1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment

1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
Active12 October 1945 – present
BranchAustralian Army
TypeMotorised infantry
Part of3rd Brigade
Garrison/HQTownsville
Nickname(s)Big Blue One
Motto(s)Duty First
MarchWaltzing Matilda (Band)
Mascot(s)Shetland Pony "Septimus"
EngagementsKorean War

Malayan Emergency
Vietnam War

Somalia
East Timor
Iraq War
War in Afghanistan

DecorationsUnit Citation for Gallantry
Meritorious Unit Citation
Meritorious Unit Commendation (United States)
Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (South Vietnam)
Commanders
Current
commander
LTCOL Brent Hughes
Insignia
Unit colour patch

1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1 RAR) is a regular motorised infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 1 RAR was first formed as the 65th Australian Infantry Battalion of the 34th Brigade (Australia) on Balikpapan in 1945 and since then has been deployed on active service during the Korean War, the Malayan Emergency, the Vietnam War, Unified Task Force in Somalia, East Timor, Iraq War and Afghanistan. Additionally, the battalion has deployed on peacekeeping and other operations to a number of countries including Japan, Rifle Company Butterworth, Timor Leste, Solomon Islands, Tonga and the Philippines . 1 RAR remains one of the Australian Army's most readily deployed units sending individuals and detachments to domestic, regional and other enduring operations. The battalion is currently based in Coral Lines at Lavarack Barracks, Townsville, Queensland, where it forms part of the 3rd Brigade.

  1. ^ "1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment". www.awm.gov.au. Retrieved 9 April 2023.