue) lanyard which signifies the unit's link with Monash University
Monash University () is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Named for prominent World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. The university has a ...
, which in turn adopted many of the traditions of Cambridge University
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
. The regimental badge is backed by a red "aura" which signifies the alliance of MONUR with the British Army's Light Infantry
Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought ...
, now amalgamated into The Rifles
The Rifles is an infantry regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of four Regular battalions and three Reserve battalions, plus a number of companies in other Army Reserve battalions. Each battalion of The Rifles was formerly ...
.
MONUR enjoyed a healthy rivalry with its larger counterpart, MUR. All new inductees to the Officer Cadet's Mess (named in honour of Lieutenant David Sabben, MG) were required to denounce any allegiance to the sister unit. The regiment's mascot was a black sheep (ram) indicative of the status and culture of the Regiment as a historical formation within MUR. The unofficial mascot of MONUR's Cadet Company was a comical orange stuffed toy known as "The Muppet", with the worthiest Officer Cadet guarding this revered figure at all times.
MONUR's regimental quick march is "Imperial Echoes", which was composed by Arnold Safroni in 1913 and used as the signature tune of the BBC Newsreel feature during World War II.
Notable members
Former unit members and graduates include:
* Robert Champion de Crespigny
Robert James Champion de Crespigny, AC (born 1950) is a multi-millionaire Australian businessman and founder of Normandy Mining Limited. Currently estimated with his ownership in PBE and Rutherford corporations his net worth is near 1B. In 2004 ...
(RCDC), businessman and member of the first graduating class
* Peter Carroll, Department of Defence Department of Defence or Department of Defense may refer to:
Current departments of defence
* Department of Defence (Australia)
* Department of National Defence (Canada)
* Department of Defence (Ireland)
* Department of National Defense (Philipp ...
mandarin and member of Cadet Company
* Singer and performer Vanessa Amorosi
Vanessa Joy AmorosiSharon Verghis"Back on track" ''The Sun-Herald'', 18 October 2009, Archived fro''the original''on 6 March 2016. (born 8 August 1981) is an Australian singer-songwriter and recording artist. Her combined album and single sales ...
* Bill Shorten
William Richard Shorten (born 12 May 1967) is an Australian politician currently serving as Minister for Government Services and Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme since 2022. He previously served as leader of the opposition a ...
, leader of the Australian Labor Party, member 1985–1986
References
; Notes
;Bibliography
*
External links
Monash University Regiment History
The Rifles
{{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017
Regiments of Australia
Military units and formations established in 1966
Military units and formations disestablished in 2013