 Although individual members of the regiment served on deployment in such locations as the Sinai, the Balkans, Western Sahara and Bougainville, it was not until 1993 that the regiment conducted another formed-body deployment. On 15 December 1992 the government announced that 1 RAR would deploy as a part of the US-led and UN-sanctioned Operation Restore Hope in Somalia. The Australian commitment, known as Operation Solace, saw 1 RAR deployed for 17 weeks to a 17,000-square-kilometre (6,600 sq mi) Humanitarian Relief Sector (HRS) centred on the township of Baidoa. In the course of four months over 8,311 tonnes of humanitarian aid was delivered. 1 RAR also protected Baidoa airfield, provided security in the township, conducted in-depth patrolling of the HRS, as well as escorting aid convoys within it. 1 RAR was never seriously challenged by the Somali bandits, although there were a number of contacts which resulted in casualties on both sides. One Australian was accidentally killed during the deployment.
