page_title: Combat operations in 1965 during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation
section_title: Arrival of Australian and New Zealand forces
hierarchical_section_title: Combat operations in 1965 during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation / Opposing forces / British Commonwealth forces / Arrival of Australian and New Zealand forces
caption_attribution_description: English: MALAYSIAN RANGERS, OPERATING IN THE MALAYA-THAILAND BORDER REGION, LEAP FROM A RAAF 5 SQUADRON BELL IROQUOIS UH-1H HELICOPTER (A2-385) AS IT TOUCHES DOWN IN A JUNGLE CLEARING. THESE MALAYSIAN RANGERS ARE ETHNIC IBANS, FROM SARAWAK, BORNEO.
context_page_description: The Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation began in early 1963 following Indonesia's opposition to the creation of Malaysia. In December 1964, a build-up of Indonesian forces on the Kalimantan border saw the British government commit significant forces from the UK-based Army Strategic Command and Australia and New Zealand deployed roulement combat forces from West Malaysia to Borneo in 1965–66.
context_section_description: Early in 1965, both Australia and New Zealand agreed to deploy their forces into Borneo as part of the rotation of British and Gurkha units, mostly from those with 28 Commonwealth Brigade in West Malaysia. The brigade's Australian battery rotated with the British batteries from the brigade and the commando batteries in Singapore. These units, together with more UK-based ones, eased the pressure on the UK and Gurkha battalions based in the Far East and rotating through tours in Borneo. Tours were of varying length; Gurkhas generally did 6 months, British battalions in the Far East did 4 months, while the UK-based normally did 12 months less training time and split into two of about 5 months, but deployed in a different area for each half of their tour.
caption: Sarawak Rangers (present-day part of Malaysian Rangers) comprising Ibans leap from a Royal Australian Air Force Bell UH-1 Iroquois helicopter to guard the Malay–Thai border, 1965.
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