Porky turns 47

ON 1 SEPTEMBER 1965 the Seventh (7th) Battalion of The Royal Australian Regiment (7 RAR) was raised at Puckapunyal in Victoria. It was thought appropriate to send its first signal to the Colonel Commandant of The Royal Australian Regiment, Major General Sir Reginald Pollard. It read:

UNCLAS SIGNAL NO 1. BIRTH NOTICES 1ST SEP 1965. 7TH BN TO RAR AT  PUCKAPUNYAL. PRESENT AT BIRTH 9 OFFRS. G AND A THRIVING, COMPLICATIONS WITH Q. ACCELERATED GROWTH GUARANTEED WITH SUPPLEMENTS OF OCT AGED LENTILS AND DEC FRESH GREENS.

The thriving G and A referred to the operations, training and personnel administration aspects of the new unit. As will soon be described, there were complications with the Q or stores aspects. October’s aged lentils referred to the plan to man part of the battalion with seasoned veterans from 3 RAR; the fresh greens in December were to be National Servicemen.

The Commanding Officer commented that, at Puckapunyal, 7 RAR was given a set of tired old iron buildings for quarters – probably the worst buildings existing in the Army at the time. There was insufficient accommodation, very poor messes for the soldiers and nothing at all resembling officers’ or sergeants’ messes. Needless to say, there was no canteen for the troops.

There were nine members present on the day that the battalion was raised: they included the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Eric Smith; the Second–in– Command, Major David Drabsch; the Assistant Adjutant, Lieutenant Barry Caligari; the Regimental Signals Officer, Second Lieutenant John Methven; and Warrant Officer Class Two Ron Sigg. The first private soldier in the battalion was Private Ray Rosenow, who later served with Administration Company in the battalion’s first tour of Vietnam.

From Michael O’Brien’s Conscripts and Regulars

If you were there on that day or very soon after leave your thoughts in comments.