Regimental Square is located at the intersection of George and Barrack Streets in the Sydney Central Business District. Here, there are plaques to the Royal Australian Regiment, the Darwin Mobile Force and the British Commonwealth Occupation Force.

The British colonies on continental Australia were initially  garrisoned by a force of British marines who were later replaced by the a small Colonial Force within each State as the States became self governing. Following the 1901 Federation whereby the States were combined into the Commonwealth of Australia, these colonial forces came under control of the new Federal Government  and gazetted as an Australian Military Force for the defence of the Commonwealth.

Prior to Federation there was, however, no standing army and the new AMF was to became the nucleus of a small regular army. World Wars 1 and 2 saw the raising of the First AIF and the Second AIF.

As the threat from Japanese expansion grew, the Darwin Mobile Force was raised in Sydney during 1938 for the defence of northern Australia, based at Darwin. Following WW2, the need for a small regular army was acknowledged resulting in the formation of the Australian Regiment, the core of which was drawn from the Australian contingent of the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces then stationed in Japan. King George VI granted the title Royal in 1948 as the Royal Australian Regiment.

The Royal Australian Regiment Memorial lists the theatres in which the RAR was served and honours those of the 7th , 8th and 9th Battalions RAR who made the supreme sacrifice during the Vietnam War.

 

Overall view of the main section of the square.

 

Close-up of the main section.

 

Close-up of the main section.

 

Close-up of the main section.

(All photos and text courtesy of Peter F. Williams)
© 2009 Peter F. Williams all rights reserved