8th/12th Medium Regiment was founded at
Holsworthy on the 16th of November 1973 when 8th Medium Regiment and 12th
Field Regiment amalgamated.
8th Medium Regiment, originally known as 19th Composite Regiment, was
raised in February 1968 to command a number of independent artillery units
in the Holsworthy area. Its primary role was to provide support to the
School of Artillery. 12th Field Regiment was raised in April 1966 at
Holsworthy. The Regiment served twice in South Vietnam and has been
located in Townsville (Queensland) and Ingleburn (New South Wales).
In 1973, 8th/12th Medium Regiment consisted of Headquarter Battery, 'A'
Field Battery, 102nd Field Battery and 103rd Medium Battery. In 1983, the
Regiment was equipped with the US made M198 155mm Howitzer and 102nd Field
Battery was redesignated 102nd Medium Battery. 102nd Medium Battery was
subsequently disbanded in 1987 and Headquarters Battery proper was reduced
in size in 1994.
In late 1999, 8th/12th Medium Regiment relocated to Robertson Barracks in
Darwin. The Regiment now consists of a Regimental Headquarters,
Headquarter Battery, 101st Medium Battery and 103rd Medium Battery.
The unit enjoys a strong relationship with the 2/1 Artillery Association
The Battery was originally raised at
Tel-el-Kebir on 8th March 1916, from the members of the 1st Field
Artillery Brigade, which served at Gallipoli. The 101st Howitzer Battery
saw continuous action from May 1916 until October 1918 at Poziers, Ypres,
Flers, Lagincourt, Velu Wood, Passchendale, Messines, Villers-Bretteneoux
and Velleret.
The Battery was disbanded in 1919, but raised again in early 1920's as a
militia unit in the Newcastle area, however the Battery was again
disbanded in 1946.
101st Field Battery was re-raised in Holsworthy in 1957 as part of 1st
Field Regiment and subsequently served in Malaya (1959-61) and twice in
South Vietnam, in 1966-67 and 1969-70. During these tours the Battery
primarily operated in support of 6 RAR. Following its return from the
second tour of Vietnam, the Battery was relocated to Wacol in 1970 and
then Enoggera in 1982 as part of 1st Field Regiment.
In 1996 101st Field Battery was removed from the 1st Field Regiment and
embedded into 6 RAR as Fire Support Company under the RTA trial. In 1999,
Fire Support Company was re-rolled and moved to Darwin, as part of
8th/12th Medium Regiment.
101st Medium Battery is to be equipped with the 155mm M198 howitzer and
will be affiliated with the 1st Armoured Regiment, 2nd Cavalry Regiment,
Royal Australian Armoured Corps.
HISTORY OF 103 MEDIUM BATTERY, ROYAL
AUSTRALIAN ARTILLERY
Introduction
The parent unit of the 103rd Battery was the 3rd (Army) field Brigade of
the Australian Imperial Forces in World War 1. Historically, the immediate
predecessor of the first Australian Battery to be numbered "103" - the
103rd (Howitzer) Battery AIF - was the 26th Mountain Battery (Jacobs) of
the Indian Mountain Artillery. It was this unit that performed the tasks
at ANZAC, which would have been those of the 103rd Battery if Australian
Artillery Brigades had then included Batteries.
The successors to the 103rd (Howitzer) Battery were, in sequence, the
103rd Field Battery (Howitzer) of the Citizen Military Forces from 1920 to
1941, 103rd Anti-Aircraft Battery from 1954 to 1957, 103rd Field Battery
from 1960 to 1967, 103rd Medium Battery of the Australian Regular Army
from 1967 to today.
Egypt 1916
In December 1915 the Anzac troops were successfully evacuated from the
Gallipoli peninsula, and returned to Egypt for re-grouping and training in
preparation for movement to the Western Front in France. The AIF was
reorganised to conform to the revised British order of battle. For the
Australian Artillery, this meant that in addition to the three 18 pounder
Field Brigades there was a requirement to raise in each division a
Howitzer Brigade comprising three 4.5 inch Howitzer Batteries each of four
guns. Batteries in these Howitzer brigades were to be numbered
consecutively commencing at 101.
Accordingly, at Tel-el-Kebir, on March 6 1916, 103 Howitzer Battery was
raised as part of 12 Howitzer Brigade AIF. The first commander of the
"Sphinx" Battery was Major A.H.K. Jopp DSO.
France 1916 - 1919
The new Howitzer Brigades were short lived, for when the AIF arrived in
France, they were disbanded and the batteries were amalgamated with the
Field Brigades. 103 Battery on 29 April 1916 joined 3 Field Brigade in the
line at Fleurbaix, a small village four miles southwest of Armentieres on
the Belgian border. The Battery became an integral part, and remained with
3 Field Brigade until the end of the war. The 7th and 8th Field Batteries
were the other sub-units of the Brigade.
In the space available it is impossible
to detail each move the Battery made into and out of the line. The very
regularity of the pattern did nothing to make each tour less of a trial of
endurance and courage than the preceding one. Each time the Battery came
out of action, it left a little of itself behind - some beloved horses,
some damaged equipment, but the war diary shows the one thing it always
maintained, its spirit.
After the Armistice, the Battery moved
to Dinant in Belgium, from where all the guns and equipment were
dispatched to Australia. On 24 February 1919, the Battery by now only a
handful of men because of the constant repatriation to Australia was
absorbed into 101 Howitzer Battery for the voyage home.
Western Australia 1920 - 1941
The Battery was raised again in 1920 as 103 Field Battery (Howitzer) to
form part of the CMF and was stationed at Victoria Barracks, Sydney.
With the reorganisation of the Army into
a divisional structure, units were redesignated and allotted to areas in
1921. Military Order 95 of 1921 gave instructions that the Battery was to
be transferred to its former parent unit, 3 Field Brigade at Guilford,
Western Australia. The Battery was formed by troops from the 38th and 39th
Field Batteries in 1922. As part of 3 Field Brigade the Battery developed
strong local ties and support, and was raised to war establishment on
October 1939.
The Battery was disbanded on the
reorganisation of 3 Field Brigade into a regimental establishment in 1941.
All Brigades had received orders to reorganise into a Regiment of two
Batteries, with the Howitzer Batteries to be absorbed as the third troop
in each of the 18 Pounder Field Batteries.
The 3rd Field Regiment therefore
consisted of the 7th and 8th Field Batteries, each having a troop of
4.5inch Howitzers from the 103rd Field Battery (Howitzer). The Battery
consequently faded out of existence in 1941 and did not by title
participate any further in the Second World War, although a majority of
its members would have seen service with the 3rd Field Regiment.
Reorganisation of the RAA 1954 - 1957
In 1954 it was decided that Regular Batteries of the RAA would be numbered
according to a standard system. DRA Minute of August 1954 directed that
Batteries would bear their number irrespective of the role they might
fulfil from time to time.
Consequently in 1954, 103 Anti-Aircraft
Battery was raised by transferring the officers, soldiers and guns of 3
Anti-Aircraft Battery, and was stationed at Middle Head Barracks, Sydney,
as part of 1 Field Regiment, RAA.
The Battery was disbanded on 3 May 1957
as part of the regrouping of the RAA to meet the contingency plans for the
1st Infantry Brigade Group. The Battery personnel were transferred largely
to 111 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery RAA.
4 Field Regiment RAA 1960 - 1961
The Australian Army reorganised to a pentropic division organisation in
1960, which necessitated a second Regular Field Regiment to be raised. In
June 1960, 103 Field Battery was reborn to form part of the new 4 Field
Regiment RAA stationed at Wacol, Brisbane. Major J.A. Loveday was the
Battery Commander, however little is recorded in the Battery history of
the activities on the rebirth of the battery.
Malaya 1961 - 1963
Major J.R. Salmon became Battery Commander in February 1961 and shortly
afterwards the Battery prepared to relieve 101 Field Battery in Malaysia
with the 105mm L5. In October 1961 the Battery joined 26th Field Regiment
RA as part of the Far Eastern Strategic Reserve stationed at Camp
Terendak, Malacca. The tour is well documented in Battery records,
indicating a full programme of exercise, sporting and social activities.
In addition Battery Officers obtained brief visits to South Vietnam and
Thailand.
Holsworthy 1963 - 1966
On return form Malaya in October 1963, the Battery joined 1st Field
Regiment RAA at Kokoda Barracks, Holsworthy. From this time until late
1965 when warned for service in South Vietnam little is recorded of
battery activities.
South Vietnam 1966 - 1967
After intensive training and field exercises Caesar Augustus and Iron
Lady, the Battery moved to South Vietnam with the 105mm L5 as part of 1st
Field Regiment RAA in May 1966. The 105th Field Battery had already been
in Vietnam since September 1965. Some time was initially spent at Vung
Tau, until on 6 June 1966 the Battery moved by air to the new Task Force
base at Nui Dat, to join 105 Field Battery RAA and 161 Field Battery RNZA
in the Regimental Gun area.
The now well-known and documented Battle of Long Tan was the first major
contact by Australian troops in the Vietnam conflict. 103 Field Battery
took a significant part in the conduct of the battle. However prior to the
actual battle was the mortaring of the Task Force base area on the night
of the 16/17 August 1966. The attack lasted approximately 15 - 20 minutes,
in which time an estimated 30 rounds fell in the Regimental area.
After the attack had been in progress
some 10 minutes, the Battery was ordered to engage a previously prepared
CB task. The Battery took post under fire, and the Battery historian
relates that "a creditable performance was put up A Sub, having 6 rounds
in the air before any other gun had fired." As a result of the attack the
Battery suffered two casualties, one of whom was eventually evacuated back
to Australia.
In support of the Battle of Long Tan on
August 18th 1966, the Battery fired for five hours under extremely
difficult climatic conditions. The Forward Observer for the relief force
was a member of 103 Battery, Captain P.C. Aspinall, so although the
Battery was in general support for the battle, one of the Observers was a
member of the Battery, and it fired 1078 rounds the highest number of
rounds fired by any Battery of the Regiment during the battle.
On 18 August 1966, 103 Field Battery
became the direct support Battery to the 5th Battalion, the Royal
Australian Regiment, relieving 105 Field Battery of their task.
On 1 May 1967 the Battery came out of
action to hand over to 106 Field Battery, completing almost 12 months
continuous service in action in support of 1 ATF. During this period the
Battery fired a total of 28468 rounds.
Holsworthy 1967 - 2000
On return from Vietnam, the Battery was stationed at Gallipoli Barracks,
Holsworthy, and on 19 June 1967 become the Independent 103 Medium Battery.
The 5.5-inch guns and equipment were handed over from 104 Medium Battery,
which then converted to the field mode.
The role of 103 Battery was primarily to
support the School of Artillery, provide gun salutes, and conduct some
limited trials.
On April 16th 1968, the Battery lost its
independence and joined 19th Composite Regiment RAA, which was located at
Kokoda Barracks. On August 4th 1969, 19th Composite Regiment RAA formed 8
Medium Regiment RAA; therefore the Battery once again had a new parent
unit. This situation was to stay until 16th November 1973, when the two
Sydney based Regiments, 8th and 12th Regiments were to combine to form
8/12 Medium Regiment RAA. The new Regiment had the roles of depot support
Regiment for the School of Artillery and direct support Regiment for the
1st Task Force. Fulfilling both these roles has kept the Battery busy
since the formation of 8/12 Regiment RAA in November 1973. To assist the
Battery in carrying out its dual function, in September 1975 the Battery
was issued with six M2A2 105mm guns. Therefore the Battery was equipped
with six 5.5-inch guns and six 105mm guns.
Towards the end of July 1983 the Battery saw its first glimpse of the
American M198 155mm Towed Howitzer, which was to replace the ageing
5.5-inch guns as the general support artillery piece for the Corps.
By July 1984 the 5.5 inch gun was
retired from service in the RAA after some 40 years of diligent service
and replaced with the M198, however, the Battery remained duel equipped
with the M2A2 for some time to support the School of Artillery. This
function came to an end with the School of Artillery moving from North
Head to Puckapunyal in 1998.
From this time on could be considered as
one of the busiest times in the Battery's recent history. With the
reorganisation of moving 1 Brigade to Darwin 8/12 was to be one of the
last Units to relocate. In late 1999 when the Regiment was preparing for
the move to Darwin 103 Battery deployed elements from Holsworthy to East
Timor as part of INTERFET and then later as a part of a UN Peace Keeping
Force OP TANAGER. The Battery returned to Darwin mid 2000 to begin the
task of moving into new facilities, and with the re-forming of 101
Battery, rebuild a new Regiment.
Darwin 2000 - 2004
The Battery finally established and embedded within the 1st Brigade
continues working with and supporting the other Units within the Brigade
and more importantly the Deployable Battle Group, a task shared with 101
Battery. Late 2002 saw the Battery Commander, Major Andy Haebich deploy
with the CLOG to East Timor as a part of OP CITADEL, and early 2003 the
gunline, led by the ,Battery Captain Arlen Wendt, deployed to RCB
Butterworth, as a company. Upon return the Battery reunited and
participated in exercise CROC 03, over two months in Shoalwater Bay NQ, in
a combined exercise with the US.
2004 has seen a busy year with numerous
field deployments, and live firing in support of Combat Team and Battle
Group level manoeuvre. The development of a close rapport with the air
forces FA-18 squadron, in Tindall, and the deployment of personnel on OP
ANODE to the Solomon Islands and OP CATALYST to Iraq, have been highlights
for the Battery this year.
The record of service of all "103"
Batteries since the first Battery raised in 1916 more than justifies every
member of the present Battery having immense pride in the tradition and
history that has been formed. The 103rd Medium Battery is part of the
mosaic that is the proud history and tradition of the Royal Regiment of
Australian Artillery.
The Headquarters was formed in 1973, with
the amalgamation of 8th Medium Regiment and 12th Field Regiment. Until
1994 the Headquarters was fully manned with over 120 personnel.
Headquarter Battery has undergone may structural changes over the last 10
years, however, the current composition is as follows:
Commanding Officer's Tac Party
Regimental 2IC
Operations Cell
Technical Support Troop (TST)
Q Store
Regimental Transport Section
Regimental Signals Section
RP Section
Technical Support Troop is responsible
for the maintenance of all of 8/12 Mdm Regt's equipment. The unit has a
wide variety of equipment types, ranging from the M198 Howitzer, M113
variants, all forms of B vehicles, radio/signals gear and a host of
artillery specific equipment types.
The small workshop is kept very busy due to its limited personnel. While
most other units in the Bde have full company sized workshops, 8/12 Mdm
Regt makes do in troop size. They rely on quality tradesmen working hard
to achieve all demands placed upon them by the Bty's.
Whilst deployed, a majority of the workshop remains in the BSG. However, a
small team, known as Tiffy's, accompany the Bty's gunline around the AO.
These tradesmen have a unique opportunity to demonstrate their skills and
knowledge to their arms corps brethren. Reminding the "gunnies" ever so
subtlety that their world would grind to a halt without the boys in blue,
yellow and red.
"Arte et Marte"
