Royal Victoria Regiment Association
Representative Colonel: Her Excellency Professor the Honorable Margaret Gardner AC Govenor of Victoria.
Patron: Major General The Honourable Justice Greg Garde AO RFD (Retd)
News from 2016 and Earlier
What is an Infantryman?
In war, the Infantryman is part of that indispensable element of armies who decide all battles by their final presence; who are often maligned or praised with equal fervour by those who have little idea of what they are or the essentials of their trade.
As a soldier, he is self sufficient as a fighting unit until his support fails or he becomes a casualty. He carries the tools of his trade on his back, needs little individual support and is expected to function efficiently in his assigned role until told otherwise. He must possess initiative, determination, team spirit and must unstintingly give of himself to those chosen to lead him and to his mates.
As a leader, he is expected to carry lightly the burden of personally directing men in battle to accomplish tasks often of great physical difficulty, over all terrain and in all weather. He must train his men in all things concerning his complicated art and ensure, by the sheer force of his personal and intimate leadership, he retains their motivation, loyalty, cooperation, sustained effort and humour.
He must possess singleness of purpose, endurance, sound judgment, obedience, flexibility and compassion. His senses must be finely attuned to the fear, worry, emotions and well being of his men. He must replace all the influences which previously guided them and become their master, mentor, father, mother, priest, confessor and marriage counsellor. Above all else, he must understand men.
In peace he must suffer the brunt of retrenchments, cost cutting schemes and devices, which make defence spending more palatable to a Budget minded public. He must overcome these obstacles to keep alive his art learned mainly from experience in war. He is difficult to move, house, feed and administer in large numbers and is often resented because he is the rationale of the rest of the army.
He is expected to uncomplainingly move himself and his family to a wide variety of locations and undertake tasks for which his formal training did not equip him. He is expected to educate himself in his profession and all related subjects concerning other arms and services, which support him in peace and war. He must show a great deal of common sense, maturity and manliness in all he does. He is constantly judged by his superiors and subordinates in his performance and too often he must look for his well earned praise in belated histories of wars in which he fought. He is mostly taken for granted.
In spite of this, or perhaps because of it, he can possess an unquenchable spirit in the most trying circumstances. It is mostly for him alone to see death on a large scale, destruction and human misery, which can tax him beyond normal limits. It is his ability to rise above the baseness that haunts his profession and emerge as a man, that sets him apart; that makes him an Infantryman.
18251 Captain Kevin John McTAGGART
Australian Infantry June 1981
Kevin served in Vietnam with the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment 19/05/1967 to 26/06/1968
and the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam 14/07/1971 to 31/08/1972
Request for a Review of an Honour or Award
Army has strict rules governing what and how it will manage requests for reviews of honours and awards.The following guidance and website links are provided to assist those wishing to make a submission to Army for a review.
Army Guidance to Applicants on Preparing a Submission for a Review of Honours and Awards
National Archives of Australia
Australian War Memorial
Unit War Diaries and Commander's Diaries (AWM)
https://www.awm.gov.au/learn/understanding-military-history/unit-diaries
Honours and Awards Historical Search (AWM)
The Gazette (London)
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/browse-publications
Nominal Rolls (Department of Veterans' Affairs)
http://www.dva.gov.au/commems_oawg/nominal_rolls/Pages/index.aspx
Obtaining Copies of Service Records
http://www.defence.gov.au/Records/
Nine Core Values
Every soldier is an expert in close combat
Every soldier is a leader
Every soldier is physically tough
Every soldier is mentally prepared
Every soldier is committed to continuous learning and self development
Every soldier is courageous
Every soldier takes the initiative
Every soldier works for a team
Every soldier demonstrates compassion
R.V.R. - OPERATION RESOLUTE - TSE72, TSE73 and TSE74
2nd Division’s Contribution to Operation Sovereign Boarder
2 Platoon on board HMAS Perth FFH15
Family support
Two groups on hand to help out soldiers and their families
DEFENCE Community Organisation (DCO) and Defence Families of Australia (DFA) both assist military families, but what’s the difference between the two agencies? DCO is a support agency for members and their families and is part of the Department of Defence, while DFA is a ministerially appointed advisory group. DCO offers a range of programs and services that help Defence families manage the military lifestyle, particularly during times of deployment and relocation.
Services include the provision of family support, assistance for partners’ education and employment, help with childcare and assistance for dependants with special needs.
Director-General DCO Ray Bromwich said the organisation also offered support for community groups that assisted Defence families, education support for childrenand assistance for members leaving the military through transition support services.
“Families and members can also call our all-hours Defence Family Helpline for advice, assessment and support, and connection with local community-led services,” Mr Bromwich said.
“We are staffed by experienced human services professionals who can help military families access DCO programs and services, which are delivered in 22 sites across Australia.
GET IN TOUCH
Two groups on hand to help out soldiers
and their families
Defence Community Organisation
1800 624 608
DefenceFamilyHelpline@defence.gov.au
www.facebook.com/DefenceCommunityOrganisation
Defence Families of Australia
1800 100 509
DFA is a ministerially appointed group of partners of current members who represent the views of Defence families. National Convenor Robyn Ritchie said the group’s main aim was to inform government and Defence of the needs of Defence families. “We provide a recognised forum for families’ views and we make recommendations and influence the policies that affect military families,” Ms Ritchie said.
“DFA national delegates are located around Australia and come from all services and ranks, which ensures we represent families adequately and understand the issues at all levels. We meet regularly with local command and stakeholders to discuss issues brought to them by families.
“Sometimes an individual family may have circumstances that are a little outside the box and we can help them navigate their way. We can also advocate an issue concerning many families.”
New video promotes support for all personnel
A VIDEO by Defence and Veterans’ Affairs has been released to remind ADF members that support is available no matter what stage of their career they are at.
The central message of the video is that while you may not need help now, you might need it down the track such as if you’re injured due to military service. Narrated by RSM-Army WO1 David Ashley, the video is part of a wider campaign to inform Defence members and veterans about services and support available, and flows from the Review of Military Compensation Arrangements recommendations.
The review was conducted to establish how well the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act (2004) was meeting the needs of current and former ADF members and their families. After a thorough public consultation process, the review made 108 recommendations, of which 96 were accepted by government.
The implementation of the recommendations is ongoing, but the majority of those actioned have resulted in significant positive outcomes for serving members, veterans and their families. This includes expanded eligibility to access support, health care and rehabilitation, increased compensation and a better delivery of these entitlements.
To view the video, visit
www.video.defence.gov.au or DVA’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/DVAAus
For more information on the Review of Military Compensation Arrangements visit
Operational Service Badge
Before the establishment of the Australian Operational Service Medal (AOSM), those who received the Australian Active Service Medal were also issued with the Returned from Active Service Badge (RASB). Because the AOSM recognises all declared operational service, an Operational Service Badge (OSB) has been established to be issued on the first award of the AOSM.
The OSB has two versions - military and civilian, to be issued with the respective medal types. The RASB will continue to be issued with the AASM for current warlike operations. In contrast with the RASB, the OSB may also be issued to the next-of-kin of deceased members to complement the award of the OSM.
Australian Operational Service Medal (OSM)
The AOSM was established to provide recognition to Defence personnel involved in declared operations or other service that the Chief of the Defence Force deems to be worthy of recognition.
The Australian Operational Service Medal (OSM) recognises Defence people, both Australian Defence Force (ADF) members and Defence Civilians, who willingly and ably perform their work as part of an operation or within other specific hazardous environments and conditions that has been recommended by the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) and approved by the Governor General for declaration as an operation warranting recognition through a medal.
The OSM will replace the Australian Active Service Medal and the Australian Service Medal for future operations. For ADF members the OSM will be awarded as the standard medal with a unique ribbon for each operation, similar to the practice in place for the United Nations Medal. Provision also exists for the award of an accumulated service device to denote those who undertake multiple tours on a particular operation. Those operations currently recognised by the AASM or ASM will continue to be recognised with those medals while the operations are active, for example Operation SLIPPER.
Her Majesty the Queen approved the OSM on 22 May 2012.
ADF members who undertake operational service will receive an OSM with a unique ribbon for each new operation. ADF members who undertake additional periods of qualifying service on the same operation will, where appropriate, receive an accumulated service device - in the form of a numeral similar to those issued by the United Nations.
The Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, the Hon Warren Snowdon MP, and the Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Ray Griggs, AO, CSC, publicly announced the OSM on Thursday 19 July 2012.
Civilian recognition
The OSM also includes a variant that will be available to recognise those Defence Civilians and other classes of civilian who are employed on ADF operations under the provisions of the Defence Force Discipline Act 1982. No recognition of civilians has been given since the end of the INTERFET operation in 2000, accordingly those who have been employed on operations since that time may be entitled to receive the civilian OSM. The Civilian OSM is in the form of the standard medal with a unique civilian service ribbon. Each operation will be denoted by a clasp to the medal.
Operational Service Medal – Border Protection
The first service declared for the OSM is the range of border protection operations conducted since 1997. The basic qualifying criteria for the OSM - Border Protection require members of the ADF to have been deployed or force assigned for duty as a member of a declared operation:
a. for a period of not less than an aggregate of 30 days; or
b. completed 30 sorties from a unit assigned to a declared operation, provided that those sorties were
conducted over a period of not less than an aggregate of 30 days at a rate of one sortie per day.
“THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY CORPS!!!”
Dear Comrades and Friends, November is a busy time for me . Between the R.S.L., ARMY, Shrine, and sheepdog trials I’m running around like a headless chook . One of the highlights of the ARMY year, particularly for crusty Old Diggers like me, is the Infantry Victoria Dinner , held annually at the Kelvin Club.
"INFANTRY"
For 160 years, since 1854 has the Infantry been at the centre of Australia’s military capability.
"The role of the Infantry is to seek out and close with the enemy, to kill or capture him, to seize and hold ground and repel attack, by day or by night, regardless of season weather or terrain"
There are seven regular Infantry Battalions, deployable by air, sea and land, motorised and mechanised and parachute. Special Forces Commandos and the SAS, Regional Force Surveillance Units, and the State Regiment Battalions such as our own 5/6 R.V.R. and 8/7 R.V.R..
Our riflemen are skilled soldiers who fight the enemy at close quarters in all phases of warfare using a multitude of weapons. Apart from being talented Riflemen, Infantry soldiers are trained as Scout, Machine-Gunner, Combat Communicator, combat first aiders, linguist, snipers, mortarmen, signallers, Direct Fire Support Weapon Crew Member, anti-amour, Reconnaissance Patrolman, Surveillance Operator, planner, negotiator, peacemaker and peacekeeper, driver, piper, drummer and in many other roles. Whatever and wherever!
We locate the enemy, we patrol and do the surveillance and develop the intelligence picture. We provide security for other units and agencies. We control tanks, air support, artillery and naval bombardment, and fight the enemy at close quarters with rifle, machine gun, grenades, anti-armour weapons, and, our favourite the bayonet and our bare hands. We hold ground when tasked and dominate our AO, wether supported by other elements of the Defence Force or on our own.
Our battle honours for the R.V.R. go back more than 100 years
Boer War - South Africa 1899–1902
World War I - Landing at Anzac Cove, Somme 1916-18, Ypres 1917, Bullecourt, Pozieres, Polygon Wood, Amiens, Albert 1918, Mont St Quentin, Hindenburg Line, plus Krithia, Villers-Brettoneaux and Lone Pine (remember 4 VC’s were won that day).
World War II - Bardia 1941, Capture of Tobruk , El Alamein, Greece 1941, South West Pacific 1942–1945, Bobdubi, Bobdubi II, Finisterres, Lae–Nadzab, Hari River, Borneo
And since then, there is Korea, Malaya, Vietnam, Cambodia, Somalia, Rwanda, Iraq, East Timor, Afghanistan, Sudan, and for our own Army reserve battalions, Olympic Games, Timor Leste, 2006 Commonwealth games, 2007-2013 Solomon Islands, Vic Fires Assist, Vic Flood assist and whatever the next call will be.
The Infantry Corps is the backbone of the Australian Army - Long may it be so.
"The Royal Australian Infantry Corps"