Melbourne University Regiment

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Melbourne University Regiment

Cap badge of the Melbourne University Regiment
Active 1884–Present
Country Australia Australia
Branch Army Reserve
Type Training Establishment
Role Army Reserve Officer Training
Part of 2nd Division
Garrison/HQ Melbourne
Motto Postera Crescam Laude
March "The Thin Red Line" (Quick)
Insignia
Unit Colour Patch

The Melbourne University Regiment (MUR) is an officer training unit in the Australian Army Reserve (ARes). It has a depot at Grattan Street, Carlton, Melbourne, Australia.

History

MUR traces its origins to 1884 as D Company, 4th Battalion of the Victorian Rifles, at which time it was known as the University Company. General Sir John Monash was a Colour Sergeant of this unit before taking a commission in the colonial and later Commonwealth militia.

The unit became the Melbourne University Rifles in 1910,[1] providing military training for members of Melbourne University and the public schools of Melbourne and Geelong.

As a University Regiment the unit did not deploy with the AIF in either of the world wars and as such, it carries no Battle Honours on its Colours. However, many officers and soldiers of AIF units had received their initial military training or commissions with the University Rifles.[citation needed] In 1927, the regiment adopted the motto of Postera Crescam Laude.[1]

During the Second World War the regiment was disbanded in 1942. In the post war structure of the Australian Army the University Rifles was reformed as the present Melbourne University Regiment, officially raised on 1 April 1948.[1] In 1953, the regimental march – The Thin Red Line – was approved.[1]

Currently MUR is a unit of 4th Brigade (4 Bde) which is located at Simpson Barracks, Watsonia, in the north east suburbs of Melbourne. MUR is a direct command training unit of 4 Bde and as part of the 2nd Division, responsible for training of ARes officer cadets (OCDTs) and other ranks (ORs). MUR conducts training at two separate facilities: OCDT training at the Grattan St Carlton depot and OR training at Building 6 at Simpson Barracks at Watsonia.

Prominent former members of MUR

  • Sir Robert Menzies, the former Australian Prime Minister and founder of the Liberal Party
  • Sir Ninian Stephen, the former judge of the High Court and Governor-General of Australia
  • Sir Henry Winneke, the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria and Governor of Victoria
  • Barry Humphries, the comedian
  • Andrew Peacock, the former Minister for the Army, Liberal Opposition Leader and Australian Ambassador to the US

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Festberg 1972, p. 35.

References

  • Festberg, Alfred (1972). The Lineage of the Australian Army. Melbourne, Victoria: Allara Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 978-0-85887-024-6. 

Further reading

  • Peacock, R.K. (n.d). 'Outline of History of Melbourne University Rifles 1884-1936'

External links

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