Queensland University Regiment – Brass Collar Badge Pair 1960’s – 70’s

Description

Description: Queensland University Regiment – Brass Collar Badge Pair 1960’s – 70’s (Pins)

Maker’s Name: N/A

Condition: Very Good

Comments: Queensland University Regiment – Brass Collar Badge Pair 1960’s – 70’s. Complete with 2 pins .

Queensland University Regiment (QUR) is an officer training unit of the Australian Army Reserve, based on the campus of the University of Queensland at St Lucia, Brisbane. North Queensland Company (NQC) is a sub-unit of the regiment and is based at Lavarack Barracks in Townsville.

The role of the regiment is to train officers for the Army Reserve and to provide military training for undergraduates. It is organised as an infantry battalion with the addition of a Training Company where members undergo instructional courses aimed at promotion. QUR is one of eight University Regiments that comprise the Royal Military College of Australia (RMC-A).

QUR is spread across three main locations and currently consists of the following sub-units:

    * Regimental Headquarters (RHQ) – St Lucia
* Training Company – St Lucia
* Jacka Company of Staff Cadets (JCC) – St Lucia
* Logistics Company – Witton Barracks, Indooroopilly
* North Queensland Company – Lavarack Barracks, Townsville

QUR conducts field training at the Enoggera Close Training Area (ECTA), Greenbank Training Area (GBTA), Wide Bay Training Area (WBTA), High Rangle Training Area (HRTA) and Canungra.

QUR was initially formed in 1932 as the “University Rifles” by two UQ graduates who were officers of the 15th Battalion (the Oxley Regiment). Previously university students had to complete their compulsory military training in the Citizens Military Forces. The University of Queensland was unable to raise enough men to form an entire unit, with its total strength only several hundred men. As a consequence in 1933 university sub-units were attached to existing militia units, with the first platoon attached to the 9th/15th Battalion (Moreton and Oxley Regiment).

In May 1948 QUR was formed, initially as an independent company, and then in 1 May 1950 as an infantry battalion. It was not until 1962 that the Regiment commenced officer training for other CMF units in South-east Queensland, and the unit retained this dual-role for the next 30 years when in 1992 its sole role became officer training as part of the 1st Officer Training Unit (OCTU). In 1997 all the University Regiments were brigaded under the Royal Military College, Australia.

QUR was present the Queens Colour and a Regimental Colour on 19 July 1959 by His Excellency, The Governor of Queensland, Colonel Sir Henry Abel Smith.

During the time of the Vietnam War (1962–1972) its strength was boosted by students who saw the relatively easy part-time service as a good substitute to being eligible for conscription. After the end of the war, it declined to company strength and less.

In January 1974 the depot in Walcott Street was submerged in the Brisbane flood caused by Cyclone Wanda, damaging the regimental colours beyond repair. The old colours were subsequently laid-up in the Emmanuel College Chapel located at the University of Queensland.

A major focus of the next three years was the recruitment and training of enough soldiers to put together a creditable parade for the presentation of new Queen’s and Regimental Colours, which occurred on 9 July 1978. The colours were presented by Governor-General Sir Zelman Cowen, who had recently been the Vice-Chancellor of Queensland University. They are presently displayed in the QUR Officers’ Mess.

The Regiment was granted the Freedom of the City of Brisbane on 12 July 1986 by the Lord Mayor Sallyanne Atkinson. QUR was the first University Regiment to be granted this honour and last exercised its right in 1995 as part of the Australia Remembers celebrations.

In 1996 and 1997 OCTU and the Regional University Regiment of Queensland (RURQ), formally based at Gatton were disbanded and their role subsumed by QUR. As a result, for a while QUR maintained a detachment at Gatton. In October 2000 the formerly independent North Queensland Company (NQC) came under the command of the Regiment.

As of July 2008 all University Regiments became part of the 2nd Division.