CONTACT BLOG SPOT Archives - Page 2 of 73

Soldiers from the Australian Army's 1st Armoured Regiment and the New Zealand Army's 16 Field Regiment conduct observation of a target at Project Convergence Capstone 5 (PCC5) at Fort Irwin, California on the 11th March 2025. Photo by Corporal Nakia Chapman.

Letters to the Editor

1 Armd Regt: What it all Comes Down to (3 Cav Again?)

13/07/2025 Bruce Cameron 736 Views 0 Comments

There is no such thing as an RAAC chain of command. Neither the Representative Honorary Colonel nor the RAAC Head

An Australian Army M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank from the 1st Armoured Regiment, drives through the Cultana Training Area, SA during Exercise Rhino Run 24. Photo by Corporal Johnny Huang.

Letters to the Editor

The 2025 RAAC Corps Conference: Right Answers?

11/07/202513/07/2025 Bruce Cameron 939 Views 0 Comments

The Jun/Jul 2025 1 Armd Regt Assn newsletter contains a summary of this year’s RAAC Corps Conference, attended by the

RAAF Base Richmond, a major hub for Air Force operations, marks its centenary this year. Photo by Aircraftwoman Maddison Scott.

Richmond marks centenary as NSW’s biggest airbase

11/07/202513/07/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1265 Views 0 Comments RAAF Richmond

The Royal Australian Air Force marked the 100th birthday of RAAF Base Richmond on June 30, celebrating the oldest RAAF

Major Andrew Penhaligon, 133rd Battery Commander, 20th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, receives the battery flag from former battery commander, Major Allan Harrison (Retired), during the Regiments Locating Artillery Centenary Parade at Gallipoli Barracks, Enoggera. Story by Major Carolyn Barnett. Photo by Leading Aircraftsman Luke Donegal.

Australian Army History News

Regiment marks historic milestones

11/07/202511/07/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 610 Views 0 Comments 20th Regiment RAA, Gallipoli Barracks

The 20th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery (20 Regt RAA), marked four milestones in a ceremonial parade last month at Gallipoli

History

The RAAC’s First Days: Brian Agnew’s Service

11/07/202511/07/2025 Posted by Brian Hartigan 821 Views 0 Comments WO2 Brian Agnew

Introduction ‘Baby Boomers’ come from the generation born between 1946 and 1964. I’m one of them. The generation before us

The Standard of the 1st Armoured Regiment is marched onto parade.

Letters to the Editor

Why bother campaigning for 1 Armd Regt to be returned to a combat role?

06/07/2025 Bruce Cameron 11468 Views 7 Comments

…the answer is easy. Those responsible can’t be allowed to continue detracting from 1st Armoured Regiment’s hard-fought heritage. A unit

An Australian Army Abrams M1A2 SEPv3 main battle tank fires during a training serial as part of a soldier qualification course at Puckapunyal Military Area, Victoria. Photo by Corporal Jacob Joseph.

Letters to the Editor

Revisiting the decision to strip the tanks from 1 Armd Regt

04/07/202504/07/2025 Bruce Cameron 1209 Views 0 Comments

There is a growing suggestion that the Chief of Army was pressured into finding a unit to manage new and

Sapper Dean Purcell and explosive detection dog Ledge before a morning run at the School of Military Engineering at Holsworthy. Story by Leading Seaman Nadav Harel.

Australian Army K9 Training News

Explosive detection dogs have a blast on the job

04/07/202504/07/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1434 Views 0 Comments 1st Combat Engineer Regiment, EDD, Holsworthy Barracks, improvised explosive device (IED), Military Working Dogs, School of Military Engineering

Sapper Dean Purcell starts the day with a smile. CAPTION: Sapper Dean Purcell and explosive detection dog Ledge before a morning

The Navy detachment from Harman Naval Station marches to the parade ground at the Australian War Memorial on Anzac Day in 1951. Story by Leading Seaman Nadav Harel. Photo from Australian War Memorial 134448.

History News Royal Australian Navy

HMAS Harman – a ship without water

04/07/202504/07/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1725 Views 0 Comments AWM, HMAS Harman

About 120km from the nearest ocean sits Royal Australian Navy base HMAS Harman, outside of Canberra. CAPTION: The Navy detachment from

Mixed assets of 2nd Cavalry Regiment on Exercise Brolga Sprint at Townsville Field Training Area, Queensland. Photo by Corporal Caitlyn Davill.

Letters to the Editor

Why 1st Armoured Regiment must become a tank regiment again (quickly)

03/07/2025 Bruce Cameron 672 Views 0 Comments

Sometimes one forgets that not all readers have a complete understanding of all the important issues. Rather than emphasising significant

A controller vehicle is followed by two optionally crewed combat vehicles during a land autonomous systems teaming demonstration at Puckapunyal Military Area, September 2024. Photo by Corporal Michael Currie.

Letters to the Editor

Thanks to serving soldier for insightful comments re 1st Armd Regt

01/07/202501/07/2025 Bruce Cameron 993 Views 0 Comments

A current serving member of 1st Armoured Regiment recently wrote an open letter to me. (I’d previously written a similar

Soldiers look on as an Australian M1A1 Abrams tank passes by during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2023. Photo by Corporal Michael Currie.

Letters to the Editor

Ex Talisman Sabre 2025 – 1 Armd Regt’s role

30/06/2025 Bruce Cameron 1357 Views 0 Comments

One of the consequences of the tanks being stripped from 1 Armd Regt is that it leaves 3 Brigade (designated

Letters to the Editor

2024 IRONSIDES Journal: More Uncertainty Raised

29/06/2025 Bruce Cameron 1149 Views 0 Comments

It wasn’t only the CO who suggested that it wouldn’t be long before 1st Armoured Regiment became a tank regiment

Soldiers of the 1st Armoured Regiment are briefed while sitting in front of their Centurion tanks at Vung Tau in South Vietnam during 1968. Photo by Starry, Donn A. Mounted combat in Vietnam. Department of the Army, via Wikipedia.

Letters to the Editor

The Human Cost of Stripping Tanks From 1st Armoured Regiment

29/06/2025 Bruce Cameron 924 Views 2 Comments

The RAAC RSM acknowledged in the 2024 IRONSIDES (just published) that the decision to strip the tanks from 1 Armd

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.

Letters to the Editor

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

27/06/2025 Bruce Cameron 694 Views 2 Comments

The 2024 edition of IRONSIDES was published recently. Those of us who looked for some clarity concerning the circumstances which

Peter Mengel with his Labrador Peaches and Defence Community Dogs Managing Director Leanne Kyle during a Defence Community Dogs awareness day at Russell Offices, Canberra. Story and photos by Corporal Jacob Joseph.

ADF People Health and Wellbeing

Unsung heroes on four paws

27/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 826 Views 0 Comments Defence Community Dogs (DCD), mental health, PTSD assistance dogs

When Peter Mengel left Army, his world fell apart. CAPTION: Peter Mengel with his Labrador Peaches and Defence Community Dogs Managing

Warrant Officers Class 2 Troy Robertson, left, and Jamie Sharp, from the 9th Battalion, the Royal Queensland Regiment, responded to a high-impact vehicle incident. Story and photo by Captain Cath Batch.

ADF People Australian Army Health and Wellbeing

Training in action at vehicle incident

27/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1436 Views 0 Comments 9th Battalion Royal Queensland Regiment

For the civilians involved in a high-impact vehicle incident near Rainbow Beach, Queensland, the sight of the Army arriving was

Lance Corporal Jared Willis with his military working dog Dirk at Roberston Barracks in Darwin. Story by Leading Seaman Nadav Harel. Photo by Corporal Gregory Scott.

Australian Army K9 Training News

The best-looking MP at 1MP

27/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 551 Views 0 Comments 1st Military Police Battalion, Military Police, Military Police Dog, Robertson Barracks

The most popular and attractive member of the Military Police (MP) at Robertson Barracks isn’t who you might think. CAPTION: Lance

World War Bomber Command veterans Howard Hendrick and Ray Merrill attend the 2025 Bomber Command Commemorative Service in Adelaide. Story by Flying Officer Shanea Zeegers. Photos by Leading Aircraftwoman Taylor Anderson.

ADF People History Lest We Forget Royal Australian Air Force

Adelaide honours legacy of Bomber Command

27/06/202502/07/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 649 Views 0 Comments Bomber Command, WWII

Royal Australian Air Force personnel joined dignitaries, veterans and the broader community in Adelaide to honour Bomber Command aviators and

An Australian Army trooper from the 1st Armoured Regiment remotely controls a weapon system on an optionally crewed armoured vehicle during a demonstration in Puckapunyal, Victoria. Photo by Sergeant Tristan Kennedy.

Letters to the Editor

The ‘Combat Experimentation Group’

26/06/2025 Bruce Cameron 1971 Views 0 Comments

On 29 Aug 24, an article in The Australian Defence Magazine [ADM] stated that: “The Army has re-roled one squadron