page_title: Royal Australian Regiment
section_title: Formation, 1948
hierarchical_section_title: Royal Australian Regiment / History / Formation, 1948
caption_attribution_description: English: AWM Caption: SAIJO, JAPAN. 1946-09-20. VX91635 SERGEANT V. R. MARSHALL, 66TH INFANTRY BATTALION, LEADING 15 PLATOON, PAST THE SALUTING BASE DURING THE FLAG MARCH THROUGH THE TOWN.
context_page_description: The Royal Australian Regiment is the parent administrative regiment for regular infantry battalions of the Australian Army and is the senior infantry regiment of the Royal Australian Infantry Corps. It was originally formed in 1948 as a three battalion regiment; however, since then its size has fluctuated as battalions have been raised, amalgamated or disbanded in accordance with the Australian government's strategic requirements. Currently, the regiment consists of seven battalions and has fulfilled various roles including those of light, parachute, motorised and mechanised infantry. Throughout its existence, units of the Royal Australian Regiment have deployed on operations in Japan, Korea, Malaya, Borneo, Vietnam, Somalia, Rwanda, Cambodia, East Timor, the Solomon Islands, Iraq and Afghanistan.
context_section_description: The origins of the Royal Australian Regiment lie in the decision made by the Australian government to raise a force for occupation duties in Japan at the end of the Second World War. The 34th Australian Infantry Brigade was raised in October 1945 from Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) personnel then serving in the South West Pacific Area, with the three battalions of the brigade designated as the 65th, 66th and 67th Australian Infantry Battalions of the AIF. The 65th Battalion was formed from volunteers from the 7th Division and the 2/40th Battalion. The 66th Battalion received volunteers from the 9th Division and 1st Australian Corps troops. The 67th Battalion was formed from the 3rd, 6th, and 11th Divisions. After concentrating on the island of Morotai, the 34th Brigade moved to Japan and joined the British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF) in February 1946.
  The 34th Brigade became the basis of the post-war Regular Army in 1947, and when the decision was taken in 1948 to withdraw two of the battalions to Australia, attention turned to the status and designation of these units. Brigadier Ronald Hopkins, commander of the brigade, was concerned that despite the unit prestige and regimental spirit developed since October 1945, it would be undesirable to have the regular units the highest numbered, without battle honours or colours, and with precedence after Militia units. Consideration was given to whether the battalions might be designated as separate regiments. For example, the 65th Battalion might have become the 1st Infantry Battalion, City of Sydney's Own Regiment under one proposal or the 1st Battalion, King George VI's Australian Rifle Regiment under another. Instead, the decision was taken to number the units sequentially as part of one large regiment and so on 23 November 1948 the 65th, 66th and 67th Battalions became the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the Australian Regiment. An application was made for a royal title, which was granted on 10 March 1949. The Royal Australian Regiment thus came into being as Australia's first regiment of regular infantry. Since formation the battalions of the regiment have competed against each other in an annual military skills competition known as the Gloucester Cup.
caption: Troops from the 66th Battalion march through Saijo, Japan in 1946
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