Military Organisation and Structure

Army: Detailed Structure

The Structure of Army units has changed periodically to reflect changes in technology and tactics. The tables below show the changing organisation of the three major fighting units in the Australian Army:

Infantry battalion
Light horse/cavalry/armoured regiment
Artillery brigade/regiment

 

The Infantry Battalion

Year
Section
Platoon
Company
Battalion
1917

Rifle Section: 10 Other Ranks

Lewis Gun Section:
10 Other Ranks
1 Lewis light-machine gun

Platoon Headquarters (1 Officer, 4 Other Ranks)

3 x Rifle Section
1 x Lewis Gun Section

Company Headquarters (2 Officers, 57 Other Ranks)

4 x Platoon

29 Officers, 1007 Other Ranks

Battalion Headquarters
4 x Company
1941

Rifle Section:
10 Other Ranks
1 x Bren light-machine gun
1 x Thompson sub-machine gun

Rifle Platoon:
Platoon Headquarters (1 Officer, 5 Other Ranks, 1x anti-tank rifle, 1x 2 " mortar)

3 x Rifle Section

Rifle Company:
Company Headquarters (2 Officers, 10 Other Ranks)

3 x Rifle Platoon

33 Officers, 759 Other Ranks

Battalion Headquarters
Regimental Aid Post
Headquarters Company

Signals Platoon
Anti-Aircraft Platoon
Mortar Platoon
Pioneer Platoon
Administration Platoon
Carrier Platoon

4 x Rifle Company

1944

(Tropical)

Rifle Section:
10 Other Ranks
1 x Bren light-machine gun
2 x Owen/Austen sub-machine gun
1 x sniper rifle

 

Rifle Platoon:
Platoon Headquarters (1 Officer, 5 Other Ranks, 1x 2" mortar, 1 x PIAT [projector, infantry, anti-tank])

3 x Rifle Section

 

Rifle Company:
Company Headquarters (2 Officers, 9 Other Ranks)

3 x Rifle Platoon

 

32 Officers, 745 Other Ranks

Battalion Headquarters
Regimental Aid Post
Headquarters Company

Signals Platoon
Machine Gun Platoon
Mortar Platoon
Tank-Attack Platoon
Pioneer Platoon
Administration Platoon

4 x Rifle Company
1966

Rifle Section:
10 Other Ranks
1 x M60 GPMG (General purpose machine gun)
1 x M79 grenade launcher

 

 

Rifle Platoon:
Platoon Headquarters (1 Officer, 3 Other Ranks)

3 x Rifle Section

 

 

 

Rifle Company:
Company Headquarters (2 Officers, 13 Other Ranks)

3 x Rifle Platoon

37 Officers, 823 Other Ranks

Battalion Headquarters
Administration Company

Quartermasters Platoon
Medical Platoon

Support Company

Mortar Platoon
Signals Platoon
Anti-Tank Platoon
Assault Pioneer Platoon

4 x Rifle Company
1993

Rifle Section:
9 Other Ranks
2 x Minimi light support weapon
1 x M79 grenade launcher
2 x 66mm rocket launcher

 

 

Rifle Platoon:
Platoon Headquarters (1 Officer, 2 Other Ranks)

3 x Section

Rifle Company:
Company Headquarters (2 Officers, 4 Other Ranks)

3 x Rifle Platoon

39 Officers, 662 Other Ranks

Battalion Headquarters

Administration Company
Transport Platoon
Quartermasters Platoon
Catering Platoon
Technical Support Platoon
Medical Platoon

Support Company

Signals Platoon
Mortar Platoon
Assault Pioneer Platoon
DFSW (Direct fire support weapon) Platoon
Reconnaissance and
Surveillance Platoon

4 x Rifle Company

 

The Light Horse/Cavalry/Armoured Regiment

Year/Unit
Section
Troop
Squadron
Regiment

1916
Light Horse Regiment

 4 Other Ranks (mounted)

Troop Headquarters (1 Officer, 3 Other Ranks)

8 x Section

 4 x Troop

25 Officers
497 Other Ranks

Regiment Headquarters
3 x Squadron

1941
Divisional Cavalry Regiment

 N/A

Carier Troop:
1 Officer, 10 Other Ranks
3 carriers

Light Tank Troop:
1 Officer, 12 Other Ranks, 3 light tanks

Squadron Headquarters (2 light tanks, 2 universal carriers)

2 x Light Tank Troop
3 x Carrier Troop

37 Officers
420 Other Ranks

Regiment Headquarters (4 light tanks, 2 carriers)
Administration Squadron
3 x Fighting Squadron

1968
Armoured Regiment *

 

 N/A

tank troop:
1 Officer, 12 Other Ranks
3 x Centurion tank

 

tank squadron:
Squadron Headquarters (2 armoured personnel carriers, 2 Centurions)
Administration Troop (1 armoured personnel carrier, 4 tracked load carriers)

4 x Tank Troop

 

34 Officers
371 Other Ranks

Regiment Headquarters (2 armoured command vehicles)
Headquarters Squadron (1 armoured personnel carrier, 3 bridge laying tanks, 3 tank dozers, 5 tracked load carriers)

3 x Tank Squadron

1993
Armoured Personnel Carrier (Cavalry) Squadron **

 

6 Other Ranks
3 armoured personnel carriers

 

Troop Headquarters (1 Officer, 5 Other Ranks, 3 armoured personnel carriers)

3 x Section

9 Officers, 132 Other Ranks

Squadron Headquarters (9 armoured personnel carriers)
Support Troop (17 armoured personnel carriers, 3 tracked load carriers)
Administration Troop (4 armoured personnel carriers, 12 tracked load carriers)
Tech Support Troop (6 armoured personnel carriers, 1 cargo carrier, 1 armoured recovery vehicle)

4 x Armoured Personnel Carrier Troop

  

* Only one armoured squadron served with 1 Australian Task Force (ATF) at any one time during the Vietnam War.
** Only a single cavalry squadron served in Somalia with the Australian Forces in Somalia (AFS).

 

The Artillery Regiment

Year
Detachment
Section
Troop
Battery
Regiment/Brigade
1916

10 Other Ranks
1 x 18-pounder gun
or 4.5 inch Howitzer

 

18-pounder:
1 Officer, 18 Other Ranks (includes 16 drivers)

2 x Detachment

4.5 inch howitzer:
1 Officer, 20 Other Ranks (includes 18 drivers)

2 x Detachment

 N/A

Battery Headquarters
2 x Sections

 

20 Officers, 579 Other Ranks

Brigade Headquarters
3 x 18-pounder Battery
1 x 4.5 inch Howitzer Battery

 
1941

6 Other Ranks
1 x 25-pounder gun

 

1 Officer
2 x Detachment

 

Troop Headquarters (1 Officer, 1 Other Ranks)

2 x Section

Battery Headquarters
2 x Troop

 

42 Officers, 385 Other Ranks

Regiment Headquarters
3 x Battery
1968

7 Other Ranks
1 x 105mm M2A2 Howitzer

 

1 Officer
3 x Detachment

 

 N/A

Battery Headquarters
2 x Section

447 all ranks

Headquarters Battery
3 x Battery