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Category: Army today/RAR

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Subject to Crown copyright. Do not copy or use without approval

Raised 1 September 1965
Battalion colour

Maroon (BCC 39)

Battalion nick-name The Pigs; Porky's People; The Pig Battalion
Battalion march AustralaiseClick to hear a small selection(for brass band) and Cock 'o the North Click to hear a small selection
Current home Now part of 5/7 RAR (Mechanised) in Darwin
Mascot A pig (unofficial and never on parade) see note

Now known as 5/7 RAR (Mechanised)

Tours of duty overseas.

Viet Nam 1967-1968; Feb 1970-Mar 1971
7 RAR was formed at Puckapunyal, Victoria on 1 Sep, 1965 as a part of the Australian Army’s build up for the Vietnam War. The Battalion subsequently served twice in Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam. The first tour was from April 1967 and the second from February 1970. Both tours lasted approximately 12 months and during this time 7RAR was deployed on 48 operations. 7 RAR was eventually linked with 5/7 RAR in December 1973. The colours and traditions are maintained by 5/7RAR in Darwin.

Approximately 2,400 men served with the Seventh. Of these thirty three were killed and 220 were recorded as being wounded.

The nick name of the Battalion; "The Pigs" is one that Diggers loved or hated. These days after some 35 years being called a PIG by other members of the Regiment, most have got used to it. Here is the story of how it started taken directly from the pages of 7RAR Association's book Conscripts & Regulars, with kind permission of its writer; Brigadier Mike O'Brien who was with the Battalion in 1970-71, as a Platoon Commander and Intelligence Officer. Still a Serving Officer when this was written, Brigadier O'Brien was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross in 1992.

Corporal Roy 'Doc' Savage gave this explanation of the pig origin: The single men of 3RAR were sent to Puckapunyal (Victoria) to form a new Battalion, 7RAR. I arrived there on 11th November 1965. At first there were only regular soldiers. We used to keep the boozer open all weekend having the cooks bring our meals there. Anyway, on my second week there the new CO (Lieutenant Colonel Eric Smith) decided to inspect his Battalion area on a Sunday. He immediately closed the boozer. The next day he called a muster parade of the whole Battalion and commenced to tell us what he thought of us. Half way through his speech he said and I quote. "You are nothing but a mob of Pigs".

Then from the back rank someone called out "oink, oink". From that time onwards we became the "Pig Battalion". Editors note. At the time a story circulated that a pig wearing the Badges of Rank of a  Lieutenant Colonel was released in the Officers Mess shortly afterwards. I did not see it but I believe it to be true.

Photo taken in 1967 and supplied by Wal Lotocki .10 Platoon Delta Company 7RAR
Secondly, the matter of whether Porky went on parade or not is interesting as well.  I recall that when we linked with 5 RAR our transport Sgt went to a lot of trouble to find a pig that would match Quintus in size. He found a monster down Campbelltown way and on the linking parade Quintas, in a cage, was at the exit of the parade ground and Porky, likewise in a cage, was at the entrance to the parade ground (near the Sgts Mess) I recall as we marched off, Quintas got frightened by the pipes and drums (if a Bengal tiger is frightened by anything) and he let out a mighty roar.
Woman and kids, in the viewing stands along side his cage, screamed and ran in all directions.  regards, Kev Gillett
I don't know whether the 7RAR blokes are sick of this photo or still proud of it. 

However, either way, here it is again. It is probably the 3rd most famous photo of the Viet Nam war and the best known Aussie one.

HONOUR ROLL1967 ~ 1968

Date

Rank

Surname

First Name

Age

10 Nov 67

Pte

Allen

George Norman

22

6 Aug 67

Cpl

Aylett

Donald Raymond

22

5 Feb 68

Pte

Ayres

Marvin Walter

23

29 Jan 68

Pte

Bell

Alec Ernest James

21

6 Aug 67

Pte

Brophy

Edward Francis

22

26 Jun 67

Pte

Cox

James George

22

27 Nov 67

Pte

Cullen

Bryan Thomas

20

10 Nov 67

Pte

Fallon

Barry Edmond

31

6 Aug 67

Pte

Harstad

Alfred Barleif

21

27 Nov 67

Pte

Hawker

Norman Victor George

22

6 Aug 67

Cpl

Hayes

James Francis

27

2 Feb 68

L/Cpl

McMillan

Ross Charles

 

6 Aug 67

Pte

Milford

David Geoffrey

22

6 Aug 67

Pte

O’Connor

John Martin

25

2 Feb 68

Pte

Perrin

Robert Graham

22

27 Jan 68

Pte

Trzecinski

Paul Zygmund

21

HONOUR ROLL 1970 ~ 1971

16 Jun 70

Pte

Cashion

Gary Owen

19

21 May 70

Pte

Crouch

Noel Valentine

22

27 Oct 70

Lt

Davies

Rex William

25

6 Jun 70

Pte

Dickson

Stephen Warwick

21

15 Jan 71

Pte

Dufty

Milton Raymond

21

16 Jan 71

L/Cpl

Halkyard

Eric

27

22 Apr 70

Pte

Hughes

Robert Edward

19

21 Apr 70

Pte

Kavanagh

Graham Robert

21

6 Jun 70

Pte

Larsson

Stanley George

23

30 Dec 70

Pte

Lloyd

Allan L

20

6 Jun 70

Pte

Navarre

Paul John

21

6 Feb 71

Pte

Patten

Raymond Brian

20

26 Apr 70

Lt

Pothof

Robin Christiaan

21

27 Aug 70

L/Cpl

Richardson

Neil Thomas

23

3 Apr 70

Pte

Smith

Ronald Keith

19

30 Apr 70

Pte

Stanczyk

Henry Jan

21

1 Feb 71

Pte

Talbot

Allen

21

FORMER 7RAR MEMBERS KILLED IN ACTION 

WHILE SERVING WITH OTHER UNITS

MEMBERS OF SUPPORTING ARMS KILLED IN ACTION

WHILE IN SUPPORT OF 7RAR

  • Cpl FJ ANNESLEY (1968) 1RAR, 

  • Pte TJ ATTWOOD (1971) D&E Platoon, 

  • Cpl TD BLACKHURST (1971) AATTV, 

  • Pte DM CLARK (1966) 6RAR, 

  • Pte A PURCELL (1967) 5RAR, 

  • Pte P TEBB (1971) D&E Platoon, 

  • Pte M TOWLER (1971) D&E Platoon, 

  • WO2 B WALSH M.M. (1969) AATTV.

  • Sapper TJ RENSHAW (1967-68) 1st Field Squadron; 
  • Gunner B TREGEAR (1967-68) 108th Field Battery; 
  • Sapper IN SCOTT (1970-71) 1st Field Squadron.

 

LEST WE FORGET


Click to enlarge Nui Dat, Vietnam. 1967. During a changeover of infantry Battalions within the 1st Australian Task Force three senior warrant officers met for the first time since the Korean War. Left to right: WO1 Peter Balzary, Sandringham, Vic, Regimental Quarter-master of 5th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment (5RAR), WO1 George Chinn of Stafford, Qld, Regimental Sergeant Major of 6th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR), and WO1 Alexander (Blue) Thompson of Hobart, Tas, Regimental Sergeant Major of the newly arrived 7th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment (7RAR).
The "Welcome Sign" that greeted 1RAR, The Pony Soldiers, when they arrived on their second tour of SVN to replace 7RAR, Porky's People. Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge SOUTH VIETNAM. 1968-04-07. Informal portrait of commanding officers of the four infantry Battalions represented in Vietnam at a farewell party for officers of 7th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment (7RAR). Left to right: Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) J. Shelton, Commanding Officer (CO), 3rd Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR); Lt Col (Chick) Charlesworth, CO, 2RAR /NZ (Anzac) (the Anzac Battalion comprising 2nd Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment and a component from the 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment); Lt Col E. Smith, CO, 7th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment (7RAR); Lt Col P. Bennett, CO, 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian regiment (1RAR). 
Click to enlarge

Nui Dat, Phuoc Tuy Province, Vietnam, c. 1967-10. Tent lines of 2 Platoon, "A" company, 7RAR, among the rubber trees at the 1 ATF base. The sign fixed to the tree reads: "2 Pl. A Coy. 7RAR. The Western Front". (donor E. O'Donnell) 

Click to enlarge

 

 

 

"lets go to work" 7RAR

Vietnam. 1967-08. Second Lieutenant (Lt) John Renowden of Paynesville, Vic, with an all-Australian knitted woollen toy, a pig, which has become the mascot of the 7th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (7RAR). 

The jungle-green animal named Pig, which has its own identity discs, was knitted and sent to Lt Renowden by a friend.

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