Description

Description: Barracks Patch – 12th/16th Hunter River Lancers (Current issue).

Condition: Mint

Comments: Barracks Patch – 12th/16th Hunter River Lancers (Current issue). Complete with velcro backing.

The 12th/16th Hunter River Lancers is an Australian Army Reserve light armoured regiment. It was formed on 1 May 1948, although it draws its lineage from units that were originally formed in the 1880s. It is currently a Light Cavalry Scout unit and equipped with Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles. The regiment forms part of the 8th Brigade, attached to the 2nd Division and draws its members from regional centres in northern New South Wales, hence the reference to the Hunter River. In recent years the Regiment has provided individuals as reinforcements to round-out Regular Army units deploying overseas on peacekeeping operations and in the current conflict in Afghanistan.

In 1948 the 12/16 Hunter River Lancers was raised as part of the Citizen Military Forces and equipped with Matilda tanks. The first camp was held in February 1948 and the regiment was the first to go into camp since 1945. Regimental Headquarters was located at Muswellbrook with tank squadrons in Tamworth and Armidale. In the following years Regimental HQ was moved to Tamworth and the regiment was reorganised in the reconnaissance role and armed with a variety of vehicles including Staghound and Ferret armoured cars. In the 1960s the regiment was again reorganised, this time as an Armoured Personnel Carrier regiment equipped with Humber 4 x 4 trucks and M3 Scout Cars. In 1967 the first of the M113A1 APCs was received. In 1976 the regiment received M113A1 Medium Reconnaissance Vehicles and adopted a medium reconnaissance role. 12/16 HRL reverted to the APC role in 1987, a role which it maintained until 2005 when it was announced that 12/16 HRL would become a Light Cavalry Regiment, being equipped with new Bushmaster PMVs.

Since 2000 many members of the regiment have been attached to regular RAAC units and seen active service in East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan. In September 2007 the Regiment received 15 Bushmasters.