Loyalty or Apathy: Which is Relevant?

There was so much public outrage over the cost cutting proposal to merge the Royal Marines with the Parachute Regiment, that the British Government was forced to back down. When it was proposed that the same thing might be possible in order to support a campaign against the tanks being stripped from 1st Armoured Regiment (also a money saving initiative), there were no takers.

Why is it that, as a nation, we don’t seem to value our institutions? Or maybe we care, just not enough to get involved with others in raising public awareness to protest a manifest injustice.

OK … Britons have a much longer history and attachment to their institutions; so much so that many are considered sacrosanct. Furthermore, despite what some may think, Australians are naturally reticent, compared to their British cousins. A legacy of our colonial past, one wonders?

It might be expected that the Minister for Defence would provide clear and unambiguous reasons as to why 1 Armd Regt, after 75 years’ service to the nation crewing tanks, had to be made a non-combatant. He said that the unit has been given “an important new role”; one “directly shaping how the Army fights”. There’s been no response to a letter asking what this means. The failure to do so’s been widely publicised, yet there’s been no outrage? Why?

The Chief of the Defence Force has said that 1 Armd Regt was selected “for this vital role”, because of “the Regiment’s reputation as some of the Army’s foremost experts in manoeuvre warfare”. This reputation, of course, has absolutely nothing to do with the ability of the unit to manage emerging technologies (it’s new role). Once again, there was widespread publicity re the CDF’s failure to explain why 1 Armd Regt was stripped of its tanks. The outcome was the same: silence.

Of course, it’s now thought that the real reason that Defence chose 1 Armd Regt was to save money in the budget to help meet the cost of the AUKUS submarines. Any other unit could have completed the task, but only 1 Armd Regt had massive recurring operating costs for its AFVs.

The 2023 Strategic Defence Review designated 3 Brigade in Townsville to be Army’s sole armoured brigade. This would normally involve 1 Armd Regt (tanks), 2 Cavalry Regiment (recon); and 3 RAR (mechanised infantry).

BUT … with the tanks removed from 1 Armd Regt, 2 Cav Regt became the only RAAC unit available. While there would normally be three squadrons in both 1 Armd Regt and 2 Cav Regt, it was decided (by who one wonders) that 2 Cav Regt would have two tank and two cavalry squadrons (the limit re the span of command) … resulting in a massive savings in operating costs.

Of course, 3 Brigade suffers a loss of combat power and command flexibility; not only two armoured squadrons, but also a battlegroup headquarters. 1 Armd Regt, meanwhile, has been freed up to provide a new unit in Adelaide to manage emerging technologies and link with SA industry. Pity about the loss of skills and tank-craft accumulated by the unit over decades — things that can never be replaced!

Something which has escaped attention so far, is the identification of those calling the shots behind the scenes. There is no doubt that there were a number of ‘insiders’ who provided advice on how to best manage the RAAC ‘issues’ involved. They have declined to reveal themselves and one has to wonder where their loyalty lies … to the RAAC or to themselves?

Of course, maybe it wasn’t all to do with cost savings only… maybe there were some RAAC members who actually believed that 1 Armd Regt was the best unit to undertake ‘a new and challenging mission at the forefront of military technology’ (albeit one outside the role of the RAAC). If so, one has to wonder who they might be and whether or not they are concerned at all about the loss of RAAC combat power and expertise, that resulted.

Will the RAAC ever regain its self-respect?

Will 1 Armd Regt ever deserve to carry the Standard again?

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

 

FILE PHOTO (July 2025): Australian Army soldier Lance Corporal Declan Bowditch from the 1st Armoured Regiment, performs maintenance on an M134D minigun remote weapon station attached to a modular robotic vehicle during Exercise Talisman Sabre at Townsville Field Training Area, Queensland. Photo by Lance Corporal Caitlyn Davill.

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