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Category: Army
today/RAR |
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Raised |
1 September 1965 |
Battalion colour |
Maroon (BCC 39) |
Battalion nick-name |
The Pigs; Porky's People; The
Pig Battalion |
Battalion march |
Australaise(for brass band)
and Cock 'o the North |
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. |
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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
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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 |
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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,
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Pte TJ ATTWOOD (1971) D&E
Platoon,
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Cpl TD BLACKHURST (1971) AATTV,
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Pte DM CLARK (1966) 6RAR,
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Pte A PURCELL (1967) 5RAR,
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Pte P TEBB (1971) D&E
Platoon,
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Pte M TOWLER (1971) D&E
Platoon,
-
WO2 B WALSH M.M. (1969) AATTV.
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- Sapper TJ RENSHAW (1967-68) 1st Field
Squadron;
- Gunner B TREGEAR (1967-68) 108th Field
Battery;
- Sapper IN SCOTT (1970-71) 1st Field Squadron.
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LEST WE FORGET
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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).
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The "Welcome
Sign" that greeted 1RAR, The Pony Soldiers, when they arrived on
their second tour of SVN to replace 7RAR, Porky's People. |
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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).
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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) |
"lets go to work" 7RAR
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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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