RARE AUSTRALIAN ARMY SHIRT - RAR MALAYAN EMERGENCY
History
The Malayan Emergency was a British led war that started in 1950, from 1954 there were normally 24 infantry battalions in Malaya from a wide variety of Commonwealth countries, including Australia and New Zealand. These were supported by special forces like the Special Air Service (SAS) Regiments from Britain, Australia and New Zealand and the British Parachute Regiment.
Australian involvement in the Malayan Emergency lasted 13 years, between 1950 and 1963, with army, air force and naval units serving. The Malayan Emergency (Anti-British National Liberation War) was a guerilla war fought between Commonwealthh armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army(MNLA), the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960 in Malaya. The Malayan Emergency was the longest continuous military commitment in Australia's history. Thirty-nine Australians were killed and 27 wounded.
The Australian Government sent RAF Dakota transport aircraft of No 38 Sqn and Lincoln bombers of No 1 Sqn to Malaya in June 1950. The Second Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (2 RAR), arrived in 1955. The battalion was later replaced by 3 RAR, which in turn was replaced by 1 RAR. In 1955, the RAAF extended Butterworth Air Base, from which Canberra bombers of No 2 Sqn (replacing No 1 Sqn) and CAC Sabres of No 78 Wing carried out ground attack missions against the guerillas.
Item Description
This Tunic dated 1955 was supplied by the British and is made from an Airtex material. It was worn by an Australian Corporal and bears the shoulder flash of the Royal Australian Regiment, Commonwealth Forces cloth badge, Paratroopers wings and Corporal stripes on one arm with the Royal Australian Regiment shoulder flash, Australian Military Forces Rising Sun cloth patch and Corporal stripes to the other. The tunic is in good condition.
This is a rare tunic from a conflict in which Australian troops participated but were largely forgotten as the Vietnam war started immediately the Malayan conflict ended.