1st COMMANDO REGIMENT

Prior to 1981 both Army Reserve Commandos and Special Forces signallers were commanded independently when it was determined that a regimental headquarters was required. This headquarters would coordinate the efforts of the previously independent units and provide the east coast command element for the newly established counter-terrorism capability within the Special Air Service Regiment. The headquarters was established on 1 February 1981 at Randwick Barracks in Randwick, New South Wales. In 1992, 126th Signal Squadron (Special Forces) qualified commandos were given the approval to wear the commando badge.

Commencing in February 1997, 1 Cdo Regt provided the initial training for the re-role of the 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (4RAR) from an infantry battalion into a commando unit with 4RAR (Cdo) raising the Commando Training Wing (the predecessor to the Special Forces Training Centre) commanded by Major Hans Fleer. The 126th Signal Squadron (Special Forces) was transferred from 1st Commando Regiment and incorporated into 4RAR(Cdo) and relocated to Holsworthy. In 1998, the Army dropped plans to raise a third reserve company in Queensland for the Regiment due to a lack of resources.

In June 2002, 301 Signal Squadron was re-raised at Randwick Barracks to provide communications and information systems and electronic warfare to facilitate the command and control of special operations conducted by the Regiment. In 2006, 1 Company relocated from Georges Heights in Mosman to HMAS Penguin in Balmoral and has recently relocated to the Holsworthy Military area
RECENT OPERERATIONS