Military history of Australia during the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation
Encyclopedia
The Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation
was fought from 1962 to 1966 between the British Commonwealth and Indonesia
. Indonesia, under President Sukarno
, sought to prevent the creation of the new Federation of Malaysia that emerged in 1963, whilst the British Commonwealth sought to safeguard the security of the new state. The war remained a limited one however, and was fought primarily on the island of Borneo
, although a number of Indonesian seaborne and airborne incursions into the Malay Peninsula
did occur. As part of Australia's continuing military commitment to the security of Malaysia, Australian army, naval and air force units were based there with the Far East Strategic Reserve
, mainly in the 28th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade Group.
The Australian Government was initially reluctant to become involved in the conflict, and Australian forces did not see combat until 1964. Australia's involvement expanded in 1965, however, following repeated requests from the British Government with an Australian infantry battalion and special forces being deployed to Borneo where they were involved in a number of actions against Indonesian Army
units. Other army units deployed included artillery batteries and engineers, both of which served tours in support of the infantry in Borneo. A number of RAN warships also patrolled the waters off Borneo and Malaysia to deter Indonesian infiltration parties, and were involved in shelling Indonesian positions in Borneo and in repelling infiltrators in the Singapore Strait
. The RAAF played only a relatively minor role, although it would have been used far more extensively had the war escalated.
in September 1963. Small parties of Indonesian Army troops disguised as Malaysian insurgents were infiltrated into Malaysian territory in Borneo to spread propaganda and conduct sabotage during 1963, and several major raids were conducted against Malaysian Army
and security forces bases. More attacks were conducted in 1964, with the Indonesians expanding the conflict by openly employing regular Army units and conducting raids in peninsular Malaysia. These attacks raised the risk of a general war between Malaysia and Indonesia.
During the early 1960s Australian military units were based in Malaysia as part of the Far East Strategic Reserve and whilst Australian units had participated in the Malayan Emergency
between 1948 and 1960, the Australian Government was reluctant to become involved in fighting with Indonesia. This was due at least in part to a fear that any such fighting would spread to the long and indefensible border between Indonesia and the Australian-administered Territory of Papua and New Guinea
. Accordingly, several requests from the British government during 1963 and 1964 to deploy forces to Borneo were rejected.
(3 RAR), which was based at Camp Terendak in Malacca
, was subsequently used to mop up two small airborne
and seaborne landings near Labis
and Pontian
in September and October 1964. These incursions seemed to suggest a serious escalation in the conflict was imminent.
arrived in February and was followed by 3 RAR in March. Engineer units were also deployed to Borneo where they conducted field engineering and construction tasks, whilst artillery units were also deployed. The Malaysian Government later requested a second Australian battalion, however this was declined as the army lacked the resources needed for such a deployment.
During the early phases of the war, the British and Malaysian troops attempted only to control the Malaysian/Indonesian border, and to protect population centres from Indonesian attacks. However, by the time the Australian battalion had been deployed, the British had decided to take more aggressive action, crossing borders to obtain information and forcing Indonesia to remain on the defensive on their side of the border, under the codename Operation Claret
. The fighting often took place in mountainous, jungle-clad terrain, and a debilitating climate. A number of features characterised military operations at this time, including the extensive use of company bases sited along the border, cross-border operations, the use of helicopters for troop movement and resupply, and the role of human
and signals
intelligence in helping to determine enemy movements and intentions.
3 RAR deployed to Borneo in March 1965, and served there until the end of July, conducting a number of operations on both sides of the border. During this period it was one of 12 battalion
s in Malaysian Borneo and operated in Sarawak
as part of the West Brigade. The battalion manned defensive positions and conducted patrols to detect infiltration parties. 3 RAR also conducted 32 secret 'Claret' operations in which one or two platoon
-strong parties entered Indonesian territory to ambush Indonesian forces. The battalion had four major contacts with Indonesian forces and many smaller ones—including two major ambushes on the Sungei Koemba
river, another at Kindau
and again at Babang
between May and July—with all ending in success. These operations inflicted significant casualties on Indonesian forces and allowed 3RAR to dominate the border area, as well as providing early warning of incursions into Sarawak and contributing to the wider success of the British-Commonwealth forces in slowly asserting control on the war. 3 RAR completed its tour in August 1965 and returned to Camp Terendak. The battalion suffered three men killed in action
in two separate land mine
incidents during its time in Borneo.
The 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
(4 RAR) arrived in Malaysia in September 1965 to replace 3 RAR, which returned to Australia in October. After a period of training the battalion deployed to Sarawak in April 1966 where it was to operate from four company bases in the Bau
area. By this time the war was winding down as peace negotiations had begun between Malaysia and Indonesia. Like 3 RAR, 4 RAR conducted cross-border operations and clashed with Indonesian forces on a number of occasions. Its tour was less eventful, however, and the battalion primarily operated in Malaysian territory where it ambushed tracks leading from the border with Indonesia. Malaysia and Indonesia agreed to a peace treaty on 11 August and 4 RAR and the other Commonwealth units in Borneo ceased operations the next day. The battalion returned to Camp Terendak on 30 August having suffered five fatalities in Borneo, though only one man had been killed in action.
Australia also deployed two squadrons of the Special Air Service Regiment during the conflict, marking the SASR's operational debut. 1 Squadron conducted reconnaissance patrols in Sarawak from February to July 1965, and conducted cross-border operations between May and July. They suffered their first fatality on 2 June when Lance-Corporal Paul Denehey was gored by an elephant. 2 Squadron arrived in Borneo in January 1966 for a four-month deployment, and despite the suspension of Claret operations it also conducted reconnaissance patrols and cross-border operations, undertaking a total of 45 patrols on both sides of the border until being withdrawn in July. Two members of the squadron drowned while trying to cross a river during a patrol on 20–21 March. SASR patrols inflicted significant casualties on the Indonesians throughout the war, even though they were often tasked with covert reconnaissance.
(PIR), which was an Australian Army formation manned by native New Guineans and led by Australian officers and warrant officers. Although there was only one shooting incident between the PIR and Indonesian troops, a number of incursions took place and these patrols–which were often conducted in rugged terrain–placed considerable demands on Australia's already limited defence resources. The PIR was also expanded from one to two battalions in 1963 in response to the increased threat posed by Indonesia, though a third battalion authorised in 1964 was not formed.
and prevent piracy.
RAN warships undertook coastal patrols in the Malacca Strait, off Singapore
and the Tawau
-Wallace Bay area off Sabah
. The six Ton class minesweeper
s of the RAN's 16th Minesweeping Squadron arrived in May 1964 and were particularly successful in these tasks. The patrol operations were generally uneventful as contact was rarely made with Indonesian forces. Minesweeper HMAS Teal
exchanged fire with an Indonesian vessel near Singapore on 13 December 1964, with the vessel surrendering after three of the seven Indonesians onboard were killed. She captured another Indonesian ship carrying nine armed infiltrators in the Malacca Strait on 23 February 1965. HMAS Hawk was attacked by an Indonesian shore battery while operating within Singapore territorial waters on 13 March 1966.
Twelve RAN warships served in Malaysian waters during Australia's involvement in the Confrontation, with several performing more than one tour of duty. One Australian sailor was wounded in action during the Confrontation and two died as a result of sickness or accidents.
The RAAF was also involved in the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation. During the 1960s four Australian flying squadrons were based at RAAF Base Butterworth in Malaysia as part of the FESR. The largest unit was No. 78 Wing RAAF
, which comprised the Sabre
-equipped No. 3 Squadron
and No. 77 Squadron
. The other flying units were No. 2 Squadron
, which operated Canberra
bombers and a small number of Dakota
transports, and the UH-1 Iroquois
-equipped No. 5 Squadron
. No. 78 Wing and No. 2 Squadron had been based at Butterworth since 1958 and No. 5 Squadron arrived in 1964 in response to one of the Malaysian Government's requests for assistance.
No. 78 Wing made an important contribution to the defence of Malaysian airspace during the confrontation. It provided two of the three fighter squadrons in Malaysia at the time (the third being a Royal Air Force
(RAF) unit equipped with Javelin
interceptors based at RAF Tengah) and increased its readiness levels as the Confrontation expanded. On 17 July 1963 Australian Sabres sighted Indonesian Air Force
MiG-19s
near the Malaysian coast and tracked one of them back towards its base at Medan
in North Sumatra
. From October 1963 the wing kept two Sabres armed with Sidewinder
missiles and cannons on alert at Butterworth during daylight hours. No. 2 Squadron also planned attacks on targets in Java
and practiced strikes against Indonesia. Restrictive rules of engagement
were initially in place, however, and Indonesian aircraft could only be engaged if they were either declared 'hostile' by the air defence commander or had first attacked a target in Malaysia or Singapore.
The landing of paratroopers in Johore during September 1964 caused an increase in tensions. Under 'Plan Addington' RAF V bombers were to be based at RAAF Base Darwin
in northern Australia to strike Indonesian aerial facilities if targets in Malaysia were attacked. When the Australian Government became concerned that the parachute landings could lead to open hostilities it ordered the RAAF to deploy 16 Sabres from No. 76 Squadron
, which was based RAAF Base Williamtown
, to Darwin. The goal of this deployment was to protect Darwin against raids from Indonesian Il-28
bombers in the event of war. An Army anti-aircraft battery was also deployed to Darwin and additional Sabre pilots and ground crew were sent to Butterworth to reinforce No. 78 Wing. The Sabres arrived on 8 September and were maintained at a high level of alert until 17 October. After international tensions eased No. 76 Squadron began returning to Williamstown on 20 October. The rules of engagement
for the Australian fighters in Malaysia were loosened as a result of the landing in Johore to allow any Indonesian aircraft which could be positively identified as being within Malaysian or Singapore airspace to be destroyed.
RAAF aircraft also supported ground operations during the Confrontation. No. 5 Squadron's activities between 1964 to 1966 included transporting Australian, Malaysian and Singapore troops during operations against Indonesian infiltrators on the Malaysian Peninsular. RAAF aircraft also routinely transported troops and supplies between peninsular Malaysia and Borneo. Australian C-130 Hercules
made regular courier flights between Darwin and Butterworth, though Indonesia withdrew permission for these aircraft to fly through its airspace in July 1964. A detachment of No. 78 Wing Sabres began operations at Labuan
island off Borneo in September 1965 to improve the RAF's air defences in the region. The alert status for aircraft at Butterworth was reduced at the end of the confrontation and Indonesia again routinely allowed Australian aircraft to transit its airspace. Between 1969 and 1972 Australia donated Sabre aircraft, as well as technical support and training, to both the Indonesian and Malaysian air forces.
in August 1966, ending the conflict. Australian forces in Malaysia then reverted to their primary role in the FESR.
Operations in Borneo—especially cross-border missions, which were never admitted during the war—were extremely sensitive and for these reasons they received little press coverage in Australia. Due to the conflict's sensitivity, the editor of the Australian official history
of Australia's involvement in South East Asian conflicts, Peter Edwards, had to persuade the government to have the Confrontation included in the series. Official acknowledgement of Australian involvement in Claret missions only occurred in 1996 when Cabinet
papers discussing the operations were released.
The Australian Army units in Borneo were successful, but played only a secondary role in the fighting. Regardless the conflict provided useful experience which help the Army to prepare for the much higher-intensity fighting it would experience in Vietnam
. The Navy also gained valuable experience in coastal patrol operations. 3,500 Australians served during Confrontation and casualties included 23 dead, including seven killed in action – while another eight were wounded.
Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation
Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation during 1962–1966 was Indonesia’s political and armed opposition to the creation of Malaysia. It is also known by its Indonesian/Malay name Konfrontasi...
was fought from 1962 to 1966 between the British Commonwealth and Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
. Indonesia, under President Sukarno
Sukarno
Sukarno, born Kusno Sosrodihardjo was the first President of Indonesia.Sukarno was the leader of his country's struggle for independence from the Netherlands and was Indonesia's first President from 1945 to 1967...
, sought to prevent the creation of the new Federation of Malaysia that emerged in 1963, whilst the British Commonwealth sought to safeguard the security of the new state. The war remained a limited one however, and was fought primarily on the island of Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
, although a number of Indonesian seaborne and airborne incursions into the Malay Peninsula
Malay Peninsula
The Malay Peninsula or Thai-Malay Peninsula is a peninsula in Southeast Asia. The land mass runs approximately north-south and, at its terminus, is the southern-most point of the Asian mainland...
did occur. As part of Australia's continuing military commitment to the security of Malaysia, Australian army, naval and air force units were based there with the Far East Strategic Reserve
Far East Strategic Reserve
The British Commonwealth Far East Strategic Reserve was a joint military force of the British, Australian, and New Zealand armed forces...
, mainly in the 28th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade Group.
The Australian Government was initially reluctant to become involved in the conflict, and Australian forces did not see combat until 1964. Australia's involvement expanded in 1965, however, following repeated requests from the British Government with an Australian infantry battalion and special forces being deployed to Borneo where they were involved in a number of actions against Indonesian Army
Indonesian Army
The Indonesian Army , the land component of the Indonesian Armed Forces, has an estimated strength of 328,517 regular personnel. The force's history began in 1945 when the Tentara Keamanan Rakyat "Civil Security Forces" served as paramilitary and police.Since the nation's independence struggle,...
units. Other army units deployed included artillery batteries and engineers, both of which served tours in support of the infantry in Borneo. A number of RAN warships also patrolled the waters off Borneo and Malaysia to deter Indonesian infiltration parties, and were involved in shelling Indonesian positions in Borneo and in repelling infiltrators in the Singapore Strait
Singapore Strait
The Singapore Strait is a 105-kilometer long, 16-kilometer wide strait between the Strait of Malacca in the west and the South China Sea in the east. Singapore is on the north of the channel and the Riau Islands are on the south...
. The RAAF played only a relatively minor role, although it would have been used far more extensively had the war escalated.
Background
In early 1963 the Indonesian Government adopted a policy of destabilising and ultimately breaking up Malaysia, which was to become independent of the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in September 1963. Small parties of Indonesian Army troops disguised as Malaysian insurgents were infiltrated into Malaysian territory in Borneo to spread propaganda and conduct sabotage during 1963, and several major raids were conducted against Malaysian Army
Malaysian Army
The Malaysian Army is the land component of the Malaysian Armed Forces. Steeped in British Army traditions, the Malaysian Army does not carry the title ‘royal’ as do the Royal Malaysian Air Force and the Royal Malaysian Navy...
and security forces bases. More attacks were conducted in 1964, with the Indonesians expanding the conflict by openly employing regular Army units and conducting raids in peninsular Malaysia. These attacks raised the risk of a general war between Malaysia and Indonesia.
During the early 1960s Australian military units were based in Malaysia as part of the Far East Strategic Reserve and whilst Australian units had participated in the Malayan Emergency
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army , the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960....
between 1948 and 1960, the Australian Government was reluctant to become involved in fighting with Indonesia. This was due at least in part to a fear that any such fighting would spread to the long and indefensible border between Indonesia and the Australian-administered Territory of Papua and New Guinea
Territory of Papua and New Guinea
The Territory of Papua and New Guinea was established by an administrative union between the Australian-administered territories of Papua and New Guinea in 1949...
. Accordingly, several requests from the British government during 1963 and 1964 to deploy forces to Borneo were rejected.
Peninsular Malaysia 1964
Although not initially agreeing to send troops to Borneo, the Australian Government allowed its forces to be used to protect peninsular Malaysia from attack. The 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment is a parachute infantry battalion of the Australian Army, based in Sydney. 3 RAR was initially formed in 1945 as the 67th Battalion and has seen active service in Japan, Korea, Malaya, South Vietnam, East Timor, the Solomon Islands, Afghanistan and Iraq...
(3 RAR), which was based at Camp Terendak in Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
, was subsequently used to mop up two small airborne
Airborne forces
Airborne forces are military units, usually light infantry, set up to be moved by aircraft and 'dropped' into battle. Thus they can be placed behind enemy lines, and have an ability to deploy almost anywhere with little warning...
and seaborne landings near Labis
Labis
Labis is the second largest town in the district of Segamat, Johor, Malaysia, with a population of about 20,000 people. It has a large Chinese community. Labis is an agricultural town whose main export is rubber...
and Pontian
Pontian, Johor
Pontian is a district in southwest Johor. It is located 62km from Johor Bahru, the state capital of Johor. It is also located at Miles 37 from Johor Bahru. The name Pontian is also used in the names of two towns in the district, Pontian Besar and Pontian Kechil, of which the latter serves as its...
in September and October 1964. These incursions seemed to suggest a serious escalation in the conflict was imminent.
Borneo 1965–1966
Following a direct request from the Malaysian Government in January 1965, Australia agreed to deploy an infantry battalion to Borneo. Units arrived in Borneo in early 1965. 1 Squadron Special Air Service RegimentAustralian Special Air Service Regiment
The Special Air Service Regiment, officially abbreviated SASR but commonly known as the SAS, is a special forces unit of the Australian Army...
arrived in February and was followed by 3 RAR in March. Engineer units were also deployed to Borneo where they conducted field engineering and construction tasks, whilst artillery units were also deployed. The Malaysian Government later requested a second Australian battalion, however this was declined as the army lacked the resources needed for such a deployment.
During the early phases of the war, the British and Malaysian troops attempted only to control the Malaysian/Indonesian border, and to protect population centres from Indonesian attacks. However, by the time the Australian battalion had been deployed, the British had decided to take more aggressive action, crossing borders to obtain information and forcing Indonesia to remain on the defensive on their side of the border, under the codename Operation Claret
Operation Claret
Claret was the code name given to operations conducted from about July 1964 until July 1966 from East Malaysia across the border in Indonesian Kalimantan during the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation. They were instigated by the Director of Borneo Operations Major General Walter Walker with the...
. The fighting often took place in mountainous, jungle-clad terrain, and a debilitating climate. A number of features characterised military operations at this time, including the extensive use of company bases sited along the border, cross-border operations, the use of helicopters for troop movement and resupply, and the role of human
HUMINT
HUMINT, a syllabic abbreviation of the words HUMan INTelligence, refers to intelligence gathering by means of interpersonal contact, as opposed to the more technical intelligence gathering disciplines such as SIGINT, IMINT and MASINT...
and signals
SIGINT
Signals intelligence is intelligence-gathering by interception of signals, whether between people , whether involving electronic signals not directly used in communication , or combinations of the two...
intelligence in helping to determine enemy movements and intentions.
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
s in Malaysian Borneo and operated in Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
as part of the West Brigade. The battalion manned defensive positions and conducted patrols to detect infiltration parties. 3 RAR also conducted 32 secret 'Claret' operations in which one or two platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
-strong parties entered Indonesian territory to ambush Indonesian forces. The battalion had four major contacts with Indonesian forces and many smaller ones—including two major ambushes on the Sungei Koemba
Battle of Sungei Koemba
The Battle of Sungei Koemba took place during the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation. Involving Australian and Indonesian troops, the battle consisted of a series of ambushes launched by the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment , along the Sungei Koemba river in Kalimantan...
river, another at Kindau
Battle of Kindau
The Battle of Kindau took place during the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation. Involving Australian and Indonesian troops, the battle was the third in a series of successful ambushes between May and July 1965 launched by the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment , in Kalimantan...
and again at Babang
Battle of Babang
The Battle of Babang was the fourth and last in a series of successful ambushes conducted between in May and July 1965 by Australian troops from 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment , this time at Babang in Kalimantan , during the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation...
between May and July—with all ending in success. These operations inflicted significant casualties on Indonesian forces and allowed 3RAR to dominate the border area, as well as providing early warning of incursions into Sarawak and contributing to the wider success of the British-Commonwealth forces in slowly asserting control on the war. 3 RAR completed its tour in August 1965 and returned to Camp Terendak. The battalion suffered three men killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
in two separate land mine
Land mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
incidents during its time in Borneo.
The 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
The 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, was an Australian Army infantry battalion and part of the Royal Australian Regiment. The battalion was formed on 1 February 1964 and was renamed the 2nd Commando Regiment on 19 June 2009....
(4 RAR) arrived in Malaysia in September 1965 to replace 3 RAR, which returned to Australia in October. After a period of training the battalion deployed to Sarawak in April 1966 where it was to operate from four company bases in the Bau
Bau, Sarawak
Bau is a gold mining town in the Kuching Division of Sarawak, Malaysia. Smuggling with Kalimantan is also important to the local economy.-History:...
area. By this time the war was winding down as peace negotiations had begun between Malaysia and Indonesia. Like 3 RAR, 4 RAR conducted cross-border operations and clashed with Indonesian forces on a number of occasions. Its tour was less eventful, however, and the battalion primarily operated in Malaysian territory where it ambushed tracks leading from the border with Indonesia. Malaysia and Indonesia agreed to a peace treaty on 11 August and 4 RAR and the other Commonwealth units in Borneo ceased operations the next day. The battalion returned to Camp Terendak on 30 August having suffered five fatalities in Borneo, though only one man had been killed in action.
Australia also deployed two squadrons of the Special Air Service Regiment during the conflict, marking the SASR's operational debut. 1 Squadron conducted reconnaissance patrols in Sarawak from February to July 1965, and conducted cross-border operations between May and July. They suffered their first fatality on 2 June when Lance-Corporal Paul Denehey was gored by an elephant. 2 Squadron arrived in Borneo in January 1966 for a four-month deployment, and despite the suspension of Claret operations it also conducted reconnaissance patrols and cross-border operations, undertaking a total of 45 patrols on both sides of the border until being withdrawn in July. Two members of the squadron drowned while trying to cross a river during a patrol on 20–21 March. SASR patrols inflicted significant casualties on the Indonesians throughout the war, even though they were often tasked with covert reconnaissance.
New Guinea–Indonesia border
In addition to operations in Malaysia, Australian troops patrolled the Indonesia-Papua New Guinea border during the confrontation. These operations were conducted by the Pacific Islands RegimentRoyal Pacific Islands Regiment
The Royal Pacific Islands Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force . The regiment is descended from the Australian Army infantry battalions formed from native soldiers and Australian officers and non-commissioned officers in the territories of Papua and New Guinea...
(PIR), which was an Australian Army formation manned by native New Guineans and led by Australian officers and warrant officers. Although there was only one shooting incident between the PIR and Indonesian troops, a number of incursions took place and these patrols–which were often conducted in rugged terrain–placed considerable demands on Australia's already limited defence resources. The PIR was also expanded from one to two battalions in 1963 in response to the increased threat posed by Indonesia, though a third battalion authorised in 1964 was not formed.
Naval operations
The Royal Australian Navy's (RAN's) involvement in the Confrontation also began in 1964. At this time two Australian destroyers or frigates were always in Malaysian waters as part of the FESR and other warships, including the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne, made periodic visits. The Australian warships served as part of a fleet of up to eighty warships whose mission was to defeat attempts to infiltrate Indonesian Army units by sea, provide naval gunfire supportNaval gunfire support
Naval gunfire support is the use of naval artillery to provide fire support for amphibious assault and other troops operating within their range. NGFS is one of a number of disciplines encompassed by the term Naval Fires...
and prevent piracy.
RAN warships undertook coastal patrols in the Malacca Strait, off Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and the Tawau
Tawau
Tawau is the administrative center of Tawau Division, Malaysia and the third largest town of Sabah after Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan.-Geography:...
-Wallace Bay area off Sabah
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
. The six Ton class minesweeper
Ton class minesweeper
The Ton class were coastal minesweepers built in the 1950s for the Royal Navy, but also used by other navies such as the South African Navy and the Royal Australian Navy...
s of the RAN's 16th Minesweeping Squadron arrived in May 1964 and were particularly successful in these tasks. The patrol operations were generally uneventful as contact was rarely made with Indonesian forces. Minesweeper HMAS Teal
HMAS Teal
HMAS Teal was a Ton class minesweeper operated by the Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Navy .-Construction:...
exchanged fire with an Indonesian vessel near Singapore on 13 December 1964, with the vessel surrendering after three of the seven Indonesians onboard were killed. She captured another Indonesian ship carrying nine armed infiltrators in the Malacca Strait on 23 February 1965. HMAS Hawk was attacked by an Indonesian shore battery while operating within Singapore territorial waters on 13 March 1966.
Twelve RAN warships served in Malaysian waters during Australia's involvement in the Confrontation, with several performing more than one tour of duty. One Australian sailor was wounded in action during the Confrontation and two died as a result of sickness or accidents.
Air operations
No. 78 Wing RAAF
No. 78 Wing is the Royal Australian Air Force's operational training wing. It is headquartered at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales, and operates the BAE Hawk 127 lead-in fighter. The wing was formed in 1943 and operated P-40 Kittyhawk fighters in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II...
, which comprised the Sabre
CAC Sabre
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Allward, Maurice. F-86 Sabre. London: Ian Allen, 1978. ISBN 0-71100-860-4.* Curtis, Duncan. North American F-86 Sabre. Ramsbury, UK: Crowood, 2000. ISBN 1-86126-358-9....
-equipped No. 3 Squadron
No. 3 Squadron RAAF
No. 3 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron. It was first formed in 1916 and currently operates F/A-18 Hornet aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown, near Newcastle, New South Wales.-World War I:...
and No. 77 Squadron
No. 77 Squadron RAAF
No. 77 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron. The Squadron was formed in 1942 and currently operates F/A-18 Hornet aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown.-History:...
. The other flying units were No. 2 Squadron
No. 2 Squadron RAAF
No. 2 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron. From its formation in 1916, it has operated a variety of aircraft types including fighters, bombers, and Airborne Early Warning & Control.-World War I:No...
, which operated Canberra
English Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...
bombers and a small number of Dakota
C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
transports, and the UH-1 Iroquois
UH-1 Iroquois
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois is a military helicopter powered by a single, turboshaft engine, with a two-bladed main rotor and tail rotor. The helicopter was developed by Bell Helicopter to meet the United States Army's requirement for a medical evacuation and utility helicopter in 1952, and first flew...
-equipped No. 5 Squadron
No. 5 Squadron RAAF
No. 5 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force training, army co-operation and helicopter squadron. The Squadron was first formed in 1917 and was disbanded in December 1989.-Squadron history:...
. No. 78 Wing and No. 2 Squadron had been based at Butterworth since 1958 and No. 5 Squadron arrived in 1964 in response to one of the Malaysian Government's requests for assistance.
No. 78 Wing made an important contribution to the defence of Malaysian airspace during the confrontation. It provided two of the three fighter squadrons in Malaysia at the time (the third being a Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF) unit equipped with Javelin
Gloster Javelin
The Gloster Javelin was an "all-weather" interceptor aircraft that served with Britain's Royal Air Force in the late 1950s and most of the 1960s...
interceptors based at RAF Tengah) and increased its readiness levels as the Confrontation expanded. On 17 July 1963 Australian Sabres sighted Indonesian Air Force
Indonesian Air Force
The Indonesian Air Force is the air force branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces.The Indonesian Air Force has 34,930 personnel equipped with 110 combat aircraft including Su-27 and Su-30.-Before Indonesian independence :...
MiG-19s
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 is a Soviet second-generation, single-seat, twin jet-engined fighter aircraft. It was the first Soviet production aircraft capable of supersonic speeds in level flight. A comparable U.S...
near the Malaysian coast and tracked one of them back towards its base at Medan
Medan
- Demography :The city is Indonesia's fourth most populous after Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bandung, and Indonesia's largest city outside of Java island. Much of the population lies outside its city limits, especially in Deli Serdang....
in North Sumatra
North Sumatra
North Sumatra is a province of Indonesia on the Sumatra island. Its capital is Medan. It is the most populous Indonesian province outside of Java. It is slightly larger than Sri Lanka in area.- Geography and population :...
. From October 1963 the wing kept two Sabres armed with Sidewinder
AIM-9 Sidewinder
The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a heat-seeking, short-range, air-to-air missile carried mostly by fighter aircraft and recently, certain gunship helicopters. The missile entered service with United States Air Force in the early 1950s, and variants and upgrades remain in active service with many air forces...
missiles and cannons on alert at Butterworth during daylight hours. No. 2 Squadron also planned attacks on targets in Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
and practiced strikes against Indonesia. Restrictive rules of engagement
Rules of engagement
Rules of Engagement refers to those responses that are permitted in the employment of military personnel during operations or in the course of their duties. These rules of engagement are determined by the legal framework within which these duties are being carried out...
were initially in place, however, and Indonesian aircraft could only be engaged if they were either declared 'hostile' by the air defence commander or had first attacked a target in Malaysia or Singapore.
The landing of paratroopers in Johore during September 1964 caused an increase in tensions. Under 'Plan Addington' RAF V bombers were to be based at RAAF Base Darwin
RAAF Base Darwin
RAAF Base Darwin is a Royal Australian Air Force base located in the city of Darwin, Northern Territory. The base shares its runway with Darwin International Airport.-History:...
in northern Australia to strike Indonesian aerial facilities if targets in Malaysia were attacked. When the Australian Government became concerned that the parachute landings could lead to open hostilities it ordered the RAAF to deploy 16 Sabres from No. 76 Squadron
No. 76 Squadron RAAF
No. 76 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force flight training squadron. Established in 1942, the squadron operated P-40 Kittyhawk fighter aircraft and saw combat during World War II. Following the war it formed part of Australia's contribution to the occupation of Japan until it was...
, which was based RAAF Base Williamtown
RAAF Base Williamtown
RAAF Base Williamtown is a Royal Australian Air Force base and headquarters to Australia's Tactical Fighter group. The base is located north of the coastal city of Newcastle, New South Wales in the Local Government Area of Port Stephens. The military base shares its runway facilities with...
, to Darwin. The goal of this deployment was to protect Darwin against raids from Indonesian Il-28
Ilyushin Il-28
The Ilyushin Il-28 is a jet bomber aircraft of the immediate postwar period that was originally manufactured for the Soviet Air Force. It was the USSR's first such aircraft to enter large-scale production. It was also licence-built in China as the Harbin H-5. Total production in the USSR was 6,316...
bombers in the event of war. An Army anti-aircraft battery was also deployed to Darwin and additional Sabre pilots and ground crew were sent to Butterworth to reinforce No. 78 Wing. The Sabres arrived on 8 September and were maintained at a high level of alert until 17 October. After international tensions eased No. 76 Squadron began returning to Williamstown on 20 October. The rules of engagement
Rules of engagement
Rules of Engagement refers to those responses that are permitted in the employment of military personnel during operations or in the course of their duties. These rules of engagement are determined by the legal framework within which these duties are being carried out...
for the Australian fighters in Malaysia were loosened as a result of the landing in Johore to allow any Indonesian aircraft which could be positively identified as being within Malaysian or Singapore airspace to be destroyed.
RAAF aircraft also supported ground operations during the Confrontation. No. 5 Squadron's activities between 1964 to 1966 included transporting Australian, Malaysian and Singapore troops during operations against Indonesian infiltrators on the Malaysian Peninsular. RAAF aircraft also routinely transported troops and supplies between peninsular Malaysia and Borneo. Australian C-130 Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
made regular courier flights between Darwin and Butterworth, though Indonesia withdrew permission for these aircraft to fly through its airspace in July 1964. A detachment of No. 78 Wing Sabres began operations at Labuan
Labuan
Labuan is a federal territory in East Malaysia. It is an island off the coast of the state of Sabah. Labuan's capital is Victoria and is best known as an offshore financial centre offering international financial and business services via Labuan IBFC since 1990 as well as being an offshore support...
island off Borneo in September 1965 to improve the RAF's air defences in the region. The alert status for aircraft at Butterworth was reduced at the end of the confrontation and Indonesia again routinely allowed Australian aircraft to transit its airspace. Between 1969 and 1972 Australia donated Sabre aircraft, as well as technical support and training, to both the Indonesian and Malaysian air forces.
Aftermath
Following a military coup in Indonesia in early 1966 which brought General Suharto to power Malaysia and Indonesia signed a peace treaty in BangkokBangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
in August 1966, ending the conflict. Australian forces in Malaysia then reverted to their primary role in the FESR.
Operations in Borneo—especially cross-border missions, which were never admitted during the war—were extremely sensitive and for these reasons they received little press coverage in Australia. Due to the conflict's sensitivity, the editor of the Australian official history
Official history
An official history is a work of history which is sponsored, authorised, or endorsed by its subject. The term is most commonly used for histories which are produced at a government's behest....
of Australia's involvement in South East Asian conflicts, Peter Edwards, had to persuade the government to have the Confrontation included in the series. Official acknowledgement of Australian involvement in Claret missions only occurred in 1996 when Cabinet
Cabinet of Australia
The Cabinet of Australia is the council of senior ministers of the Crown, responsible to parliament. The Cabinet is appointed by the Governor-General, on the advice of the Prime Minister the Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, and serves at the former's pleasure. The strictly private...
papers discussing the operations were released.
The Australian Army units in Borneo were successful, but played only a secondary role in the fighting. Regardless the conflict provided useful experience which help the Army to prepare for the much higher-intensity fighting it would experience in Vietnam
Military history of Australia during the Vietnam War
Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War began as a small commitment of 30 men in 1962, and increased over the following decade to a peak of 7,672 Australians deployed in South Vietnam or in support of Australian forces there. The Vietnam War was the longest and most controversial war Australia...
. The Navy also gained valuable experience in coastal patrol operations. 3,500 Australians served during Confrontation and casualties included 23 dead, including seven killed in action – while another eight were wounded.
Timeline
| 1964 |
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| 1965 |
Kalimantan In English, the term Kalimantan refers to the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo, while in Indonesian, the term "Kalimantan" refers to the whole island of Borneo.... and died several days later before he could be evacuated. |
| 1966 |
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