5th/6th Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 5th/6th Battalion The Royal Victoria Regiment
The Royal Victoria Regiment cap badge
Active	1854–Present
Country	Australia
Branch	Australian Army
Type	Infantry
Role	Light infantry
Part of	4th Brigade
Garrison/HQ	Melbourne
Motto(s)	5th Battalion – Nemo me impune lacessit (No one shall provoke me with impunity) 6th Battalion – Semper Paratus (Always ready)
March	Combination of "Cock O' the North" and "Waltzing Matilda"
Battle honours	Boer War: South Africa 1899–1902. World War I: Landing at Anzac Cove, Somme 1916, Somme 1918, Bullecourt, Pozieres, Polygon Wood, Ameins, Albert 1918, Mont St Quentin, Hindenburg Line. World War II: Bardia 1941, Capture of Tobruk, El Alamein, Greece 1941, South West Pacific 1942–1945, Bobdubi II, Finisterres, Lae–Nadzab, Hari River, Borneo.
Commanders
Notable commanders	Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Burr
Insignia
Unit colour patch

The 5th/6th Battalion (also called "5/6 RVR") is a special infantry group in the Australian Army. It's one of two battalions that make up the Royal Victoria Regiment. This battalion has a long and proud history. It traces its roots back to many older units. These units existed even before Australia became a country. They also include groups that fought in World War I and World War II. The 5/6 RVR proudly carries the battle honours of these older units. This shows respect for their brave actions.

Today, the 5/6 RVR is part of the 4th Brigade. This brigade belongs to the 2nd Division. The battalion is based in different locations around Melbourne, Victoria. Recently, soldiers from the 5/6 RVR have served overseas. They have been in the Middle East, East Timor, the Solomon Islands, and Malaysia. They served as part of a group called Rifle Company Butterworth.

History of the Battalion

The 5th/6th Battalion, The Royal Victoria Regiment, comes from earlier Australian army groups. These groups were made up of soldiers from the Melbourne area. The story of how these groups joined together to form the 5th/6th Battalion is quite interesting.

Forming the Regiment

5/6 RVR marching through Melbourne on ANZAC Day 2008

In the late 1950s, the Army decided to bring all state infantry groups together. They wanted one main group for each state. This decision meant that many old group histories ended. But it also started a new chapter for Victoria's volunteer military forces.

The Royal Victoria Regiment was officially formed on 1 July 1960. It carries on the traditions of infantry soldiers in Victoria. These traditions go all the way back to the first units formed in 1854.

Many units from Melbourne and other parts of Victoria now form the 5th/6th Battalion. The traditions of regional units are kept by the 8th/7th Battalion. This is the 5/6 RVR's sister unit. Many units from the 1st AIF and 2nd AIF were created quickly when wars started. Because of this, the Royal Victoria Regiment has more battle honours than any other group in the Australian Defence Force.

Three Victorian battalions (the 5th, 6th, and 58th/32nd) have changed names and merged many times. This happened between 1948 and 2003. These changes made it a bit confusing to follow the battalion's history. However, the different groups involved still keep their past alive. This joining of units means the battalion has many strong connections.

After World War Two, the 2nd AIF was quickly disbanded. But soon, fears about communism led to the Australian Forces growing again. In 1960, a program called National Service ended. This caused an immediate drop in army numbers. A big change was also coming. On 30 June 1960, all battalions joined a new-style group. This was the 1st Battalion, The Royal Victoria Regiment (RVR).

The Korean War and fears of communism led to National Service being used again. This program required young people to train for three months. Then they served for three years in the Citizens Military Force (CMF).

The 5th Battalion: Victorian Scottish Regiment

The 5th Battalion, The Victorian Scottish Regiment (VSR), existed before World War Two. It was started again on 1 April 1948. It became part of the Citizen Military Forces (CMF). Many former members of the VSR helped create the AIF. Also, many ex-soldiers from the 2nd AIF returned to help restart the 5th Battalion.

The battalion's main office was in Hawthorn. Its companies were in Kew, Surrey Hills, Armadale, and Dandenong. The first commander was Lieutenant Colonel G.R Warfe. The battalion quickly started training and duties. They even provided a guard of honour for Sir Thomas Blamey. He was Australia's first and only active Field Marshal.

The battalion's special flags (colours) were brought back from the Scots' Church in Melbourne. Scottish clothing was also approved. The VSR soon had a very unique look. Their motto was "Nemo Me Impune Lacessit." This means "no one hurts me and gets away with it." It's also written at the entrance of Edinburgh Castle. Their march song was "Cock of the North." Their unit colour was gold.

In 1951, National Service made the 5th Battalion VSR very strong. This allowed them to do lots of training. The battalion sent members to London in 1953 for the Coronation. In 1954, they guarded Government House when Queen Elizabeth II visited. They also lined the streets for the opening of Parliament in Canberra. The battalion received new flags on 12 May 1957. These flags are now kept in The Scots' Church, Melbourne.

The 6th Battalion: Royal Melbourne Regiment

In May 1948, the 6th Battalion was also reformed. 6th Battalion, The Royal Melbourne Regiment (RMR) had existed before World War Two. Again, former soldiers from the 2nd AIF returned to join the CMF. The battalion got its flags back. Its motto was "Semper Paratus," which means "Always Ready." The battalion's march song was "Waltzing Matilda." Its unit colour was Khaki.

The battalion was set up in the same training building it used before the war. This building is still in Melbourne today. Companies were also started in Preston and Carlton. The 6th Battalion grew a lot because of National Service. It took part in many big events, just like the 5th Battalion VSR. The unit's large size allowed for advanced training. But when National Service ended, the unit became smaller. The battalion also received a special honour. It was given the Freedom of Entry to the City of Melbourne on 10 March 1960. The 6th Battalion's flags are kept in St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne.

The 58th/32nd Infantry Battalion

A third CMF Infantry Battalion was formed in Melbourne in 1948. It was mainly based in the western and north-western suburbs. It was first called The West Melbourne Regiment. Later, it became The Melbourne Rifles. In 1955, it expanded to become the 58th Battalion, The City of Essendon Regiment.

The battalion's main office was in Moonee Ponds. It had companies in Footscray and Brunswick. It gained many new members through National Service. But it lost many when the program ended. This battalion also joined the 1 RVR when the "pentropic" army structure was adopted in 1960. Unlike the 5th and 6th battalions, the 58th Battalion has not reappeared in the Australian Army. However, strong connections are still kept by the 58th/32nd Battalion Association. Their annual ANZAC Day service is still held at the Moonee Ponds Depot. The 58th Battalion's flags were put away on 10 May 1970 at the Essendon Town Hall. The 32nd Battalion's flags were put away in August 1970. They are at St John's Anglican Church in Footscray.

1960–1965: The Pentropic Army Structure

In 1960, the Australian Army decided to try a new way to organize its battalions. This was called the "Pentropic arrangement." It meant battalions would have five rifle companies instead of four. All Victorian CMF Infantry units were affected. Two new units were created to replace the five older ones. The 1 RVR included most city sub-units. The 2 RVR was made from a mix of city and regional units.

For the 1 RVR, the companies were:

• A Company (The Merri Coy)
• B Company (The Scottish Coy)
• C Company (The Melbourne Coy) from the 6th Battalion
• D Company (The Essendon Coy)
• E Company (The Footscray Coy) from the 58th/32nd Battalion
• Support Company was formed from the 5th Battalion.

The name "Royal Victoria Regiment" was chosen to show the unit's connection to Victoria. This helped keep traditions and ties to local communities strong. A new badge was also adopted. This badge is still used by today's units. The regiment celebrates its birthday on 1 July 1960 because of this joining.

1965–1982: Growing and Changing

The "pentropic" structure didn't work well for the Australian Army. By 1965, new plans were made. On 3 May 1965, both 1 RVR and 2 RVR were split again. They formed five new units:

• 1st Battalion, The Royal Victoria Regiment (Melbourne Area)
• 2nd Battalion, The Royal Victoria Regiment (Country Areas)
• 5th Battalion, The Royal Victoria Regiment (Melbourne Area)
• 6th Battalion, The Royal Victoria Regiment (Melbourne Area)
• 1st Independent Rifle Company (Mildura)

When National Service ended in 1960, CMF units became smaller. They were now completely volunteer units. However, National Service was brought back in 1965. This helped the city units stay strong. Young people could volunteer for six years in the CMF. Or they could serve two years full-time if chosen. This program was stopped in 1973. The CMF then became known as the Australian Army Reserve, or just the Army Reserve.

1 RVR: The creation of 1 RVR basically replaced the 58th Battalion. It was the third city battalion. Like its earlier version, it was in western and north-western Melbourne. In 1975, 1 RVR took in both the 5 RVR and 6 RVR. This happened because all units were very small. This caused problems for many members. It was partly due to Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War. Many people were not interested in the military after that war. The number of people in the Army Reserve started to drop a lot. On 14 November 1987, 1 RVR joined 5/6 RVR. The flags of 1 RVR were put away on 25 April 1988. They are still at the Essendon Town Hall.

5 RVR: The 5th Battalion was strong again and wore its special uniform. But in 1966, a rule said only one company in a battalion could wear the traditional Scottish dress. This was not popular. The battalion received new flags on 19 October 1969. The Vietnam War made the public less interested in the military. So, the strength of all battalions fell. The end of the Vietnam War and National Service greatly affected the 5th Battalion. By 1975, all Victorian Battalions had to join together. The 5 RVR's flags were put away again. But they would soon represent another unit.

6 RVR: The 6th Battalion went back to its old areas when the "pentropic" system ended. Like 2 RVR and 5 RVR, the 6 RVR received new flags on 19 October 1969. Because people were not interested in Defence and National Service ended, the 6 RVR joined with the 5 RVR into 1 RVR in 1975. The 6 RVR's flags were put away.

The 1980s: A New Battalion is Born

On 17 August 1982, a new Melbourne battalion was created. It was called the 5th/6th Battalion, The Royal Victoria Regiment. The 5/6 RVR took on the traditions of both The Victorian Scottish Regiment and the Royal Melbourne Regiment. It brought back both sets of flags to show this. The battalion also kept its old connections with The Gordon Highlanders and other related groups. These included The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and the 6th Battalion, The Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment.

The joining also meant combining parts of both units. The unit's lanyard (a cord worn on the uniform) changed. It went from one colour to a twisted braid of gold and khaki. The unit first adopted "Our Director" as its march song. But this was changed to a mix of "Cock O' the North" and "Waltzing Matilda." These were the original march songs of the 5th and 6th Battalions. A Pipes and Drums band was also started. This is now the Regimental Band.

On 14 November 1987, 1 RVR joined 5/6 RVR. This ended any connection with the "pentropic" organization from the 1960s. In the mid-1980s, the 5th/6th Battalion and the 4th Brigade were given an important job. Their main role was to protect the Tindal Air Force Base in the Northern Territory. The 5/6 RVR took part in two large international exercises in 1989 to help with this goal. They also sent smaller groups to the area for other exercises.

In 1988, a decision was made to bring back Colour Patches. These had not been used since World War Two. The original 5th Battalion patch was chosen for the 5/6 RVR. This patch was worn by the 5th Battalion, 1st AIF. That unit was formed in Melbourne and landed at ANZAC Cove on 25 April 1915. This patch is a black rectangle on top of a red rectangle. It is worn on the slouch hat.

The 1990s: Training and Deployments

A change in government in 1995 affected the 4th Brigade and 5/6 RVR. The brigade was to be "revitalized." Efforts were made to increase the battalion's size, but they were not successful. At the same time, more full-time Army staff were sent to the unit. This included a full-time Battalion Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Mick Godfrey. Their goal was to increase the unit's readiness and training.

Training was well-supported and tested by independent observers. In a readiness test at the Cultana training area in 1999, 5/6 RVR did very well. The battalion also sent a company group to Butterworth Airbase, Malaysia. They rotated through from November 1999 to January 2000. This group was mainly from 5/6 RVR. Other units from the 4th Brigade also sent members.

In 1999/2000, a crisis grew in East Timor. Australian troops led a multinational force called INTERFET. Many Army Reservists helped by filling in for regular Army soldiers. These regular soldiers were sent to Timor with the 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment. Australia needed to keep a battalion there. So, a Rifle Company was formed from Reservists across Australia. They served with the 5th/7th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (RAR). This first tour was from November 2002 to May 2003. Soldiers from both RVR battalions and their NSW counterparts made up most of these Reservists. Timor was the first time since World War II that "Citizen Soldiers" saw active service. After this mission, many chose to stay in the regular Army. Most others returned to Reserve Service.

The New Millennium: 2000s and Beyond

2000–2003: Olympic Support and Changes

In 2000, up to 200 soldiers from 5/6 RVR helped with the Sydney Olympic Games. This was called "Operation Gold." They were part of the Operational Search Company. Their jobs included searching areas and buildings. They also staffed vehicle checkpoints. Having full-time leaders and better readiness helped. But the increased time needed for training new recruits and for promotions led to fewer members in 2001/2002. The role of the Army Reserve was changing. And 5/6 RVR changed with it. A dedicated team of Reservists and full-time members worked to train and develop young 5/6 RVR soldiers.

In early 2003, the Reserve Response Force (RRF) idea was introduced to the 4th Brigade. The 5/6 RVR was chosen to lead the first Reserve-based 4th Brigade RRF. The RRF role was then given to individual units. The 5/6 RVR continued to strengthen its role through Bravo Company. This was the largest company. It was chosen to lead the battalion's RRF elements.

2004: 150th Anniversary Celebrations

In 2004, the 5/6 RVR celebrated its Sesquicentenary. This means its 150th anniversary. A special committee was formed to plan events. It was led by the Commanding Officer, LT COL Mark Richards. Many activities were planned throughout the year. These involved all ranks.

The year started with presentations about the unit's history. These were given by company personnel. With help from Battalion Associations, the committee planned and held these events:

• A reception for all ranks at Government House on 17 September 2004.
• A Freedom of the City of Melbourne march on 16 October 2004.
• A Gala Ball at Flemington Racecourse on 16 October 2004.
• An Employer Function on 25 November 2004.
• An End of Year Battalion Christmas Party at the Telstra Dome on 11 December 2004.

This year also focused more on the battalion's role in the 4 Brigade's Reserve Response Force (RRF). There was a strong focus on training and individual readiness. Urban tactical training and joint exercises were held with the Victoria Police. This helped the battalion work better with civil emergency services. It also gave commanders valuable experience. The year was a success. Over 300 guests attended the Gala Ball and the end-of-year function.

2005: New Commander and Training

In 2005, a new Commanding Officer, LT COL Neil Grimes, took command. The importance of individual readiness was stressed again. Soldiers had to meet specific readiness standards. The battalion prepared for its annual field exercise (AFX) at Canungra in Queensland. This year saw record numbers of new recruits. The benefits of this large group of new members were seen. All companies gained new soldiers. In 2005, the 5/6 RVR also exercised its freedom of entry to the City of Boroondara. This happened on Sunday, 17 October 2005.

2006: Commonwealth Games Support

In 2006, the battalion played a big part in the Commonwealth Games. These games were held in Melbourne in February and March. This was called Operation Acolyte. Over 100 soldiers from the battalion took part in the 10-week operation. Their duties included searching the Melbourne Cricket Ground. They also searched the Commonwealth Games Village and the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. Some members worked as military personnel. Others worked as civilians directly for the "Melbourne 2006" organization. Military members staffed checkpoints. They also worked at a vehicle screening facility. Here, deliveries to secure venues were checked before entry.

Hardened & Networked Army Changes

The "Hardened & Networked Army" (HNA) plan was the Army's way to prepare for more complex battles. It aimed to make the Army stronger and more organized. It focused on combined groups of soldiers and vehicles. This would give the government more options for deploying forces. It would also help forces stay in action longer. HNA started in 2006. The changes to the army structure were planned to finish by the end of 2015.

After HNA, a new structure appeared. It was called the High Readiness Reserve (HRR) Combat Team. The 4 BDE HRR was formed from several units. But it was mainly staffed and commanded by 5/6 RVR. The HRR Combat Team successfully took part in the Talisman Sabre exercises. These were major exercises with regular battalions. It also helped a lot with the East Timor deployment in 2012.

A new role for the Army Reserve began in late 2006. The Army created two new regular infantry battalions. The structure of infantry battalions also changed. The 5/6 RVR merged Delta Company at Simpson Barracks with Bravo Company Surrey Hills. Delta Company became known as 6 Platoon B Company. Proud company members celebrated their last event as Delta Company in December 2006. In August 2007, the battalion lost the old Delta Company depot. Now, all Bravo Company members parade at Surrey Hills.

Solomon Islands Missions

In recent years, the 5th/6th Battalion has continued to serve overseas. They have sent troops for Operation Anode. This was part of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI). They contributed to several missions in the Solomon Islands. These included Op Citadel, Op Anode Rotation 13 in 2007, Rotation 15 in 2008, Rotation 18 in 2009, and Rotation 30 in 2013.

Where the Battalion is Now

Today, the 5/6 RVR is set up like a normal light infantry battalion. Its different parts are located throughout Melbourne. In 2013, the 2nd/10th Field Regiment was made smaller. It became a single battery and joined the battalion. In 2018, this battery was removed from the battalion. It became part of the newly formed 9th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery.

Current unit locations are:

• Battalion Headquarters (BHQ) – 202 Burwood Road, Hawthorn
• Alpha Company – 65 Princess Highway, Dandenong
• Bravo Company – 12 Robinson Road, Surrey Hills
• Charlie Company – 67 Royal Avenue, Sandringham
• Delta Company – 127 Pascoe Vale Road, Moonee Ponds

During the Army Reserve training year (usually from mid-February to early December), members of 5/6 RVR meet at their depots. They meet every Tuesday night from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM. The Battalion Headquarters is also open on weekdays from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The battalion also has a training weekend once a month. These are held in various places. Some locations include Simpson Barracks, Puckapunyal, and RAAF Williams.

Battle Honours: A Proud History

The traditions, customs, and experiences of infantry soldiers in Melbourne are a big part of the battalion. As a tribute to earlier units, the 5/6 RVR holds the most battle honours. These are special awards for bravery in battle. The following battle honours are proudly displayed on its flags:

Pipes and Drums Band

The 5/6 RVR Pipes and Drums band was formed in 1899. It was originally part of The Victorian Scottish Regiment. Today, it is the band for all battalions of the Royal Victoria Regiment. It is supported by the RVR Pipes and Drums Association.

Alliances: Friends Around the World

The 5th/6th Battalion has special connections, called alliances, with other military units around the world:

•  United Kingdom – Once The Gordon Highlanders – then Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons) – now Royal Regiment of Scotland
•  Canada – The Royal Regiment of Canada
•  Canada – The Toronto Scottish Regiment – through the Gordon Alliance
•  Canada – 48th Highlanders of Canada – through the Gordon Alliance
•  South Africa – Cape Town Highlanders Regiment – through the Gordon Alliance
•  Canada – Lake Superior Scottish Regiment
•  United Kingdom – Mercian Regiment
•  United Kingdom – The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers - through the Royal Melbourne Regiment

See also

• Australian Army
• Australian Army Reserve
• List of Australian Army Regiments
• Royal Victoria Regiment
• London Scottish Regiment
• 8th/7th Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment