8th/12th Medium Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=8th/12th Medium Artillery Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery


caption=Badge of the Royal Australian Artillery
country=Australia
allegiance=Commonwealth of Australia
type=Artillery
branch=Army
dates=1973 - Present
specialization=Field Artillery
command_structure=1st Brigade
size=2 Medium Artillery Batteries
current_commander= Lieutenant Colonel C.D. Furini CSC
garrison= Robertson Barracks, Darwin
ceremonial_chief=Queen Elizabeth II
ceremonial_chief_label=
nickname=
motto=
colors=Blue and red
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_label=Unit Colour Patch
identification_symbol_2=8/12 MdmAR
identification_symbol_2_label=Abbreviation
march=Quick - "Royal Artillery Quick March"
Slow - "Royal Artillery Slow March"
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=16 November

The 8th/12th Medium Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery Corps, was formed at the Holsworthy Barracks on 16 November 1973 through amalgamation of the 8th Medium Regiment (RAAC) and the 12th Field Regiment (RAAC). The Regiment provides field artillery support to the 1st Division's 1st Brigade of the ADF.

The 8th Medium Regiment, known in the 1950s as the 19th Composite Regiment, was created in February 1968 to provide united administrative command of several independent artillery units in the Holsworthy Barracks area with a primary role to provide support to the School of Artillery.

The 12th Field Regiment had been reformed at Holsworthy in April 1966, and its elements served in Vietnam in 1968 and 1971. Before relocating to Darwin, the regiment was stationed in Townsville (Queensland) and Ingleburn (New South Wales).

The regiment’s two current batteries reflect their formation in Egypt as part of the First Australian Imperial Force 21st Field Artillery (Howitzer) Brigade which used 4.5 inch howitzers. The 101 and 103 batteries, including the 102 Battery, served in France, also as part of the 1st Division. [ [http://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/~rmallett/] 1 AIF Order of Battle ]

101st Medium Battery

The 101st Medium Battery was originally formed at Tel-el-Kebir on 8th March 1916 as the 101st Howitzer Battery, from the members of the 1st Field Artillery Brigade, which served at Gallipoli. [ [http://www.103fieldbatteryraa.net/documents/32.html] History of the 103 Field Battery] Although disbanded after the war, from the early 1920’s the 101 Battery was reformed again as a militia unit in the Newcastle area, but was again disbanded in 1946. Established again as the 101st Field Battery at the Holsworthy Barracks in 1957 as part of the 1st Field Regiment (RAAC), it served in Malaya (1959/61), and was deployed twice in South Vietnam during 1966-67 and 1969-70, relocating to Wacol in 1970 before moving again to Enoggera in 1982 to rejoin the 1st Field Regiment.

103rd Medium Battery

The immediate predecessor of the first Australian Battery to be numbered "103", the 103rd (Howitzer) Battery AIF (3rd (Army) Field Brigade) was the 26th Indian (Jacob's) Mountain Battery [First World War British Artillery Unit] which was present at ANZAC cove during the Battle of Gallipoli. On 6 March 1916 the Battery was created as part of the Australian Army contingent before departing for France as part of 12 Howitzer Brigade. The 103rd Field Battery (Howitzer) was reformed after the First World War as part of the Citizen Military Forces from 1920 to 1941 stationed at Victoria Barracks, Paddington, moving to Guilford, Western Australia in 1921. [http://www.103fieldbatteryraa.net/documents/32.html 103 Field Battery history ] ] Before the Second World War the Battery was absorbed into the Field Batteries of the 3rd Field Regiment, and did not see service as a unit. The battery was reformed as the 103rd Anti-Aircraft Battery from 1954 to 1957 stationed at Middle Head Barracks, Sydney, as part of 1 Field Regiment. During the 1960 to 1967 it changed designation again to the 103rd Field Battery, as part of the new Regular 4 Field Regiment stationed at Wacol, Brisbane. During the deployment of Australian Army to Malaysia the Battery was a part of the Far Eastern Strategic Reserve stationed at Camp Terendak, Malacca, returning to Australia to become a part of the 1st Field Regiment at Kokoda Barracks, Holsworthy. It was again deployed, this time to South Vietnam with the new light 105mm L5 howitzers in May 1966 at the Nui Dat Task Force base from which it contributed significantly to the outcome of the Battle of Long Tan. In all during its first tour in Vietnam the Battery fired a total of 28468 rounds in support of allied troops. On 19 June 1967 it become Independent 103 Medium Battery stationed at Gallipoli Barracks, Holsworthy, supporting the School of Artillery, providing gun salutes, and conducting some limited trials. However, this non-combat role ended on 16 April 1968 when the battery joined the 19th Composite Regiment (RAAC), located at Kokoda Barracks. On 4 August 1969 the 19th Composite Regiment was renamed 8 Medium Regiment.During the Vietnam War the 104 Field Battery also served with the 12 Field Regiment. The 161 Field Battery RNZA was also attached to the Regiment.

After the Vietnam War

The Regiment was a creation of the reorganisation of the Australian Army as a result of the Vietnam War experience. During the mid 1970's the 8/12 Medium Regiment included [ [http://australianartilleryassociation.com/regiments/regiments_8-12mdm.htm] 8/12 Regiment Australian Artillery Association] :Headquarters Battery :"A" Field Battery :103 Medium Battery :102 Field Battery (disbanded in 1987):131 Divisional Locating Battery:Light Aid Detachment (LAD) staffed by RAEME

The 103 Battery served in two roles at this time as a depot support of the Regiment for the School of Artillery, while the 8/12 Regiment was also responsible for direct support to the 1st Task Force. Consequently it was issued with both the six M2A2 105mm guns and the six 5.5-inch guns.

As part of the 1980s restructuring the 131 Divisional Locating Battery became an independent battery for divisional assignment at Enoggera Army Camp in Brisbane. The 102 Field Battery was redesignated 102 Medium Battery and disbanded in 1987. As a result of this downsizing, the Headquarters Battery was reduced in size in 1994.

During 1996 the 101st Field Battery was removed from the 1st Field Regiment and embedded as a Fire Support Company into the 6 RAR which adopted the A 21 Motorised Battalion structure that included supporting arms under the Restructuring of the Army (RTA) initiatives trial. [ [http://www.6rarassociation.com/bnhistory.htm] As an integrated A 21 Motorised Battalion, the 6 RAR was restructured with one Reserve and one Regular Motorised Rifle Companies (Alpha and Delta Company respectively). The Fire Support Company included Indirect Fire Platoon which included 4 x 155mm howitzers and two 120mm mortars (replicated by 2 x 105mm field guns) and Direct Fire Platoon with four ASLAV 25 vehicles and a Weapon Locating/AMS Section. Reconnaissance and Surveillance Company included a Reconnaissance Platoon, a Surveillance Platoon, a Combat Engineer Platoon and a Sniper Section. The Administration Company was retitled Combat Service Support Company. ]

After the deployment to East Timor, the "A" Field Battery was assigned to the 4th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery in 1999, further reducing the Regiment in size.

During 1999 the 8/12 Medium Regiment was relocated to the Robertson Barracks in Darwin where the 103 Medium Battery, while preparing for the move from Sydney to Darwin deployed its elements to East Timor as part of INTERFET, and later as a part of a UN Peace Keeping Force OP TANAGER, and was later joined by the newly recreated 101 Medium Battery.

Past commanding officers

The regiment iscommanded by an officer in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and included [ [http://www.defence.gov.au/army/8_12mdm/Commanding_Officers.htm] 8/12 Medium Artillery Regiment, Department of Defence] Lieutenant Colonel J.D. Kelly April 67 - October 69
Lieutenant Colonel W.A. Whyte MC August 69 - February 70
Lieutenant Colonel B.R. Topfer October 69 - July 72
Lieutenant Colonel W.N. Reid May 70 - January 72
Lieutenant Colonel G. Barnard July 72 - November 73
Lieutenant Colonel P.T. Gowans January 72 - November 73
Lieutenant Colonel J.E. Jenvey MBE November 73 - December 75
Lieutenant Colonel J.F. Bertram December 75 - May 77
Lieutenant Colonel K.W. Mackenzie May 77 - December 78
Lieutenant Colonel S.N. Gower December 78 - November 80
Lieutenant Colonel A.P. Williams November 80 - December 82
Lieutenant Colonel J.H. Phillips December 82 - December 84
Lieutenant Colonel M.G. Boyle December 86 - December 88
Lieutenant Colonel P.J. Lawrence December 88 - January 91
Lieutenant Colonel J.R. Cox January 91 - December 92
Lieutenant Colonel W.R. Vickers December 92 - December 94
Lieutenant Colonel M.J. Schafer December 94 - January 97
Lieutenant Colonel B.M. Armstrong January 97 - January 99
Lieutenant Colonel P.D. Winter CSC January 99 - December 00
Lieutenant Colonel R.M. Manton December 01 - January 03
Lieutenant Colonel P.D. McLachlan January 03 - January 05
Lieutenant Colonel G.W. Finney January 05 - January 07
Lieutenant Colonel C.D Furini CSC January 07

Equipment

Below is a list of some of the major types of equipment, ordnance and vehicles that had been used by the Regiment and its subunits in its long history dating to the First World War.

QF 4.5 inch Howitzer

Ordnance QF 25 pounder Gun

M1 155mm "Long Tom"

105 mm Howitzer M3

BL 5.5 inch Medium Gun

L5 (Aust) Pack Howitzer 105-mm (103 Battery) [ [http://www.defence.gov.au/dmo/news/ontarget/oct07/rw.cfm] On Target, October 2007]

M2A2 105 mm field gun

105mm L119 Hamel guns

M198 howitzer 155mm

Indirect Fire Computer

Sound Ranging equipment

Flash Spotting equipment

Artillery Orienting System equipment (direction, location, altitude)
:Gun-Laying Positioning System (GLPS):North-Seeking Gyroscope (NSG):Global Positioning System (GPS):Positioning and Azimuth Determining System (PADS):Inertial Survey System (ISS):CollimatorNo3 Mk 7 AA Radar
AN/KPQ 1 Mortar Locating Radar
Ground Surveillance Radar (GSR)
Infra-Red, Thermal Imagery, Acoustic and Seismic sensors

AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder Weapon Locating Radar system

M113 artillery observation post vehicle

M125 Mack tractor 10ton, 6x6 Mack tractor
Mercedes Benz Unimog U 1700 L 4x4 5000kg Truck
Toyota model HJ47 Landcruisers
Land Rover series 110 4x4 GS
International Mk V, ACCO (Australian Constructed Cab Over) 5 ton truck
M72A2 Rocket Launcher
M18A1 perimeter defence mine
7.62mm GPMG M60
L1A1 semi-automatic rifle
M16A1 automatic rifle
F88 Aus Steyr

Ammunition types used

M107 projectile 155mm HE

M795 projectile 155mm HE (DPICM)

M549A1 projectile 155mm HE RAP

M110 projectile 155mm WP [To be replaced by M825 WP?]

M116 projectile 155mm Smoke (HC)

M485 projectile 155mm Illumination

M449A1 projectile 155mm Anti-Personnel Improved Conventional Munition (APICM)

M692 projectile Area Denial Anti-personnel Mine (ADAM) long-destruct

M731 projectile Area Denial Anti-personnel Mine (ADAM) short-destruct

Battle honours

Coral (102 Battery) [ [http://www.defence.gov.au/media/departmentaltpl.cfm?CurrentId=7721] Defencemedia release 14/05/2008]

Battles and deployments participated in

Egypt: Defence of Suez Canal
Gallipoli: Landing at Anzac, Defence of Anzac, Sari Bair
Western Front: Pozieres, Ypres, Advance to the Hindenburg Line, Bullecourt, Menin Road, Broodeseinde, Hazebrouck, Amiens, Hindenburg Line, Flers, Lagincourt, Velu Wood, Passchendale, Messines, Villers-Bretteneoux and Velleret
Korea (A Battery)
Malaya (103 Battery)
Vietnam
:Battle of Long Tan:Operation Hayman:Operation Ingham:Operation Paddington:Operation Ainslie:Operation Kenmore:Operation Santa Fe:Operation Coburg:Allied Operation "Thoan Thang" (Complete Victory ) :Battle of FSB Coral:Battle of FSB Balmoral:Battle of Binh BaEast Timor
Operation Citadel
Operation Anode to the Solomon Islands
Operation Catalyst, Iraq (Al Muthanna Task Group)
Afghanistan

Citations and notes

Recommended Reading

* Gower, S. N., Thomas, W. D., "Guns of the regiment", Australian War Memorial, 1981
* Swain, Bruce T, "A Chronology of Australian Armed Forces At War 1939/45", Allen and Unwin, Sydney, 2001
* Ayliffe, Keith R., BEM, & Posener, John M., "Tracks of the Dragon: A history of Australian Locating", AMHP, Sydney, 2004