51st Battalion (Australia)
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The 51st Battalion, Far North Queensland Regiment (51 FNQR) is an
Australian Army Reserve The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the military reserve force, 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 Citize ...
Regional Force Surveillance Unit headquartered at Porton Barracks in
Cairns Cairns (; ) is a city in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia, on the tropical north east coast of Far North Queensland. In the , Cairns had a population of 153,181 people. The city was founded in 1876 and named after William Cairns, Sir W ...
. The battalion's primary role is to conduct reconnaissance and surveillance tasks in support of border security operations. Its area of operations includes the
Torres Strait The Torres Strait (), also known as Zenadh Kes ( Kalaw Lagaw Ya#Phonology 2, ˆzen̪ad̪ kes, is a strait between Australia and the Melanesian island of New Guinea. It is wide at its narrowest extent. To the south is Cape York Peninsula, ...
(especially
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
's border with
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea, officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is an island country in Oceania that comprises the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and offshore islands in Melanesia, a region of the southwestern Pacific Ocean n ...
) and the Cape York littoral environment. Additional tasks for 51FNQR include the collection and collation of military geographic information as well as community engagement and disaster relief operations. Soldiers in the unit are cross-trained in a variety of "low-visibility" skills such as weapons, survival, sniping, medic, small boat handling, driving, tracking, air operations. It is the only battalion of the Far North Queensland Regiment, and draws its lineage from an Australian Imperial Force (AIF)
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 ...
battalion, which was raised for service during World War I.


History


World War I

The 51st Battalion was originally raised in
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
in early 1916 as part of the reorganisation and expansion of the AIF following the Gallipoli campaign. This was achieved by transferring cadres of experienced personnel predominately from units of the 1st Division to the newly formed battalions and combining them with recently recruited personnel who had been dispatched as reinforcements from Australia. The unit's first intake of personnel were drawn from men originating from
Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...
, many of whom had already served with the 11th Battalion during the fighting in Turkey.Browning 2000, p. 9. As a result, at the time of its formation, it inherited the
battle honour A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or Military operation, operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible. In ...
awarded to the mounted infantry from Western Australia who served during the
Second Boer War The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...
. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Murray Ross, a regular
British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
officer, the battalion—as part of the 13th Brigade attached to the
4th Australian Division The Australian 4th Division was formed in the First World War during the expansion of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) infantry brigades in February 1916. In addition to the experienced 4th Brigade (previously in the original New Zealand ...
—sailed for France, arriving in
Marseille Marseille (; ; see #Name, below) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Bouches-du-Rhône and of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region. Situated in the ...
on 12 June 1916. Shortly afterwards it was committed to the fighting, taking part in the
Battle of Mouquet Farm The Fighting for Mouquet Farm, also known as the Battle of Mouquet Farm was part of the Battle of the Somme 1916 and began during the Battle of Pozières (23 July – 3 September 1916). The fighting began on 23 July with attacks by the British ...
during August and September. In three weeks, the battalion lost 650 men killed or wounded. Following this, it moved to Belgium where it saw service on the
Hindenburg Line The Hindenburg Line (, Siegfried Position) was a German Defense line, defensive position built during the winter of 1916–1917 on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front in France during the First World War. The line ran from Arras to ...
, participating in the battles at
Messines Messines may refer to: * Mesen (in French: Messines), a village in Belgium **Battle of Messines (disambiguation), World War I battles * Messines, Quebec, a municipality in Canada * São Bartolomeu de Messines São Bartolomeu de Messines, also ref ...
and
Polygon Wood In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure made up of line segments connected to form a closed polygonal chain. The segments of a closed polygonal chain are called its '' edges'' or ''sides''. The points where two edges meet are the polygon' ...
in 1917. In early 1918, it assisted in the repulse of the major German offensive on the Western Front following the collapse of Russia. On the morning of 24/25 April 1918—
Anzac Day Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia, New Zealand and Tonga that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders "who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations" and "the contribution and ...
—the battalion took part in an Allied counter-attack at
Villers-Bretonneux Villers-Bretonneux () is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Geography Villers-Bretonneux is situated some 19 km due east of Amiens, on the D1029 road and the A29 motorway. Villers-Bretonneux borde ...
, in France, where they suffered 389 casualties in two days of fighting. Following this, the 51st Battalion took part in the last major Allied offensive of the war—the
Hundred Days Offensive The Hundred Days Offensive (8 August to 11 November 1918) was a series of massive Allied offensives that ended the First World War. Beginning with the Battle of Amiens (8–12 August) on the Western Front, the Allies pushed the Imperial Germa ...
—between August and September 1918. After that the battalion, along with the rest of the
Australian Corps The Australian Corps was a World War I army corps that contained all five Australian infantry divisions serving on the Western Front. It was the largest corps fielded by the British Empire in France. At its peak the Australian Corps numbered 1 ...
, was removed from the line having been severely depleted and suffering manpower shortages and it was out of the line training when the
Armistice An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from t ...
was declared on 11 November 1918, effectively bring an end to the war. After the end of the war, as the demobilisation process took place the 51st Battalion was amalgamated first with the 50th Battalion and then also with the 49th, before being disbanded on 5 May 1919. During the fighting, it suffered lost 34
officers 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 ...
and 851
other ranks Other ranks (ORs) in the Royal Marines (RM), the British Army, and the Royal Air Force (RAF), along with the navies, armies, and air forces of many other Commonwealth countries and Ireland, are those personnel who are not commissioned officers, bu ...
killed in action or died on active serviceThis includes killed in action, died of wounds, disease, gas or other causes. and 50 officers and 1,643 other ranks wounded or captured.This includes wounded in action, gassed or prisoners of war. Members of the battalion received the following decorations: one
Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...
(VC), one
Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a Military awards and decorations, military award of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth, awarded for operational gallantry for highly successful ...
(DSO) with one
Bar Bar or BAR may refer to: Food and drink * Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages * Candy bar ** Chocolate bar * Protein bar Science and technology * Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment * Bar (tropical cyclone), a laye ...
, one
Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
(OBE), 16
Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level until 1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth of ...
es (MCs) with two Bars, 16
Distinguished Conduct Medal The Distinguished Conduct Medal was a decoration established in 1854 by Queen Victoria for gallantry in the field by Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Army. It is the oldest British award for gallantry and was a second level military ...
s (DCMs), 122
Military Medal The Military Medal (MM) was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other arms of the British Armed Forces, armed forces, and to personnel of other Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries, below commissioned o ...
s (MMs) with five Bars, eight Meritorious Service Medals (MSMs), 25
Mentions in Despatches To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face of t ...
(MIDs) and eight foreign awards.Browning states that there were actually nine foreign awards, detailing them as follows: three Croix de Guerre (Belgium), three Croix de Guerre (France), one Order of the Crown of Rumania, one Medal of St George 4th Class (Russia) and one Serbian Order of the White Eagle 5th Class (with Swords). See Appendix D. The battalion's sole VC recipient was Lieutenant Clifford Sadlier, who received the award for his actions during the attack on Villers-Bretonneux on 24/25 April 1918.


Inter war years

In 1921, Australia's part-time military force was reorganised. Where possible an effort was made to raise battalions in the locations from where they had drawn the majority of their personnel during the war. As a result, the battalion was reformed at this time at Subiaco in Western Australia, however, the following year it was moved to
Launceston, Tasmania Launceston () is a city in the north of Tasmania, Australia, at the confluence of the North Esk River, North Esk and South Esk River, South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River, Tasmania, Tamar River (kanamaluka). As of 2021, the Launc ...
, and then to
Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
, in 1924, where it was attached to the 8th Brigade, which was part of the 1st Division. In 1927, the battalion was regimented as 51st Battalion, Field of Mars Regiment. During its period in
New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
, as a result of austerity measures imposed upon the military due to the economic hardships of the
Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
and the lack of manpower that resulted from the end to compulsory service, the battalion was twice amalgamated, firstly with the 30th Battalion in 1930, then with the 18th Battalion on 1 July 1935. In 1936, the two battalions were unlinked and on 1 October, the 51st Battalion, Far North Queensland Regiment was re-raised at
Cairns, Queensland Cairns (; ) is a city in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia, on the tropical north east coast of Far North Queensland. In the , Cairns had a population of 153,181 people. The city was founded in 1876 and named after Sir William Welling ...
, taking on the lineage from the original 51st Battalion. At this time Major (later Lieutenant Colonel) Hubert Harris was appointed commanding officer of the battalion.


World War II

The battalion was a
Militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...
unit at the outbreak of World War II, attached to the 11th Brigade. After the government decided to raise a separate force, the
Second Australian Imperial Force The Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF, or Second AIF) was the volunteer expeditionary force of the Australian Army in the Second World War. It was formed following the declaration of war on Nazi Germany, with an initial strength of one ...
(2nd AIF), for service overseas due to the provisions of the ''Defence Act (1903)'' which precluded sending the Militia overseas to fight, many members of the Militia volunteered for service with the 2nd AIF. As a result, the 51st Battalion's numbers fell, however, in 1940 the
national service scheme The National Service Scheme (NSS) is an Indian government sector public service program conducted by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of the Government of India. Popularly known as NSS, the scheme was launched in Mahatma Gandhi's centen ...
was reintroduced in effort to improve the nation's overall level of military preparedness and the battalion, its numbers swelled by an intake of conscripted soldiers, undertook a period of continuous training at Miowera, near Bowen. In 1941, following Japan's entrance into the war, the battalion was mobilised for war and placed on full-time duty with the task of defending the area between
Port Douglas Port Douglas is a coastal town and locality in the Shire of Douglas, Queensland, Australia, approximately north of Cairns. In the , the locality of Port Douglas had a population of 3,650 people. The town's population can often double, however, ...
and Gordonvale. Later they were sent to
Townsville The City of Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. With a population of 201,313 as of 2024, it is the largest settlement in North Queensland and Northern Australia (specifically, the parts of Australia north of ...
, where they experienced Japanese air raids, before being sent to Cairns as preparations were made to deploy the battalion overseas. In 1943, however, a manpower shortage had developed within the Australian economy as a result of an overmobilisation of the military. Subsequently, the government released a large number of rural workers from their full-time military commitment and decided to disband or amalgamate a number of Militia units. As a result, the 51st Battalion was forced to amalgamate with the 31st Battalion, Kennedy Regiment on 12 April 1943. The new 31st/51st Battalion was deployed to
New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; , fossilized , also known as Papua or historically ) is the List of islands by area, world's second-largest island, with an area of . Located in Melanesia in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is ...
with the 11th Brigade, where it formed part of
Merauke Force Merauke Force was an Australian-led military force of World War II which was responsible for defending Merauke in Dutch New Guinea from Japanese attack amidst the Pacific War. The force was established in late 1942 and was disbanded at the end of t ...
and was subsequently designated as an AIF battalion in 1944.Under the terms of the ''Defence Act (1903)'' there were limitations placed on where units of the Militia were allowed to be deployed. However, changes to the law were made during the war under the ''
Defence (Citizen Military Forces) Act 1943 The ''Defence (Citizen Military Forces) Act 1943'' (Cth) was an Act of the Parliament of Australia, which enabled the Militia, and thus conscripts, to serve overseas in the Pacific. Background On 20 October 1939, six weeks after Australi ...
'' which allowed for the transfer of Militia units to the AIF if sixty-five percent or more of their personnel had volunteered for overseas service.
Following this, and a return to Australia, the battalion was then deployed to the
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands, also known simply as the Solomons,John Prados, ''Islands of Destiny'', Dutton Caliber, 2012, p,20 and passim is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 1000 smaller islands in Melanesia, part of Oceania, t ...
, where it saw its heaviest fighting of the war at Tsimba Ridge and Porton Plantation, on Bougainville. The battalion was finally disbanded on 4 July 1946. During the course of the war, the 31st/51st Battalion lost 61 men killed in action or died on active service, while a further 168 men were wounded. Members of the battalion received the following decorations: one DSO, one DCM, three MCs, 10 MMs, one
British Empire Medal The British Empire Medal (BEM; formerly British Empire Medal for Meritorious Service) is a British and Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth award for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the Monarchy of the United Ki ...
(BEM) and 27 MIDs.


Post war

The 51st Battalion, FNQR was raised again in 1950, this time being presented with
colours Color (or colour in Commonwealth English; see spelling differences) is the visual perception based on the electromagnetic spectrum. Though color is not an inherent property of matter, color perception is related to an object's light absorpt ...
containing the battle honours of its predecessor units. In 1960, following a reorganisation of the Army along Pentropic lines, the regiment was amalgamated yet again, with the 31st Battalion, Kennedy Regiment, and the 42nd Battalion, Capricornia Regiment, to become the 2nd Battalion,
Royal Queensland Regiment The Royal Queensland Regiment (RQR) is a reserve light infantry regiment of the Australian Army based in Queensland. Part of the Royal Australian Infantry Corps, the regiment was established in 1960 following a reorganisation of Australia's par ...
.Festberg 1972, p. 109. This lasted five years, until the Citizens Military Force was reorganised again—the 2nd Battalion was split into its components, with the 51st becoming 51st Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment. A further reorganisation saw the number of battalions reduced; this led to the 51st becoming a single
company A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of legal people, whether Natural person, natural, Juridical person, juridical or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members ...
known as the 51st Independent Rifle Company, Royal Queensland Regiment, in 1976.


RFSU

In the late 1970s, the Australian government decided that an increased military presence was needed in the far north of the country to provide early warning in the event of incursions in to Australian territory. To achieve this, three Regional Force Surveillance Units (RFSUs) were established to carry out ground reconnaissance and surveillance. The first two units, the North-West Mobile Force and the Pilbara Regiment, were raised for service in Western Australia and the
Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...
in 1981–1982. To extend this to the northern regions of
Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
, it was decided to reform the 51st Battalion. In 1985, the 51st Independent Rifle Company was removed from the order of battle of the Royal Queensland Regiment to become the 51st Battalion, Far North Queensland Regiment once again. The inaugural commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel (Kel)vin Ryan. The current mission of the 51st Battalion, FNQR is that of an RFSU, with the unit tasked with conducting land based and littoral surveillance and reconnaissance in support of national security operations in the inhospitable areas along the northern coast of Australia. As the regiment's name suggests, it is responsible for patrolling the north of Queensland, with its Area of Responsibility covering from Cardwell in north Queensland, north to the
Torres Strait The Torres Strait (), also known as Zenadh Kes ( Kalaw Lagaw Ya#Phonology 2, ˆzen̪ad̪ kes, is a strait between Australia and the Melanesian island of New Guinea. It is wide at its narrowest extent. To the south is Cape York Peninsula, ...
, including Cape York and the
Gulf Country The Gulf Country or North West Queensland is the region of woodland and savanna grassland surrounding the Gulf of Carpentaria in north western Queensland and eastern Northern Territory on the north coast of Australia. The region is also ca ...
and west to the
Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...
border; in total some . On 1 March 2010, 51FNQR became part of the re-raised 6th Brigade. It is currently manned by reservists supported by a cadre of regular personnel. A high proportion of the regiment's personnel are
Indigenous Australians Indigenous Australians are people with familial heritage from, or recognised membership of, the various ethnic groups living within the territory of contemporary Australia prior to History of Australia (1788–1850), British colonisation. The ...
. On 4 October 2018, all three RFSUs were grouped together as part of a new formation headquarters, the
Regional Force Surveillance Group The Regional Force Surveillance Group (RFSG) was formally established on 4 October 2018 to command the Australian Army Reserve's three Regional Force Surveillance Units and a training unit. The RFSG forms part of the 2nd Division. The RFSG is ...
. The new formation came into being at a parade held 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, Northern Territory, Larrakeyah in the capital, Darwin, No ...
in Darwin.


Battle honours

*
South Africa 1899–1902 The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic an ...
; *World War I: France and Flanders 1916–18, Egypt 1916,
Somme 1916 __NOTOC__ Somme or The Somme may refer to: Places *Somme (department), a department of France *Somme, Queensland, Australia *Canal de la Somme, a canal in France *Somme (river), a river in France Arts, entertainment, and media *Somme (book), ''Somm ...
– 18, Pozières,
Bullecourt Bullecourt () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department department in the Hauts-de-France region region of northern France. Geography Bullecourt is situated on the Upper Cretaceous plain of Artois between Arras and Bapaume, east of the A1 ...
, Messines 1917, Menin Road,
Polygon Wood In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure made up of line segments connected to form a closed polygonal chain. The segments of a closed polygonal chain are called its '' edges'' or ''sides''. The points where two edges meet are the polygon' ...
, Passchendaele, Ancre 1918,
Villers-Bretonneux Villers-Bretonneux () is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Geography Villers-Bretonneux is situated some 19 km due east of Amiens, on the D1029 road and the A29 motorway. Villers-Bretonneux borde ...
, Hamel,
Amiens Amiens (English: or ; ; , or ) is a city and Communes of France, commune in northern France, located north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme (department), Somme Departments of France, department in the region ...
, Albert 1918,
Hindenburg Line The Hindenburg Line (, Siegfried Position) was a German Defense line, defensive position built during the winter of 1916–1917 on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front in France during the First World War. The line ran from Arras to ...
,
Épehy Épehy (Picard: ''Épy'' ) is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Valentine Fleming died there in 1917. Geography Épehy is situated in the northeast of the department, on the D24 and D58 roads some north- ...
; *World War II: Liberation of Australian New Guinea, Tsimba Ridge, Bonis–Porton, South West Pacific 1943–45.


Commanding officers

The following officers commanded the 51st Battalion during the World Wars: *World War I: **Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Ross; **Lieutenant Colonel John Ridley; **Lieutenant Colonel Robert Christie.Christie later joined the
Royal Australian Air Force The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal Air force, aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the Governor-Gener ...
and reached the rank of air commodore.
*World War II: **Lieutenant Colonel Hubert Harris; **Lieutenant Colonel Oscar Issachsen; **Lieutenant Colonel Phillip Cardale; **Lieutenant Colonel Geoffrey Brock.


See also

*
Northern Command (Australia) The Northern Command is a joint operational Australian Defence Force formation. Northern Command is responsible for the planning and conduct of operations to the north of Australia during peacetime and wartime. In addition, Northern Command manag ...


Notes

;Footnotes ;Citations


References

* * * * * * * * {{Infantry formations of the First Australian Imperial Force , state=collapsed Australian World War I battalions Infantry regiments of Australia Far North Queensland Queensland in World War II Military units and formations established in 1916 Military units and formations disestablished in 1919 Military units and formations established in 1921 Military units and formations disestablished in 1930 Military units and formations established in 1936 Military units and formations disestablished in 1943 Military units and formations established in 1950 Military units and formations disestablished in 1960 Military units and formations established in 1965 Military units and formations disestablished in 1976 Military units and formations established in 1985 Indigenous Australians in the military Army reconnaissance units and formations 1916 establishments in Australia Military units in Queensland