Category Archives: Uncategorized

The latest edition of Army News is now available to view online: www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews RECOGNITION: Soldiers receive Queen’s Birthday honours for going above and beyond the call of duty. – Pages 2-3 AIR SUPPORT: Exercise Predator’s Walk marks first time RAAF C-27J Spartan works with Army combat brigade. – Pages 4-5 COMBINED ARMS: 7 Bde demonstrates its lethality during Exercise Diamond Strike. – Centre  And in sport: SPIRIT: Soldiers compete against allied wounded, injured and ill athletes at the Warrior Games. – Pages 23-24

Members and Friends of the RARA SA. We are ready to take bookings for a number of major events occurring in 2018. On Saturday 23 June we will have our annual Regimental Dinner.  This event is fully booked. We will also be having an Italian night on Friday 12 October.  Again, food will be only $10. On Friday 23 November, we will be combining a the Regimental Birthday with Xmas drinks for our friends.  Again this is going to be externally catered by Cheryl’s Cuisine at a cost of $10 per head, but free for our invited guests. Finally, or Friday 14 December, we will have our Xmas party for … Continue reading →

 The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, the Hon Darren Chester MP, introduced yesterday the Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Veteran-centric Reforms No. 2) Bill 2018 into the House of Representatives.  If you would like to access the Bill and Explanatory Memorandum, they can be found on the Parliament House website at: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r6117   In addition, DVA’s legislation web page contains explanations of each of the measures in the Bill: https://www.dva.gov.au/about-dva/legislation/veterans-affairs-legislation-amendment-veteran-centric-reforms-no2-2018-bill  Briefly, the Bill contains six measures: Incapacity stepdown: pay former Australian Defence Force members’ incapacity payments at 100 per cent of their Normal Weekly Earnings while they are undertaking full time study as part of an approved rehabilitation program. Suicide Prevention Pilot: … Continue reading →

You can read about it here  http://anzaccentenary.sa.gov.au/2018/05/veteran-support-program-gets-leg-up-from-dtc-and-uni-sa/  

Greek Night – 4 May 18. A highly successful evening with more than 65 guests enjoying a feast provided by Tim, Tas, Con & Sia. and the 3RARA SA Quiz Day – 6 May 18 Photos courtesy of Jeff & Carol

  A selection of photos, all self-explanatory And, 7RAR Parading

Troops, young and old

This is the current issue of the Infantryman Infantryman final 2 March 2018 Below is December 2017 Infantryman December 2017 Dec 4 Below is the August 2017 issue Infantryman August 2017

An interesting article via Mal, courtesy of Mr Thai Dang and Ricochet Baria remembered

What a great afternoon of eating drinking and generally making merry with wonderful friends along with our two very learned wine experts in William Smidmore and Mike von Berg.  Of course without the wonderful team of workers who made it all happen and come together  and of course the Caterers who did a fabulous job and making life a little easier for the team – if I mention names then sure as eggs somebody will be left out and we cannot let that happen.     So a great day had by all. Cheers. Mrs. Vice (aka Lynn Graham) And photos – courtesy of Penelope & Bruce Forster – below, … Continue reading →

Esteemed elder of the RARA SA Colonel Don Beard AM RFD ED has provided an interesting article and a number of photos of  his time in Japan and Korea.  Another esteemed elder, Colonel Peter Scott, has provided the captions.  You may have to rotate a couple of the photos whilst viewing. Article by Colonel Don Beard AM RFD ED L to R Major Don Beard, Medical Officer BCOF Hospital Kure, Randolph Churchill visiting journalist, Jean Irvine, Nurse in BCOF Hospital, Kure, circa 1950 Stretcher Bearers of 3RAR carrying casualty through the snow. Captain Don Beard RMO 3RAR Somewhere at the rear. Probably during early 1951. Likely 3RAR soldiers cleaning weapons … Continue reading →

Here are a few photos of our highly successful dinner.  As always, by selecting a photo you will be able to view a better photo as well as the caption for it. And some nostalgic memories of our May 2013 Regimental Dinner  

Courtesy of VN Express Vietnam remembers victory and losses 50 years after Tet Offensive By Manh Tung, Tuyet Nguyen, Tran Duy   January 30, 2018 | 01:55 pm GMT+7 Bay Son talks about the Tet Offensive attacks in 1968, where he lost 16 comrades. Photo by VnExpress/Duy Tran Heroic memories are accompanied by pain and guilt, say veterans who lost hundreds of comrades. Half a century since his troops helped land heavy blows on key U.S. bases in Saigon, Bay Son still carries the guilt of not being able to find his dead comrades. One morning in late January 2018, he woke up in a room at Thong Nhat Hospital, a … Continue reading →

February 2018 marks the 50th Anniversary of the Tet Offensive in Vietnam in 1968, widely accepted as the turning point of that War. During that time the Australian Army engaged in joint operations with NZ and American troops and, for the first time, North Vietnamese Army and Vietcong forces attacked an understrength Australian Fire Support Base, code named Andersen, set up near Bien Hoa. The history books have for too long ignored the battle at Fire Support Base Andersen, probably because the Commander of the Australian Force Vietnam at the time, Major General Arthur MacDonald, saw the results (ie small number of Enemy dead) as ‘not spectacular’. Body count was … Continue reading →

Below are a selection of photos of 7RAR’s parade and march through Adelaide.  As ever, click on the photo for improved viewing. 7RAR 2ic Major Scott Golden with Certificate granting Freedom of the City  

Click on the image for improved viewing, 1967 I think. Join Army

See a selection of photos taken at the Long Tan Day Service held at the Torrens Parade Ground.  As always, click on the photos for improved viewing and captions.  

Please view the latest news on the RCB campaign here RCB Update There is an extensive history to this campaign under the Advocacy tab (above).

Here is the latest Holdfast.  In this edition, there are numerous excellent articles and photos including one of 5 RAR’s Sergeant Rod Lees after the mine incident in June 1969 – the photo was supplied by Rod. http://tunnelrats.com.au/pdfs/newsletters/Holdfast-31.pdf There is a very interesting article about FSB Andersen during February 1968.  Many of our 3RAR comrades will remember this Operation http://tunnelrats.com.au/pdfs/newsletters/Holdfast-30.pdf Here is the link to the Tunnel Rats Newsletter page http://tunnelrats.com.au/newnewsletters.php