Linking of 31 RQR and 42 RQR

31/42 RQR was raised on the 1st January 2008 when the 31st Battalion and the 42nd Battalion linked to become the 31st/42nd Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment.
Both have long and illustrious histories which can be traced back to 1886 and 1884 respectively.
The 31st/42nd Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment's battle honours include South Africa 1899-1902, Pozieres, Bullecourt, Ypres 1917, Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Passchendaele, Ancre 1918, Amiens, Hindenburg Line, Landing at ANZAC Cove, Defence of Tobruk, Syria 1941, Merjayun, Kokoda Trail, Cape Endaiadere-Sinemi Creek, Milne Bay, Liberation of Australian New Guinea, Tsimba Ridge, Borneo and Balikpapan. As an Infantry unit, the role of 31/42 RQR is to seek out and close with the enemy, to kill or capture him, to seize and hold ground, to repel attack by day or by night regardless of season, weather or terrain.

31st Royal Queensland Regiment

The 31st Battalion has existed in one form or another for 120 years. The earliest history of the Unit can be traced back to 1881 when Volunteer Independent rifle Companies were formed at Charters towers, Townsville and Ravenswood. On 30 October 1886 a proclamation provided for the establishment of certain Queensland based military forces.

The 3rd Queensland (Kennedy) Regiment was formed in Queensland's Northern Military District. The first headquarters was established in Townsville with two Rifle companies in support. Rifle Companies were also formed at Charters Towers and at Ravenswood. Another Company was later formed in Mackay.

In 1889 there was a rearrangement within the Battalion Area, with the Headquarters and three Rifle Companies located in Charters Towers, and a Company each at Townsville, Ravenswood and Cairns. The Company at Mackay was changed to a company of mounted infantry.

In 1899 a military force was raised for service with Her Majesty's Army in South Africa. Many members of the 3rd Queensland Regiment joined the First and Second contingents of the Queensland Mounted Infantry during the Boer War (1899-1902). On their return, the 3rd Queensland Kennedy Regiment gained their first battle honour - SOUTH AFRICA 1899-1902. In appreciation of the service of members during the Boer war, the Unit was presented with the King's Banner. Of interest are the names of the officers who went into camp as part of the first contingent and who later obtained notable rank - General Sir Harry Chauvel and Major General Sir Thomas Glasgow.

The Queensland Defence Force remained in tact until federation, when its disbanding was announced. In 1903 it was disbanded and in 1904 the Commonwealth Military Force was officially formed. The Unit was reformed as the Kennedy Infantry Regiment at a strength of four companies. It remained as such until 1918 but with the introduction of universal military training in 1912 the unit expanded to six Companies, to allow for the intake of trainees.

At the outbreak of war in 1914, the Kennedy Regiment was sent from Townsville to Thursday Island for coastal defence. It was the first Australian Infantry Unit mobilised for service in World war One. The Kennedy Regiment played little further part in the war, though on its return from Thursday Island, many of its members volunteered to join the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). The Kennedy Regiment produced a number of notable soldiers including Major Hugh Quinn, whose name is perpetuated in Quinn's Post at ANZAC Cove, Private Patrick Bugden, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions at Polygon Wood in France (December 1917), and Lieutenant Colonel F.W. Toll, who commanded the 31st Battalion AIF throughout World War One.

Following the disbanding of the AIF after 1918, it was considered desirable to provide for the Title, Traditions and Battle Honours of the Battalions of the AIF to be carried on by the Militia Battalions. The 31st Battalion AIF affiliation was allotted to the Kennedy Regiment for two reasons; First, many of the men who fought with the 31st Battalion were originally from the Kennedy Regiment and the North Queensland region. Second, The Battalion's Commanding Officer, Lieutenant F.W. Toll, was originally a member of the Kennedy Regiment.

The 31st Battalion AIF was part of the 8th Brigade, 5th Division formed in 1915, with two companies from Victoria and two companies from Queensland. The Unit was initially deployed for defence of the Suez Canal region after which it sailed for France as part of the 5th Division. Its first taste of action was in France during the Battle of Fromelles where the Division, cooperating with the 61st (British) Division, suffered heavy losses. In late 1916, the Division joined the other Australian Divisions on the Somme and in early 1917 it took part in the allied advance to the Hindenburg Line. It was during an attack on Polygon Wood near Ypres, that Private Bugden of the 31st Battalion earned a posthumous Victoria Cross for acts of valour performed on the battlefield. For the remainder of 1917 the Battalion was involved in heavy fighting in the Ypres sector.

In early 1918 the German Army launched a full scale offensive, breaking through the British 5th Army defences heading for Amiens. The 31st Battalion, as part of the 5th Division, was dispatched south to the Somme Battlefield to confront this threat. The long awaited allied offensive began in August 1918 with the 31st Battalion participating in the capture of Villers Bretenneaux and later Bullecourt. Following the advance back to the Hindenburg Line and the surrender of the German Army, the 31st Battalion AIF was demobilised.

After the war the Battle honours of the 31st Battalion were bestowed upon the Kennedy Regiment, which was redesignated the 31st Infantry Battalion, the Kennedy Regiment. The Battalion area and disposition continually changed during the inter-war period. In 1920, portions of the Unit were located at Charters Towers, Hughenden, Bowen, Proserpine, Brandon, Home Hill, Mackay, Marion, Pleystone and Mirani. By 1939, many of these sub-units had ceased to exist.

At the outbreak of World war Two in 1939 the Unit was located at Townsville, Ayr, Home Hill, Bowen, Proserpine, Charters Towers and Ingham. Many of its members enlisted in the newly formed 2nd AIF while those who remained with the Battalion carried out training camps on a part time basis. In 1941, when Japan entered the war, all Militia Units were immediately placed on full time duty. In September 1942, the Battalion moved to Cape York, taking up defence duties at the vital Jacky Jacky airstrip. Subsequently, it returned to Cairns where it was amalgamated with the 51st Battalion in April 1943 to form the 31st/51st Battalion 2nd AIF.

In 1943, this newly formed Battalion served on defence and patrol duties at Merauke in Dutch New Guinea. In 1944-45 the Unit rendered great service in many bitter battles on Bougainville, including the battles of Tsimba Ridge and Porton Plantation. Leaving Bougainville, the Battalion accepted the surrender of Japan on Ocean and Nauru Islands and formed part of the occupation force on Nauru and Rabaul. At the cession of hostilities, the Battalion returned to Australia where most of its members were demobilised.

Separate from the 31st Battalion was the 2/31st Infantry Battalion. This Battalion was raised in England in 1940, mainly from technical units and reinforcements and was originally designated the 70th Battalion. It was raised to counter the expected invasion of Britain by Germany. After marking time in Mersah Matruh (a desert fortress west of the Suez Canal) the 2/31st Battalion, as part of the 25th Brigade (7 Aust Div), moved to the Syria/Palestine border to take part in the 1941 invasion of Syria which was then controlled by the Vichy French. It was during the hard fought Syrian campaign that Private James Gordon, a West Australian member of the Battalion, was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions near a village called Jezzine.

Following the entry of Japan into the war, the 2/31st Battalion was recalled to Australia to fight in the Owen Stanley Campaign over the Kokoda Trail, taking part in fierce battles at Gorari and Gona. The Battalion returned to Australia and was reinforced, spending six months training on the Atherton Tablelands before returning to New Guinea in September 1943 to fight in the Markham Valley Campaign and on to Lae. In July 1945 the 2/31st Battalion landed at Balikpapan (Borneo) as part of 25th Brigade. The fighting was intense and news of the Japanese surrender in August 1945 was well received. On 17th September 1945, Lieutenant Colonel E.M. Robson, DSO, Commanding Officer 2/31st Battalion, received the official surrender from Major General Uno, Imperial Japanese Army, at Bandjermasin, Borneo. At the end of the war, 2/31st Battalion was demobilised and its battle honours were bestowed upon the Kennedy Regiment.

With the forming of the Citizens Military Forces (CMF, now the Army Reserve) in 1948, the 31st Battalion was once again re-raised, now designated the 31st Battalion North Queensland Regiment. In 1960, following the Pentropic Division reorganisation, the unit became a sub unit of the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Queensland Regiment. In 1965, when the Pentropic Division was terminated, the unit was reformed with its present area as the 31st Battalion The Royal Queensland Regiment. With the cessation of National Service in 1972 the strength of the unit declined and in 1976 it was reorganised as an Independent rifle Company. The unit regained its Battalion stratus on 30 October 1986 - the 100th anniversary of its foundation. It is currently known as the 31st Battalion (the Kennedy Regiment) The Royal Queensland Regiment and may be abbreviated to 31 RQR.

The Kennedy Regiment

This link will take you to a webpage that promotes military living history and has historical information about the Kennedy Regiment from its origin.

42nd Royal Queensland Regiment

In 1884, the Colonies of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria took measures to defend themselves against the threat of invasion. The Colony of Queensland Defence Act provided for the raising of, among other things, a regiment known as the 5th Regiment of Foot. Two companies of this regiment were raised in the Central District in the vicinity of Rockhampton, Gladstone, and Maryborough. These two companies were the earliest forerunners of the 42nd Battalion.

In 1904, by Commonwealth Act, the 5th Regiment of Foot was disbanded and the two companies that had been raised in the Central Queensland area were reconstituted as the Port Curtis Infantry Regiment. In 1912, the regiment became known as the 3rd (Port Curtis) Infantry Regiment.

At the outbreak of WW1, Australia raised the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). Towards the end of 1915, it was decided to from a new division of this force, for which Queensland was to provide two battalions. At about Christmas time that year, Thompson's Paddock in Ennogera, Brisbane, was allocated as the location of one of these battalions which was known initially as the 36th Battalion. Shortly afterwards the battalion was renamed the 42nd Battalion. 2 August 1915 is officially recognised as the birthday of the 42nd Battalion AIF.

The battalion entered the war as part of 11 Brigade, 3 Division, and the other battalions of the brigade were 41st, 43rd and the 44th. By Christmas 1916, the battalion was serving in the line at Armentieres. From that time, the battalion was in and out of action until the end of the war and took part in the Battles of Messines, Passchendaele, Broodseinde, Ypres, Ancre, Hamel, Somme, Armeins, Mont St Quentin, and Hindenburg Line.

Towards the end of 1918, it was decided to reduce the number of battalions per brigade from four to three and it was decided that the 42nd Battalion be disbanded. Of course this was disputed by the battalion's members, but after the fourth attempt the 42nd Battalion was disbanded. B Coy complete became B Coy of the 41st Battalion.

At the end of the First World War, a militia unit was raised in the Central Queensland region which was known as the 42nd Infantry (Port Curtis Regiment) 2nd Battalion. Thus, the traditions of the 42nd Battalion continued. In 1921, the unit again became the 42nd Battalion by name.

The battalion continued to train in it's militia role until 1939 when the Second World War broke out. The unit was manned and equipped to go to war and became part of the 29th Brigade, together with the 47th Battalion from Maryborough and the 15th Battalion from Brisbane.

In January 1943, the 42nd Battalion travelled to New Guinea and fought at Milne Bay, Buna, Mt Tambu, Bamboo Knoll, Charlie Hill and Salamaua. In August 1944, the unit returned to Australia and redeployed to Bougainville in December that year, where it fought until the end of the war.

In 1948, the 42nd Battalion became a Citizen's Military Force and had three companies in Rockhampton with it's headquarters in Maryborough. Again the unit name changed and became the 42nd Infantry Battalion, The Capricornia Regiment. At the same time, an element of 31st Battalion, The Kennedy Regiment, was raised in the Mackay/Sarina area which later became part of the 42nd Battalion.

In 1959, the Australian Army reorganised and the 2nd Battalion RQR comprised of the 42nd Battalion, the 31st Battalion from Townsville and the 51st Battalion from Cairns. In 1965, reorganisation again occurred and on 2 August 1965 the 42nd Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment was born again.

Victoria Cross Winners

Private Patrick Joseph Bugden

Unit 31st Battalion
Born 17 March 1897 at South Gundurimba, New South Wales
Date of action 26-28 September 1917
Place Polygon Wood, Ieper, Belgium

Hooge Crater Cemetery 2008

Details On two occasions when an advance was held up by pillboxes, Bugden led small parties to attack these strong points which he successfully silenced with bombs and by capturing their garrisons at bayonet point. In the next two days he performed several additional acts of gallantry. His most audacious act was his single-handed rescue of a corporal who was being escorted into the German lines by three enemy soldiers. On at least five other occasions he dashed out into intense shell and machine-gun fire to bring in wounded.

PTE Bugden's Gravesite

Died He was killed in action on 28 September 1917
Buried or Commemorated Hooge Crater cemetery, Zillebecke, Belgium
Current location of the VC Queensland Museum, Brisbane

Private James Heather Gordon

Unit 2/31st Battalion
Born 7 March 1909 at Rockingham, Western Australia
Date of action 10 July 1941
Place Near Jezzine (Djezzine), Lebanon
Details About 2.30am, on 10 July, on the right of an attack, the company was held up by intense machine-gun fire. Movement, even by single individuals, became very difficult. One officer and two men were killed and others were wounded. The enemy machine-gun position was reinforced and had complete coverage of the area. Gordon, on his own initiative, then crawled out from his position towards the gun. A continuous stream of bullets passed over him and as he got closer the enemy threw grenades which burst above his head. This did not stop Gordon, who leapt to his feet and charged the post. He killed four machine gunners with his bayonet and his action demoralised other defenders in the area. The main attack then proceeded and the company took the position. They were then ordered to withdraw from the new positions at 5am. After all the enemy arms and equipment had been destroyed, the company fought its way back to the battalion. Gordon further distinguished himself in these subsequent actions.
Died 24 July 1986
Buried or Commemorated Plaque at Karrakatta Crematorium, Perth
Current location of the VC Privately held