4th/3rd Battalion, Royal New South Wales Regiment

4th/3rd Battalion, Royal New South Wales Regiment (4/3 RNSWR) is a Reserve light infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 4/3 RNSWR has been deployed on active service on many peacekeeping operations and exercises within Australia and around the world. The Battalion is currently based at Sutherland, New South Wales where it forms part of the 5th Brigade.

4th/3rd Battalion, Royal New South Wales Regiment
Badge of the Royal New South Wales Regiment
Active26 September 1987 – present
Country Australia
BranchArmy
TypeLight infantry
SizeOne battalion
Part of5th Brigade
Garrison/HQSutherland, New South Wales
Motto(s)For Home and Country
ColoursWhite and green
MarchQuick, Slow
AnniversariesANZAC Day
Commanders
Colonel-in-ChiefHM The Queen (Australian Infantry Corps)
Insignia
Unit colour patch

History

Formation

The 1987 reorganisation of the Army Reserve, involving a reduction in the number of infantry battalions across Australia, brought about a linking of the 3rd and 4th Battalions, and a public ceremony on 26 September of that year marked the presence of the new 4/3 RNSWR.[1]

The new battalion, now extending across south-eastern New South Wales, has continued its standard training programmes in pursuit of its operational readiness objectives.

Significant groups of unit members attended the Royal Regiment of Wales Tercentenary celebrations in Cardiff, in 1989, and the 75th Anniversary Commemoration at Gallipoli in 1990, and the unit has had ongoing involvement in Australian and overseas exercise training programmes.

Recent history

Operation Anode is the Australian Defence Force's role in supporting RAMSI (Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands). Soldiers from 4/3 RNSWR has supported RAMSI in multiple brigade led deployments as a peacekeeping force to assist local and international police force's in the re-stabilisation of the Solomon Islands in conjunction with the New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Tongan defence forces.

Operation Astute was an Australian-led military deployment to East Timor to quell unrest and return stability in the 2006 East Timor crisis.

Operation Resolute is commanded by the joint civilian-military Border Protection Command and the ADF contributes Royal Australian Navy ships, Royal Australian Air Force aircraft and patrols from the Australian Army's Regional Force Surveillance Units as required. Soldiers from 4/3 RNSWR have been regularly deployed on OP Resolute.

Battle honours

The 3rd Battalion received the following battle honours:[2]

  • "Suakin 1885" (inherited);
  • "South Africa 1899–1902" (inherited);
  • World War I: Somme 1916, Somme 1918, Pozieres, Bullecourt, Ypres 1917, Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde, Poelcappelle, Passchendaele, Lys, Hazebrouck, Amiens, Albert 1918 (Chuignes), Hindenburg Line, Hindenburg Line, Epehy, France and Flanders 1916–1918, ANZAC, Landing at ANZAC, Defence at ANZAC, Suvla, Sari Bair–Lone Pine.[3]
  • World War II: Ioribaiwa, Kokoda Trail, Eora Creek–Templeton's Crossing II, Oivi–Gorari, Buna–Gona, Gona, Liberation of Australian New Guinea.[4][5]

The 4th Battalion received the following battle honours:[6]

  • Second Boer War: South Africa 1900–02.[Note 1][7]
  • First World War: ANZAC, Landing at ANZAC, Defence at ANZAC, Suvla, Sari Bair–Lone Pine, Somme 1916, Somme 1918, Pozieres, Bullecourt, Ypres 1917, Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde, Poelcappelle, Passchendaele, Lys, Hazebrouck, Amiens, Albert 1918 (Chuignes), Hindenburg Line, Hindenburg Line, Epehy, France and Flanders 1916–1918.[8]
  • Second World War: South-West Pacific 1944–45, Liberation of Australian New Guinea, North Africa, Bardia 1941, Capture of Tobruk, Greece 1941, Veve, Soter, Middle East 1941–1944, Crete, Heraklion, South-West Pacific 1942–1945, Liberation of Australian New Guinea, Wewak, Wirui Mission, Mount Shiburangu–Mount Tazaki.[Note 2][9]

Commanding Officers
DatesName
26 Sep 87 – 31 Jan 89LTCOL F.G. Harvison, RFD
1 Feb 89 – 24 Mar 91LTCOL P.F. Murphy, RFD
25 Mar 91 – 31 Dec 93LTCOL M.F. Peebles, RFD
1 Jan 94 – 31 Dec 96LTCOL M. Vertzonis, RFD
1 Jan 97 – 31 Dec 99LTCOL P. Brereton, RFD, SC
1 Jan 01 – 31 Dec 01LTCOL T. Vail, RFD
01 Jan 02 – 31 Dec 03LTCOL A.M. Bell, RFD
01 Jan 04 – 31 Dec 05LTCOL L.G Lucas
1 Jan 06 – 31 Dec 07LTCOL G.R Weir
1 Jan 08 – 31 Dec 09LTCOL M.J Callan
1 Jan 10 – 31 Dec 12LTCOL M.A. Sasse
1 Jan 13 – 31 Dec 14LTCOL R.J. Miller
1 Jan 15 – 31 Dec 17LTCOL A.P. Bailey
1 Jan 18 – presentLTCOL D. Charlton

Current composition

4/3 RNSWR currently consists of:[10]

  • Battalion Headquarters
  • 3 Rifle Companies – 'B', 'C' and 'D'
  • Band
  • SPT Coy ( Signals PL)

Notes
  1. The 4th Battalion inherited this battle honour from its predecessor units which contributed to the New South Wales Contingents that were sent to South Africa during the Second Boer War.
  2. Battle honours for the Second World War include both the 4th Battalion and 2/4th Battalion, as the 4th Battalion inherited the 2/4th's battle honours upon being re-raised in 1957. The 4th Battalion earned two battle honours during the war, while the 2/4th earned 14, one of which the 4th also earnt.

References
  1. Harris, Ted. "Off Orbat Units of the Royal New South Wales Regiment". Digger History. Retrieved 13 May 2009.
  2. Festberg 1972, pp. 60–61.
  3. "3rd Battalion". First World War, 1914–1918 units. Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original on 19 July 2009. Retrieved 13 May 2009.
  4. "3rd Battalion (The Werriwa Regiment)". Second World War, 1939–1945 units. Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original on 27 July 2008. Retrieved 13 May 2009.
  5. Harris, Ted. "History of the Royal New South Wales Regiment". Digger History. Retrieved 13 May 2009.
  6. Festberg 1972, p. 62.
  7. Harris, Ted. "Off Orbat Units of the Royal New South Wales Regiment". Digger History. Retrieved 13 May 2009.
  8. "4th Battalion". First World War, 1914–1918 units. Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original on 14 June 2009. Retrieved 18 June 2009.
  9. "2/4th Battalion". Second World War, 1939–1945 units. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 18 June 2009.
  10. "Depot Locations". 4/3 RNSWR website. Australian Army. Retrieved 30 July 2010.
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