1st Armoured Regiment’s heritage: Does it need protecting?

Is 1 Armd Regt’s Heritage worth making an effort to save?  Not in the view of the Chief of Army, it isn’t!  

There are some who regard this as unsurprising; given that it was 20 years before his time as a cadet at Duntroon that 1 Armd Regt’s battle-honours were being won in Vietnam.  

Unfortunately, neither he, nor the generals who advise him, understand the importance of tanks in providing direct fire support for infantry … today and all days.  If they did, 1 Armd Regt would still be a tank regiment; rather than an experimentation unit with the task of evaluating emerging technology.  

Tanks were stripped from the unit and transferred to the 2nd Cavalry Regiment.  Instead of being focussed on all the skills needed to acquire intelligence as it used to be, the unit now has to combine this role with that of providing close fire support for infantry.  It doesn’t take a military scholar, to realise that the two roles are totally incompatible for a single unit.   

2 Cav Regt can only operate in a peacetime capacity … at a time of operational emergency, it will be straight back to dedicated tank and recon regiments.  But how long will it take to reform the units?  Having done so, how long will it be before the units can be classed as ‘operationally ready’? What are the lead times involved?

The ability of the Nation to defend itself has obviously been jeopardised.  How could this have been allowed to happen?

Of course, it is not just 2 Cav Regt that has been compromised. 3 Brigade (Townsville) was designated by the government’s response to the 2023 Defence Strategic Review, to be an armoured brigade.  The removal of 1 Armd Regt from the ORBAT, has meant that 3 Brigade is forced to operate shy one tank squadron, a cavalry squadron and a battle-group headquarters.  This is a significant loss of combat power for Australia’s only armoured brigade.

What role does 3 Brigade have in our Nation’s defence strategy?  Given the failings on the part of the CA, one has to wonder whether it’s been up to the Brigade Commander to work this out for himself.  [Brigadier Ben McLennan, DSC, CSC and bar, Commendation for Gallantry.]

What’s it all mean as far as heritage is concerned?  1 Armd Regt, which was the foundation stone of the RAAC for 75 years, no longer has an RAAC role. Why is it still regarded as part of the RAAC? This is necessary in order to avoid the major backlash that would undoubtedly occur, if the Army’s most senior regiment was to be dumped completely.  

The Chief of the Defence Force has said that “the unit’s traditions are being diligently stewarded”.  But he also said that “the Battle of Cambrai would be commemorated each year”. Except that it wasn’t in 2025 … because of commitments that the experimentation unit had to meet. This is as it will always be. Just because it used to be an RAAC unit, doesn’t mean that the RAAC can exert any leverage as far as commemorations are concerned.  

Indeed, why should they wish to do so?  Army’s experimentation unit answers to a number of masters, but the Director-General of Future Land Warfare is probably the main one. The unit has nothing whatsoever to do with the RAAC (other than still wearing its badge and headdress).

An experimentation unit has no entitlement to carry a Standard. Yet no action has been taken for it to be ‘laid up’ in accord with its consecrated status and the respect it’s entitled to. The Corps RSM has declined to respond to a question about this. Retaining the Standard in such circumstances is an insult to 1 Armd Regt’s once proud heritage, No-one’s prepared to point this out to the CA, however.

1st Armoured Regiment’s heritage as a tank regiment is close to non-existent. Why should it be anything else?  

… because, after 75 years, it is the RAAC’s longest-serving ARA unit;
… because it was awarded the RAAC’s only post WWII battle-honours; 
… because it was awarded a Unit Citation for Gallantry; 
… because it was awarded the unique honour of carrying a Standard; 
… because its crews have operated four different tanks and a range of different AFVs; 
… because for many years it provided the skills and training for the RAAC to succeed in all its endeavours.

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

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FILE PHOTO: Veterans of the 1st Armoured Regiment during the Cambrai Parade at Edinburgh Defence Precinct. Original photo by Corporal Adam Quinn – altered by CONTACT.

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