Petition to return combat role (and pride) to 1 Armd Regt
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The following petition has been sent to Parliament House, with respect to the above.
Petition Reason
In its 75th year, 1st Armoured Regiment, the Army’s senior combat unit, has been relegated to a non-combat role; essentially removing it from the Order of Battle.
Rather than crewing tanks to destroy the enemy and provide intimate fire support to infantry … it will be tasked with testing new technologies.
The sole rationale for this is to minimise the cost of relocating personnel to Townsville (from Adelaide).
This is at odds with the fact that it is service and regimental pride that lies at the heart of an Army’s fighting spirit.
It is especially heart-breaking to veterans when the loss of heritage and tradition established during the unit’s service since 1949, can so easily be avoided.
Rather than 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Townsville commanding two tank and two reconnaissance squadrons, 1st Armoured Regiment could command the two tank squadrons.
No new facilities would be required. Given that morale is a part of the Army’s combat power, any cost would be offset by the morale boost achieved.
Petition Request
We therefore ask the House to urge the Defence Minister, Richard Marles, to reinstate 1st Armoured Regiment as the nation’s tank regiment, overturning the decision of the Department of Defence to remove the Royal Australian Armoured Corps’ oldest and most decorated regular army unit from the ORBAT.
We seek this so as to honour the service and sacrifice of tank crews during the past 75 years, creating an inspirational legacy worthy of being passed on to those serving today.
From ‘Veterans of 1st Armoured Regiment (and their supporters)’.
A letter has also been written to the CDF.
Background papers are available.
Yours sincerely,
Bruce Cameron, MC, RAAC (Ret’d)
FILE PHOTO (2022): Australian soldiers watch a 1st Armoured Regiment, Royal Australian Armoured Corps, M1 Abrams tank drive past during a live-fire demonstration on Exercise Predators Run at Mount Bundey Training Area, NT. Photo by Corporal Jacob Joseph.
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Te 1st Armoured Regiment has been and will be a pivotal part of all RAAC tank units it’s the only unit to revive a standard and has been supporting Brigades with Tank support for 75 years . We need to expand out tank capability the mixed Armoured Combat role is a thing of past even US and Europe have gone back to conventional armoured units roles .
Return 1AR to its
Combat role asap , increase the tank capability with more M1A2 v2 or Leopard 2v7 , we can’t depend on Boxer or Aslav to be our main armour .
Retired ExRAAC
Good point Phil. Many of us agree with you. The only concern I have is re your suggested name ‘RAAC Research Facility’; the thing here is that it’s hard to establish the basis for it to continue to be an RAAC unit … the trials that it conducts are certainly not ones specified by the RAAC. There is an argument that it should not retain the regimental badge either. We hope to get sufficient signatures to convince the powers that be to return it to T’ville to take over the two tank squadrons.
Yep, %100 behind the idea of 2 Regiments Townsville. And yes, also did some research on what’s being done at Edinburgh. No, not a lot Corps business.
Good luck.
Unbelievable that Australian does not or can’t see reason to Maintain at least 2 armoured units of an equal force strength
The SDR was a joke written by a very ordinary ex minister and the worst defence minister we have ever had
Are we putting all our eggs in one basket with the rapid expansion of littoral ops within the ADF? Probably. It was a very unexpected decision to virtually scrap the 1st Arrmd Regt. Pride, tradition and esprit de corps thrown out like the baby’s washing.
ADF should at least rename the facility in Edinburgh to something more appropriate. RAAC Researxh Facility, maybe.
To keep referring to it as an Armoured Regt is an embarresment to those who have served with it.
A move to Townsville (where armour is concentrated including SP Arty and an Armd Engineer Sqn) would have been wiser.
Former RAAC Assault Trooper and RASIGS.
The 1 St Armoured Regiment should be keept as a complete combat unit. The regiment has a vital riole to play providing fire power and support to our infantry s. battalions. We have more strategic threats today than we have had for many decades.To diminish the combat power at this time is a high risk gamble.