8th Battalion , Royal Australian Regiment The 8th Battalion , Royal Australian Regiment ( 8 RAR ) was an Australian Army Regular infantry battalion . The battalion was formed in July 1966 as part of an expansion of the Australian Army in the mid - 1960s due to the perceived threat of Communism in southeast Asia . Initially the battalion was sent to Malaysia in 1967 , before later being sent to South Vietnam as part of Australia ' s commitment to the Vietnam War . Between November 1969 and October 1970 the battalion undertook operations as part of the 1st Australian Task Force , before being brought back to Australia . In October 1973 , after Australia ' s involvement in Vietnam officially ended , the battalion was amalgamated with 9 RAR to form 8 / 9 RAR . History . 8 RAR was formed at Enoggera Barracks in Brisbane on 14 July 1966 as part of the expansion of the Army during Australia ' s involvement in the Vietnam War . On 8 August 1966 it had a strength of 370 men , including 150 experienced soldiers who had been posted across from 1 RAR . The battalion was expanded the next month with both regular soldiers and conscripts . After a period of training 8 RAR embarked overseas in 1967 . In January it was warned that it would relieve 4 RAR in Malaysia , and this movement gradually took place from 24 August to 6 November . While in Malaysia the battalion formed part of the 28th Independent Commonwealth Infantry Brigade which also included New Zealand Army and British Army units . 8 RAR returned to Enoggera in April 1969 and began intensive training ahead of being deployed to Vietnam . The battalion arrived in South Vietnam on 17 November 1969 and replaced 9 RAR six days later . Like the other Australian Army units in Vietnam , the battalion formed part of the 1st Australian Task Force and was based in Phuoc Tuy Province . In early 1970 8 RAR took part in Operation Hammersley , a reconnaissance operation in the Long Hải area . This operation began on 10 February and on 18 February it captured a large bunker complex after the Vietnamese Communist defenders withdrew following air raids . The operation continued until 9 March , with the battalion carrying out patrols and conducting ambushes in order to engage Communist troops . These operations were successful , and 8 RAR was awarded the South Vietnamese Government ' s Meritorious Unit Commendation , including Cross of Gallantry with Palm Unit Citation for its role in the operation . 8 RAR ' s main task in Vietnam was participating in and supporting pacification operations in Phuoc Tuy . This involved patrolling the province in order to engage Communist units and prevent them from making contact with the civilian population . From 12 June 1970 these operations were designated Operation Cung Chung and were intensified . 8 RAR ' s tour of Vietnam ended in October 1970 , by which time it had lost 18 men killed in action and suffered 108 wounded . As part of the reduction of the Australian force in Vietnam 8 RAR was not replaced by another battalion when it returned to Enoggera . The reduction in the size of the Army at the end of Australia ' s involvement in the Vietnam War led to 8 RAR being amalgamated . On the morning after the Australian Labor Party won the 1972 Federal Election the battalion , like all others in the Army , was ordered to discharge all conscripts who did not wish to remain . This led to a large reduction in the size of the Army , and in 1973 it was decided to reduce the Royal Australian Regiment from nine to five battalions . This change was implemented by merging ( ' linking ' ) several battalions , and on 31 October 8 RAR was linked with 9 RAR to form 8 / 9 RAR . Members of 8 RAR received the following decorations during its deployment to Vietnam : one Distinguished Service Order , three Military Cross es , two Military Medal s and 13 Mentioned in Despatches .