In 1969, Infantry Battalions found themselves without bands as Australian Army Band Corps was formed, absorbing most of the Army's Unit Bands into their ranks. The Unit Band within an Australian Infantry Battalion provided the units Stretcher Bearers and with their loss, the Royal Australian Regiment called for a suitable replacement. With units of the Regiment serving in Vietnam and needing Stretcher Bearers, Army HQ directed the Battalions to form their own bands. To ensure that a conflict with the newly formed Band Corp did not occur, these bands were restricted to be either, Pipes and Drums, Bugles and Drums or Fifes and Drums.
Lt Col Ron Grey, CO 7 RAR deciding that his unit would form a Pipes and Drums obtained the late WO1 Jamie Whitecross MBE to begin the building process. When 5 RAR and 7 RAR linked in 1973, the Pipes and Drums from 7 RAR and the mascot from 5 RAR, a Sumatran Tiger, were retained by the new unit.
The Gordon Tartan was chosen as the unit tartan to reflect the Battalions affiliation with the Gordon Highlanders and was worn for the first time in 1979.
The Regimental Tartin is worn when the Regimental Bands are massed for ceremonial occasions after it's introduction in 1992.
After 8 years of Mechanized trials, 5/7 RAR became fully Mechanized in 1984 and the Pipes and Drums Stretcher Bearer role evolved into the Vehicle Crews for the unit Armoured Ambulances.
In October 1999 the Pipes and Drums deployed with all it's vehicles to East Timor as part of the INTERFET force and returned to Australia in May 2000. The band deployed for a second seven month tour to East Timor in October 2002 and members deployed to the Solomons in 2004. In 2005 members of the Pipes and Drums deployed to Iraq with elements of the Battalion and the 2nd Cavalry Regiment. On the Battalion's Birthday parade in 2006 the unit was delinked after 33 years of service.
Timeline
- 1969 Pipes and Drums raised, Jamie Whitecross MBE made Pipe Major
- 1973 Battalions Linked
- 1975 Pipes and Drums deploy to Cyclone Tracy
- 1976 Battalion recieves first Armoured Vehicles
- 1978 First Mechanized Company formed
- 1979 Gordon kilts worn for first time
- 1983 Jamie Whitecross MBE retires, Dave Elliot made Pipe Major
- 1984 Full Mechanization
- 1986 Bruce Campbell made Pipe Major
- 1988 Ray Mcmellon made Pipe Major, Pipes and Drums perform in Bicentenial Tattoo
- 1992 Australian Tartan Worn for the first time
- 1993 Members of Pipes and Drums deploy to Blue Mountains bushfires
- 1995 Members of Pipes and Drums deploy to Scotland as part of "North Star/ Southern Cross" exchange
- 1997 Steve Ramsden made Pipe Major
- 1999 Tony Colliver made Pipe Major, Battalion moves to Darwin, members of Pipes and Drums deploy to the Last Royal Tournament, Battalion deploys to East Timor
- 2002 Battalion returns to East Timor for second tour
- 2004 Members of Pipes and Drums deploy to Solomon Islands
- 2005 Pipes and Drums Performs at the Edinburgh Tattoo - 'A Salute to Australia' in Sydney, Members of Pipes and Drums deploy to Iraq
- 2006 Andrew Caputo made Pipe Major, Unit delinked
Pipes and Drums Early 1980'sOne of these blokes went on to become Cleos Bachelor of the year as one of the Wiggles.
Anthony Fields (Blue Wiggle), 5th from left.
Slouch Hats and Kilts, Thankfully this joke was short lived!
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