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Raised | 18 January 1952 | 1 February 1964 |
| Battalion colour |
Scarlet (BCC 209) |
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| Battalion nickname | The Fighting Fourth | ||
| Battalion march |
Inverbrackie 
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| Current home | Holsworthy, Sydney, NSW | ||
| Mascot | |||
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Now known as 4 RAR (Commando) |
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Tours of duty overseas. |
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| Malaysia | October 1965-October 1967 |
| Viet Nam | 1 June 1968 - 31 May 1969 and May 1971-Dec 1971 (D Coy- Feb 1972) |
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"The Fighting Fourth" 4RAR/NZ (ANZAC) 1971/1972 |
| Battalion Colours. (Pictured are the Colours circa 1970) The history of Colours is covered comprehensively on other pages of this site. The tradition of colours and the strict conventions applied and the respect accorded them must be a matter of common knowledge for every soldier. An officer or soldier passing uncased Colours of his own regiment or other corps or friendly service is to salute them. Colours are the jealous possession of the battalion. They do not leave the Battalion's possession when in service. No one but the Battalion may claim them. When they are being moved from, or to the place they are usually kept, they are to be escorted. When the colours are not being carried they are to be housed in the Officers Mess. When the Battalion is on active service or functioning in such a way that its custody of the Colours is not possible, the Colours are housed for safe keeping before leaving Australia. Gloves are to be worn at all times while carrying the colours. The Battalion was presented new colours on 12 October 1984, by the Governor General, The Right Honourable Sir Ninian Stephens, AK, GCMG, GCVO, KBE and laid up the old colours on 13 October 1984. The Commanding Officer at the time LTCOL M.J. Keating and the RSM, WO1 J.H. Dunshea, paraded the colours for the last time to the All Saints Chapel at Lavarack Barracks where they remained until 9 May 1995. The colours were then relocated to Sydney where they are now on show in the Battalion Headquarters building. The soldiers can view the colours to maintain the traditions of the Regiment. The old Queen's Colour is the design of the Union Jack and the current Queen's Colour is the design of the Australian National flag. |
The decision to raise the Fourth Battalion of The Royal Australian Regiment was made in 1963.Consequently, instructions for the raising of the Battalion were issued on 13 January 1964. The official raising of 4 RAR on 1 February 1964, resulted in the first regular Battalion to be raised on Australian soil. Additionally it was stated that this battalion is a new battalion and not a resurrection of the old 4 RAR Depot. The Battalion was first raised under command of LTCOL D.S. Thomson, MC and WO1 L.E. Brennan. On 1 February 1964, the Inauguration Parade for 4 RAR took place at Woodside South Australia. Two other very significant events took place concurrently. Firstly, on 11 April, 1965, the Governor-General, Viscount De L'Isle VC, PC, GCMG GCV0, presented the Queen's And Regimental Colours to the battalion. Afterward, the Governor-General suggested that to mark his visit the Assault Pioneers should wear beards, as was the custom in his own regiment, the Grenadier Guards. Subsequently, the 4 RAR Assault Pioneer Platoon Sergeant became the only soldier in the Australian Army permitted to wear a beard . In October 1965, 4 RAR joined 28 COMWEL Ind Bde Gp at Terendak Camp in Malaysia. Training was intensified immediately as the unit was placed on a short notice to move to Sarawak. While training, the Battalion had platoons and companies on varying degrees of alert in case if Indonesian incursions across the Malacca Straits onto the Malay Peninsular. In April 1966, the Battalion was deployed to the Bau District. Battalion HQ was located at Cambrai Camp.
Three of the rifle companies occupied bases at Gumbang, Stass and Bokah. The remaining rifle company was held as a reserve at Old Bau Camp. Documents captured by C Company, under Major K.J. McGhee, in a June 15 contact with an Indonesian Army infiltration group proved of great importance to operations in Sarawak and to political manoeuvres during the closing stages of confrontation. An important facet of the Borneo tour was the unit's hearts and minds campaign. Aid, in the form of construction, supply, employment and medical treatment, was given to local villages. At the conclusion of "'Confrontation" in early September the bases occupied by 4 RAR were handed over to 3 Royal Malay Regiment. By 10 September 1966, 4 RAR was completely relocated to Malacca. On 11 November 1966, Lieutenant Colonel D.S. Thomson, MC handed over command of 4 RAR to Lieutenant Colonel C.H.A. East, MBE. The unit continued to participate in it's role as part of the British Commonwealth Far East Strategic Reserve. During this period the percentage of national Serviceman in the battalion increased, as a large number of regular soldiers returned early to Australia to go as reinforcements to Vietnam. Lt Col East instituted a civic action scheme which was extremely successful. Initially the battalion adopted a Malay village, where it applied the Malay custom of "mutual assistance". During September and October 1967 4RAR returned to Australia and settled at Enoggera Barracks, Brisbane, where on 9 January 1968, Lt Col L.R. Greville replaced Lt Col East as commanding officer. The battalion was reduced by one rifle company for its ANZAC role in Vietnam, where it was to take over two New Zealand companies. From 4 RAR's time in Malaysia and Sarawak the Battalion will remember the following soldiers.
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM LEST
WE FORGET
Awards
Second tour of Viet Nam May 1971- Dec 1971 (except D Coy left SVN 29 Feb 1972 - arrived Australia 13 Mar 72)
<< In the rubber During the voyage the infantrymen of the Battalion, ( one hundred and forty-one of them had previously seen service in South Vietnam) trained on the flight deck of the carrier, keeping in top condition. The New Zealanders joined the advance party at Nui Dat in early May 71, having come from Singapore. The main body arrived on 22 May 71, and operations began soon after the Battalion concentrated at Nui Dat. The Battalion relieved 2 RAR/NZ (ANZAC) at midnight on 23 May 71. 4 RAR/NZ (ANZAC) after a week settling in and 'In theatre
training' moved to the bush for the remaining seven and a half months of its
tour. This meant the soldiers spent their tour entirely on operations during
the monsoon season. The ANZAC Battalion conducted nine operations against
their main targets, the 274 Viet Cong (VC) Main Force Regiment and the 33rd
North Vietnamese Army Regiment. On 18 Aug 71, Prime Minister W. McMahon announced the withdrawal of troops by Christmas, and in Dec 71, the Battalion less Delta Coy and 1 Tp, B SQN, 3 Cav Regt returned to Townsville, Australia on the troop carrier HMAS SYDNEY. Delta Coy remained at Vung Tau until 13 Mar 72. For 4 RAR/NZ (ANZAC), this final tour gave the Battalion the honour of being the last ANZAC Battalion to serve in South Vietnam (also 4 RAR was the last Battalion to leave Borneo in 1966). As the last Battalion out of South Vietnam, it was witness to the unique circumstances of the withdrawal, none of them being foreseen during the deployment to South Vietnam. During its tour of duty the Battalion killed 91 enemy and captured 5 for the loss of eight 4 RAR/NZ (ANZAC) soldiers.
The Battalion remembers these soldiers from the second tour for the sacrifice they made.
AWARDS , SECOND TOUR
The Battalion returned to Australia to take over the rear lines in Lavarack Barracks, currently occupied by 2 RAR today and went on a much earned rest. After returning to work, the Battalion continued training on exercises around Mount Spec, Tropical Trials Establishment at Cowley Beach and High Range Training Area. It was during this period that the Battalion was looked after by MAJ E.H. Stevenson, (Administering Command) from 6 Apr 72 until 7 Jul 72, who in turn handed over to the new Commanding Officer LTCOL L.D. Johnson on 8 Jul 72, holding that position until the linking with 2 RAR on 15 Aug 73 to become 2/4 RAR. Partly by Max Johns |
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The
Battalion's advance party departed Australia on 30 Apr 71, for the unit's
second tour of Vietnam only this time lead by LTCOL Hughes and the RSM WO1
W.T.C. Thompson took over on 1 Jun 70 and looked after the men until 14 Aug
73. 
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During 2/4 RARs deployment to
Rwanda on Operation Tamar in 1994, that the Government made
the decision to unlink the 2nd/4th Battalion.
This was a result of the 1994 Defence White Paper that identified the need for an additional Infantry Battalion to enhance the Army's capability to meet strategic guidance requirements. On 15 Jan 95, LTCOL R.C. Smith who was posted to Land Headquarters and had carried out the detailed planning to raise the Battalion, was appointed Commanding Officer of 4 RAR. A Project Team for the raising of the additional infantry battalion was formed on 23 Nov 94, to begin planning. |
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This consisted initially of the CO, LTCOL R.C. Smith and RSM, WO1 K.R. Kahler. Shortly afterwards additional personnel with future appointments in the Battalion were posted to the Project Team. The Courts Martial Room at Land Headquarters, Victoria Barracks, Paddington along with numerous computers and mobile phones, were made available for the Project Team to commence work. This was the beginning of the new technology Battalion. Manning was approved for 69 ARA and 103 GRes soldiers in the first year, building to 3 ARA rifle companies and 1 GRes rifle company by 1998. The General Reserve would also have proportional elements in Support and Admin Companies giving respective strengths of 556 ARA and 150 GRes. Therefore, the total unit strength would be 706. The 2nd/4th Battalion was unlinked by the Chief of the General Staff, LTGEN J.C. Grey, AO on a parade at Samichon Lines, Lavarack Barracks, Townsville at 1500 hrs on 1 Feb 95. After the parade the colours were escorted to Holsworthy on 2 Feb 95, by the Adjutant, CAPT S.J. Kluver and SSGT G.J. Stanworth, where a ceremonial parade was held at 1600 hrs to uncase the colours to mark this auspicious occasion. The Reviewing Officer for the parade was MAJGEN P.N. Arnison, AO and the Host Officer was BRIG A.J. Molan, AM Commander 1st Brigade. The Battalion enjoyed strong ties with the 4th Infantry Battalions Association and was barracked at Jordan Lines, Holsworthy. It was intended the Battalion would occupy Tobruk Lines when 5/7 RAR (Mech) moved to Darwin in 1998. The Battalion finally moved into Tobruk Lines in November 2000 prior to Christmas, to enable The Battalion to conduct training before deploying to East Timor in April. 4 RAR (COMMANDO) In 1996, a decision was made to convert the Battalion to a Special Forces unit and on 1 Feb 97 was re-rolled to 4 RAR (Cdo). Regular serving members were given the opportunity to undertake special forces training or elect a posting to a conventional forces unit. No GRes positions existed in the new structure and reserve members discharged or posted to GRes units. LTCOL R.C. Smith and WO1 Kahler remained in the unit during the first year before handing over to LTCOL N.L. Thompson on 29 Nov 97 and WO1 A. Forsyth on 12 Jan 98 respectively. The initial years were busy creating a
structure and recruiting members LTCOL J.J. Sengelman assumed command of the unit on 18 Nov 99 and quickly prepared Bravo Coy to assume operational responsibilities on 1 Mar 00, in accordance with OPO serials. In addition to this, Charlie Coy were tasked with providing support to SASR during the Olympics. LTCOL Sengelman was assisted by his new RSM, WO1 R.E. Lambert, who commenced work on 17 Jan 00. |
suitable for commando training. Bravo Coy was raised first followed by
Charlie Coy in 1999, both taking 2-3 years to reach maturity. The pace
of battalion life during these development years was hectic with
capability development, equipment acquisition and training, focussing
every member’s attention. LTCOL N.L. Thompson (29 Nov 97-17 Nov 99)
and WO1 A. Forsyth (12 Jan 98-16 Jan 00) oversaw much of this
consolidation period in an era involving preparation for the Sydney
Olympics and much of the ADF being focussed on operational deployments
to East Timor. |
Some of 4RAR Commando served in Iraq in 2003. They were back up, ready reaction for SASR |
