5th Battalion

The

Royal Australian Regiment Association Inc.

Veterans of the 5th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment have stood tall, defending our values and freedoms and choosing to serve a cause greater than themselves. Their sacrifices have shaped our history and will continue to inspire future generations. In times of conflict and peace alike, veterans of 5 RAR have demonstrated what it means to be Australian - unity in adversity, and an unwavering commitment to justice and fairness and imbued with the 'ANZAC' Spirit. Their stories are woven into the fabric of our nation, a testament to their professional dedication. This website is dedicated to the officers and men of the 5th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment and in reverent memory of our mates who made the supreme sacrifice.

"Combat soldiers are an exclusive set, and if they want to be that way, it is their privilege."
-- William H. Mauldin, Up Front (1945)

5 RAR Roll of Honour *

We honour those soldiers of 5RAR who made the supreme sacrifice ... Lest We Forget

View Roll of Honour

Announcements & Updates

The major upgrade and redesign of the 5 RAR Association's website would have been very difficult without the support of the Department of Veterans' Affairs "Saluting Their Service Commemorative grants Program" and the financial support from the 5 RAR Association.

The redesign of the website has been a huge undertaking with, in excess of 2,000 pages and 20 years in development. Some sections of the upgrade are still a 'work in progress' and there are links that are not yet live; these will come online over time.
I thank the many members who saw the need to carry our history forward and who "walked over dead ground and relived it again."
And finally, it is a fitting tribute to the veterans of the 5 RAR Association who wrote articles and poetry of their personal experiences at war that the website has been selected for preservation by the Australian War Memorial and has been archived by the National Library of Australia as a site of historical importance as part of the Pandora Project.

Links that are 'Live' will now have a small asterisk placed beside the page title * so you will recognise the website pages that have been recreated and linked...
I thank you for your patience.

Members who have served with 5RAR, 5/7RAR, or a link with 5RAR Association and who are desirous of joining the Association, the Membership Application Form can be found in the 'MORE' section in the drop-down menu above.

Patrons *

Brigadier Colin Khan DSO AM (Retd)

Major General Justin ('Jake') Ellwood DSC AM CSC

Fifth Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment *

COMMANDING OFFICER
LTCOL. HUGH GROGAN.

Training Australia

COs Report
April 2024

Bravo Company Report
April 2024

Charlie Company Report
April 2024

Delta Company Report
April 2024

Logistics Company Report
April 2024

Support Company Report
No Report

5RAR Museum

Some of the Displays in the Museum

Adjutant's Cup

2016 Inaugural Adjutant's Cup awarded to LT. Tavis Harling

Warr/ Khan Trophy

2023 Warr/ Khan Trophy awarded to Corporal Josh Nash.

Robertson Barracks

Commanding Officer's Crystal Tiger

The Warr Room

Images of the Warr Room. Named in honour of the first CO to command the Battalion in the Vietnam War, Lt Col John Arnold Warr

Members *

The COs

LTCOL. Hugh Grogan

LTCOL. Chris Gilmore

LTCOL. Matthew Dirago

LTCOL. Travis Gordon CSM

LTCOL. Paul Shields MBE

LTCOL. Richard Barrett

LTCOL. Andrew Forbes

LTCOL. Darren Huxley DSC

LTCOL. Jake Ellwood DSC

LTCOL. Kevin E. Newman AO

LTCOL. John A. Hooper CBE

LTCOL. Graham O. Thompson

LTCOL. Colin Khan DSO AM

LTCOL. John A. Warr DSO

LTCOL. Peter H. G. Oxley OBE

The RSMs

WO1 B. Foster OAM CSM

WO2 R. G. Armitage BEM

WO1 C. R. Vagg

WO2 R. R. Burns

WO1 L.T. Foale

WO1 F. J. Glynn-Armstrong

Life Memberships

2020-Brig Colin Khan DSO AM (Retd)

2018-Gary Townsend

2017-COL Roger Wainwright OAM (Retd)

2015-Alan McNulty DCM

2015-Bruce Schmidtchen

Criteria for Life Membership

Honours & Awards *

Middle East

Republic of South Vietnam

On Active Service

Work in Progress

Watch Video

Battle of Binh Ba *

Prelude- Situated north of the 1st Australian Task Force base at Nui Dat on the western side of Route 2, the village of Binh Ba had a population of around three thousand people – mainly farmers and rubber plantation workers. Tidy and rectangular in shape, and mainly constructed of solid brick and tile, Binh Ba was well known to the Australians. Indeed during 5 RAR's first tour in Vietnam a rifle company and a mortar section had been briefly stationed within the village itself.

Find Out More

Stories from 5 RAR Veterans on active service *

Click Here

Gallery

Vietnam Image Gallery

View Gallery

Afghanistan Image Gallery

View Gallery

Iraq Image Gallery

View Gallery

Timor Leste Image Gallery

View Gallery

Poetry *

Verse from our Members

Ode of Rememberance

Health & Welfare

Open Arms

DVA Homefront

DVA Remedial Exercise Program

Strongyloides

Australian Defence Force Assistant Trust

Sub Unit Reunions

D Company 2nd Tour Reunion

C Company 2nd Tour Reunion

History

Command & Control *

The Guestbook has been reinstated so please take the time to sign as we are always interested in your comments. You can also post or view messages in the Message Forum.