Royal Tasmanian Regiment Cap Badge
The Royal Tasmania Regiment is a Reserve infantry regiment within the Australian Army consisting of a single battalion. Formed in 1960 following a review of military formations in Australia, the Regiment can trace its lineage back the late 19th Century and has served Australia in a number of conflicts including the Boer War, World War I and World War II. Today it serves as a part of the Australian Army's 9th Brigade, 2nd Division.The Royal Tasmania Regiment was formed in 1960 as part of the reforms that saw the old Citizens Military Forcereorganised along pentropic lines into what is now known as the Army Reserve. As part of this reform, Tasmania's two single-battalion infantry regiments were amalgamated, to form the Royal Tasmania Regiment. These two parent regiments were:
- 12th Infantry Battalion (The Launceston Regiment)
- 40th Infantry Battalion (The Derwent Regiment)
The two battalions were reduced to companies within a single battalion named as the Tasmania Regiment. The regiment was given its royal title the same year.
In 1972, the RTR expanded to two battalions, when both the 12th and 40th were reformed. However, this lasted only until 1975, when it was again reduced, this time to a pair of independent rifle companies, 12th IRC and 40th IRC. Then, in November 1987, the regiment was expanded to a full battalion again through the regimentation of the two independent rifle companies, 12 Field Squadron Royal Australian Engineers, 146 Signal Squadron and 6 Intelligence Unit, forming as 12th/40th Battalion.
