8th/9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=8th/9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment


caption=Badge of the Royal Australian Regiment
country=Australia
allegiance=
type=Infantry
branch=Army
dates=31 October 1973 - 18 June 1997
31 October 2007 -
specialization=Motorised Infantry
command_structure=Australian 7th Brigade
size=
current_commander=
garrison=Enoggera Barracks, Brisbane, Queensland
ceremonial_chief=HM The Queen (Australian Infantry Corps)
ceremonial_chief_label=Colonel-in-Chief
nickname=
motto="Duty First"
colors=
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_label=Unit Colour Patch
march="The Brown and Grey Lanyard"
mascot=Merino Ram named "John MacArthur" (aka "Stan the Ram")
battles=
notable_commanders=Peter Leahy
anniversaries=

The 8th/9th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (8/9 RAR) is an Australian Army infantry battalion.

The battalion lanyard is coloured slate grey and beech brown and these colours are used elsewhere in sporting uniforms and the like. The official battalion march is "The Brown and Grey Lanyard" but the unofficial march is "Black Bear" with a boisterous 'OY' inserted in the appropriate places.

The battalion mascot was a stud merino ram called officially John Macarthur, named for the Australian wool pioneer but known affectionately to the diggers as 'Stan the Ram'.

Former Chief of Army Lieutenant-General Peter Leahy is a past Commanding Officer of the battalion.

History

8/9 RAR was formed on 31 October 1973 by linking 8th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment and 9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment

Throughout its history 8/9 RAR was based at Enoggera Barracks in Brisbane and formed part of the 6th Brigade

In 1992, the battalion took on the role of a Ready Reserve unit. Ready Reserve soldiers were posted to the battalion for a 12 month full time period and 4 years part time after. The Ready Reserve was abolished by the incoming Howard government in 1996.

8/9 RAR was disbanded on 18 June 1997.

On 24 August 2006 Prime Minister John Howard announced that the battalion would be re-raised under a new plan to increase the size of the Army. The battalion would continue to be called the 8/9th battalion. The battalion will be based in South East Queensland. On 2 Oct 2007 the Australian Government announced that 8/9 RAR would be re-raised to be deployable by 2010.cite news
title = Another Army battalion for Brisbane
url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/10/02/2049222.htm
publisher = Australian Broadcasting Corporation
date = 2007-10-02
accessdate = 2007-10-20 ]

The Battalion has since established the nucleus of BHQ including CO, OPSO, ADJT and Chief Clerk at the Battalion's old lines in Enoggera.

COL Iain Cruickshank, DSM, CSC is expected to be named as Colonel Commandant by the end of 2007.

8th/9th Battalion Association

The Battalion Associtation [http://www.89rarassociation.org.au] was created to perpetuate the memory of the unit when it was initially disbanded in 1997. With resurrection in 2007, the association now serves as the conduit for past, present and future members.

Alliances

*GBR - The Parachute Regiment

References

* Diggerhistory.com [http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-army-today/rar-sasr/8_9_rar.htm 8/9th Bn RAR HISTORY]
*