51st Battalion, Far North Queensland Regiment

The 51st Battalion, Far North Queensland Regiment (51 FNQR) is an Australian Army Reserve Regional Force Surveillance Unit headquartered at Porton Barracks in Cairns. The battalion's primary role is to conduct reconnaissance and surveillance tasks in support of border security operations. Its area of operations includes the Torres Strait (especially Australia's border with Papua New Guinea) and the Cape York littoral environment. Additional tasks for 51FNQR include the collection and collation of military geographic information as well as community engagement and disaster relief operations.

Soldiers in the unit are cross-trained in a variety of "low-visibility" skills such as weapons, survival, sniping, medical, small boat handling, driving, tracking, air operations. It is the only battalion of the Far North Queensland Regiment, and draws its lineage from an Australian Imperial Force (AIF) light infantry battalion, which was raised for service during World War I.

History

World War I

The 51st Battalion was originally raised in Egypt in early 1916 as part of the reorganisation and expansion of the AIF following the Gallipoli campaign. This was achieved by transferring cadres of experienced personnel predominately from units of the 1st Division to the newly formed battalions and combining them with recently recruited personnel who had been dispatched as reinforcements from Australia. The unit's first intake of personnel were drawn from men originating from Western Australia, many of whom had already served with the 11th Battalion during the fighting in Turkey. As a result, at the time of its formation, it inherited the battle honour awarded to the mounted infantry from Western Australia who served during the Second Boer War. the battalion—as part of the 13th Brigade attached to the 4th Australian Division—sailed for France, arriving in Marseille on 12 June 1916. where they suffered 389 casualties in two days of fighting. and it was out of the line training when the Armistice was declared on 11 November 1918, effectively bring an end to the war. before being disbanded on 5 May 1919. and 50 officers and 1,643 other ranks wounded or captured.

Members of the battalion received the following decorations: one Victoria Cross (VC), one Distinguished Service Order (DSO) with one Bar, one Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), 16 Military Crosses (MCs) with two Bars, 16 Distinguished Conduct Medals (DCMs), 122 Military Medals (MMs) with five Bars, eight Meritorious Service Medals (MSMs), 25 Mentions in Despatches (MIDs) and eight foreign awards. The battalion's sole VC recipient was Lieutenant Clifford Sadlier, who received the award for his actions during the attack on Villers-Bretonneux on 24/25 April 1918.

Inter war years

In 1921, Australia's part-time military force was reorganised. Where possible an effort was made to raise battalions in the locations from where they had drawn the majority of their personnel during the war. As a result, the battalion was reformed at this time at Subiaco in Western Australia, however, the following year it was moved to Launceston, Tasmania, and then to Sydney, in 1924, where it was attached to the 8th Brigade, which was part of the 1st Division. the battalion was twice amalgamated, firstly with the 30th Battalion in 1930, then with the 18th Battalion on 1 July 1935. In 1936, the two battalions were unlinked and on 1 October, the 51st Battalion, Far North Queensland Regiment was re-raised at Cairns, Queensland, At this time Major (later Lieutenant Colonel) Hubert Harris was appointed commanding officer of the battalion.

World War II

The battalion was a Militia unit at the outbreak of World War II, attached to the 11th Brigade. After the government decided to raise a separate force, the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF), for service overseas due to the provisions of the Defence Act (1903) which precluded sending the Militia overseas to fight, many members of the Militia volunteered for service with the 2nd AIF. As a result, the 51st Battalion's numbers fell, As a result, the 51st Battalion was forced to amalgamate with the 31st Battalion, Kennedy Regiment on 12 April 1943. Following this, and a return to Australia, the battalion was then deployed to the Solomon Islands, where it saw its heaviest fighting of the war at Tsimba Ridge and Porton Plantation, on Bougainville. In 1960, following a reorganisation of the Army along Pentropic lines, the regiment was amalgamated yet again, with the 31st Battalion, Kennedy Regiment, and the 42nd Battalion, Capricornia Regiment, to become the 2nd Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment. This lasted five years, until the Citizens Military Force was reorganised again—the 2nd Battalion was split into its components, with the 51st becoming 51st Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment. A further reorganisation saw the number of battalions reduced; this led to the 51st becoming a single company known as the 51st Independent Rifle Company, Royal Queensland Regiment, in 1976. To extend this to the northern regions of Queensland, it was decided to reform the 51st Battalion. In 1985, the 51st Independent Rifle Company was removed from the order of battle of the Royal Queensland Regiment to become the 51st Battalion, Far North Queensland Regiment once again. The inaugural commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel (Kel)vin Ryan.

On 1 March 2010, 51FNQR became part of the re-raised 6th Brigade. It is currently composed of reservists supported by a cadre of regular personnel. On 4 October 2018, all three RFSUs were grouped together as part of a new formation headquarters, the Regional Force Surveillance Group. The new formation came into being at a parade held at Larrakeyah Barracks in Darwin.

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Locations

51 FNQR is located throughout Far North Queensland, including:

Headquarters 51 FNQR – Porton Barracks, Cairns
Alpha Company – Porton Barracks, Cairns
Bravo Company – Weipa
Charlie Company – Thursday Island, Torres Strait
Delta Company – Mt Isa
Operations Support Company – Porton Barracks, Cairns
Training Company – Porton Barracks, Cairns -->

Battle honours

South Africa 1899–1902;
World War II: Liberation of Australian New Guinea, Tsimba Ridge, Bonis–Porton, South West Pacific 1943–45.

Commanding officers

The following officers commanded the 51st Battalion during the World Wars:

World War I:
World War II:

Notes

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