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7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment

The 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (7 RAR) is a regular infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was originally raised in 1965 as part of Australia's commitment to the Vietnam War and it eventually served two tours in Vietnam in 1967 and 1971. In 1973, following Australia's withdrawal from the conflict, the battalion was amalgamated with the 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment to form the 5th/7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (5/7 RAR).

For other uses, see 7th Battalion (Australia) and 2/7th Battalion (Australia).

7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment

1965–1973
2007–present

Australia

Australian Army

Mechanised infantry

9th Brigade

RAAF Base Edinburgh, Adelaide

The Pigs
Porky Seven[1]

Duty First

Maroon

Quick – Australaise (band); Cock o' the North (pipes and drums)
Slow – My Home[2]

Pig (unofficial)[1]

Vietnam War

War in Afghanistan

Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (South Vietnam)

Lieutenant Colonel Levon Lambert[3][4]

Gordon (pipes and drums)

These two units remained linked until 2007, during which time they served together in the mechanised infantry role in East Timor and Iraq. In December 2006 – early January 2007, 5/7 RAR was delinked and 7 RAR was re-raised. In January 2009, 7 RAR achieved operational status, a year ahead of schedule. The battalion deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Slipper in 2008–09 and 2012–13. Following its return in 2013 it was converted into a standard infantry battalion. As of late October 2022 it forms part of the 9th "Heavy" Brigade (Australia) and is based at RAAF Base Edinburgh in Adelaide with the 1st Armoured Regiment.

History[edit]

Formation[edit]

In late 1964, the South Vietnamese government requested increased military assistance from Australia to help stop the Vietcong (VC) insurgency.[5] Following talks with the United States in early 1965, the Australian government decided to increase its commitment to the war in Vietnam, offering to send an infantry battalion to bolster the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam that had been in South Vietnam since 1962.[6] To meet this requirement, the decision was made to expand the Royal Australian Regiment, the Australian Army's regular infantry force, to nine battalions by 1965, using experienced regulars and national servicemen.[7]


As a part of this expansion, the 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, was raised on 1 September 1965 at Puckapunyal in Victoria, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Eric Smith.[8] The battalion drew the majority of its experienced personnel from the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR), which had been serving in Malaysia as part of Australia's involvement in the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation. The rest of 7 RAR's personnel were national serviceman from the second intake.[2] Due to the large numbers of national servicemen that the battalion received from the outset, upon formation 7 RAR's average age was estimated at only 22 years. A number of these national servicemen went on to command sections as non-commissioned officers or platoons as newly commissioned subalterns.[9] At this time the battalion adopted a pig as its mascot, following an observation by the commanding officer about the state of the soldiers' mess at Puckapunyal.[9]


In June 1966, after the battalion had completed a series of intensive training exercises, 7 RAR was considered operationally deployable. At this time, 100 men were transferred from the battalion to units serving in South Vietnam, to provide reinforcements.[8] After this, further training was undertaken at the Jungle Training Centre at Canungra, Queensland and later in the year, 7 RAR took part in "Exercise Barra Winga" around Shoalwater Bay.[9]

Battalion quick march – "Australaise"

Battalion slow march – "Cock o' The North"

Battalion Headquarters – "Steamboat"

A Company – "The Black Bear"

B Company – "Nut Brown Maiden"

C Company – "The Glendarvel Highlanders"

Support Company – "Bonnie Dundee"

Administration Company – "the Muckin O' Geordie's Brye"

Bien-Hoa, Vietnam (1967–68) and Vietnam (1970–71).

[16]

7 RAR currently holds the following battle honours:

United Kingdom – .[2]

The Highlanders

Lieutenant Colonel E.H. Smith, DSO (1 September 1965 – 24 November 1968)

Lieutenant Colonel , DSO (25 November 1968 – 14 May 1971)

R.A. Grey

Major J.J. Farry (15 May 1971 – 18 July 1971)

Lieutenant Colonel I.B. Mackay (19 July 1971 – 18 March 1973)

Lieutenant Colonel P.N. Greenhalgh, AM (19 March 1973 – 2 December 1973)

Lieutenant Colonel S. Gabriel, DSC (3 December 2006 – December 2009)

Lieutenant Colonel , AM (December 2009 – December 2012)

M. Garraway

Lieutenant Colonel M. Wells, DSC (December 2012 – 8 December 2014)

Lieutenant Colonel D. McCammon, DSM (8 December 2014 – January 2017)

Lieutenant Colonel P.W. Graham, DSM (January 2017 – December 2018)

Lieutenant Colonel A.W. Gower (December 2018 – December 2020)

Lieutenant Colonel R.L. Spackman (December 2020 – December 2022)

Lieutenant Colonel L.J. Lambert (January 2023–present)

The following officers commanded 7 RAR:[57]

Warrant Officer Class One H.B. Clively (10 September 1965 – 21 August 1966)

Warrant Officer Class One A.P. Thompson, MBE (1966–1968)

Warrant Officer Class One R.A. Bandy, MBE (1968–1970)

Warrant Officer Class One D. Muir (1970–1973)

Warrant Officer Class Two B.H. Cox (22 September 1973 – 2 December 1973)

Warrant Officer Class One D.J. Allen (2007–2009)

Warrant Officer Class One R. Verrall, OAM (2010–2013)

Warrant Officer Class One M. Landy, OAM (2013–2015)

Warrant Officer Class One M. Bold (January 2016– January 2018)

Warrant Officer Class One B.F. Fawcett (January 2018 – January 2020)

Warrant Officer Class One P. A. Dehnert, CSC (January – December 2020)

Warrant Officer Class One J. Craig (January 2021 – 2022)

Warrant Officer Class One A. Ashman (January 2023–present)

The following soldiers served as RSM of 7 RAR:[58]

7th Battalion Association