As the title suggests 7RAR for me personally really is an old friend, and although never having served in 7RAR, I have had a very strong connection with the Battalion since 1967. That’s a 57-year relationship which all started when the newly formed 7RAR was to relieve 5RAR after its first tour of duty in Vietnam at Nui Dat. The advance party was first to arrive led by the CO Lt. Col Eric Smith, and a formal, well as formal as it can be in the circumstances, joint officers dining in-night was held as a part of the official handover. Unbeknown to us before the arrival of the advance party, we discovered that the Battalion mascot was a “Pig”, and the Recon Platoon not being able to contain themselves, bartered with a local farmer to secure a small piglet, to make 7RAR feel more at home. The diggers nicknamed the piglet “Wormald” (the reasons I can’t declare) which resided in the platoon commanders fighting pit, when not socially engaged with the platoon. On the night of the dining in night, the platoon under the cover of darkness took the pig up to the large WW2 canvas tent where the dining in night was being held and at the appropriate time, released the pig under the tent flap to socialize with the officers. It still brings tears to my eyes laughing, to recall the spectacle of this pig being chased around the tables and chairs by all and sundry without success, until it alighted on Lt Col Smiths lap. This brought the merriment to a crescendo much to the consternation of Lt Col Smith, the pig was caught and removed.
There was a pause, the gathering composed themselves, the 7RAR Officers all thought the 5RAR Officers were mad (a good observation) and the function got back to almost normal. Unbeknown to us all, Pioneer Platoon not to be outdone, after an hour or so crawled up outside the dining tent and let off some det cord explosions which to the uninitiated may sound a bit like a mortar attack and more merriment as 7RAR Officers took cover wherever they could and 5RAR officers on the ground with them, holding their bellies laughing. It was a hell of a night I will never forget, and it must have had an affect on 7RAR as they went on to have an outstanding tour of duty and delighted that my old Platoon Commander in 1RAR “Pud” Ross, one of the people who encouraged me to go to Portsea, was awarded a Military Cross for his actions on Operation Ballarat.
To keep the “pig theme” going the Recon Platoon painted the pig with tiger stripes and this decorated pig was officially presented to Lt Col Smith by CO 5RAR Lt Col John “Wingy” Warr on our departure.
Both 5RAR and 7RAR then went back to Vietnam for their second tours of duty and on return to Australia were both based at Holsworthy. The relationship and the banter between both Battalions continued, mostly on the sports field were 5RAR kicked butt in the rugby and 7RAR responded monumentally with Aussie Rules where they were far superior. Not withstanding the fierce competition on the sports field, there was a very healthy relationship amongst the officers and senior NCO’s where many had served in both Battalions and often visiting each other’s messes.
In December 1972, the Australian Government officially declared the end of its combat role in Vietnam. The withdrawal process was largely completed by early 1973, with all Australian troops returning home by 30 June. The decision was made to merge 5RAR and 7RAR and that was completed on a merger parade on 3 Dec 1973. For the old and bold of both Battalions this parade was bittersweet, but well above our pay grade, and we just had to get on with it and we did. This newly formed Battalion stayed on the order of battle till 3 December 2006, and as part of the expansion of the Australian Army, the 5th and 7th Battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment were delinked into two separate battalions once again
The newly formed 7RAR was relocated to “Horseshoe Lines “at Edinburgh in Adelaide in 2010/11. The Royal Australian Regiment Association (SA) Inc was delighted in this development and in my role was appointed by the State Government as a member of a committee that was to assist 7RAR relocate from Darwin to Adelaide. This is when the connection with 7RAR was re-established and the Battalion at that time under the command of Lt Col Shane Gabriel, set the scene where there has been an extremely strong bond between the Battalion and the RARA in SA since. The Battalion has been very supportive of our licensed club at functions, providing catafalque parties, diggers for legacy and poppy days, embracing the RARA for all the 7RAR commemoration ceremonies, strong representation on Anzac Day, whilst training for war and overseas deployments. The announcement that 7RAR and 5RAR were once again going to be merged initially was met by many who have been there before saying “not again” and so many those that had served in 7RAR in Vietnam, felt and rightfully so, that they were losing a member of the family. It hit everybody very hard when first announced but through good communication and the luxury of time and the reality, any anger or resentment has subsided. Lt Col Levon “Von” Lambert and his team have done an excellent job in difficult circumstances and have kept us all informed, how all are taking it. We have a recruiting problem and the last thing we need is to lose these excellent young soldiers and officers, and it would appear, that all is well. You must pay the leadership of the Battalion, and the head shed in Canberra in trying to accommodate where possible individuals’ preferences. Merging anything in the corporate world can be difficult and I would think in Defence no different and I am impressed how smoothly it seems to have gone, although I do have an image of the ducks smoothly moving along the lake, but the feet under the water going frantically. I was commissioned to merge two legal companies many years ago and we were almost there until it got to partners car parking where ego, order of graduation, seniority and spouse influence got in the way and the potential merger was abandoned. This you don’t need to worry about in the military but the emotions, unit history and pride, protecting one’s patch and place in it is not dissimilar but what I have seen from the outside, 7RAR has managed all this extremely well.
One thing we have learned in the Infantry and the Royal Australian Regiment we are all “half glass full” people. The RARA (SA) Inc has given an undertaking to 7RAR to hold their unit flag, which was flown on operations in Afghanistan, at our club room in trust, until 5/7RAR is once again de-linked and 7RAR is once again a stand-alone Battalion. It may not happen in my lifetime, but I wouldn’t be too sure of that. Different Governments have different views on all things Defence and military and who knows, but the unit flag is safe and ready to go.
In conclusion our bromance with the Battalion will not cease under the new merged Battalion as the colours of 7RAR will be paraded in a merged Battalion colour party. We are all going to miss 7RAR who during their time here in Adelaide have made a major contribution to the State, and every officer, NCO, and digger has been a wonderful ambassador for the Battalion, the Regiment, the Army and the Nation. 7RAR, your Duty is Done.
“Only by binding together as a single force will we remain strong and unconquerable”
Michael von Berg MC OAM
Recon Platoon 5RAR Vietnam 66/67
