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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

December 3, 2020 by Ted Chitham

Defence Uses Media to Airbrush Out RCB Veterans Service 1970 -1989

Defence Uses Media to Airbrush Out RCB Veterans Service 1970 -1989

This year is the fiftieth anniversary of the deployment of Australian Army troops to the Airbase at Butterworth in Malaysia. However, it seems that a deliberate strategy has been made by Australian authorities to airbrush out the true story of the service of 9,000 Australian Army troops deployed to Airbase Butterworth during the period 1970 to 1989. 

The Australian Department of Defence is at the root of this strategy by insisting that Australians were sent to Butterworth on a training mission with the Malaysian Armed Forces.

The reality however is that following the withdrawal of British and New Zealand forces in 1971 the Australian Government decided to deploy personnel to protect the Airbase, aircraft and service families from threats associated with the Malaysian communist insurgency (1968-1989).

Ample proof is available from formerly classified documents that when the decision was taken to deploy forces to Butterworth to undertake security related duties the Chiefs of the Armed Services recommended to the Australian Government the deployment of forces “… could be presented publicly as being for training purposes”.

Despite being rebuffed by successive Australian Governments, a group of veterans, who have over many years called for their service to be recognised as warlike, believe the position taken by the Australian Government is a calculated deception to deny formal recognition of the service of nearly 10,000 Australians that served at Butterworth during the period 1970 to 1989 during Malaysia’s Insurgency War (1968 – 1989).  

On 24th November 2020, the Minister for Defence, Senator Linda Reynolds, in her media release acknowledging the fiftieth anniversary, took the opportunity to sustain the Government’s position that service at Butterworth was peacetime by making no mention whatsoever of the security-related duties undertaken by ADF personnel at Butterworth.  

Similarly, on 25th November 2020 the Army Newspaper published a feature about the fiftieth anniversary which also made no mention of the security related tasks undertaken by Army personnel deployed over the years to the Airbase at Butterworth, instead focusing on training related activities since 1989.

That the Australian authorities have continued to sustain the deception started in 1973 is disgraceful and an insult to the service of the many Australians that served at Butterworth during Malaysia’s Insurgency War. However, their service has been recognised by the Malaysian Chief of Defence Force, who, when addressing the 50th anniversary of deployment of Australian Army personnel to Butterworth said in a message posted on the official Malaysian Ministry for Defence website:

“Your presence and sacrifice here in Malaysian soil in protecting RMAF Butterworth Air Base during the resurgence of the Communist Insurgency in 1970-1989 was a remarkable contribution and has always been a highlight of your presence here in Malaysia.”

The generous message of thanks and appreciation by the Malaysian Chief of Defence Force has been very well received by Australian veterans.  However, it is a sad indictment on the part of the Australian Government and Minister Reynolds and her Department of Defence in particular for media releases and articles that have airbrushed out the truth of tasks undertaken by the many Australians who faithfully and loyally served the nation when deployed to Butterworth under warlike conditions.

Using the Media for politically expedient purposes to deny veterans the recognition they deserve is shameful.

Filed Under: Goverment, RCB, Service Recognition

November 21, 2020 by Ted Chitham

RCB 50th Anniversary – Appreciation from the Malaysian Armed Forces

RCB 50th Anniversary – Appreciation from the Malaysian Armed Forces

The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) congratulates Rifle Company Butterworth (RCB) for its 50th anniversary of establishment in Malaysia.

“Your presence and sacrifice here in Malaysian soil in protecting the RMAF Butterworth base during the resurgence of the communist insurgency in 1970-1989 was a remarkable contribution and had always been the highlight of your presence here in Malaysia. Since then, the cooperation and the desire to further develop the friendly relations continue to grow, in preparing for more challenging future ahead.”

“May the long historical defence collaboration between MAF and Australia Defence Force will further strengthen and expand beyond the bilateral scope and more importantly under the auspices of the Five Power Defence Arrangements and the Malaysia Australia Joint Defence Program in providing a better future for the subsequent generations.” – GENERAL TAN SRI DATO’ SRI HJ AFFENDI BIN BUANG RMAF, CHIEF OF DEFENCE FORCE 

The Malaysian Army’s battle against Communist Insurgency in Peninsular Malaysia 1968-1989 is detailed in a book of the same title. It was a Malaysian Government declared War in which 155 security troops were killed and 864 wounded.

Filed Under: Malaysian Conflict, Operations, RCB

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