1st Armoured Regiment: The unit whose heritage was stolen

 Is it really possible for a unit’s heritage to be stolen?  How could it happen?  Stolen in what sense?   

Stolen in the very real context that something that existed for 75 years, has suddenly disappeared.  There yesterday … gone today.   

How is it possible that 1 Armd Regt, having led the Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC), from the forefront, for 75 years, can suddenly be made a non-combatant at the whim of the Chief of Army (and against the recommendations of all senior RAAC officers)?   

Air and maritime campaigns assist in winning wars; but ultimately, it’s ‘boots on the ground’ that determine the outcome. There is no greater BOOT than the combined-arms capability produced by tanks and infantry.  Despite this combination being a winner – proven over and over again – the CA decided that tanks had to be stripped from 1 Armd Regt … in order to make it an experimentation unit.  

Is this new unit (itself an experiment) designed to determine if anyone cares? 

The Chief of Army doesn’t care, neither does the Chief of the Australian Defence Force nor the Minister for Defence.   

So, who does? 

Almost everyone who has served with 1 Armd Regt, but is no longer in uniform, cares. 

These are people who are allowed to care because they are not inhibited by a hierarchy that oversees their very existence. 

The woke new world is in for a shock when it realises what it’s done.   

Is there any way back?  Will leaders suddenly appear who will show the way ‘to the promised land’, or will the ‘status quo’ continue?  The latter seems inevitable. 

What justification was provided for changing the role of 1 Armd Regt?  None!  Instead, the change was cloaked in secrecy.  Letters to the Chief of Army and his staff, have been ignored.   

The Chief of Army desperately wanted an experimentation unit, and let’s face it … it was not going to be denied to him.  But why did 1 Armd Regt have to give up all its tanks, training, and tank-craft?  Why couldn’t a different unit have been raised for experimentation purposes? 

Of course it could’ve been; but it seems that the CA wanted to create a unit that could ‘hit the ground running’ to make up for lost time. 

What does 1 Armd Regt’s 75-year heritage look like in retrospect?   

One might have hoped for something tangible … something that could provide the equivalent of a Cambrai Day Parade.  But 1 Armd Regt can’t commit to holding such parades because of the experimentation unit’s obligations to its ‘new masters’ (whoever they might be).  [2025 Cambrai Day parade cancelled]

As 1 Armd Regt has no entitlement to carry it, the Standard has to be ‘laid up’.  Of course, the unit will always have Radetzky March.  Could it be that this becomes 1 Armd Regt’s ‘interim’ heritage?  Interim until 1 Armd Regt is returned to its combat role … as it inevitably will!   

If we were all to write to Lieutenant General Susan Coyle who has been designated as the new Chief of Army (come July), maybe we could help bring this about.  (Address: Russell Offices, CANBERRA, ACT, 2600) 

Lieutenant Colonel Bruce Cameron, MC, RAAC (Ret’d)

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