Operation Solace was the Australian Defence Force

Australian Defence Force

The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...

's main contribution to the Unified Task Force (UNITAF) which was a United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 led, United Nations

United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...

 sanctioned, multinational force which operated in the Republic of Somalia from 9 December 1992 to 4 May 1993. Codenamed Operation Restore Hope, UNITAF was charged with carrying out United Nations Security Council Resolution 794

United Nations Security Council Resolution 794

United Nations Security Council Resolution 794, adopted unanimously on December 3, 1992, after reaffirming resolutions 733 , 746 , 751 , 767 and 775 , the Council expressed grave concern at the deteriorating situation in Somalia and authorised the creation of the Unified Task Force to create a...

: to create a protected environment for conducting humanitarian operations in the southern half of the Republic of Somalia.

Operation Solace centred around the deployment of the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment

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...

 (1RAR) battalion group to Baidoa

Baidoa

Baidoa is a city in south-central Somalia, situated by road northwest of the capital Mogadishu. It is the capital of the Bay region, which is traditionally inhabited by the Digil and Mirifle clans....

 in south-central Somalia. The 1 RAR battalion group replaced the 3rd Battalion, 9th United States Marine Regiment

3rd Battalion 9th Marines

The 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines is an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Formed during World War I it served until the early 1990s when it was redesignated as 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines during a realignment and renumbering of the Marine Corps' infantry battalions, following the...

 in Baidoa on 19 January 1993. The Battalion group was successful in improving the security situation and earned the respect of the non-government aid organisations

Non-governmental organization

A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...

 operating in the region. The 1 RAR battalion group left Somalia on 21 May 1993.

The main Australian units deployed to Somalia during Operation Solace were:

• 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
  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...
  
   battalion group
• HMAS Tobruk
  HMAS Tobruk (L50)
  HMAS Tobruk is a Landing Ship Heavy of the Royal Australian Navy , based on the design of the Round Table class of the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary....
  
  
• HMAS Jervis Bay
  HMAS Jervis Bay (AGT-203)
  HMAS Jervis Bay was a roll-on/roll-off passenger and vehicle ferry operated by the Royal Australian Navy between 1977 and 1994. Built during the late 1960s as the Australian National Line vessel Australian Trader, the ship was leased to the RAN in 1977 for use as a training ship and troop transport...