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31RQR’s
new colours paraded
- By Cpl Belinda Mepham
North Queensland Reporter
- Army Newspaper
31RQR’s distinguished
history has been recognised with the presentation of a new
Queen’s and Regimental colours.
In a ceremony in the Strand
park in Townsville on March 6, 2003, the north
Queensland-based General Reserve Infantry Regiment was
presented with new Queen's and Regimental Colours, a symbol of
the unit’s pride in its 20 battle honours awarded for acts of
gallantry and heroism.
CO 31RQR Lt-Col Mick Reilly
said it was a rare honour to receive new colours.
“The significance of this
event is reflected in the camaraderie of the Regiment this week.
It is not often the whole
Regiment can be in the same place at the same time.“ |
| The
support and fellowship of the Townsville community has been
second to none and we are thrilled to share these battle honours
on parade with them,” he said. |
The new Colours, presented by
Queensland Governor Maj-Gen Peter Arnison, replace those presented to
31RQR in 1968. see below
- The new Queen’s Colours bear the Battle Honours
for
- Defence of Tobruk,
- Merjayun,
- Cape Endaiadere-Sinemi
Creek,
- Tsimba Ridge,
- Milne Bay,
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- Borneo,
- Syria 1941,
- Kokoda Trail,
- the Liberation of Australia
New Guinea and
- Balikpapan.
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- The Regimental Colours bear the Battle Honours
- South Africa,
- Bullecourt,
- Menin Road,
- Passchendale,
- Amiens,
- Landing at Anzac,
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- Pozieres,
- Ypres 1917,
- Polygon Wood,
- Ancre 1918 and
- Hindenburg Line.
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Also known as the Kennedy Regiment,
31RQR’s history can be traced back to 1881 as the Volunteer
Independent Rifle Companies in Townsville, Charters Towers and
Ravenswood. The unit has changed names several time since then but has
always been based in North Queensland.
Lt-Col Reilly said the ceremony to
present new colours is a time- consuming exercise. “We managed to
complete the ceremony in a little under two hours, we could not have
done this so well without the fantastic support from the Padres and 1RAR
Band.”
The week before the parade, 31RQR
grouped in Townsville for a military-skills competition and urban
training at the MOUT facility in the High Range Training Area. |
