Genesis – The Royal Australian Regiment

Comprised of three battalions and veterans every man,
The brigade we sent from Moratai to occupy Japan
Was professional, made of volunteers, whose right to be alive
Was established by their fighting until nineteen forty-five.

Japan, it was in parlous state;
Two black bombs destroyed its health,
And our brigade was sighted there
As part of British Commonwealth,

Of BCOF, which was there in part
To supervise surrender.
But then, because of fiscal needs,
Of budget, the agenda,

Two battalions were withdrawn by us
To serve their time at home
And consigned to live diminished,
Out of Holsworthy to roam.

Just skeletons of what had been,
But being just the same,
And as such we gave grave thought
To what should be their name.

November, nineteen forty-eight;
To be precise the twenty-third,
Was when a name, instead of numbers,
From the portals first was heard.

The name, no need for number now,
The ceremonial precedent had been set
Proclaiming those battalions
The Australian Regiment.

Respectively The First, The Second, and The Third,
Who, in March the following year
Were granted Royal title,
Thus proclaiming without fear

To the World at large that they, when called
Would smite with all their might,
For God, for King, for country
They would fight for what was Right.

This Royal Australian Regiment,
With its motto Duty First
And the men who proudly wear its badge
And for the battle thirst,

Is now a name that all the World
Does know, of such renown:
The boomerang, crossed rifles,
The Kangaroo and crown.

 

By Michael Shave

 

FILE PHOTO: The Queen’s and Regimental Colours of all nine Royal Australian Regiment battalions were paraded together for the first time at the Australian War Memorial to mark the 50th Anniversary of the regiment.

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