Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company ENewsletter

Royal Australian Artillery
Historical Company
ENewsletter Edition No 31

February 2019

                    AIRBURST
                   

Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company Newsletter

In This Issue

Welcome

War Trophy Rescued

Wearing of the Unit Citation for Gallantry (UCG) Battle of Coral /Balmoral

Did You Know?

Gunners Around the Nation

Featured Article

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RAAHC Website

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Dear Gunners (Readers) -

WELCOME TO AIRBURST NO 31A - 2019

I have decided to repeat the Airburst 31 since there is a typographical error in the article on the Unit Citation for Gallantry (UCG) issued for Coral Balmoral. The Chief of Army did NOT APPROVE the request for 131 STA Bty, 20 STA Regt to wear the insignia. I apologise for the error and can sympathise with the locators. The article on the UCG has been amended. My apologies to all but I need to work out a way to have Airburst proof read before publishing. Work in progress

A happy New Year to one and all. Not a great start to the year as it is with great sadness I advise of the passing of one of the stalwarts and characters of our modern Royal Regiment. Colonel Arthur Ronald Burke passed away peacefully on the night of Wednesday 16 January at 8:43 pm. To those that knew him Arthur was larger than life and will be sorely missed by family and friends.

Changes have occured within the Royal Regiment with Craig Furini promoted to Major General and thus giving up his position as Head of Regiment (HOR). We thank Craig for his dedication and welcome Brigadier Richard Vagg as the new HOR.

The ANZAC Centennial Gun Project is entering the last year of its planned life although there have been rumblings to extend it presence as an ongoing icon of the Royal Australian Regiment. It made an appearance at Willinga Park Equestrian Centre on Australia Day 2019. The Park, located at Bawley Point in NSW, is the brainchild of Terry Snow and the facility has to be seen to be believed. It offers venues for all and any equestrian activity and over 5.000 people attended the events on 25/26 January.

The indoor eventing arena Willinga Park

The Camp Drafting Ring Part of the Australia Day crowd

ANZAC Centennial Gun Display

Some enthusiasts

trying out the limber seating

Our Horse

Trainer Max Pearce in the carriage

event

Discussions are underway to have the ACG present at an ANZAC Ceremony in 2019. Details will be advised when known.

Hope you all have a great 2019.

Ubique,

Ian Ahearn

Deputy Chair

War Trophy Rescued

T his World War 1 Krupp Howitzer (150mm) field gun was originally a piece of German Artillery. Australian troops captured it from the German Imperial Army on the Hindenburg Line in France in 1918. It was installed in Clifton Hill's Darling Gardens in 1922, after it was gifted to the City of Collingwood by the Commonwealth Trophies Committees.

This gun was one of the 33 captured weapons initially allocated to Victoria post Armistice and made available to local communities.

This particular field gun was the largest of this allocation, and was gifted to Collingwood in recognition of the significant number of local population who served in the war.

The field gun remained in the Darling Gardens until 2013, when it was removed due to its dilapidated state. The historic WW1 field gun is now set to be restored by the Yarra City Council and displayed in Richmond's Barkly Gardens, more than 100 years after the WW1 Armistice.

The RAAHC, through Kevin Browning, has been involved in the restoration.

Wearing of the Unit Citation for Gallantry (UCG) Battle of Coral /Balmoral

The Chief of Army has promulgated the authority for the wearing of the UCG by Australian Army Units (Reference: OCA/OUT/2018/BJ2479894 dated 21 December 2018).

Part of the reference reads:

" 3. A number of the units and sub units identified by the Defence Honours and Awards Tribunal (DHAAT) as having 'substantially deployed' to AO SURFERS continue to exist on the Army ORBAT with either unchanged titles, or with minor changes in composition of sub- units and/or title. Having considered the lineage of units and sub-units, and the recommendations of the DHAAT, HOC RAAC and HOR RAA, I have determined that the following units and sub-units are to wear the UCG insignia without Federation Star in perpetuity in association withe award:

a. C Sqn, ! Armd Regt

b. B Sqn, 3/4 Cav Regt SOARMD

c. Elements of 8.12 Regt :

(1) RHQ

(2) Ops Spt Bty

(3) CSS Bty

(4) 102 Coral Bty

d. 1 Sqn, 3 CER

e. 1 RAR

f. 3 RAR

4. I have also considered the request of HOR RAA that 131 STA Bty, 20 STA Regt be authorised to wear the insignia in recognition of the Detachment of 131 Div Loc Bty that was deployed to AO SURFERS. While just over half of the Detachment of 131 Div Loc Bty was deployed to the AO the majority of 131 Div Loc Bty was not deployed to Vietnam at that time. As a result I have NOT approved the request for 131 STA Bty, 20 STA Regt to wear the insignia.

5. The Battle of Fire Support Bases Coral and Balmoral was the largest battle fought by Australian Forces in the Vietnam War. The wearing of the UCG insignia without the Federation Star in perpetuity by authorised units is a fitting reminder of the collective gallantry displayed by 1 ATF (Fwd) in battle.

R.M. Burr

LTGEN

21 Dec 18 "

A copy of the warrant for the UCG is shown below:

Did You Know?

Colonels Commandant and Representative Colonels Commandant

Colonels Commandant and Representative Colonels Commandant are officers recommended by the Head of Corps or Head of Regiment and appointed by the Chief of Army. The Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery had a colonel commandant in each state, or agreed region, and one of these was selected as the Representative Colonel Commandant to represent the Regiment as a whole at certain functions and act as Chair of the Regimental Committee.

The governor of a state, an officer on the retired list who on retirement was a lieutenant colonel or higher, or an officer holding the rank of lieutenant colonel or higher may be appointed as an Honorary Colonel or Colonel Commandant. Other people may, in very exceptional circumstances be appointed to the position.

A regimental Colonel may be an officer of lieutenant colonel rank or above, or on the retired list who, on retirement, was a lieutenant colonel or above.

In October 218 a special meeting of the Regimental Committee adopted a "Regimental Colonel" model that agreed to appoint a Colonel Commandant for each Regiment/Unit (rather than each region) with a primary responsibility for unit-based matters. One of the appointees would be "double hatted" as Representative Colonel Commandant.

Gunners Around the Nation

View the latest Newsletters from various Artillery associations around the nation:

RAA Association Victoria Newsletter - Cascabel

Locating Surveillance and Target Acquisition Association - Newsletter

131 Locators Association - Newsletter

Royal Australian Artillery Association (NSW) -Website

Australian Artillery Association - Website