Royal Pacific Islands Regiment
The Royal Pacific Islands Regiment | |
---|---|
Active | 1944–46 1951–Present |
Country | Australia (1951–75) Papua New Guinea (1975–Present) |
Branch | Army |
Type | Infantry |
Role | Light infantry |
Size | Two battalions |
Part of | Papua New Guinea Defence Force |
Garrison/HQ | 1st Battalion – Port Moresby 2nd Battalion – Wewak |
Motto(s) | To Find a Path |
Engagements | |
Commanders | |
Colonel-in-Chief | Charles III |
The Royal Pacific Islands Regiment (RPIR) is an infantry regiment of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF). The regiment is descended from the Australian Army infantry battalions formed from native soldiers and Australian officers and non-commissioned officers in the territories of Papua and New Guinea during World War II to help fight against the Japanese. Disbanded after the war, the regiment was re-raised in 1951 as part of the Australian Army and continued to serve until Papua New Guinea gained its independence in 1975, when it became part of the PNGDF. Today, the RPIR consists of two battalions and has seen active service in Vanuatu, Bougainville and the Solomon Islands.
History
World War II
The regiment is descended from the Australian Army infantry battalions formed in the territories of Papua and New Guinea during World War II to fight against the Japanese, following their invasion in 1942 and the subsequent New Guinea campaign.[1] Its soldiers were primarily natives who fought under the command of Australian officers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs).[2]
The Papuan Infantry Battalion (PIB) was raised in 1940, while the 1st and 2nd New Guinea Infantry Battalion both formed in 1944 and the 3rd New Guinea Infantry Battalion in 1945. The 4th New Guinea Infantry Battalion also began forming in 1945 but was soon disbanded, and the 5th New Guinea Infantry Battalion—although authorised—was never raised.[3] The battalions each had an establishment of about 77 Europeans and 550 native soldiers. In November 1944 they were grouped together into a single Pacific Islands Regiment (PIR).[2] A depot battalion was also established at Erap, near Nadzab in the Markham Valley, at this time.[4]
Headquarters PIR was raised on 14 February 1945, occupying the old 1 NGIB camp site at Camp Diddy at Nadzab. They remained there until September, when they moved to Bumbu River, Lae. On 1 January 1946 they occupied the new headquarters site at Yunakanau, Rabaul. The Commanding Officers of Headquarters PIR during this period were as follows:[5]
- Colonel W.M. Edwards (1944–45)
- Colonel H.T. Allan (1945–46)
- Colonel A.M. Macdonald (1946)
Pacific Islands Regiment (as at 27 October 1945)[5] | |
Unit | Strength |
---|---|
HQ PIR | 67 |
PIB | 574 |
1 NGIB | 538 |
2 NGIB | 500 |
3 NGIB | 481 |
PIR Depot Bn | 144 |
PIR Trg Coy | 34 |
Note: 392 recruits at Lae and Goroka. |
Units of the regiment fought in the campaigns in Papua, New Guinea,
Despite this reputation there were some incidents of indiscipline—particularly on New Britain during the raising of 2 NGIB—but these were usually related to pay and conditions or perhaps to perceived 'insensitivity' on the part of Australian officers. Regardless, in an expression of the colonial politics of the time some segments of the Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit (ANGAU), which had opposed the raising of native units in the first place, used these incidents to 'prove' that their formation had been a mistake all along.[2]
During the course of the war more than 3,500 Papuans and New Guineans served in the ranks of the PIR,[2] suffering casualties (both Europeans and natives) of 65 killed, 16 missing, 75 died of other causes, and 81 wounded.[note 2] Losses inflicted on the Japanese included 2,201 killed, 110 probably killed, 118 wounded and 196 captured.[7] The regiment was officially disbanded on 24 June 1946.[5]
Post-World War II
In the years immediately following the war much consideration was given by the Australian Army to re-establishing a presence in Papua New Guinea; however, there was some opposition among white settlers to the raising of native units. As an interim measure, the re-establishment of the
It was envisioned that the PIR would have four roles in war-time: garrisoning Manus Island and other similar areas; patrolling the land border with Dutch New Guinea (later Indonesian West Irian); and acting as a delaying force if required; and providing detachments for Australian units deployed to PNG. One company was based at Port Moresby, while others were based at outstations at Vanimo (from October 1952), Los Negros (1954, but later abandoned for Cape Moem), and at Kokopo. The establishment of the regiment was initially limited to 600 men.[9]
In December 1957 riots broke out in Port Moresby between soldiers and civilian, which had to be broken up by police. Ultimately 153 soldiers were fined and 15 discharged, while 117 civilians were also convicted. As a result of this incident the organisation of the PIR was reviewed and henceforth Australian officers would be required to serve between four and six years with the regiment, and a number would be returned as senior officers later in their careers, thereby avoiding the previous situation in which officers with little experience serving with PNG soldiers would be posted to the regiment.[2]
In 1960 when the
During the
In 1970, Prime Minister
From 1963 NCO and junior officer ranks began to be filled with indigenous personnel, with junior officers being trained at the
Post-independence
At the time of independence in 1975 the regiment became the main part of the new Papua New Guinea Defence Force.
- 1st Battalion, Royal Pacific Islands Regiment — Taurama Barracks, Port Moresby
- 2nd Battalion, Royal Pacific Islands Regiment — Moem Barracks, Wewak
Units of RPIR were deployed to
The RPIR continues to train annually with the Australian Army, with activities such as Exercise Wantok Warrior allowing for sub-unit exchange between the Australians and the Papua New Guineans.[18]
In 2019 the PNG Government adopted a plan to form a 3rd Battalion of the Royal Pacific Islands Regiment. It was decided in 2021 that the unit would be stationed in Hela Province. A forward operating base is to be established at Tari as the first element of this plan.[19]
Battle honours
- World War II: South West Pacific 1942–45, Kokoda Trail, Kokoda–Deniki, Nassau Bay, Tambu Bay, Finschhafen, Scarlet Beach, Liberation of Australian New Guinea, Sio–Sepik River, Kaboibus–Kiarivu and Bonis–Porton.[20]
Notes
- Footnotes
- ^ Figures for awards to PIR are difficult to accurately determine as most sources are incomplete, these figures are from Sinclair 1990, p. 298 and Byrnes 1989, pp. 228–246. However, neither Sinclair or Byrnes seem to include complete lists.
- ^ Casualties listed here are from Byrnes 1989, p. 269. Other sources commonly cite PIR casualties as 38 killed, 13 died of wounds, 10 missing believed killed, 62 killed in accidents/sickness, and 98 wounded, see Sinclair 1990, p. 306.
- Citations
- ^ "Pacific Islands Regiment". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 29 September 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Dennis et al 1995, p. 449.
- ^ Sinclair 1990, p. 273.
- ^ Sinclair 1990, p. 231.
- ^ a b c Sinclair 1990, p. 305.
- ^ Byrnes 1989.
- ^ Byrnes 1989, p. 269.
- ^ Sinclair 1992, p. 303.
- ^ Grey 2001, p. 194.
- ^ Sinclair 1992, p. 82.
- ^ "Indonesian Confrontation 1964–64". Army History Unit. Archived from the original on 28 October 2009. Retrieved 4 May 2009.
- ^ Edwards 1992, p. 272 and p. 477.
- ^ Sinclair 1992, p. 165.
- ^ Fraser & Simons 2011, pp. 204–207.
- ISBN 9780711204003
- ^ Dennis 1995, p. 455.
- ^ "Janes Worlds Armies – Papua New Guinea". Archived from the original on 18 December 2008. Retrieved 5 January 2009.
- ^ "Image Galleries 2006: Papuan New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF)". Department of Defence. 21 June 2006. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
- ^ Mou, Freddy (11 June 2021). "Hela to host new PNGDF battalion". Loop. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ Byrnes 1989, p. ii.
References
- Byrnes, G.M. (1989). Green Shadows: A War History of the Papuan Infantry Battalion, 1 New Guinea Infantry Battalion, 2 New Guinea Infantry Battalion, 3 New Guinea Infantry Battalion. Newmarket: G.M. Byrnes. ISBN 0-7316-6716-6.
- Dennis, Peter; Grey, Jeffrey; Morris, Ewan; Prior, Robin (1995). The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History (First ed.). Melbourne: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-553227-9.
- ISBN 978-1-86373-184-3.
- Fraser, Malcolm; Simons, Margaret (2011). Malcolm Fraser: The Political Memoirs. Melbourne: The Miegunyah Press.
- ISBN 0-19-554114-6.
- Sinclair, James (1990). To Find a Path: The Life and Times of the Royal Pacific Islands Regiment: Volume I—Yesterday's Heroes 1885–1950. Brisbane: Boolarong Publications. ISBN 0-7316-9120-2.
- Sinclair, James (1992). To Find a Path: The Papua New Guinea Defence Force & The Australians to Independence: Volume II—Keeping the Peace 1950–1975. Brisbane: Boolarong Publications. ISBN 1-86333-062-3.
Further reading
- Moss, Tristan (2017). Guarding the Periphery: The Australian Army in Papua New Guinea, 1951–75. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781107195967.