Description
Description: 1st Commando Regiment Hat Badge – Anodised.
Maker’s Name: Unknown
Condition: Very Good Plus
Comments: 1st Commando Regiment Hat Badge – Anodised. Complete with 2 pins.
1st Commando Regiment is a reserve commando regiment of the Australian Army with a contingent of full-time cadre staff. It is part of the Australian Special Operations Command (SOCOMD).The Unit headquarters is located in Randwick, New South Wales. 1 Commando Company (1 Cdo Coy) is located in HMAS Penguin, Balmoral, NSW. 2 Commando Company (2 Cdo Coy) is located in the historic Fort Gellibrand at Williamstown, VIC.
301 Signal Squadron (301 Sig Sqn) has its headquarters at Randwick and elements of the squadron are located in Sydney and Melbourne with each Cdo Coy.
1st Commando Regiment is organised similarly to 2nd Commando Regiment (formerly, 4th Battalion the Royal Australian Regiment), which is a regular Commando unit also serving in SOCOMD. The commando companies are made up of a headquarters, three commando platoons, a reconnaissance platoon, a training platoon and integral combat service support elements.
The 1st Commando Regiment is a part of the Australian Special Forces. The term Commando is 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 adapted by newly formed British raiding forces during World War 2, and the name was subsequently used by Australian units raised to fight in the Pacific.
These centered around the Independent Companies and M Special Unit and Z Special Unit. 2 Commando Company was raised in Vic on 24 February 1955. 1 Commando Company were raised in NSW on 25 June 1955. Both functioned independently of each other until the forming of the 1st Commando Regiment on 1 February 1981. At the same time 126 Signal Squadron (Special Forces) were also brought under command of 1st Commando Regiment until in 1999 they were transferred to 4RAR (Cdo), 301 Signal Squadron was re-raised to provide communications support to the 1st Commando Regiment.
All Australian commandos wear the Sherwood green beret adopted from the British Commandos. It was first used by the Companies and later continued under 1 Commando Regiment. Prior to 1956, the unit wore the traditional Australian Rising Sun Badge. It was then decided to have a competition in which both 1 and 2 Company members could enter for a new design. The Officer Commanding 2 Company decided on a design by Warrant Officer Ronald Nordhoff, a dagger and boomerang, with the motto “Strike Swiftly”.
