Australian Army Infantry Regiments (1899 ...

Australian Army Infantry Regiments (1899-2024)

Sep 13, 2024

Here’s a list of Australian Army infantry regiments, covering the period from 1899 to 2024. I'll include key units, their evolutions over time, and some known online associations, particularly for modern units. While not all historical regiments may have their own associations, many modern units and battalions do have an online presence through official websites, social media groups, and veterans' associations.

1. Royal Australian Regiment (RAR)

- Establishment: 1948

- Units:

- 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR)

- 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2RAR)

- 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR)

- 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (4RAR) - re-designated as Commando in 1997

- 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (5RAR)

- 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR)

- 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (7RAR)

- 8th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (8RAR) - disbanded 1973

- 9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (9RAR) - disbanded 1973

- Online Associations:

- [Royal Australian Regiment Association](https://rarnational.org.au/)

- Many individual battalions have their own Facebook groups or veteran networks, like the [1RAR Association](http://www.1rar.asn.au/).

2. Australian Imperial Force (AIF) Battalions

- Period: World War I (1914–1918) and World War II (1939–1945)

- Units:

- Multiple battalions numbered in the 1st to 60th battalion ranges, e.g., 1st Battalion AIF, 2nd Battalion AIF, 14th Battalion AIF.

- Online Associations:

- [Australian War Memorial - Unit Histories](https://www.awm.gov.au/)

- Various social media groups and veteran associations.

3. Militia/CMF Battalions

- Period: Pre-WWI, Inter-War Period, WWII, post-war to 1980s

- Units:

- Many of these battalions evolved into modern reserve units.

- Examples: 58th Battalion (The Melbourne Rifles), 39th Battalion (The Hawthorn Kew Regiment).

- Online Associations:

- Some militia units have regimental histories and online groups tied to WWII or pre-war veterans.

4. Commando Regiments

- Units:

- 2nd Commando Regiment (Formerly 4RAR (Commando))

- Online Associations:

- [Australian Commando Association](https://commando.org.au/)

5. State and Regional Regiments (Citizen Military Forces / Army Reserve)

- Units:

- Royal Queensland Regiment (RQR)

- Royal New South Wales Regiment (RNSWR)

- Royal Victoria Regiment (RVR)

- Royal South Australia Regiment (RSAR)

- Royal Western Australia Regiment (RWAR)

- Royal Tasmania Regiment (RTR)

- Royal Australian Regiment (RAR)

- The Australian Army Reserve Infantry Battalion

- Online Associations:

- Each of these regional units often has associated websites and social media groups, such as the [Queensland RAR Association](https://rarfoundationqld.org/).

6. Special Air Service Regiment (SASR)

- Establishment: 1957

- Online Associations:

- [Australian SAS Association](https://australiansas.com.au/)

7. Other Historical Regiments

- Units:

- Victorian Scottish Regiment (later became part of RVR)

- Cameron Highlanders of Western Australia (later part of RWAR)

- Newcastle Volunteer Rifle Corps

- Queensland Mounted Infantry (later amalgamated into RQR)

- Online Associations:

- Many of these historical units are commemorated by veterans' associations or museums such as the [National Boer War Memorial](https://www.bwm.org.au/) for early Boer War involvement.

8. Current Infantry Formations

- Units:

- 1st Brigade (Darwin)

- 3rd Brigade (Townsville)

- 7th Brigade (Brisbane)

- Online Associations:

- These brigades often have associated veteran groups on social media, with ties to RAR battalions within each brigade.

9. Additional Resources

- Australian War Memorial ([AWM Website](https://www.awm.gov.au/)) is a comprehensive source of Australian Army infantry regimental histories and their online associations.

- Digger History ([Digger History Website](https://www.diggerhistory.info/)) is a dedicated resource for Australian military history, including unit records and veteran stories.

Each of these regiments or units typically has its own veteran network or association, where former soldiers and their families can connect, share experiences, and continue regimental traditions. Many use social media platforms like Facebook for modern connections, while official associations run websites for more formal historical and veteran outreach.

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