4th Australian Armoured Brigade

• 538. HQ 4th Aust. Armoured Brigade, 1943-1946: Auth. GRO 310/1943, 16.4.1943, and GRO 32/1945, 19.1.1945.95 Raised in February 1943 by redesignation of HQ 6th Aust. Armoured Brigade and disbanded in March 1946.
  • This GRO showed an incorrect internal measurement for this patch and was corrected by an amendment notified by GRO 54/1945, 9.2.1945.
• 539. HQ 4th Aust. Armoured Brigade: Auth. GRO 388/1944, 20.10.1944. See the
  Note at the end of this section. There is no evidence of issue.
• 540. Unidentified: A number of examples of this patch, including a definite
  reproduction, are known to exist.
• 541. 1st Aust. Army Tank Battalion, 1943; 
  • 1st Aust. Tank Battalion, 1943-1944; 
  • 1st Aust. Armoured Regiment, 1944-1945: Auth. GRO 468/1943, 18.6.1943. This
    patch was -originally approved for the 2/9th Aust. Armoured Regiment vide GRO
    310/1943 but it had been issued to 1st Army Tank Battalion in error in March 1943
    and was retained by them. Superseded by No. 543 in early 1945.
• 542. 1st Aust. Armoured Regiment: Auth. GRO 388/1944, 20.10.1944. See the Note at
  the end of this section. There is no evidence of issue.
• 543. 1st Aust. Armoured Regiment, 1945-1946: Auth. GRO 32/1945, 19.1.1945.
  Disbanded in March 1946.
• 544. 2/4th Aust. Armoured Regiment: Auth. GRO 388/1944, 20.10.1944, and notified
  in Unit Routine Orders Part I on 22.11.1944. See the Note at the end of this section.
• 545. 2/4th Aust. Armoured Regiment, 1945-1946: Auth. GRO 32/1945, 19.1.1945.
  Disbanded in January 1946.
• 546. 2/5th Aust. Armoured Regiment, 1945: Auth. GRO 32/1945, 19.1.1945.
  Disbanded in October 1945.
• 547. 2/6th Aust. Armoured Regiment, 1943-1945: Auth. GRO 310/1943, 16.4.1943,
  and GRO 32/1945, 19.1.1945. Transferred to 1st Armoured Brigade Group in March
  1944, became independent in October 1944 and rejoined 4th Armoured Brigade in
  July 1945. Disbanded in November 1945.
• 548. 2/9th Aust. Armoured Regiment, 1943-1945: Auth. GRO 468/1943, 18.6.1943.
  This patch was originally approved for 1st Aust. Army Tank Battalion vide GRO
  310/1943 but was issued to 2/9th Aust. Armoured Regiment in lieu on 11.3.1943.( Waltzing Matildas, Peter Donovan, p.57.) Superseded by No. 549 in early 1945.
• 549. 2/9th Aust. Armoured Regiment, 1945-1946: Auth. GRO 32/1945, 19.1.1945.
  Disbanded in January 1946.

• 550. 2/1st Aust. Armoured Brigade Reconnaissance Squadron, 1944-1945: Auth.
  GRO 67/1944, 25.2.1944, and GRO 424/1944, 17.11.1944. Superseded by No. 551
  in January 1945. Raised in September 1943 from Headquarters Squadron, HQ 1st
  Aust. Armoured Division and allotted to 1st Aust. Armoured Brigade Group.
  Transferred to 4th Aust. Armoured Brigade in September 1944.
• 551. 2/1st Aust. Armoured Brigade Reconnaissance Squadron, 1945: Auth. GRO
  32/1945, 19.1.1945. Reorganized as an Armoured Squadron (Special Equipments) in
  January 1945 although it retained its original designation. Disbanded in September
  1945.
• 552. 2/1st Aust. Armoured Brigade Reconnaissance Squadron: Error in manufacture, J.A. Ryan Collection, AWM.
• 553. 1st Aust. Amphibious Armoured Squadron: Auth. GRO 424/1944, 17.11.1944. Raising of this unit commenced in November 1944 but was suspended almost immediately and did not recommence until February 1945. It is unlikely that this colour patch was ever manufactured, as under recently promulgated instructions for the supply of colour patches (GRO 0.399/1944, 3.11.1944, 'Colour Patches - Method of Requisition and Provision') the unit itself was responsible for indenting for its initial requirements, which would not have been possible when formation was suspended.
• 554. 1st Aust. Amphibious Armoured Squadron: Manufactured in NSW for this unit in early February 1945 but not approved or issued. Example, Victoria Barracks Collection.
• 555. 1st Aust. Amphibious Armoured Squadron, 1945: Auth. GRO 72/1945, 23.2.1945. Disbanded in October 1945.

• 556. HQ 6th Aust. Armoured Brigade, 1942-1943: Auth. GRO 301/1942, 7.8.1942. Raised in June 1942 as part of 2nd Aust. Motor Division by redesignation of HQ 6th Aust. Motor Brigade, and was redesignated HQ 4th Aust. Armoured Brigade in February 1943.
• 557. 12th Aust. Armoured Regiment, 1942-1943: Auth. GRO 301/1942, 7.8.1942. Raised in June 1942 by redesignation of l8th Aust. Motor Regiment, disbanded in June 1943.
• 558. 12th Aust. Armoured Regiment: Error, NSW manufacture.
• 559. 13th Aust. Armoured Regiment, 1942-1944: Auth. GRO 301/1942, 7.8.1942. Raised by redesignation of the, 13th Aust. Motor Regiment in June 1942. Transferred to the 2nd Armoured Brigade in February 1943 and was disbanded in March 1944.
• 560. 13th Aust. Armoured Regiment: Error, NSW manufacture.

• 561. 14th Aust. Armoured Regiment, 1942-1943: Auth. GRO 301/1942, 7.8.1942. Raised in July 1942 by redesignation of the 104th Aust. Motor Regiment and was disbanded in May 1943. 104th Aust. Motor Regiment had originally been raised in May 1941 as 4th Armoured Regiment by expansion of 'C' Squadron, 17th Light Horse (Machine Gun) Regiment, and had been reorganized as a motor regiment in March 1942. It has not been possible to determine what colour patch, if any, was worn by the original 4th Armoured Regiment and 104th Motor Regiment.

• 562. 3rd Aust. Reconnaissance Squadron, 1942-1943: Auth. GRO 301/1942, 7.8.1942.
  Raised in June 1942 by redesignation of the 3rd Aust. Motor Regiment, although the new unit also remained part of the Aust. Light Horse and did not transfer to the Aust. Armoured Corps. Disbanded in June 1943.

• 6th Aust. Armoured Car Regiment: See AUST. LIGHT HORSE, No. 452.

• 563. 2/11th Aust. Armoured Car Regiment, 1941-1944: Ref. AHQ(DOS) Memo No. 14520, 7.3.1941. Raised in July 1941 as part of 1st Aust. Armoured Division. Transferred to the 2nd Aust. Division in September 1943 and was disbanded on 24.3.1944.

• 564. 12th Aust. Armoured Car Regiment, 1943-1944: Auth. GRO 165/1943, 19.2.1943.
  Raised in October 1942 by redesignation of 12th Aust. Motor Regiment and was disbanded in March 1944. Allotted to the 3rd Aust. Armoured Division.

• 565. 12th Aust. Armoured Car Regiment: Error, Queensland manufacture.

• 566. 12th Aust. Armoured Car Regiment: Error, NSW manufacture.

• 567. 1st Aust. Armoured Car Squadron, 1946-1949: Auth. GRO 88/1946, 22.3.1946.
  Raised in January 1946 from volunteers of the 4th Aust. Armoured Brigade for service with the Australian Component, BCOF, Japan. Formed the nucleus of the existing 1st Armoured Regiment RAAC in July 1949. For some reason this colour patch was not listed for retention by AHQ Memo B30641 of 18.9.1946, and all stocks held in Australia were submitted for disposal in early 1947.

• 568. 1st Aust. Armoured Car Squadron: Error, CCF manufacture.

• - War Office Tank Trials Detachment, 1944-1945: Comprised personnel drawn from units of 4th Aust. Armoured Brigade, who continued to wear the colour patch of their own unit while on attachment.

Note: The colour patch system approved for units of 4th Aust. Armoured Brigade in October and November 1944 following the reduction and reorganization of the Australian Armoured Corps. (Refers specifically to No's 512B, 520B, 539, 542, and 544.) In each case the responsibility for obtaining these new designs rested with the individual units, and from an examination of the existing regimental histories there appears to be no evidence that these colour patches were actually produced or issued. 'Me 2/9th Armoured Regiment is noted to have retained No. 548 at least until the end of February 1945, and although the new colour patch for 2/4th Aust. Armoured Regiment was promulgated in its own Routine Orders Pt I in November 1944, the unit was serving overseas at the time and does not appear to have worn it. This situation may be partially the result of some indecision relating to these designs at LHQ; in November 1944, immediately following the approvals for the final designs in this scheme, the CGS indicated that it was now preferable if these units reverted to the original rhomboidal shape used by 4th Armoured Brigade. On 21.11.1944, the DOS, when informing the C-in-C AMF of the matter, stated that the only objection to the designs submitted with this proposal was that the colours did not conform to the original light horse colour scheme in that the brigade colour was not to the front.

DOS Memo B78079, 21.11.1944. Army (MGO Registry) File 61/03/150, relating to early drafts of the instructions eventually promulgated as GRO 60/1945 in February 1945.

This would appear to have been of little consequence however and the new scheme was approved in early January 1945. It is possible that the Commander 4th Aust. Armoured Brigade, being the senior formation commander in the Corps, was involved in any discussion relating to the change, and was therefore in a position to advise his unit commanders that there was no haste in applying GRO No's 388 and 424 of 1944. There is certainly no reference made to them in AWM 54, items 89/3/5 and 89/3/6, which constitute Appendix 'B' to the 4th Aust. Armoured Brigade War History and show colour patches and vehicle markings used by units of the brigade between 1943 and 1946. All actual examples of No's 539, 542, and 544 noted to date by the author have been reproductions.

• 569-572. Reserved. 

Prior to 1936 the Citizen Force artillery was organized into two separate branches, the Australian Field Artillery and the Australian Garrison Artillery (Coast, Medium, Anti Aircraft and Survey). In January 1936 they were amalgamated as the Royal Australian Artillery (Militia). The RAA(M) amalgamated with the RAA Regiment in 1949 to form the Royal Australian Artillery, now the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery.

Note: The designation of 'brigade' to represent a grouping of batteries continued in use in the PMF and CMF for the field and garrison (including medium and anti-aircraft units) branches until 1941, when field and medium brigades, and survey companies, were reorganized as 'regiments'. 2nd AIF artillery was organized on a regimental basis from 1939, however the term 'brigade' persisted in use with both the anti-aircraft and coast branches of the RAA until late in 1942. All anti-tank units of the RAA were redesignated tank attack units on 26.3.1943.

Divisional Artillery

Comprised HQ divisional artillery; field regiments; anti-tank regiments; tank attack batteries; HQ LAA regiments; LAA batteries; LAA batteries (airborne); survey batteries. The number and type of units differed between a standard division of 1921-1939, and 1939-1945, a jungle division of 1943-1945, an armoured division of 1941-1942, 1942-1943, and mid 1943, and a cavalry or motor division of 1921-1943.

• 573. 1st Divisional Artillery, 1921-1942; 

  • RAA 1st Aust. Division, 1942-1945: Auth. SO Clothing Pt 111, 1922.

• 574. 2nd Divisional Artillery, 1921-1942, 

  • RAA 2nd Aust. Division, 1942-1944: Auth. SO Clothing Pt 111, 1922.

• 575. 3rd Divisional Artillery, 1921-1942; 

  • RAA 3rd Aust. Division, 1942-1945: Auth. SO Clothing Pt 111, 1922.

• 576. 4th Divisional Artillery, 1921-1942; 

  • RAA 4th Aust. Division, 1942-1944: Auth. SO Clothing Pt 111, 1922.

• 577. (a) 5th Divisional Artillery, 1921-1939: Auth. SO Clothing Pt 111, 1922. Worn by
  field artillery brigades allotted to 11th Mixed Brigade, and Field Troops, 5th and 6th
  Military Districts, and included HQ divisional artillery from 1925.

  • (b) RAA Northern Command, 1939-1942; 

    • RAA 5th Aust. Division, 1942-1945:

  • (c) RAA Western Command, 1939-1942: Absorbed into RAA 4th Aust. Division
    in April 1942. In response to a query from HQ Western Command in relation to a
    colour patch for the 9th Anti-Tank Regiment, AHQ advised in April 1941 that no
    colour patch had yet been designed for anti-tank regiments, RAA. A former original
    member of this unit has advised that No. 577 was eventually worn prior to becoming
    109th Aust. Anti-Tank Regiment and part of the 4th Division.

  • (d) 6th Field Brigade RAA(M), 1939-1941; 

    • 6th Aust. Field Regiment, 1941-1944: Requests made by this unit in May 1926 and June 1938 for permission to wear the patch of the 6th (Army) Brigade AFA, (No. 55), were refused.

  • (e) 10th Anti-Tank Regiment, 1941-1942; 

    • 110th Aust. Anti-Tank Regiment, 1942-1943; 

    • 110th Aust. Tank Attack Regiment, 1943; 

  • 37th and 38th Aust. Tank Attack Batteries, 1943: Disbanded and reorganized into AA units, July/Oct. 1943.

• 578. RAA 6th Aust. Division, 1939-1946: Ref. MGO Branch Line Drawings, p.5. The history of the 2/3rd Aust. Field Regiment records that these patches were first issued to this unit on 10th February, 1940.

• 579. RAA 7th Aust. Division, 1940-1946: Ref. MGO Branch Line Drawings, p.5.

• 580. RAA 8th Aust. Division, 1940-1945: Ref. MGO Branch Line Drawings, p.5. The bulk of the divisional artillery was captured in Singapore in February 1942, this colour patch being retained in Australia until early 1943 by the 2/14th Aust. Field Regiment and 14th Battery, 2/4th Aust. Anti-Tank Regiment.

• 581. 2/14th Aust. Field Regiment, 1943-1946: Ref. 2/14th Aust. Field Regiment Association. This colour patch was adopted by the regiment in February/March 1943, following its movement from Darwin, NT, to Loftus Camp, NSW. The then CO, Lt-Col. R.B. Hone, directed that a perpendicular 'break' would be inserted in the colour patch to signify the regiment's separation from the 8th Division, vowing that it would be removed when the members of that division were liberated from captivity and the division reformed. It also served the purpose of distinguishing the regiment from AIF members of artillery units of the 3rd Aust. Division, whose colour patch was identical to that of RAA 8th Aust. Division. Apparently entirely unofficial it was nevertheless worn until the unit was disbanded in January 1946.

• 582. RAA 9th Aust. Division, 1940-1942: Ref. To Benghazi: Long, Appx 4. Superseded by No's 584 to 588 inclusive in December 1942.

• 583. RAA 9th Aust. Division: Ref. RAA Historical Society of WA. Former Western Australian members of the 2/7th Aust. Field Regiment have stated that their colour patches were worn in this manner when they were first issued.

• 584. HQ RAA 9th Aust. Division, 1942-1946: Auth. GRO 225/1943, 12.3.1943. Raised in October 1940 by redesignation of HQ 1st Aust. Corps Medium Artillery.

• 585. 2/7th Aust. Field Regiment, 1942-1946: