The NORFORCE (North-West Mobile Force) is an

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

of the

Australian Army Reserve The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the military reserve force, reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citize ...

. Formed in 1981, the regiment is one of three

Regional Force Surveillance Units The Regional Force Surveillance Units (RFSUs) are specialised infantry units of the Australian Army Reserve responsible for patrolling northern Australia. Collectively, the RFSUs form the Regional Force Surveillance Group commanded by a Colone ...

(RFSUs) employed in surveillance and reconnaissance of the remote areas of

Northern Australia The unofficial geographic term Northern Australia includes those parts of Queensland and Western Australia north of latitude 26th parallel south, 26° and all of the Northern Territory. Those local government areas of Western Australia and Q ...

. It consists of a regimental headquarters, four surveillance squadrons, and an operational support squadron and training squadron.

History

In the late 1970s and early 1980s the need for a military presence in the north of Australia was recognised, with an integrated land, sea and air surveillance network developed in response. Part of this involved the raising of

infantry units known as

Regional Force Surveillance Unit The Regional Force Surveillance Units (RFSUs) are specialised infantry units of the Australian Army Reserve responsible for patrolling northern Australia. Collectively, the RFSUs form the Regional Force Surveillance Group commanded by a Colonel ...

s (RFSUs) that would act as "eyes and ears" in the north. NORFORCE was raised for operations in the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...

and the

Kimberley Kimberly or Kimberley may refer to: Places and historical events Australia Queensland * Kimberley, Queensland, a coastal locality in the Shire of Douglas South Australia * County of Kimberley, a cadastral unit in South Australia Ta ...

region of

and was formed as an independent

company A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of legal people, whether Natural person, natural, Juridical person, juridical or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members ...

on 1 July 1981, from the 7th Independent Rifle Company, and was based in Darwin under the command of Lieutenant Colonel John George. This unit was renamed as the North-West Mobile Force, or NORFORCE, in 1981. Meanwhile, in 1985 two more RFSUs were raised, with the

Pilbara Regiment The Pilbara Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Australian Army Reserve and is one of three Regional Force Surveillance Units employed in surveillance and reconnaissance of the remote areas of northern Australia. Most elements of the regime ...

established in Western Australia, and the

51st Battalion, Far North Queensland Regiment The 51st Battalion, Far North Queensland Regiment (51 FNQR) is an Australian Army Reserve Regional Force Surveillance Unit headquartered at Porton Barracks in Cairns. The battalion's primary role is to conduct reconnaissance and surveillance t ...

established in

Far North Queensland Far North Queensland (FNQ) is the northernmost part of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland. Its largest city is Cairns, Queensland, Cairns and it is dominated geographically by Cape York Peninsula, which stret ...

. The regiment's lineage goes back to

2/1st North Australia Observer Unit The 2/1st North Australia Observer Unit (2/1 NAOU) was an Australian Army reconnaissance unit of World War II. Formed in early 1942 in the Northern Territory, the unit was a light horse mounted unit that was tasked with providing early warning o ...

(2/1 NAOU) (also known as the "Nackaroos"), which were formed in 1942 as part of the defence of northern Australia from the

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

during the Second World War, performing reconnaissance, scouting and coastal surveillance tasks across the Kimberley and the Northern Territory's sea and air approaches. Patrols were reduced in July 1943 as the Japanese threat subsided, and the unit was disbanded in 1945. Due to the similarities between the two units and in order to give NORFORCE an identity it was decided that it would perpetuate the 2/1 NAOU traditions, and as such NORFORCE officially adopted the 2/1 NAOU's orange and green 'double diamond' colour patch and its unit heritage upon formation. NORFORCE also shares its heritage with a number of other units raised during the Second World War, including the

Darwin Mobile Force The Darwin Mobile Force was a mixed force of infantry and artillery raised by the Australian Army prior to the Second World War. It was the first regular infantry field force in the Australian military,Phillips 2000, p. 8. although due to legislat ...

, from which NORFORCE derives its name, and the

Northern Territory Special Reconnaissance Unit The Northern Territory Special Reconnaissance Unit (NTSRU) was an irregular warfare unit of the Australian Army during World War II, composed mainly of Aboriginal people from the Northern Territory. Formed in 1941, the unit patrolled the coast o ...

which performed a similar role to the 2/1 NAOU and pioneered the enlistment and training of regionally based Australian soldiers, mainly from

Arnhem Land Arnhem Land is a historical region of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the territory and is around from the territorial capital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Darwin. In 1623, Dutch East India Compa ...

. The Darwin Mobile Force was raised in 1939, originally as an artillery unit due to restrictions of the ''Defence Act (1903)'' which prohibited the establishment of permanent infantry forces, and was the first Permanent Military Force unit to be raised in the Army. The unit was tasked with the surveillance and protection of the Darwin region. It was renamed the Darwin Infantry Battalion in 1942 and the 19th Battalion in 1943, and subsequently saw service during the

New Guinea campaign The New Guinea campaign of the Pacific War lasted from January 1942 until the end of the war in August 1945. During the initial phase in early 1942, the Empire of Japan invaded the Territory of New Guinea on 23 January and Territory of Papua on ...

. During its formative years between 1981 and 1985 the regiment consisted of two reconnaissance squadrons, with the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron responsible for the Northern Territory and the 2nd Reconnaissance Squadron responsible for the Kimberley region in Western Australia. In early 1986 the alpha-numeric designations gave way to geographic names, with 1 Squadron being re-designated Darwin Squadron and 2 Squadron becoming Kimberley Squadron. Further growth of the unit saw Centre Squadron and Arnhem Squadron also being raised in 1986. Each of the regional reconnaissance squadrons has its own Area of Responsibility, and is further divided into a number of "troops", each of which consists of a number of "patrols". Darwin Squadron is based at

Larrakeyah Barracks Larrakeyah Barracks, incorporating , is the main base for the Australian Defence Force in the Northern Territory of Australia, and occupies the headland west of the suburb of Larrakeyah, Northern Territory, Larrakeyah in the capital, Darwin, No ...

in Darwin and has maintained a presence in Daly River,

Jabiru The jabiru ( or ; ''Jabiru mycteria'') is a large stork found in the Americas from Mexico to Argentina, except west of the Andes. It sometimes wanders into the United States, usually in Texas, but has also been reported in Mississippi, Oklahoma ...

Katherine Katherine (), also spelled Catherine and Catherina, other variations, is a feminine given name. The name and its variants are popular in countries where large Christian populations exist, because of its associations with one of the earliest Ch ...

Maningrida Maningrida ( Ndjébanna: ''Manayingkarírra'', Kuninjku: ''Manawukan'') is an Aboriginal community in the heart of the Arnhem Land region of Australia's Northern Territory. Maningrida is east of Darwin, and north east of Jabiru. It is on ...

and Port Keats/

Wadeye Wadeye ( ) is a town in Australia's Northern Territory (NT). It was formerly known (and is still often referred to) as Port Keats, a name originating from Port Keats Mission, which operated from 1935 (originally at a different location, known as ...

, and on Bathurst, Crocker, Goulburn and Melville islands. Kimberley Squadron is headquartered in Broome, with elements based in

Lake Argyle Lake Argyle is Western Australia's largest and Australia's second largest Freshwater lake, freshwater man-made Reservoir (water), reservoir by volume. The reservoir is part of the Ord River (Kimberley)#Ord River Irrigation Scheme, Ord River Ir ...

Derby Derby ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area on the River Derwent, Derbyshire, River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original co ...

, Kalumburu, Kununurra, Bidyadanga and

Wyndham Wyndham may refer to: *Wyndham (name), a surname and given name Places Australia *City of Wyndham, an LGA (local government area) in Victoria * Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley, a LGA in Western Australia * Wyndham Important Bird Area, Western Aust ...

. Arnhem Squadron is responsible for the eastern Northern Territory with its headquarters in

Nhulunbuy Nhulunbuy () is a town and locality in the far north of the Northern Territory of Australia. Founded on the Gove Peninsula in north-east Arnhem Land when a bauxite mine and deep water port were established in the late 1960s, the town's econ ...

, and elements at Lake Evella,

Milingimbi Milingimbi Island, also Yurruwi, is the largest island of the Crocodile Islands group off the coast of Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia. Location Milingimbi lies approximately east of Darwin and west of Nhulunbuy. History Aborig ...

, Ngukurr,

Numbulwar Numbulwar, formerly known as Rose River Mission, is a small, primarily Aboriginal community on the Gulf of Carpentaria in the Northern Territory of Australia. The major language group of the community is Nunggubuyu and their language, Wubuy, ...

and

Ramingining Ramingining is an Aboriginal Australian community of mainly Yolngu people in the Northern Territory, Australia, east of Darwin. It is on the edge of the Arafura Swamp in Arnhem Land. Wulkabimirri is a tiny outstation (homeland) nearby, and M ...

, and on

Elcho Island Elcho Island, known to its traditional owners as Galiwin'ku (Galiwinku) is an island off the coast of Arnhem Land, in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located at the southern end of the Wessel Islands group located in the East Arnhe ...

and

Groote Eylandt Groote Eylandt ( Anindilyakwa: ''Ayangkidarrba''; meaning "island" ) is the largest island in the Gulf of Carpentaria and the fourth largest island in Australia. It was named by the explorer Abel Tasman in 1644 and is Dutch for "large island" ...

. Centre Squadron operates from the South Australian border northwards, including the main regional centres of

Alice Springs Alice Springs () is a town in the Northern Territory, Australia; it is the third-largest settlement after Darwin, Northern Territory, Darwin and Palmerston, Northern Territory, Palmerston. The name Alice Springs was given by surveyor William ...

and

Tennant Creek Tennant Creek () is a town located in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is the Northern Territory#Cities and towns, seventh largest town in the Northern Territory, and is located on the Stuart Highway, just south of the intersection with ...

, the sparse

Barkly Tableland The Barkly Tableland is a region in the Central East of the Northern Territory, extending into Western Queensland. The region was named after Sir Henry Barkly. The epithet "Tableland" is inaccurate, since the region is neither elevated relative ...

, and north to the Robinson River and

Borroloola Borroloola () is a town in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located on the McArthur River, about upstream from the Gulf of Carpentaria. Location Borroloola lies on the traditional country of the Yanyuwa people, on the coastal plain ...

The regiment is now a fully integrated unit consisting of a cadre of about 65 regular personnel supporting 435 Reservists. Regimental Headquarters is at Larrakeyah Barracks in Darwin, while its

area of operation In U.S. armed forces parlance, an area of operations (AO) is an operational area defined by the force commander for land, air, and naval forces' conduct of combat and non-combat activities. Areas of operations do not typically encompass the entire ...

(AO) covers 1.8 million square kilometres, encompassing the entire Northern Territory and the Kimberley region of Western Australia; the largest of any military unit in the world today. An Operational Support Squadron and Training Squadron are also based in Darwin. Borrowing the concept of different "skin" groups to differentiate clans, members of NORFORCE are also known as "Green skins". The primary role of the regiment is reconnaissance, observation and the collection of military intelligence. In the event of an invasion of northern Australia, NORFORCE and the other RFSUs would operate in a "

stay-behind A stay-behind operation is one where a country places secret operatives or organizations in its own territory, for use in case of a later enemy occupation. The stay-behind operatives would then form the basis of a resistance movement, and act as ...

" capacity. Sixty percent of NORFORCE personnel are Aboriginal soldiers, recruited mainly from the area they patrol in order to draw upon local knowledge. This has resulted in great trust for the Regiment among Aboriginal communities. Patrols can be inserted and extracted from the area of operations by small boat, airlifted by helicopter or light aircraft, drive in using a range of vehicles, or on foot. Due to their operational role the RFSUs have a high priority for allocation of equipment. Equipment includes Enhanced F88 (EF88) Austeyr rifles, F-89 Minimi light support weapons, grenades, M18-A1 Claymore anti-personnel mines, Harris radios, specialised binoculars and telescopes, night vision equipment, cameras and advanced GPS satellite navigation systems. Vehicles include a variant of the Mercedes-Benz

G-Wagon The Mercedes-Benz G-Class, colloquially known as the G-Wagon or G-Wagen (as an abbreviation of Geländewagen), is a four-wheel drive luxury SUV manufactured by Magna Steyr (formerly Steyr-Daimler-Puch) in Graz, Styria, Austria, and sold by Merce ...

6×6 Surveillance Reconnaissance Vehicles (SRV), motorcycles,

Zodiac inflatable boat Zodiac Nautic, formerly Zodiac Marine & Pool, then Zodiac Marine, is a French company known for their inflatable boats. Originating as an airship company, the boating division was split off from the aerospace-focused Zodiac Group in 2007. In F ...

s, and Regional Patrol Craft (aluminium boats). NORFORCE has the distinction of being granted the Freedom of Entry to a city or town on ten occasions, the most of any unit, ship or establishment in the

Australian Defence Force The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the Armed forces, military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia and its national interests. It consists of three branches: the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army and the Royal Aus ...

. Freedoms of Entry have been granted for Darwin in 1982, Derby in 1983, Alice Springs in 1984, Katherine in 1986, Wyndham in 1986, Broome in 1987, Kununurra in 1990, Tennant Creek in 1994, Darwin again in 2016 and most recently Alice Springs again in 2023. In 2006, the regiment celebrated its 25th birthday by being presented with its first stand of

colours Color (or colour in Commonwealth English; see spelling differences) is the visual perception based on the electromagnetic spectrum. Though color is not an inherent property of matter, color perception is related to an object's light absorpt ...

Operation Resolute

NORFORCE has continuously contributed Force Elements to

Operation Resolute Operation Resolute is the involvement of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) in Australian government efforts to prevent unauthorised entries to sovereign Australian territory. This has mainly taken the forms of: remote surveillance; air, sea a ...

as part of the wider Whole of Government response to border protection. As one of three RFSUs involved, NORFORCE routinely trains and certifies personnel for the Australian Defence Force's contribution to patrolling Australia's

Exclusive Economic Zone An exclusive economic zone (EEZ), as prescribed by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, is an area of the sea in which a sovereign state has exclusive rights regarding the exploration and use of marine natural resource, reso ...

and coastline. On 1 March 2010, NORFORCE became part of the re-raised 6th Brigade. On 1 September 2014, NORFORCE came under the command of the 2nd Division. On 4 October 2018, all three RFSUs were grouped together as part of a new formation headquarters, the

Regional Force Surveillance Group The Regional Force Surveillance Group (RFSG) was formally established on 4 October 2018 to command the Australian Army Reserve's three Regional Force Surveillance Units and a training unit. The RFSG forms part of the 2nd Division. The RFSG is ...

. The new formation came into being at a parade held at

in Darwin.

Current organisation

As of 2021, NORFORCE comprised: *Regimental Headquarters –

, Darwin, NT **Arnhem Squadron –

, NT **Centre Squadron –

, NT **Darwin Squadron – Larrakeyah Barracks, Darwin, NT **Kimberley Squadron – Broome, WA **Training Support Squadron – Larrakeyah Barracks, Darwin, NT **Operational Support Squadron – Larrakeyah Barracks, Darwin, NT

Freedoms of Entry

NORFORCE has the distinction of being granted the Freedom of Entry to a city or town on ten occasions, the most of any unit, ship or establishment in the

. *

: 1984 and 2023 * Broome: 1987 * Darwin: 1982 and 2016 *

: 1983 *

: 1986 * Kununurra: 1990 *

: 1994 *

: 1986 In 2006, the regiment celebrated its 25th birthday by being presented with its first stand of

Notes

References

* * * * * * * *

External links

No bugles no drums

State Library of Queensland State Library of Queensland (State Library) is the state public reference and research library of Queensland, Australia, operated by the Government of Queensland, state government. The Library is governed by the Library Board of Queensland, whi ...

- documentary about contribution of Australian Aboriginal people to the defence of Northern Australia against the Japanese during World War II, and their continuing role in the Norforce Borroloola Patrol. {{Australian Infantry Infantry regiments of Australia Military units and formations established in 1981 Indigenous Australians in the military Army reconnaissance units and formations Military units in Northern Territory