The 1st Commando Regiment (1 Cdo Regt) is an Australian Army Reserve special forces unit and is part of Special Operations Command. The regiment has an integrated structure of regular (full-time) Australian Army soldiers and reserve (part-time) soldiers. 1st and 2nd Commando Companies were raised in 1955 and were combined with 126 Signal Squadron (SF) in 1981 to form the 1st Cdo Regt. The regiment's two commando companies are the oldest sub-units within Special Operations Command. In 2008, the regiment deployed to Afghanistan to become the first Australian Army Reserve force element on combat operations since World War II. The regiment is the Command's capability lead for Special Warfare.
Role The primary role of 1st Commando Regiment is Special Warfare. It specialises in unconventional warfare, intelligence gathering and working in small teams alongside regional partners.
In the early to mid 2020s, the regiment transitioned its primary role to special warfare following a review of Special Operations Command (SOCOMD). The regiment's primary role had been the conduct of large scale offensive operations and it had been trained and equipped to carry out commando operations up to company strength. One of its roles had always been the ability to carry out special warfare operations such as training regional partners and supporting indigenous forces.
During the period from the early 2000s to the early 2010s, combat operations and the evolution of the commando role changed the character of the regiment. The regiment revised reserve training following combat operations, to align training standards with the full-time 2nd Commando Regiment (2 Cdo Regt), and to provide a higher level of readiness for the regiment, however, this affected recruitment due to the long full-time commitment and became optional.
The regiment revised its training after its primary role changed to Special Warfare and introduced a special warfare training course for both full-time and reserve soldiers. The colour of its beret was changed to khaki to reflect its new primary role.
History Origins
Derived from the South African/Dutch word used by the Boers identifying their irregular sized raiding forces employed against the British during the South African Wars, the term "commando" was adopted by newly formed British raiding forces during World War II, and subsequently used by Australian special units raised to fight in the South-west Pacific and Indian Oceans. By the close of World War II, Australian special forces units included the Independent Companies (later Commando Squadrons), Z Special Unit under Special Operations Australia and M Special Unit under Allied Intelligence Bureau.
By the early 1950s, it was deemed necessary by the Army to maintain the techniques and skills that had been developed during the war. Consequently, on 16 September 1954, the Military Board issued the authority to raise two Citizen Military Force (CMF)The name of the CMF was changed to Australian Army Reserve in 1980. commando companies: the 1 Commando Company (1 Cdo Coy) in Sydney and the 2 Commando Company (2 Cdo Coy) in Melbourne. Both would be commanded by regular army officers and regular army would form the training and administrative cadre. The companies were to be independent of each other and report to different commands.
The established strength for the companies was to be 265 all ranks, consisting of one major, five captains (three of them platoon commanders), six sergeants and 241 other ranks. This establishment was very similar to the Independent Companies of World War II, which had had an establishment of 17 officers and 256 other ranks.
1 Cdo Coy was raised at Victoria Barracks, Sydney, in New South Wales on 24 February 1955, moving to lower Georges Height's later that year; however, the officer commanding, Major William Harold (Mac) Grant decided that the official birthday would be their first parade on Friday 15 July 1955 at Victoria Barracks. Major Grant was a World War II commando veteran having served in the 2/5 Independent Company and 2/12th Commando Squadron. 2 Cdo Coy was raised in Victoria on 24 February 1955 under the command of Major Peter Seddon and first paraded on 7 July 1955. Seddon was appointed for only 12 months with his successor to be Major Jack Anderson.
In October 1955, Grant and Anderson, along with two Warrant Officers Class II Ernie Tarr and Ron Smith, travelled to the United Kingdom to train with the Royal Marines (RM). At the same time, two RM sergeants Mac McDermott and Len Holmes, the latter being Special Boat Service (SBS) trained, travelled to Australia to provide commando training with Holmes-based with 1 Cdo Coy and McDermott with 2 Cdo Coy. Anderson was drowned during the last week of the basic commando course and was replaced by Major John Hutcheson. In May 1956, Grant and Hutcheson returned to Australia after six months of training having been awarded the green beret by 42 Commando. Tarr and Smith undertook 12 months of training, including with the Cliff Assault Wing and the SBS, returning to Australia in November 1956 to become training instructors.
Grant has said that the defence planning staff convinced the government to form the commando companies with the role "...of conducting clandestine operations similar to those mounted by special operations also those of the Independent Companies/Commando Squadrons. It was envisaged that by raising units capable of performing such a dual role, a pool of trained manpower would be available to be "farmed off" as necessary to a special operations unit while the remainder would be used in more conventional commando operations." The Australian Secret Intelligence Service had earlier been formed in 1952 within the Department of Defence whose role included ".. plan for and conduct special operations..".
Commando courses included basic parachutist, diving, small scale raids, demolitions, climbing and roping and unarmed combat. 1 Cdo Coy held the first diving course in November/December 1957 using a pure oxygen re-breather the Swimmer Canoeist Breathing Apparatus borrowed from the Navy based on training received from the SBS.
In 1957, as the unit already had the designation "1st" within its title, the Army thought it would be a convenient framework on which to re-form the Australian Imperial Force's 1st Battalion. So on 1 December 1957 the unit was re-designated the 1st Infantry Battalion (Commando), keeping this title until 22 August 1966 when the unit was renamed the 1st Battalion, The Royal New South Wales Regiment (Commando), City of Sydney's Own Regiment. Finally in May 1973 the unit name at last changed back to the former designation of the 1 Commando Company. In 1958, the 1st Commando Company provided the initial training for the recently formed 1st Special Air Service Company, the Royal Australian Regiment.
On the evening of 17 February 1960, 74 commandos from 2 Cdo Coy set off in kayaks, amphibious DUKW (ducks) and zodiacs on a training exercise from Point Lonsdale to Point Nepean in Victoria simulating a raid on the Officer Cadet School (OCS), Portsea, which involved them crossing the infamous Rip at the entrance to Port Phillip Bay. The weather changed without warning and the watercraft were swept out to sea through the Port Phillip Heads encountering massive seas that capsized most watercraft. Nearly all commandos were rescued except three who drowned. 2nd Commando Company developed a Mountain Leader's Course in ski patrolling, as well as rock, ice and snow climbing.
In 1968, 2 Cdo Coy moved to Fort Gellibrand at Williamstown from Ripponlea. The company had originally been based at Sandringham then sometime between 1957 and 1958 moved to HMAS Cerberus before moving to Ripponlea in 1958.
301st and 126th Signal Squadrons The requirement for long-range communications can be traced back to WWII and units such as Coastwatchers, New Guinea Air Warning Wireless Company, the Independent Companies, and Z Special Unit. On 30 April 1958, a decision was made to raise No 1 Independent Signals Squadron to support clandestine operations and this led to the formation of 301st Signal Squadron (Home Defence) in 1960 at Lidcombe, New South Wales. This new squadron was to meet the requirement for 'special communications' and was charged with the responsibility of providing long-range communications for commando-type operations and was augmented with regular army members in 1963. In December 1964, 301st Signal Squadron was re-designated 126th Signal Squadron, later to 126th Signal Squadron (Special Forces) in January 1966 and subsequently relocated to Albert Park, Victoria and in 1972 to Simpson Barracks in Watsonia, Victoria. Women had been serving in the signals squadron since 1964 as cipher clerks and from 1968 as radio operators. In 1978, the signals squadron was provided with approval to wear the green beret with the Corps of Signals badge. In 1981, signaller Kerry Hiam became the first woman to qualify and be awarded a green beret.
Borneo and Vietnam Prior to formation as a regiment, the sub units deployed individuals and small teams to the Borneo confrontation and the Vietnam War. During the Borneo confrontation, Sergeant Ted Blacker of 126th Signal Squadron (Special Forces) was awarded the British Empire Medal. From 1965 the Commando Companies contributed numerous instructors, including from their reserve part-time component, to the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV). Two lost their lives with the AATTV, with Warrant Officer Class II John Durrington being killed in action, and Warrant Officer Class II Ron Scott dying of wounds. Whilst serving with the AATTV, Warrant Officer Class II Ray Simpson, formerly from both the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) and the 1st Commando Company, was awarded the Victoria Cross for an action in the Kontum Province on 6 May 1969.
Formation of Regimental Headquarters All sub-units operated independently, training Army Reserve commandos and special forces signalers until 1981 when it was determined a regimental headquarters was required. This headquarters would coordinate the efforts of the previously independent units and provide the east coast command element for the newly established counter-terrorist capability within the SASR. The headquarters was established on 1 February 1981 and from 1 July 1981 was based at Randwick Barracks in Randwick, New South Wales. 126 Signal Squadron (Special Forces) was renamed 126 Signal Squadron.
In 1991, a 1 Cdo Coy commando who had joined the British Army Special Air Service was in the well-known Bravo Two Zero patrol in Iraq as part of Operation Desert Storm.
In 1992, 126 Signal Squadron qualified signallers were given approval to wear the commando badge.
Commencing in February 1997, 1 Cdo Regt provided the initial training for the re-role of the 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (4RAR) from an infantry battalion into commando 4RAR (Cdo) raising the Commando Training Wing (the predecessor to the Special Forces Training Centre) commanded by Major Hans Fleer.
In July 1997, three women officers, Lieutenants Fellows, Warren-Smith and Woods, became the first women to complete the commando officer selection course. The women were barred from serving in combat roles.
In 1998, the Army dropped plans to raise a third reserve company in Queensland for the regiment due to a lack of resources.
In September 1999, 126 Signal Squadron became an independent unit providing support to 1 Cdo Regt and 4RAR Cdo reporting directly to Headquarters Special Operations. In 2000, the squadron transitioned to a Regular Army unit based at Holsworthy Barracks under the command of 4RAR Cdo. In June 2002, 301 Signal Squadron was re-raised at Randwick Barracks to provide communications and information systems and electronic warfare to facilitate the command and control of special operations conducted by the regiment.