The NORFORCE (North-West Mobile Force) is an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

of the

Australian Army Reserve The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citizens Forces, the Citizen ...

. Formed in 1981, the regiment is one of three

Regional Force Surveillance Units The Regional Force Surveillance Units (RFSUs) are specialised infantry units of the Australian Army Reserve responsible for patrolling northern Australia. Collectively, the RFSUs form the Regional Force Surveillance Group commanded by a Colone ...

(RFSUs) employed in surveillance and reconnaissance of the remote areas of

Northern Australia The unofficial geographic term Northern Australia includes those parts of Queensland and Western Australia north of latitude 26° and all of the Northern Territory. Those local government areas of Western Australia and Queensland that lie p ...

. It consists of a regimental headquarters, four surveillance squadrons, and an operational support squadron and training squadron.

History

In the late 1970s and early 1980s the need for a military presence in the north of Australia was recognised, with an integrated land, sea and air surveillance network developed in response. Part of this involved the raising of

infantry units known as

Regional Force Surveillance Unit The Regional Force Surveillance Units (RFSUs) are specialised infantry units of the Australian Army Reserve responsible for patrolling northern Australia. Collectively, the RFSUs form the Regional Force Surveillance Group commanded by a Colon ...

s (RFSUs) that would act as "eyes and ears" in the north. NORFORCE was raised for operations in the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory ...

and the Kimberley region of

and was formed as an independent

company A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of people, whether Natural person, natural, Legal person, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common p ...

on 1 July 1981, from the

7th Independent Rifle Company 7 (seven) is the natural number following 6 and preceding 8. It is the only prime number preceding a cube (algebra), cube. As an early prime number in the series of positive integers, the number seven has greatly symbolic associations in religion ...

, and was based in Darwin under the command of Lieutenant Colonel John George. This unit was renamed as the North-West Mobile Force, or NORFORCE, in 1981. Meanwhile, in 1985 two more RFSUs were raised, with the Pilbara Regiment established in Western Australia, and the 51st Battalion, Far North Queensland Regiment established in

Far North Queensland Far North Queensland (FNQ) is the northernmost part of the Australian state of Queensland. Its largest city is Cairns and it is dominated geographically by Cape York Peninsula, which stretches north to the Torres Strait, and west to the Gulf C ...

. The regiment's lineage goes back to

2/1st North Australia Observer Unit The 2/1st North Australia Observer Unit (2/1 NAOU) was an Australian Army reconnaissance unit of World War II. Formed in early 1942 in the Northern Territory, the unit was a light horse mounted unit that was tasked with providing early warning o ...

(2/1 NAOU) (also known as the "Nackaroos"), which were formed in 1942 as part of the defence of northern Australia from the

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

ese during the Second World War, performing reconnaissance, scouting and coastal surveillance tasks across the Kimberley and the Northern Territory's sea and air approaches. Patrols were reduced in July 1943 as the Japanese threat subsided, and the unit was disbanded in 1945. Due to the similarities between the two units and in order to give NORFORCE an identity it was decided that it would perpetuate the 2/1 NAOU traditions, and as such NORFORCE officially adopted the 2/1 NAOU's orange and green 'double diamond' colour patch and its unit heritage upon formation. NORFORCE also shares its heritage with a number of other units raised during the Second World War, including the

Darwin Mobile Force The Darwin Mobile Force was a mixed force of infantry and artillery raised by the Australian Army prior to the Second World War. It was the first regular infantry field force in the Australian military,Phillips 2000, p. 8. although due to legislat ...

, from which NORFORCE derives its name, and the

Northern Territory Special Reconnaissance Unit The Northern Territory Special Reconnaissance Unit (NTSRU) was an irregular warfare unit of the Australian Army during World War II, composed mainly of Aboriginal people from the Northern Territory. Formed in 1941, the unit patrolled the coast o ...

which performed a similar role to the 2/1 NAOU and pioneered the enlistment and training of regionally based Australian soldiers, mainly from

Arnhem Land Arnhem Land is a historical region of the Northern Territory of Australia, with the term still in use. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the territory and is around from the territory capital, Darwin. In 1623, Dutch East India Compan ...

. The Darwin Mobile Force was raised in 1939, originally as an artillery unit due to restrictions of the ''Defence Act (1903)'' which prohibited the establishment of permanent infantry forces, and was the first Permanent Military Force unit to be raised in the Army. The unit was tasked with the surveillance and protection of the Darwin region. It was renamed the Darwin Infantry Battalion in 1942 and the 19th Battalion in 1943, and subsequently saw service during the

New Guinea campaign The New Guinea campaign of the Pacific War lasted from January 1942 until the end of the war in August 1945. During the initial phase in early 1942, the Empire of Japan invaded the Australian-administered Mandated Territory of New Guinea (23 Jan ...

. During its formative years between 1981 and 1985 the regiment consisted of two reconnaissance squadrons, with the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron responsible for the Northern Territory and the 2nd Reconnaissance Squadron responsible for the Kimberley region in Western Australia. In early 1986 the alpha-numeric designations gave way to geographic names, with 1 Squadron being re-designated Darwin Squadron and 2 Squadron becoming Kimberley Squadron. Further growth of the unit saw Centre Squadron and Arnhem Squadron also being raised in 1986. Each of the regional reconnaissance squadrons has its own Area of Responsibility, and is further divided into a number of "troops", each of which consists of a number of "patrols". Darwin Squadron is based at

Larrakeyah Barracks Larrakeyah Barracks, incorporating , is the main base for the Australian Defence Force in the Northern Territory of Australia, and occupies the headland west of the suburb of Larrakeyah in the capital, Darwin. It was established in 1932–33, ...

in Darwin and has maintained a presence in Daly River,

Jabiru The jabiru ( or ; ''Jabiru mycteria'') is a large stork found in the Americas from Mexico to Argentina, except west of the Andes. It sometimes wanders into the United States, usually in Texas, but has been reported as far north as Mississippi. ...

Katherine Katherine, also spelled Catherine, and Catherina, other variations are feminine Given name, names. They are popular in Christian countries because of their derivation from the name of one of the first Christian saints, Catherine of Alexandria ...

Maningrida Maningrida, also known as Manayingkarírra and Manawukan, is an Aboriginal community in the heart of the Arnhem Land region of Australia's Northern Territory. Maningrida is east of Darwin, and north east of Jabiru. It is on the North Central ...

and Port Keats/

Wadeye Wadeye ( ) is a town in Australia's Northern Territory. It was formerly known (and is still often referred to) as Port Keats. At the , Wadeye had a population of 2,280. Wadeye is the 6th most populous town, and the largest Indigenous community ...

, and on Bathurst, Crocker, Goulburn and Melville islands. Kimberley Squadron is headquartered in Broome, with elements based in

Lake Argyle Lake Argyle is Western Australia's largest and Australia's second largest freshwater man-made reservoir by volume. The reservoir is part of the Ord River Irrigation Scheme and is located near the East Kimberley town of Kununurra. The lake ...

Derby Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gai ...

, Kalumburu, Kununarra, Bidyadanga and Wyndham. Arnhem Squadron is responsible for the eastern Northern Territory with its headquarters in

Nhulunbuy Nhulunbuy () is a township that is the sixth largest population centre in the Northern Territory of Australia. Nhulunbuy was created on the Gove Peninsula in north-east Arnhem Land when a bauxite mine and a deep water port were established ...

, and elements at

Lake Evella Gapuwiyak, also known as Lake Evella, is an Aboriginal Australian community located in north-eastern Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, south of the head of Buckingham Bay and about the same distance south-west of Arnhem Bay. The settlement had ...

Milingimbi Milingimbi Island, also Yurruwi, is the largest island of the Crocodile Islands group off the coast of Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia. Location Milingimbi lies approximately east of Darwin, Northern Territory, Darwin and west of N ...

, Ngukurr,

Numbulwar Numbulwar, formerly known as Rose River Mission,https://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/placenames/view.jsp?id=22449 is a small, primarily Aboriginal community on the Gulf of Carpentaria in the Northern Territory of Australia. The major language group of ...

and

Ramingining Ramingining is an Aboriginal Australian community of mainly Yolngu people in the Northern Territory, Australia, east of Darwin. It is on the edge of the Arafura Swamp in Arnhem Land. Wulkabimirri is a tiny outstation (homeland) nearby, and Mur ...

, and on

Elcho Island Elcho Island, known to its traditional owners as Galiwin'ku (Galiwinku) is an island off the coast of Arnhem Land, in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located at the southern end of the Wessel Islands group located in the East Arnhe ...

and

Groote Eylandt Groote Eylandt ( Anindilyakwa: ''Ayangkidarrba'' meaning "island" ) is the largest island in the Gulf of Carpentaria and the fourth largest island in Australia. It was named by the explorer Abel Tasman in 1644 and is Dutch for "Large Island" in ...

. Centre Squadron operates from the South Australian border northwards, including the main regional centres of

Alice Springs Alice Springs ( aer, Mparntwe) is the third-largest town in the Northern Territory of Australia. Known as Stuart until 31 August 1933, the name Alice Springs was given by surveyor William Whitfield Mills after Alice, Lady Todd (''née'' Al ...

and

Tennant Creek Tennant Creek ( wrm, Jurnkkurakurr) is town located in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is the seventh largest town in the Northern Territory, and is located on the Stuart Highway, just south of the intersection with the western termin ...

, the sparse Barkly Tableland, and north to the Robinson River and Borroloola. NorforceAO

The regiment is now a fully integrated unit consisting of a cadre of about 65 regular personnel supporting 435 Reservists. Regimental Headquarters is at Larrakeyah Barracks in Darwin, while its

area of operation In U.S. armed forces parlance, an area of operations (AO) is an operational area defined by the force commander for land, air, and naval forces conduct of combat and non-combat activities. Areas of operations do not typically encompass the entire op ...

(AO) covers 1.8 million square kilometres, encompassing the entire Northern Territory and the Kimberley region of Western Australia; the largest of any military unit in the world today. An Operational Support Squadron and Training Squadron are also based in Darwin. Borrowing the concept of different "skin" groups to differentiate clans, members of NORFORCE are also known as "Green skins". The primary role of the regiment is reconnaissance, observation and the collection of military intelligence. In the event of an invasion of northern Australia, NORFORCE and the other RFSUs would operate in a "

stay-behind In a stay-behind operation, a country places secret operatives or organizations in its own territory, for use in case an enemy occupies that territory. If this occurs, the operatives would then form the basis of a resistance movement or act as sp ...

" capacity. Sixty percent of NORFORCE personnel are Aboriginal soldiers, recruited mainly from the area they patrol in order to draw upon local knowledge. This has resulted in great trust for the Regiment among Aboriginal communities. Patrols can be inserted and extracted from the area of operations by small boat, airlifted by helicopter or light aircraft, drive in using a range of vehicles, or on foot. Due to their operational role the RFSUs have a high priority for allocation of equipment. Equipment includes Enhanced F88 (EF88) Austeyr rifles, F-89 Minimi light support weapons, grenades, M18-A1 Claymore anti-personnel mines, Harris radios, specialised binoculars and telescopes, night vision equipment, cameras and advanced GPS satellite navigation systems. Vehicles include a variant of the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon 6×6 Surveillance Reconnaissance Vehicles (SRV), motorcycles, Zodiac inflatable boats, and Regional Patrol Craft (aluminium boats). NORFORCE has the distinction of being granted the Freedom of Entry to a city or town on nine occasions, the most of any unit, ship or establishment in the

Australian Defence Force The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the military organisation responsible for the defence of the Commonwealth of Australia and its national interests. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Forc ...

. Freedoms of Entry have been granted for Darwin in 1982, Derby in 1983, Alice Springs in 1984, Katherine in 1986, Wyndham in 1986, Broome in 1987, Kununurra in 1990, Tennant Creek in 1994 and most recently Darwin again in 2016. In 2006, the regiment celebrated its 25th birthday by being presented with its first stand of

colours Color (American English) or colour (British English) is the visual perceptual property deriving from the spectrum of light interacting with the photoreceptor cells of the eyes. Color categories and physical specifications of color are associ ...

Operation Resolute

NORFORCE has continuously contributed Force Elements to

Operation Resolute Operation Resolute is the Australian Defence Force's contribution to the Australian governments effort to protect Australia's borders through surveillance and response. Operation Resolute began on 17 July 2006 and consolidated a number of previo ...

as part of the wider Whole of Government response to border protection. As one of three RFSUs involved, NORFORCE routinely trains and certifies personnel for the Australian Defence Force's contribution to patrolling Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone and coastline. On 1 March 2010, NORFORCE became part of the re-raised 6th Brigade. On 1 September 2014, NORFORCE came under the command of the 2nd Division. On 4 October 2018, all three RFSUs were grouped together as part of a new formation headquarters, the Regional Force Surveillance Group. The new formation came into being at a parade held at

in Darwin.

Current organisation

As of 2021, NORFORCE comprised: *Regimental Headquarters –

, Darwin, NT **Arnhem Squadron –

, NT **Centre Squadron –

, NT **Darwin Squadron – Larrakeyah Barracks, Darwin, NT **Kimberley Squadron – Broome, WA **Training Support Squadron – Larrakeyah Barracks, Darwin, NT **Operational Support Squadron – Larrakeyah Barracks, Darwin, NT

Freedoms of Entry

NORFORCE has the distinction of being granted the Freedom of Entry to a city or town on nine occasions, the most of any unit, ship or establishment in the

. *

: 1984 * Broome: 1987 * Darwin: 1982 and 2016 *

: 1983 *

: 1986 * Kununurra: 1990 *

: 1994 * Wyndham: 1986 In 2006, the regiment celebrated its 25th birthday by being presented with its first stand of

Notes

References

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