ED: This article was in my inbox this morning, apparently it was posted on Facebook.

When we went back to the Battalion in 2015, it really struck me how the diggers’ perception of the unit was vastly different from ours.
The Army wasn’t just our job; it was our life.
The Battalion wasn’t just our unit; it was our home. The Company was our family, and the Platoon were like siblings you learned to live with every minute of every day.

The Battalion was our home. We knew every part of it. We either ran or marched across pretty much every inch of the unit—an area 500m x 400m housing 800 men at full strength.
Within 12 months of marching into the unit, you were pretty much known by everyone. There were no secrets.

Every unit had its own Other Ranks Mess (ORs Mess), where the soldiers and NCOs ate. The ORs Mess fed all personnel living in: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In the early ’80s, the unit normally had 250–400 personnel living in the lines and eating at the Mess. Married soldiers lived in Married Quarters, and after 18 months, soldiers could be approved to live off base. Soldiers living out didn’t pay Rations and Quarters (R&Q) for their meals and accommodation, nor did married personnel. That meant they weren’t entitled to meals unless it was a range day or an exercise.

Of course, that didn’t stop those bastards from trying to sneak past the duty staff for a free feed.

In 2015, many of the guys from the ’80s went back to the Battalion for the 70th Birthday on 12 Oct 2015. What stood out after a decade of operational tempo was the change in the Unit.

Diggers no longer lived in Unit lines. If they lived in, which most did for 18 months, they stayed in Brigade Area Accommodation in single rooms. After 18 months, they received a Rental Allowance to move out and find a flat or house, alone or with other personnel. There were no Platoon lines as we knew them. Sections and platoons no longer lived on the same floor in the same barracks.

Now, let me be clear—this is not a conversation that starts with “In My Day.” This is an observation about one of the strengths of a unit in the 1980s.

We lived together as one extended, outcast family.
We slept in our lines.
We ate at the Mess.
We watched bands at the Boozer.
We watched Rugby Test Matches at the Boozer.
We watched movies at the Area Theatre or in a digger’s Jack Room.
We went for runs together after hours or hit the Gym to play squash or box. We played sports after hours on the unit sports fields or company parade grounds.
And if we went for a haircut or meal in town, we did it with a mate and caught up afterward with guys from our platoon, company, or battalion.

We had mates in other units from training or sport, but we were always 1 RAR diggers first. 1 RAR was our home and our family.

Our memories of service life are intertwined with the memories of mates and the experiences we shared while living on base. For soldiers who were never deployed, those memories are our strongest reminders of service life.

A somewhat disjointed family, sure but a family, nonetheless.

ED: Reflecting on Today: If we could go back to those days of shared living and close bonds, perhaps we might see fewer of the struggles’ soldiers face today, including the devastating toll of suicides. When your unit is your home, your company is your family, and your platoon is your brotherhood, the sense of belonging and purpose can anchor you through life’s toughest storms.

Defence Release

Ten brigade commanders, nine brigade regimental sergeant majors, hundreds of headquarters staff and countless deployments, activities and exercises enabled 6th Brigade to live up to its mantra ‘Enable the Force, Disable the Foe’ over the past 14 years.

Its proud and diverse history, however, pre-dates its re-raising in 2010, going back to the Gallipoli and Western Front campaigns of the First World War.

As Army reorganises its structures and fundamentally changes how it operates in order to enhance its contribution to the integrated force, 6th Brigade will once again be disestablished.

Regimental Sergeant Major of the re-raised 6th Brigade from 2010 to 2012, Warrant Officer Class One (retd) Ken Morris compiled a concise history of the brigade to help unify the 11 legacy units the brigade inherited when it was re-raised in Sydney on March 1, 2010.

At the time, 6th Brigade brought together Army’s combat support, intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) units, which were geographically dispersed across Australia and in Malaysia:

•    1st Ground Liaison Group
•    1st Intelligence Battalion
•    2nd/30th Training Group
•    6th Engineer Support Regiment
•    7th Signal Regiment
•    16th Air Defence Regiment
•    19th Chief Engineer Works
•    20th Surveillance and Target Acquisition Regiment
•    51st Far North Queensland Regiment
•    The North-West Mobile Force
•    Pilbara Regiment.

“We were very busy and did a lot of travelling because the brigade was so dispersed,” Mr Morris said.

“One of our units was in Malaysia and we have a lot of real estate between the units across the north of Australia.

“Being a newly re-established brigade we thought some reach back to the history might help consolidate the units and bring together a sense of belonging as they were very different capabilities that had not previously worked together in the ISTAR realm.”

‘6th Brigade took part in some amazing actions in Bullecourt and Hamel.’

Mr Morris documented the brigade’s history from its formation in Victoria as part of Australia’s 2nd Division in February 1915.

Embarking for Egypt in May 1915, 6th Brigade landed at Gallipoli’s Anzac Cove four months later and found that the fighting was so exhausting and dangerous that their battalions had to be rotated on an almost daily basis.

After withdrawal from Gallipoli, 6th Brigade was forged into what many considered one of Australia’s finest fighting formations and became one of the first Australian formations to commence active operations on the Western Front.

In 1918, 6th Brigade fought in the pivotal battle of Hamel where Australian and American troops fought side by side for the first time. The synchronisation of the combat support forces with manoeuvre formations set new benchmarks for the delivery of battlefield effects.

“6th Brigade took part in some amazing actions in Bullecourt and Hamel,” Mr Morris said.

“By then they were certainly pretty good at what they did.”

The battle of Montbrehain in October 1918 marked the final achievement of the AIF in the First World War, in which four members of 6th Brigade were awarded a Victoria Cross:

•    Sergeant William Ruthven, VC
•    Private Robert Mactier, VC
•    Sergeant Albert David Lowerson, VC
•    Lieutenant George Ingram, VC, MM.

At the start of the Second World War, 6th Brigade, then part of Australia’s 4th Division, was sent to Darwin before being placed under the 3rd Division in New Guinea and then under the 5th Division in New Britain.

As the war in the Pacific wound down, 6th Brigade and a number of its units were disestablished in July 1945 before being re-raised in 1948 under the 3rd Division.

In 1960, when the Army briefly adopted the Pentropic divisional structure, all brigade formations were discontinued until being re-raised as ‘task forces’ in 1965.

In early 1982, 6th Task Force once again became 6th Brigade and in 1991, when the Ready Reserve Scheme was established, the brigade formed a combined arms element with full- and part-time members.

‘It was a long project that was only going to happen over a number of years.’

When the Ready Reserve Scheme was discontinued in 1996, 6th Brigade was once again disestablished and its units were brought under the command of other brigades.

Following a review of Army’s command and control structures in 2007, 6th Brigade was re-raised on March 1, 2010, bringing together the 11 ISTAR units.

“We had our own experience in deploying elements to Afghanistan,” Mr Morris said.

“There was always that tension between trying to form an identity and allowing units to do their thing, but it was starting to come together while I was RSM.

“It was a long project that was only going to happen over a number of years.”

In recent years, 6th Brigade continued to deliver specialist capabilities to integrated forces, including intelligence, electronic warfare, military policing, ground-based air defence, engineering design and force-level engineering.

The Brisbane-based brigade once again prepared to lower the flag, place its memorabilia in storage and commemorate its history at the annual Montbrehain dining-in night on November 20.

Guests included Chief of Army Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, former commanders and RSMs, including Mr Morris.

From early December, 6th Brigade’s seven units will transition to other brigades, and from mid-January 2025, Headquarters 6th Brigade will be disestablished.

1st Military Police Battalion (Brisbane), 6th Engineer Support Regiment (Ipswich), 12th Chief Engineer Works (Brisbane) and 19th Chief Engineer Works (Sydney) will transfer to 17th Sustainment Brigade, with its headquarters based in Sydney.

16th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery (Adelaide), will transition to 10th Brigade, consolidating the integrated air and defence missile systems with new long-range fires capabilities.

As an interim measure, 1st Intelligence Battalion and 7th Signal Regiment will be employed as Direct Command Units of 1st (Australian) Division in 2025 before transferring to 10th Brigade to support the delivery of fires through a Land Targeting Enterprise, in addition to maintaining critical intelligence fusion, electronic warfare and signals intelligence capabilities.

Photo: Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries launches the fourth Mogami-class frigate, Mikuma. (Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force)

The Straits Times

Japan has reached a pivotal milestone in its defence export history, as its National Security Council recently approved the sale of Mogami-class frigates to Australia for its General Purpose Frigate program. This marks the first time Japan has sold a major modern weapon system to another nation, highlighting its growing ambitions as a defence exporter and its commitment to deepening strategic ties with Australia.

The decision, announced by Japan’s Foreign Ministry on November 28, emphasizes the significance of the Japan-Australia partnership. “As stated in the National Defence Strategy, Australia is a ‘special strategic partner’ in the Indo-Pacific region, second only to Japan-US defence cooperation,” the ministry noted.

The Mogami-class frigates, built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), are currently in service with Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force. They are competing against Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, which has offered an upgraded Meko A-200 design, based on Australia’s ageing Anzac-class frigates. With an estimated project cost of $10 billion AUD ($6.6 billion USD), the competition is expected to be a strategic decision rather than a purely commercial one.

Michael Shoebridge, founder of Strategic Analysis Australia, highlighted the potential strategic impact of the Japanese bid. “Choosing the Mogami-class would significantly enhance military interoperability and strengthen the defence industrial bases of both nations,” he said. Japan’s increasing defence cooperation with Australia, exemplified by the Reciprocal Access Agreement and joint troop rotations, gives it a competitive edge over Germany, which lacks formal defence ties with Canberra.

Shoebridge also pointed out the broader implications of this partnership, suggesting it could propel Japan into an AUKUS Pillar Two-like role, fostering advanced military technology cooperation. “Japan’s offer reflects a serious commitment to a strategic and technological partnership with Australia, building on shared Indo-Pacific security goals,” he added.

A unique aspect of the agreement is Japan’s retention of veto power over any transfer of the frigates to a third party. This mirrors U.S. practices and underlines Japan’s intention to safeguard its defence technology while becoming a more active player in the global arms market.

The final decision on the frigate program is expected by mid-2025. If selected, the joint development would not only modernize Australia’s navy but also strengthen shipbuilding and maintenance capabilities across the Indo-Pacific region.

For Japan, this landmark deal signals its transition into a prominent defence exporter. For Australia, it presents an opportunity to deepen ties with a trusted ally and bolster its maritime capabilities at a critical time in Indo-Pacific geopolitics.

Ray,

Sorry to ask a busy bloke but … …

About 25 years ago the government was approached by scores of Vietnam veterans to have a small numerical device affixed to their ribbon signifying the number of Vietnam deployments. It very nearly got through and was stopped due to a technicality.

The small device to be available to those who completed two or more tours. I have contacted members of the AATTV and compiled a list with some of them having done three tours etc.

I submitted a proposal to Defence in September however, they were not totally in favour. I am in the process of preparing an addendum and am asking for any constructive commentary to convince the government, that with little cost, the identification will reveal the story of the veteran’s full overseas service.

May I ask you to please post this on Frontline before it’s all too late for many. I am simply asking for fellow veterans to give me any solid thoughts on this to get the case over the line. Any advice to have supportive documentation to convince the decision makers.

At the moment ADF personnel who served with the UN and NATO are the only Australians who are permitted to wear the tiny number on their ribbons as per the pic.

Many thanks.

Richard Barry OAM.

6RAR SVN 1969

[email protected]

ED: If you completed multiple tours in Vietnam and you would like recognition for your service, please contact Richard on [email protected]

Kyiv Independent

The Syrian civil war, long overshadowed by global crises like COVID-19, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the Gaza conflict, has returned to prominence with the dramatic capture of Aleppo by opposition forces. This strategic and unexpected offensive signals a potential turning point in Syria’s future.

Aleppo, Syria’s industrial heart and once the country’s second-largest city, had been under firm control of President Bashar al-Assad’s forces, backed by Russia and Iran. However, a coalition of opposition groups seized the moment created by regional and global distractions to launch their attack.

A Divided Syria

Syria remains fragmented into three main zones:

1. The Assad Government: Supported by Russia and Iran, it controls key cities such as Damascus and Homs.
2. Turkey-backed Sunni Forces: These operate in northern Syria and include groups like the Syrian National Army (SNA).
3. US-backed Kurdish Forces: The Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) hold northeastern Syria, rich in oil and wheat.

The Aleppo Offensive

The assault on Aleppo was spearheaded by a coalition of rebels, notably Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and the Turkey-supported SNA. HTS, a group with origins in Al-Qaeda, emerged as a significant force in Idlib, which had become a haven for displaced populations and jihadist remnants after the fall of the Islamic State in 2019.

Turkey appears to have played a key role in uniting these groups. With the US politically preoccupied following its election, Turkey seized the opportunity to further its influence in northern Syria and counter the Kurdish YPG.

Global Distractions

Several factors contributed to this window of opportunity for the rebels:

• Russia’s Focus on Ukraine: Moscow’s war efforts have drained its resources, reducing its ability to support Assad.
• Iran’s Internal Challenges: Political instability, including the loss of key leaders and rumours of Supreme Leader Khamenei’s illness, has weakened its involvement in Syria.
• The October 7 Model: Inspired by Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel, Syrian opposition forces coordinated their offensive, catching Assad off-guard.

The Path Ahead

For now, opposition forces have consolidated their hold on Aleppo, with morale bolstered by their success. However, Assad’s government is expected to launch counter-offensives, relying on its core support from Shiite-Alawite and secular communities. Meanwhile, Turkey will likely continue supplying rebels to advance its strategic goals.

The renewed conflict underscores Syria’s fractured state, with each faction entrenching its power. Prospects for peace remain elusive, as international interests and local rivalries perpetuate the war.

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