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December 9, 2020 by Ted Chitham

Senator James McGrath on Rifle Company Butterworth – 9 December 2020

Senator James McGrath on Rifle Company Butterworth – 9 December 2020

“Today, I’d like in particular to pay tribute to the Australian soldiers who have served and those continuing serving in Rifle Company Butterworth in Malaysia, that recently marked the 50th anniversary of its establishment.

In particular, I’d like to acknowledge the efforts of the veterans involved in the second Malaysian emergency against communist insurgents between 1970 and 1989 and the protection of RAAF aircraft, families and facilities at the air base at Butterworth.

From 1973, Army troops in infantry company groups were deployed from Australia to Butterworth and had orders from the RAAF commander of the air base to provide a quick-reaction force that could be activated at short notice to repeal attacks by communist insurgents.

The Army troops received intelligence briefings on the nature of the insurgency threat to the air base, carried weapons and live ammunition, had orders to use lethal force should it be necessary, and regularly practised in responding to potential threats.

It is undeniable that our Army troops were integral, with the Malaysian forces, in protecting the air base at Butterworth from the threat of attack by communist insurgents.

Despite acknowledging the threats posed by the communist insurgency and the need to deploy Army troops to carry out protective tasks to assure the safety and security of the air base, the Defence Committee of 1973 made recommendations to the government that the decision to deploy Army troops be presented publicly as being for training purposes, underplaying their real role.

Many Rifle Company Butterworth veterans have since campaigned, to no avail, to have their service recognised as warlike service, given the strategic importance of their role and the threat of conflict in the region.

I would like to acknowledge and thank the extensive efforts by Rifle Company Butterworth veterans, since their involvement, to have their service recognised as warlike service in light of the critical role they played in the defence of Butterworth.

Following the decision to award the VC to Teddy Sheean—which is well deserved and a decision that I support and that everyone in this chamber supports—I would ask the government to consider the Butterworth veterans’ endeavour to claim appropriate recognition for their service.’

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gwh86anOPZA

Filed Under: History, Malaysia's 2nd Emergency, Malaysian Conflict, Operations, RAAF, RCB, Service Recognition, Warfare

September 21, 2020 by Ted Chitham

Military and Political Risk in South-East Asia 1971-1989

Military and Political Risk in South-East Asia 1971-1989

Australia’s Commitment to the Five Power Defence –

Arrangements and the Integrated Air Defence System

For almost two decades Australia maintained a Mirage fighter force at Butterworth in Northwest Malaysia during the 1968-89 Communist Insurgency War, or the Second Malaysian Emergency (SME). Australians at Butterworth incurred danger from hostile forces and both countries risked political embarrassment. An army rifle company that became known as Rifle Company Butterworth (RCB) was deployed to Malaysia as a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) in response to the identified terrorist threat.

 Permanent deployment of foreign forces within its borders was inconsistent with Malaysia’s non-aligned foreign policy. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) presence was accepted as a necessity because of Malaysia’s lack of air defence capacity.

The Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA),  which allowed the RAAF presence, did not include a permanent army company, this being agreed to later.

Political sensitivity meant the deployment’s real purpose was hidden from the Australian public. Almost fifty years later the Australian Department of Defence still denies the facts of this deployment and the serious threat posed by the SME thus denying Butterworth veterans their proper recognition and entitlements.

Previously classified high-level security documents accessed from the National Archives of Australia reveal the concerns held by Australia’s senior Defence officials and show the secrecy surrounding the deployment of the RCB.

 This paper by Ken Marsh reviews the SME, the development of the FPDA and associated Integrated Air Defence System (IADS). It discusses the military and political risk associated with the Australian commitment to Malaysia and makes the case for warlike service recognition for Butterworth veterans.

Australia’s commitment to the FPDA incurred political and military risk from a resurgent communist insurgency. Additional security measures were implemented to protect the Mirage squadrons and Australian personnel at Butterworth as the communist threat intensified. These included the permanent deployment of an Australian Army infantry company as a quick reaction force. Owing to political sensitivities at the time the real purpose of the deployment was hidden under a pretense of training. While the Base was never attacked, possibly owing to the company’s deterrent effect, the fact remains that personnel at Butterworth and their dependents incurred danger from the communist terrorist organisation. Based on available evidence, and contrary to Defence Department claims, Butterworth operated under warlike service conditions and veterans from the era are deserving of such recognition.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE – Military-and-Political-Risk-in-South-East-Asia-1971-1989Download

Ken’s article is published in SABRETACHE: the journal of the Military Collectors Society of Australia vol. LXI, no. 3 – September 2020

Filed Under: Five Power DA, History, RAAF, RCB

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