ON
THIS DAY ...
| DECEMBER
|
. |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
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1973: PNGVR & 35 Cadet Bn disbanded in preparation for PNG independence ... dig |
1885: COL Tom Price raised the volunteer Victorian Mounted Rifles ... Price is credited with introducing the slouch hat ... dig |
1992:
Unified Task Force (UNSOM 1) formed in Somalia ... dig |
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5 | 6 | 7 |
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1909: George A Taylor made the first heavier than air flight in Australia ... dig |
1941: Siege of Tobruk ended after 242 days ... dig |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
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1942: Gona - fighting from post to post the depleted 21 Bde gradually cleared the Japanese from their positions ... dig |
1941: Formal declaration of war with Japan ... dig |
1960: Army received its first helicopters, Bell 47G-2 (Sioux) ... dig |
| 12 | 13 |  |
14 |
| 1914: LCPL Black (16 BN) set up a Vickers machine gun ready for action in 13.4 secs, believed to be the fastest known time for this action. Black was KIA in 1917 as a Major ... dig |
1946:
Formal termination of the use of pigeons by Aust Corps of Signals ... dig |
1975: RAN presented ship's bell of HMAS Sydney to Infantry Centre at Singleton ... dig |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
|
1992: An infantry battalion group of approx 900 personnel to be committed to Op Restore Hope in Somalia ... dig |
1940: First move of Aust troops towards Egyptian/ Libyan battle zone ... dig |
1917:
The flight of the dead men ... an RE-8 of 69 Aust Sqn, AFC landed with a dead crew in a French field ... dig |
1957: US Defence Cataloguing System adopted . Now known as NATO Stock Numbers (NSN) ... dig |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
|
1915: Last night at ANZAC ... remarkably successful withdrawal largely the work of CBB White ... only 6 wounded the total casualties ... dig |
1917: Second Australian referendum on military conscription defeated ... dig |
1909:
Brit Field Marshall Lord Kitchener arrived in Darwin ... invited to Australia to review defence plans ... dig |
1890: Slouch hat adopted by all Aust CMF. Vic & Tas looped brim up on the right, all others on the left ... dig |
| 23 | 24 | 25 |  |
| 1996: 1 Field Hospital opened for ops at its new base at Holsworthy Barracks ... dig |
1962:
Start of confrontation between Indonesia & Malaysia in Borneo ... dig |
1974: Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin ... the ADF was committed to relocating the homeless & the massive cleanup op. Most troops were from 1 Bde, Holsworthy (3 Bde, Townsville on standby for another imminent cyclone) ... dig |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
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1943: Hubika, New Guinea ... 2/3 Fd Coy worked feverishly to construct crossings over 4 obstacles ... dig |
1943: Shaggy Ridge ... 2/16 Bn assaulted ... the Pimple fell first ... Japanese counter attacked with a dug-in machine gun. Over 100 hand grenades were thrown at this bunker before it was taken ... dig |
1915:
1 LH arrived at Heliopolis from Gallipoli ... ordered to be ready for action within 48 hrs. It was ... dig |
1941: ABDA Command formed - included American, British, Dutch & Australia interests & forces in SE Asia ... dig |
| 30 |
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31 |
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1899: "A" Field Battery Royal Australian Artillery sailed for the Boer War ... the only field artillery sent ... 175 personnel ... Australia's best trained unit ... dig |
1959: Army landing ships Harry Chauvel & Brudenell White arrived in Sydney ... first of 4 ex US Navy LSM purchased to enable the Army to move its Centurion tanks... dig |