9th Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment

For other uses, see 9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment.

9th Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment
Cap badge of the Royal Queensland Regiment
Active	1867–1919 1921–1945 1948–Present
Country	Australia
Branch	Australian Army
Type	Infantry
Role	Light Infantry
Part of	11th Brigade
Garrison/HQ	Gallipoli Barracks, Enoggera
Nickname	The Fighting Ninth
Motto	Pro Aris et Focis (For God and our Homes)
Colors	Black over blue
March	Brass Band – El Abinico Pipe Band – The Frog Hollow Rangers
Engagements	Boer War World War I Gallipoli campaign Western Front World War II New Guinea campaign
Commanders
Current commander	LTCOL M.D.A. Bond
Ceremonial chief	HM The Queen (RAINF)
Insignia
Unit colour patch

9th Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment (9 RQR) is a Reserve light infantry battalion of the Australian Army, raised and based in the state of Queensland. It is part of the Royal Queensland Regiment and is currently attached to the 11th Brigade of the 2nd Division. 9 RQR can trace its history as far back as 1867 with the establishment Queensland Volunteer Rifle Corps, although it was not until 1911 that it was designated as 9 Battalion. Over the course of its history, the battalion has served Australia in a number of conflicts including The Boer War, World War I and World War II, while more recently, members of the battalion have been involved in various peacekeeping operations and exercises around the Pacific region.

History

Pre World War I

The 9th Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment can trace its history as far back as 1867 when, in March, the Fortitude Valley and Spring Hill Volunteer Rifle Corps (usually referred to as the Frog Hollow Rangers) was formed under the command of Charles Lilley, the future Premier of Queensland.^[1] The men of the Volunteer Rifle Corps received no remunerations for their service, instead they received land grants, which were made available following five years service.^[1]

In 1876 the Queensland Defence Force Infantry was created, in response to a perceived threat against Imperial defence following the build up of French and Russian naval vessels in Pacific Ocean. This force consisted of two regiments, which were designated as the First and the Second Regiments of Queensland.^[1] The First Regiment was based in Brisbane and consisted of four companies, and over time it came to be known as The First Queenslanders.^[1] The Second Regiment had troops in Ipswich, Maryborough, Rockhampton, Toowoomba and Warwick and also fielded artillery and engineering units.^[1]

In 1889 many members of the Queensland Defence Force Infantry deployed to South Africa to take part in the Second Boer War. In total nine contingents, totalling 2,888 men^[2] left from Queensland to fight alongside other contingents from the British Empire. Following Federation in 1901 all the state defence forces were combined into the Australian Army, and all senior units were numbered 1 to 12.^[3] As a result, The First Queenslanders became the 9th Australian Infantry Regiment (9 AIR), although this would not last long, for the name was changed once more in 1911, with the introduction of the Universal Training Scheme, when the unit was renamed the 9th Battalion, The Moreton Regiment.^[4]

World War I

The 9th Battalion was raised as part of the First Australian Imperial Force for service in the First World War. Completely recruited from Queensland, along with 10th, 11th and 12th Battalions, the 9th Battalion formed the 3rd Brigade, of the 1st Division.^[5] The battalion was raised within two weeks of the declaration of war and departed Australia on 22 September 1914 on board the SS Omrah (HMAT A5). Whilst enroute to Egypt members of the battalion provided a guard for the 44 survivors of the Emden, before they finally arrived in Egypt on 2 December 1914. The 3rd Brigade was the covering force for the Anzac landing on 25 April 1915, and went ashore at around 4.30 am. Lieutenant Duncan Chapman was the first soldier ashore at Gallipoli. The battalion served at Gallipoli until the evacuation in December.^[5]

Lines of the 9th and 10th Battalions at Mena Camp, Egypt, looking towards the Pyramids, December 1914. The soldier in the foreground is playing with a kangaroo, the regimental mascot.

After the withdrawal from Gallipoli, the battalion returned to Egypt. The battalion was split to help form the 49th Battalion and was later brought up to strength with reinforcements. In March 1916, it sailed to France and deployed to the Somme. The battalion's first major action in France was at Pozières in July 1916, it was during this action that Private John Leak earned the battalion's only Victoria Cross during the war.^[5] Later the battalion fought at Ypres, in Belgium, before returning to the Somme in winter.

In 1918 the battalion helped to stop the German spring offensive in March and April, before participating in the great Allied offensive of 1918 that eventually brought about an end to the war, launched near Amiens on 8 August 1918.^[5] The battalion returned to Australia in November 1918 having suffered 1,094 killed and 2,422 wounded and on 5 February 1919, the 9th and 10th Battalions were amalgamated.^[5]

Between the wars

Following the end of World War I the 9th Infantry Regiment (Moreton Regiment) was formed, of which the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment was formed from the 9th Battalion, AIF, while the 2nd Battalion was formed from the previously existing militia unit known as the 7th Infantry (The Moreton Regiment).^[4] In 1919 the Army Council Instruction Number 444 ordered that all Australian Military Forces would in future carry AIF Battle Honours. That same year the Battalion provided a Royal Guard to King George V. In 1921 the 9th Infantry Regiment became the 9th Battalion (Moreton Regiment), following an amalgamation of the 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment and the 5th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment.^[4][6] In 1930, the Battalion linked with the 15th Battalion (Oxley Regiment), becoming the 9th/15th Battalion until 1934 and then linking with the 49th Battalion, becoming the 9th/49th Battalion until the outbreak of the Second World War.^[4][6]

World War II

Following Australia's declaration of war on September 1939 the 9th/49th Battalion as it was then known was immediately separated into two independent battalions.^[6] The 9th Battalion was placed into the 7th Brigade, as part of the 3rd Division. Due to Australia's ban on conscripts serving overseas a Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) was formed.^[7] The battalions of this force were largely drawn out of the militia battalions, and the units of 2nd AIF were distinguished from their militia counterparts by adding a '2/' in front of the numeral that indicated the battalion.^[8] The 2/9th Battalion was created from volunteers for overseas service from the 9th Battalion, although the 2/9th was independent from the militia unit, serving as a part of 18th Brigade in North Africa, New Guinea and on Borneo.^[9] The 2/9th was disbanded at the end of the war, however, its battle honours live on in 9 RQR.^[4]

The 9th Battalion, AMF, as the militia unit became commonly known performed garrison duty in Australia from 1939 until 1942 where as part of the 7th Brigade, they moved to the Milne Bay area of New Guinea in response to a perceived threat of a Japanese landing.^[6] The battalion was involved in heavy fighting with Japanese forces during the Battle of Milne Bay. From late 1943 to early 1944 the 9th Battalion was in the Donadabu area and later that year moved to Bougainville and was involved in heavy fighting at Artillery Ridge, Little George Hill and Pearl Ridge and later at Mosiegetta, Hongorai River and Puriata River until the Japanese surrender.^[6]

With the end of the war, the 9th Battalion was demobilised on 12 December 1945 having suffered 31 killed and 76 wounded.^[6]

Post World War II

The 9th Battalion, The Moreton Regiment, was recreated in 1948 under the Voluntary Training Scheme and in 1954 the battalion again provided a Royal Guard, this time for Elizabeth II.^[4] In 1960, when the Australian Army adopted the Pentropic divisional structure, the old regional regimental system was changed to a state based regimental system, the result being the creation of the Royal Queensland Regiment.^[10] Initially, all existing Queensland battalions were grouped into the 1st Battalion, based in Southern Queensland and the 2nd Battalion, in Northern Queensland.^[4] For five years the 9th Battalion was known as 1 RQR, however, this was changed after it was decided to abandon the use of the Pentropic system and the battalions were reinstated with their original numerals.^[4][11]

In more recent times, members of the Battalion have deployed to East Timor and Bougainville as UN peacekeepers, the Solomon Islands contributing to the RAMSI mission and to RAAF Butterworth on rotation as Rifle Company Butterworth.^[4]

Lineage

1867–1879: The Spring Hill and Fortitude Valley Rifle Corps
1879–1885: 1st Queensland (Moreton) Regiment
1885–1903: 1st Queenslanders (The Moreton Regiment)
1903–1912: 9th Australian Infantry Regiment (Moreton Regiment)
1912–1918: 7th Infantry (Moreton Regiment)
1918–1921: 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment (The Moreton Regiment)
1921–1930: 9th Battalion (The Moreton Regiment)
1930–1934: 9th/15th Battalion (Moreton and Oxley Regiment)
1934–1940: 9th/49th Battalion (Moreton and Stanley Regiment)
1940–1945: 9th Battalion (The Moreton Regiment)
1948–1960: 9th Battalion (The Moreton Regiment)
1960–1965: 'A' Coy, 1st Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment
1965–Present: 9th Battalion, The Royal Queensland Regiment.^[4]

Current structure

The 9th Battalion today is made up of the following companies:

• A Company, at Caboolture and Yandina
• B Company, at Enoggera
• C Company, at Loganlea
• D Company, at Bundaberg, Maryborough and Gympie
• Administration Company, at Enoggera

Battalion Headquarters is located at Enoggera. 9 RQR no longer has a Support Company, which was disbanded in 2002.

The current (2009–2011) commanding officer of 9 RQR is LTCOL Michael Bond.

Battle honours

The following list is the battle honours carried by the 9th Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment:^[12]

• The Boer War: South Africa 1899–1902.
• World War I: Somme 1916–18; Pozieres; Baupaume 1917; Bullecourt; Messines 1917; Ypres 1917; Menin Road; Polygon Wood; Broonseinde; Poelcappelle; Passchendaele; Ancre 1918; Villers Bretonneux; Lys; Hazebrouck; Kemmel; Hamel; Amiens; Albert 1918; Mont St Quentin; Hindenburg Line; Epehy; St Quentin Canal; Beaurevoir; France and Flanders 1916–18; Anzac; Landing at Anzac; Defence of Anzac; Suvla; Sari Bair; Gallipoli 1915; Egypt 1915–16.^[5]
• World War II: North Africa 1941; Giarabub; Defence of Tobruk; The Salient 1941; Syria 1941; Syrian Frontier; Merjayun; Jezzine; Chehim and Rharife; Damour; Mazraat Ach Chouf; Hill 1069; Badarene; South West Pacific 1942–45; Kokoda Trail; Ioribaiwa; Eora Creek- Templeton's Crossing II; Oivi-Gorara; Buna–Gona; Gona; Cape Endiaadere-Sinemi Creek; Sanananda-Cape Killerton; Milne Bay; Mount Tembu; Tembu Bay; Komistum; Lae-Nadzab; Lae Road; Liberation of Australian New Guinea; Ramu Valley; Shaggy Ridge; Finisterres; Tsimba Ridge; Bonis-Porton; Artillery Hill; Pearl Ridge; Mawaraka; Mosiegetta; Puriata River; Darara; Slaters Knoll; Hongorai River; Mivo Ford; Borneo; Balikpapan; Milford Highway.^[6]

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} Johnson 1975.
2. ^ Grey 2008, p. 58.
3. ^ Grey 2008, p. 72.
4. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j} "9th Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment". Digger History. http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-army-today/state-regts/9rqr.htm. Retrieved 2009-05-07. 
5. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "Unit Information – 9th Battalion, AIF, WWI". Australian War Memorial. http://www.awm.gov.au/units/unit_11196.asp. Retrieved 2009–03–25. 
6. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} "Unit Information – 9th Battalion (Moreton Regiment), AMF, WWII". Australian War Memorial. http://www.awm.gov.au/units/unit_21783.asp. Retrieved 2009-03-25. 
7. ^ Grey 2008, p. 146.
8. ^ Dennis et al 2008, p. 64.
9. ^ Spencer 1999.
10. ^ Grey 2008, p. 228.
11. ^ Grey 2008, p. 239.
12. ^ This list includes the battle honours of 9th Battalion, AIF, the 9th Battalion (Moreton Regiment), AMF, and the 2/9th Battalion, 2nd AIF.

References

• Anderson, Peter. (1987). Moreton Regiment, 1886: First Regiment of Queensland. Published by Peter Anderson. ISBN 1-86252-648-6.
• Dennis, Peter; Grey, Jeffrey; Morris, Ewan; & Prior, Robin. (eds.) (2009). The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History. 2nd Edition. Oxford University Press: Melbourne. ISBN 978-0-19-551784-2.
• Dickens, Gordon. (2006). Never Late: The 2/9th Australian Infantry Battalion 1939–1945. Australian Military History Publications. ISBN 1-87643-947-5.
• Grey, Jeffrey. (2008). A Military History of Australia. 3rd Edition. Oxford University Press: Melbourne. ISBN 978-0521-69791-0.
• Johnson, D.H. (1975). Volunteers at Heart: The Queensland Defence Forces, 1860–1901. University of Queensland Press. ISBN 0-70220-836-1.
• Spencer, Bill. (1999). In the Footsteps of Ghosts: With the 2/9th Battalion in the African Desert and Jungles of the Pacific. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-145-0.

External links

• Official Battalion site
• 9 RQR at Digger History
• 9th Battalions Association Inc.