ON THIS DAY ...
jan I feb I mar I aprmayjun I jul I aug I sepoctnov I dec
JANUARY
 1
 2
 3
 4
 1901:
Federation of Australia - all former Colonial Military Forces placed under the command of the Commonwealth Ministry of Defence ... Permanent Staff, Militia & Volunteers, some 29,101 men, were put under the Australian Military Forces ... dig
 1943:
Buna captured by US 32 Div & Aust 18 Bde ...
dig
 1918:
First Aust air victory: LTs Austin & Sutherland (AFC) shot down a German Albatross IIIA in the Middle East ... dig
 1943:
Australia introduced conscription for military service...
dig
Army images
 5  6  7
1941:
19 Bde entered Bardia & accepted the surrender of the Italian garrison ... 40,000 Italian prisoners of war ... the garrison was twice the size expected ...
dig
1905:
First meeting of the commanders of the Australian Military Forces ...
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1952:
First course opened at the Officer Cadet School, Portsea ...
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 8  9  10  11
1966:
1 RAR operated with 173rd (US) Bde in Op Crimp ... a VC stronghold in the Ho Bo woods area of the Iron Triangle was attacked & cleared ... dig
1917:
Maghadaba-Rafa
- ANZAC Mtd Div & Imp Camel Corps overwhelmed Turkish garrison at Rafa in the Sinai Desert
... dig
1949:
Directorate of Armour formed ... dig
1992:
COL JB Wilson seconded as commander to UN Mission for Liaison Officers in Yugoslavia ... dig
 12
Army images
 13  14
1988:
CAPT PJ McCarthy killed whilst on duty with UNTSO Observer Group in Lebanon ... first Aust serviceman to lose his life whilst serving with the UN ... dig
1944:
20th Bde occupied a major Japanese barge & supply point at Nambariwa ... dig
1947:
Infantry School reformed after WW2 ...
dig
 15  16  17  18
1943:
Sanananda - Cape Killerton

Honour to 18 Bde - this action ended Japanese ambitions in Papua ... dig
1942:
The Muar
Outnumbered, outgunned, 19 & 29 Bn held up a full div of Japanese Imp Guards ... dig
1993:
1 RAR assumed responsibility for security of Baidoa, Somalia. ... dig
1988:
Embryonic RHQ & regimental workshops of 5 Aviation Reg at RAAF Base Townsville... dig
 19  20  21  22
1965:
PNG Command formed as part of the Australian Army, formerly under Northern Command ... dig
1875:
Volunteers enrolled in No 8 Coy of the Qld Volunteer Rifle Reg at Toowoomba ... lineal antecedent of 25/49 RQR ...
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1965:
Malaysian Gov made a direct request for Aust troops to be used in Borneo...
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1942:
Praed Point - 5300 man Japanese South Seas Force landed & quickly overcame the 1400 defending Aust (mainly 2/22 Inf Bn). Only 400 escaped ... dig
 23
 24
 25
Army  images

1948:
The rank of Lance Sergeant was abolished ... dig

1944:
18 Bde cleared Kankiryo Saddle. Japanese prepared last ditch defence on Crater Hill ... dig

1951:
UN Forces counter-attacked in Korea, known as Operation Thunderbolt ... dig

 26  27  28
Artillery Salute:
21 gun salute fired on this day in honour of Australia Day ... dig
1973:
Conclusion of hostilities in Vietnam ... dig
1972:
First firings of the Rapier surface to air missile were held near Darwin as part of the field trials for the weapon. This was the first SAM fired by the Australian Army ...
dig
 29

Army images

 30  31
1945:
Sandarkan death-march in Borneo began. Expecting an Allied invasion, the Japanese marched POWs (many Australians) 160 miles to Ranau ... only a handful survived ... brutalities ... dig
1989:
1st Parachute Surgical Team raised to provide surgical support to Army Airborne Force ... dig
1968:
TET Offensive began as NVA and VC troops attacked towns and cities across South Vietnam... dig
AWARDS
Victoria Cross - 18 January 1942
LT COL C G W Anderson (2/19 BN AIF
)
Malaya
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