RAAC newsletter IRONSIDES adds confusion re 1st Armd Regt’s status

The 2024 edition of IRONSIDES was published recently. Those of us who looked for some clarity concerning the circumstances which saw 1st Armoured Regiment stripped of its tanks, were disappointed. Once again, contemporary history is both silent and confused.

The CO states that the unit “will take a short break from a sole focus on armoured warfare”; the suggestion being that it won’t be long before it becomes a tank regiment once again. One has to wonder what he’s been told and what the timetable is that he’s working to.

Could it be that the ADF recruitment shortfall and/or the lack of housing in Townsville, are indeed the reasons for the Regiment becoming a Combat Experimentation Group (and 3 Brigade being an understrength armoured brigade)?

The Chief of Army was asked this very question on 10 May 25; inter alia:

“You’ll see that, more than anything else, former members of 1st Armoured Regiment desperately seek information about your plans for the unit. Is it to continue permanently in its current role, never to be re-equipped with tanks; or is this a temporary measure until sufficient housing is available in Townsville and you elect to bring the 3rd Armoured Brigade up to full strength? Your advice in this respect would be greatly appreciated and will be circulated to all who continue to value their service with the unit.”

Sadly, he’s declined to respond and we live in hope that tit-bits might be thrown our way in relation to 1 Armd Regt’s long-term future.

Does anyone know how long a ‘short break’ is?

One piece of welcome news that IRONSIDES did provide, was that action had been initiated with respect to the second volume of the history of the RAAC. The first volume was written in 1978 by Maj Gen R N L Hopkins, CBE (Ret’d). The task of writing the second has been given to Lt Col Leo Purdy, RAAC (Ret’d), a widely published author on armoured issues.

The Corps history was, in fact, the subject of a recent letter in CONTACT:

“So how did it happen that the Australian Army’s senior-most unit was designated to be stripped of its tanks, and, on top of this, be given a non-RAAC role? Cost cutting is known to be involved, but to what degree did this influence the decision?

What discussions took place? What were the options considered … surely there were alternatives? Who influenced the discussions the most and what were the reasons for this? Was everything openly discussed and records kept, or were outside influences involved? These are the questions to be answered and recorded in the history of the RAAC.”

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

 

FILE PHOTO (2007): A Leopard tank from 1st Armoured Regiment conduct manoeuvres during Exercise Predators Strike at El Alamein Army Camp, Cultana, South Australia. Photo by Able Seaman Kade Rogers.

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