Australian 3rd Brigade
Encyclopedia
The 3rd Brigade is a combined arms brigade
of the Australian Army
, based around the 1st
, 2nd
and 3rd
Battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment
(1, 2 and 3 RAR). It was originally formed in 1914 for service during World War I
, taking part in the fighting at Gallipoli and on the Western Front in Europe. During World War II
the brigade was used in a defensive role before it was disbanded in 1944. It was re-raised in 1967 for service during the Vietnam War
and later went on to provide the nucleus of the deployment to East Timor
during the Australian-led intervention
in 1999. The brigade is currently based at Lavarack Barracks
in Townsville, Queensland
, and acts as Australia's ready deployment force.
(AIF) which was raised for service overseas during World War I. As part of the 1st Division
, the brigade consisted of four infantry battalions—the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th Battalions— which were drawn from Queensland
, South Australia
and Western Australia
.
The brigade was initially commanded by a British regular officer, Colonel Ewen Sinclair-MacLagan. After being deployed to Egypt
where they undertook further training, the brigade was committed to the fighting in the Gallipoli campaign, being the first Australian unit to land at Anzac Cove on 25 April 1915. They subsequently remained on the peninsula until the end of the campaign in December 1915, taking part in a number of battles including the landing at Suvla Bay
and the fighting at Lone Pine
and Sari Bair
. Following the conclusion of the campaign the brigade was withdrawn and returned to Egypt where a period of reorganisation was undertaken. During this time the AIF was expanded by raising new infantry battalions from cadre personnel drawn from experienced units and bringing in newly trained recruits from Australia. Personnel from the 3rd Brigade were used to raise the 13th Brigade
, 4th Division.
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Following this, the decision was made to transfer the AIF to Europe to take part in the fighting along the Western Front
. In March 1916 the 3rd Brigade, along with the rest of the I Anzac Corps
embarked from Egypt bound for France. On 23 July 1916, the brigade took part in its first major battle when it was committed to the fighting on the Somme at Pozieres
, where the Australian 1st Division advanced 1000 yards (914.4 m), capturing the village. In December 1916 Sinclair-MacLagan handed over command to Brigadier General Gordon Bennett, who led the brigade for the rest of the war. Later, throughout 1917 and 1918 battles were fought Bullecourt
, Ypres, Menin Road, Passchendale, Hazebrouck, Amiens and along the Hindenburg Line
before the fighting came to an end in November 1918.
(which later became known as the Militia). Initially the brigade was based around Brisbane, Queensland, however, in 1921, following a reorganisation of the Australia's part time military forces, later the brigade was re-allocated to the 4th Division and, consisting of the 10th, 27th
, 43rd and 50th Battalions
, it was headquartered in Adelaide, South Australia.
In September 1939, following the outbreak of World War II
, the Australian government decided to raise an all volunteer force for service overseas during the war. This decision was based upon the provisions of the Defence Act (1903) which precluded sending members of the Militia outside of Australian territory to fight. Nevertheless, units of the Militia were called upon to undertake defensive duties and to provide training for men that were called up for national service following the recommencement of the compulsory training scheme
in January 1940. Initially this was undertaken in small blocks of continuous training, however, following Japan's entry into the war following the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the invasion of Malaya in December 1941, the 3rd Brigade was mobilised for wartime service. Following this the brigade, consisting of the 10th, 27th and 48th Battalions, was attached to the Northern Territory Force
and sent to Darwin
to defend the port against a possible Japanese invasion. In March 1943, as the threat diminished, the brigade re-allocated to the 4th Division and was withdrawn to Adelaide, before being disbanded in Townsville in April 1944, as part of the reduction of Australian forces that had begun in late 1942 in an effort to release manpower back into the Australian economy. Upon disbandment, the brigade consisted of two infantry battalions, the 55th/53rd
and the 62nd Battalions
.
. Based at Lavarack Barracks
in Townsville and under the command of Brigadier E. Logan, the 3rd Task Force was made up of three infantry battalions—the 1st
, 2nd
and 4th Battalions, Royal Australian Regiment
—as well as one squadron from the 3rd Cavalry Regiment, the 4th Field Regiment
and the 3rd Field Engineer Regiment. Although the task force did not deploy to Vietnam as a formed unit, most its component units were sent. In 1973, following the end of Australia's involvement in Vietnam, the 3rd Task Force was re-allocated to the 1st Division and later, in 1981, readopted the designation of the 3rd Brigade. During the 1980s the brigade served primarily as the Operational Deployment Force, which was tasked with providing a robust warfighting capability to the government available for rapid deployment anywhere in the world. In this capacity elements from the brigade took part in Operation Morris Dance
in 1987, in response to a coup in Fiji.
During the early 1990s, the brigade provided elements for a number of peacekeeping operations overseas. These included deployments to Somalia
, Cambodia
, Rwanda
and Bougainville. In 1999, the brigade provided the majority of the Australian Army combat units that were initially deployed to International Force for East Timor (INTERFET)—the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, Royal Australian Regiment, and elements of the 3rd/4th Cavalry Regiment, the 4th Field Regiment and the 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment
—with the brigade headquarters overseeing the force's operations along the tense East Timorese–Indonesian border. In May 2006 headquarters elements of the brigade, based around personnel drawn from 3 RAR, deployed to East Timor to command all Australian forces operating in East Timor as part of Operation Astute
, with subunits also provided by 1 and 2 RAR and the 4th Field Regiment (along with others drawn from outside the brigade).
The brigade is currently a combined arms formation and it fulfils the role of the Australian Army's ready deployment force. Recent operations have included deployments to Iraq as part of the Security Detachment Iraq
(SECDET) and the Al Muthanna Task Group
(AMTG-3), Afghanistan, and the Solomon Islands.
The following units are not part of the brigade's establishment, but are tasked with supporting it:
All of the brigade's units, except for 3 RAR, are based in Townsville. 3 RAR is currently based in Sydney
where it formed the main combat elements of Australia's parachute battalion group but is currently in the process of relocating to Townsville. Under reforms announced in 2006, 3 RAR will convert to a pure light infantry battalion and relocate to Townsville. The brigade is currently commanded by Brigadier Stuart Smith.
On the 25 October 11 it was announced that one of the Brigade's battalions would become the "Amphibious Ready Element" (similar to the US Marine Corps).
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
of the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
, based around the 1st
1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment is a regular light infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 1 RAR was first formed as the 65th Australian Infantry Battalion in 1945 and since then has been deployed on active service during the Korean War, the Malayan Emergency and the Vietnam War...
, 2nd
2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment is a regular light infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 2 RAR was first formed as the Australian 66th Battalion in 1945 and since then it has seen active service during the Korean War, Malayan Emergency and Vietnam War...
and 3rd
3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment is a parachute infantry battalion of the Australian Army, based in Sydney. 3 RAR was initially formed in 1945 as the 67th Battalion and has seen active service in Japan, Korea, Malaya, South Vietnam, East Timor, the Solomon Islands, Afghanistan and Iraq...
Battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment
Royal Australian Regiment
The Royal Australian Regiment is the parent regiment for regular infantry battalions of the Australian Army and is the senior infantry regiment of the Royal Australian Infantry Corps...
(1, 2 and 3 RAR). It was originally formed in 1914 for service during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, taking part in the fighting at Gallipoli and on the Western Front in Europe. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the brigade was used in a defensive role before it was disbanded in 1944. It was re-raised in 1967 for service during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
and later went on to provide the nucleus of the deployment to East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
during the Australian-led intervention
INTERFET
The International Force for East Timor was a multinational peacekeeping taskforce, mandated by the United Nations to address the humanitarian and security crisis which took place in East Timor from 1999–2000 until the arrival of United Nations peacekeepers...
in 1999. The brigade is currently based at Lavarack Barracks
Lavarack Barracks
Lavarack Barracks is a major Australian Army base located in Townsville, Queensland. Lavarack Barracks is currently home to the Army's 3rd Brigade and 11th Brigade. Elements of the 3rd Brigade based at the Barracks include the Combat Signals Regiment, 3rd Combat Services Support Battalion and the...
in Townsville, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, and acts as Australia's ready deployment force.
World War I
The 3rd Brigade was initially formed in August 1914, as part of the Australian Imperial ForceFirst Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
(AIF) which was raised for service overseas during World War I. As part of the 1st Division
1st Division (Australia)
The 1st Division is the main formation of the Australian Army and contains the majority of the army's regular forces. Its headquarters is in Enoggera, a suburb of Brisbane...
, the brigade consisted of four infantry battalions—the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th Battalions— which were drawn from Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
and Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
The brigade was initially commanded by a British regular officer, Colonel Ewen Sinclair-MacLagan. After being deployed to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
where they undertook further training, the brigade was committed to the fighting in the Gallipoli campaign, being the first Australian unit to land at Anzac Cove on 25 April 1915. They subsequently remained on the peninsula until the end of the campaign in December 1915, taking part in a number of battles including the landing at Suvla Bay
Landing at Suvla Bay
The landing at Suvla Bay was an amphibious landing made at Suvla on the Aegean coast of Gallipoli peninsula in the Ottoman Empire as part of the August Offensive, the final British attempt to break the deadlock of the Battle of Gallipoli...
and the fighting at Lone Pine
Battle of Lone Pine
The Battle of Lone Pine was a battle between Australian and Turkish forces that took place during the Gallipoli campaign from 6–10 August 1915. It was part of a diversion to draw attention from the main assaults of 6 August against the Sari Bair peaks of Chunuk Bair and Hill 971, which became...
and Sari Bair
Battle of Sari Bair
The Battle of Sari Bair , also known as the August Offensive, was the final attempt made by the British in August 1915 to seize control of the Gallipoli peninsula from the Ottoman Empire during First World War.The Battle of Gallipoli had raged on two fronts, Anzac and Helles, for three months since...
. Following the conclusion of the campaign the brigade was withdrawn and returned to Egypt where a period of reorganisation was undertaken. During this time the AIF was expanded by raising new infantry battalions from cadre personnel drawn from experienced units and bringing in newly trained recruits from Australia. Personnel from the 3rd Brigade were used to raise the 13th Brigade
13th Brigade (Australia)
The 13th Brigade is an Army Reserve formation of the Australian Army headquartered at Perth, Western Australia and its various units have depots in Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Albany and Katanning as well as Joondalup and Rockingham in the metro area. The 13th Brigade was first created in early 1916 and...
, 4th Division.
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
. In March 1916 the 3rd Brigade, along with the rest of the I Anzac Corps
I Anzac Corps
The I ANZAC Corps was a combined Australian and New Zealand army corps that served during World War I.It was formed in Egypt in February 1916 as part of the reorganisation and expansion of the Australian Imperial Force and the New Zealand Expeditionary Force following the evacuation of Gallipoli...
embarked from Egypt bound for France. On 23 July 1916, the brigade took part in its first major battle when it was committed to the fighting on the Somme at Pozieres
Battle of Pozières
The Battle of Pozières was a two week struggle for the French village of Pozières and the ridge on which it stands, during the middle stages of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. Though British divisions were involved in most phases of the fighting, Pozières is primarily remembered as an Australian battle...
, where the Australian 1st Division advanced 1000 yards (914.4 m), capturing the village. In December 1916 Sinclair-MacLagan handed over command to Brigadier General Gordon Bennett, who led the brigade for the rest of the war. Later, throughout 1917 and 1918 battles were fought Bullecourt
Battle of Arras (1917)
The Battle of Arras was a British offensive during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British, Canadian, New Zealand, Newfoundland, and Australian troops attacked German trenches near the French city of Arras on the Western Front....
, Ypres, Menin Road, Passchendale, Hazebrouck, Amiens and along the Hindenburg Line
Hindenburg Line
The Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defences in northeastern France during World War I. It was constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916–17. The line stretched from Lens to beyond Verdun...
before the fighting came to an end in November 1918.
Interbellum and World War II
Following the war, the 3rd Brigade was disbanded in 1919, however the brigade was later re-raised as part the Citizens ForceAustralian Army Reserve
The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citizens Forces, the Citizen Military Forces, the Militia and, unofficially, the...
(which later became known as the Militia). Initially the brigade was based around Brisbane, Queensland, however, in 1921, following a reorganisation of the Australia's part time military forces, later the brigade was re-allocated to the 4th Division and, consisting of the 10th, 27th
27th Battalion (Australia)
The 27th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was initially raised in 1915 as part of the First Australian Imperial Force for service during World War I. During the conflict, the battalion saw action briefly at Gallipoli before later fighting on the Western Front between...
, 43rd and 50th Battalions
50th Battalion (Australia)
The 50th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was originally raised in 1916 for service during the World War I and took part in the fighting in the trenches of the Western Front in France and Belgium before being amalgamated with the 51st Battalion in early 1919 following...
, it was headquartered in Adelaide, South Australia.
In September 1939, following the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Australian government decided to raise an all volunteer force for service overseas during the war. This decision was based upon the provisions of the Defence Act (1903) which precluded sending members of the Militia outside of Australian territory to fight. Nevertheless, units of the Militia were called upon to undertake defensive duties and to provide training for men that were called up for national service following the recommencement of the compulsory training scheme
Conscription in Australia
Conscription in Australia, or mandatory military service also known as National Service, has a controversial history dating back to the first years of nationhood...
in January 1940. Initially this was undertaken in small blocks of continuous training, however, following Japan's entry into the war following the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the invasion of Malaya in December 1941, the 3rd Brigade was mobilised for wartime service. Following this the brigade, consisting of the 10th, 27th and 48th Battalions, was attached to the Northern Territory Force
Northern Territory Force
Northern Territory Force was an Australian Army force responsible for protecting the Northern Territory during World War II. Most units assigned to the Northern Territory Force were based near Darwin and were responsible for defending the important naval and air bases in and around the town against...
and sent to Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
to defend the port against a possible Japanese invasion. In March 1943, as the threat diminished, the brigade re-allocated to the 4th Division and was withdrawn to Adelaide, before being disbanded in Townsville in April 1944, as part of the reduction of Australian forces that had begun in late 1942 in an effort to release manpower back into the Australian economy. Upon disbandment, the brigade consisted of two infantry battalions, the 55th/53rd
55th/53rd Battalion (Australia)
The 55th/53rd Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army which saw active service during World War II. First formed in 1919 during the demobilisation of the Australian Imperial Force, the battalion was an amalgamation of two other units, the 55th and 53rd Battalions...
and the 62nd Battalions
62nd Battalion (Australia)
The 62nd Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was first raised in 1917 during World War I but was disbanded before seeing active service. During World War II the battalion was re-raised in 1942 as a unit of the Militia and was tasked with undertaking garrison duty in Dutch...
.
Post-war deployments
When Australia's military began reforming in 1948, the brigade was not initially re-raised under the reduced establishment that was adopted at the time. In 1967, however, the brigade was returned to the order of battle, albeit under the guise of the 3rd Task Force, as part of the expansion of the Australian Army during the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Based at Lavarack Barracks
Lavarack Barracks
Lavarack Barracks is a major Australian Army base located in Townsville, Queensland. Lavarack Barracks is currently home to the Army's 3rd Brigade and 11th Brigade. Elements of the 3rd Brigade based at the Barracks include the Combat Signals Regiment, 3rd Combat Services Support Battalion and the...
in Townsville and under the command of Brigadier E. Logan, the 3rd Task Force was made up of three infantry battalions—the 1st
1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment is a regular light infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 1 RAR was first formed as the 65th Australian Infantry Battalion in 1945 and since then has been deployed on active service during the Korean War, the Malayan Emergency and the Vietnam War...
, 2nd
2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment is a regular light infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 2 RAR was first formed as the Australian 66th Battalion in 1945 and since then it has seen active service during the Korean War, Malayan Emergency and Vietnam War...
and 4th Battalions, Royal Australian Regiment
4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
The 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, was an Australian Army infantry battalion and part of the Royal Australian Regiment. The battalion was formed on 1 February 1964 and was renamed the 2nd Commando Regiment on 19 June 2009....
—as well as one squadron from the 3rd Cavalry Regiment, the 4th Field Regiment
4th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery
The 4th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery is an artillery unit of the Australian Army. Currently it provides direct-support to the 3rd Brigade and is based at Lavarack Barracks in Townsville, Queensland. The unit was raised in 1960 and is currently re-equipping with M777A2 lightweight towed...
and the 3rd Field Engineer Regiment. Although the task force did not deploy to Vietnam as a formed unit, most its component units were sent. In 1973, following the end of Australia's involvement in Vietnam, the 3rd Task Force was re-allocated to the 1st Division and later, in 1981, readopted the designation of the 3rd Brigade. During the 1980s the brigade served primarily as the Operational Deployment Force, which was tasked with providing a robust warfighting capability to the government available for rapid deployment anywhere in the world. In this capacity elements from the brigade took part in Operation Morris Dance
Operation Morris Dance
Operation Morris Dance was an Australian military operation conducted in May 1987 in response to the first of the 1987 Fijian coups d'état.On the morning of 14 May 1987 the Military of Fiji took control of the country in a bloodless coup d'état. In response to the coup the Australian Defence Force ...
in 1987, in response to a coup in Fiji.
Operation Solace
Operation Solace was the Australian Defence Force's main contribution to the Unified Task Force which was a United States led, United Nations sanctioned, multinational force which operated in the Republic of Somalia from 9 December 1992 to 4 May 1993...
, Cambodia
United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia
The United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia was a United Nations peacekeeping operation in Cambodia in 1992–93. It was also the first occasion on which the UN had taken over the administration of an independent state, organized and run an election , had its own radio station and jail,...
, Rwanda
United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda
The United Nations Assistance Mission In Rwanda was a mission instituted by the United Nations to aid the implementation of the Arusha Accords, signed August 4, 1993, which were meant to end the Rwandan Civil War. The mission lasted from October 1993 to March 1996...
and Bougainville. In 1999, the brigade provided the majority of the Australian Army combat units that were initially deployed to International Force for East Timor (INTERFET)—the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, Royal Australian Regiment, and elements of the 3rd/4th Cavalry Regiment, the 4th Field Regiment and the 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment
3rd Combat Engineer Regiment (Australia)
The 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment ' is an Australian Army modular engineer regiment trained for sapper/combat engineer operations. The unit is based at Lavarack Barracks in Townsville, Queensland and is part of the 3rd Brigade. It has deployed to the Solomon Islands under Operation Anode, and has...
—with the brigade headquarters overseeing the force's operations along the tense East Timorese–Indonesian border. In May 2006 headquarters elements of the brigade, based around personnel drawn from 3 RAR, deployed to East Timor to command all Australian forces operating in East Timor as part of Operation Astute
Operation Astute
Operation Astute is an Australian-led military deployment to East Timor to quell unrest and return stability in the 2006 East Timor crisis. It is currently headed by Brigadier Bill Sowry, and commenced on 25 May 2006 under the command of Brigadier Michael Slater...
, with subunits also provided by 1 and 2 RAR and the 4th Field Regiment (along with others drawn from outside the brigade).
The brigade is currently a combined arms formation and it fulfils the role of the Australian Army's ready deployment force. Recent operations have included deployments to Iraq as part of the Security Detachment Iraq
Security Detachment Iraq (Australia)
The Security Detachment Iraq was the final component of Australia's contribution to coalition operations in Iraq. SECDET was based on an Australian Army combined arms combat team consisting of an infantry company group and a troop of cavalry which operated the Australian Light Armoured vehicles...
(SECDET) and the Al Muthanna Task Group
Al Muthanna Task Group
The Al Muthanna Task Group was a battlegroup that formed Australia's main ground force contribution to the Multinational force in Iraq. The AMTG was established in April 2005 and ceased to exist in July 2006 when the Australian force was relocated to Dhi Qar Governorate as Overwatch Battle Group...
(AMTG-3), Afghanistan, and the Solomon Islands.
Current composition
The 3rd Brigade currently has an authorised strength of 3,800 personnel and consists of the following units:- Brigade Headquarters;
- B Squadron, 3rd/4th Cavalry Regiment3rd/4th Cavalry Regiment3rd/4th Cavalry Regiment is an armoured regiment of the Australian Army, and is third in seniority in the Royal Australian Armoured Corps. The regiment was formed in 1981 through the amalgamation of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment and the 4th Cavalry Regiment...
(Bushmaster PMV); - 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment is a regular light infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 1 RAR was first formed as the 65th Australian Infantry Battalion in 1945 and since then has been deployed on active service during the Korean War, the Malayan Emergency and the Vietnam War...
(light infantryLight infantryTraditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...
); - 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment is a regular light infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 2 RAR was first formed as the Australian 66th Battalion in 1945 and since then it has seen active service during the Korean War, Malayan Emergency and Vietnam War...
(light infantry); - 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment is a parachute infantry battalion of the Australian Army, based in Sydney. 3 RAR was initially formed in 1945 as the 67th Battalion and has seen active service in Japan, Korea, Malaya, South Vietnam, East Timor, the Solomon Islands, Afghanistan and Iraq...
(light infantry); - 4th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery (M777 Howitzer);
- 3rd Combat Service Support Battalion;
- 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment3rd Combat Engineer Regiment (Australia)The 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment ' is an Australian Army modular engineer regiment trained for sapper/combat engineer operations. The unit is based at Lavarack Barracks in Townsville, Queensland and is part of the 3rd Brigade. It has deployed to the Solomon Islands under Operation Anode, and has...
; - 3rd Combat Signals Regiment.
The following units are not part of the brigade's establishment, but are tasked with supporting it:
- 5th Aviation Regiment;
- 10th Force Support Battalion10th Force Support Battalion (Australia)The 10th Force Support Battalion is an Australian Army logistics battalion. Formed on 1 March 1998, following the amalgamation of a number of terminal, supply, postal and transport units, it is based in Townsville, Queensland...
; - Joint Logistics Unit (NQ);
- Land Warfare Centre Detachment (NQ).
All of the brigade's units, except for 3 RAR, are based in Townsville. 3 RAR is currently based in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
where it formed the main combat elements of Australia's parachute battalion group but is currently in the process of relocating to Townsville. Under reforms announced in 2006, 3 RAR will convert to a pure light infantry battalion and relocate to Townsville. The brigade is currently commanded by Brigadier Stuart Smith.
On the 25 October 11 it was announced that one of the Brigade's battalions would become the "Amphibious Ready Element" (similar to the US Marine Corps).