POSTED 2 FEBRUARY 2026
The Award of the Distinguished Service Medal (DSM)
to Colonel John Richard James (Retd)
LT John James 1969 - '70
The 5 RAR Association has just been advised that our esteemed member, Colonel John Richard James (Retd) has been awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his leadership at the Battle of Hat Dich on the 21st August 1969.
The 5 RAR Association congratulates Colonel James (Retd) on this most worthy award.
To read the citation for the award
To read Colonel David Wilkins OAM (Retd) detailed analysis of the battle of Hat Dich
POSTED 24 JANUARY 2026
Last Post Ceremoney 2nd lieutenant Kerry P. Rinkin
217479 2nd Lieutenant. Kerry P. Rinkin
We have been advised that second lieutenant Kerry Rinkin who died of wounds during the battalion's first tour 1966 -'67 will be honoured at the Australian War Memorial's Last Posted Ceremony on the 7th April 2026.
The Last Post Ceremony is a daily act of remembrance held at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra at 4:30 pm AEDT, honouring one individual named on the Roll of Honour and closing the Memorial each evening with a solemn tribute. Each ceremony tells the life story of one of the 103,087 Australians listed on the Roll of Honour.
- The ceremony is livestreamed daily on the Australian War Memorial’s dedicated channel at 4:30 pm AEDT
Information about the Last Post Ceremony is available on the AWM web site at : https://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/last-post-ceremony
To view other 5RAR soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice and were honoured at the Last Post Ceremony click here:
https://5rar.asn.au/last-post-ceremony/
More on the Last Post Ceremony
POSTED 23 DECEMBER 2025
IF YOU HEAR OF AN EX-TIGER DYING
If you hear of an ex-Tiger passing away, could please inform me immediately on 0412 767 975. This needs to be done as I have to apply to the ADF Records to obtain the Statement of Service (SoS) of the deceased person.
If the soldier already has had a funeral service, the only person who can apply is the Next of Kin and that complicates the process for me. To be able to produce an obituary of the deceased person, I will need the SoS to write and publish the obituary.
Gary Townsend
Membership Officer
POSTED 24 JULY 2025
173rd Airborne Brigade National Memorial Foundation
Has been added to the '5 RAR Historical Archive' section.
The memorial recognises the Australian and New Zealanders who were Killed in Action serving with the brigade during the Vietnam War.
You can access it from here
POSTED 16 JULY 2025
Iraq Image Gallery
Several images have been added to the gallery— Looking for more from our Iraq veterans.
POSTED 4 DECEMBER 2024
The Relinking of the 5th and 7th Battalions RAR
Has been moved to the '5 RAR Historical Archive page HERE
POSTED 18 AUGUST 2024
IMAGE GALLERIES
Have commenced the recreation of the image galleries and and have created the Timor-Leste gallery and the Iraq gallery. Unfortunately the images in the two galleries that were sent to us did not include any details (photographer/s unknown). If you were the person taken the photographs or if anyone can supply detail of any of the images could you please contact me. (The email address is included on those pages.)