1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment

1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
Active	12 October 1945 – present
Branch	Australian Army
Type	Motorised infantry
Part of	3rd Brigade
Garrison/HQ	Townsville
Nickname(s)	Big Blue One
Motto(s)	Duty First
March	Waltzing Matilda (Band)
Mascot(s)	Shetland Pony "Septimus"
Engagements	Korean War Operation Blaze[1] Malayan Emergency Vietnam War Battle of Gang Toi Operation Crimp Battle of Suoi Bong Trang Battle of Coral–Balmoral Battle of Hat Dich Somalia East Timor Iraq War War in Afghanistan 2021 Kabul airlift
Decorations	Unit Citation for Gallantry Meritorious Unit Citation Meritorious Unit Commendation (United States) Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (South Vietnam)
Commanders
Current commander	LTCOL Brent Hughes
Insignia
Unit colour patch

1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1 RAR) is a regular motorised infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 1 RAR was first formed as the 65th Australian Infantry Battalion of the 34th Brigade (Australia) on Balikpapan in 1945 and since then has been deployed on active service during the Korean War, the Malayan Emergency, the Vietnam War, Unified Task Force in Somalia, East Timor, Iraq War and Afghanistan. Additionally, the battalion has deployed on peacekeeping and other operations to a number of countries including Japan, Rifle Company Butterworth, Timor Leste, Solomon Islands, Tonga and the Philippines . 1 RAR remains one of the Australian Army's most readily deployed units sending individuals and detachments to domestic, regional and other enduring operations. The battalion is currently based in Coral Lines at Lavarack Barracks, Townsville, Queensland, where it forms part of the 3rd Brigade.