Description

Description: Australian Army Staff College – Badge

Maker’s Name: N/A

Condition: Very Good

Comments: Australian Army Staff College – Badge. A small (collar badge size – 2.5 cm in height)) badge issued to students at the Australian Army Staff College. No lugs or maker’s name on back. A very scarce badge.

On 8 July 1938, the Command and Staff School was officially opened in Sydney. Twenty-nine Major Generals, Brigadiers, and Colonels attended the first course of one-week duration.

In October 1940 the Command and Staff School moved to Duntroon, ACT. The School had its own training staff and was responsible to Army Headquarters. The first courses conducted at Duntroon were of 12 weeks duration.

On 15 April 1942 the School renamed as the Staff School (Australia). It was amalgamated with the Royal Military College under the one command. In August 1942 the School was divided into two wings: the Senior Wing for Grade 1 appointments; and the Junior Wing for Grade 2 appointments.

At the end of World War II, the Federal Government decided to increase the strength of the post-war Regular Army and Cabinet gave approval for the establishment of a Staff College in Australia. On 27 February 1946, the Staff School (Australia) was re-named the Australian Staff College. Authority was given to raise the College and to locate it at Fort Queenscliff. Because the Fort was not ready for immediate occupation, a temporary home was found for the College, in June 1946, at the School of Infantry, Seymour Victoria.

On 26 October 1946, the advance party of the College arrived at Fort Queenscliff and the first staff course to be conducted at the new College began in January 1947.

An officer from the Indian Army attended No 10 Course of the Staff School. Other overseas representation at the Australian Staff College began in 1948 when two officers from the United Kingdom and one from Canada attended. Since then, students from Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, Federal Republic of Germany, Fiji, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, United Arab Emirate, United Kingdom, and the United States have attended. At least one student from the RAAF and one from the Australian Public Service have attended almost all Courses since 1952. A total of 1788 students had graduated from the Australian Staff College at Fort Queenscliff by December 1981.

Only in November 1979, after much thought and discussion, was it decided that the Australian Army Staff College would have a permanent home at Fort Queenscliff.

On 1 January 1982, the College was renamed the Command and Staff College. This reflected the new aim of the Course which included both command and staff aspects. New support facilities were opened at Crow’s Nest Barracks in 1985 and work began in 1986 on the new instruction block at Fort Queenscliff.

On 29 January 1988, the new Military Instructional Facility (MIF) was officially opened by the then Chief of the General Staff (CGS). The MIF features a lecture hall, a model room, syndicate rooms, computer centre, and library. Major rebuilding of the Officers Mess and Mess Accommodation was completed in mid-1990. By December 1996, 1224 officers had graduated from the Command and Staff College.

The last course conducted under single service auspices, graduated in December 2000, thus bringing to a close a successful 62 years of Command and Staff College operation.