The origins of our Defence Force

By MUHUYUPE SORANZI
BEFORE the Second World War, the Territory of Papua New Guinea had no national defence force. The first and the only armed force at that time, which had been operational since 1885, were the Royal Papuan Constabulary (RPC).
The RPC’s designated tasks were to protect early administrative centres/settlements, government officers, patrol officers, kiaps, missionaries, explorers and the early miners.
The objective of the early administration in setting up the native constabularies/policemen in 1885 was to use them to expand into the unknown tribal societies of Papua New Guinea.
That was until the end of the 1930s when the need for a defence force arose as a result of superpowers rising in Europe and other parts of the world. The war in Europe alerted Australia, who was then colonizing the Papuan Territory, to establish something that would resemble a defence force in Papua. In 1940, Australia approved for an increase of additional military units with the first 63 men coming direct from RPC with other local men enlisted as volunteers. This led to the formation of the Papuan Infantry Battalion (PIB), the unit from which Pacific Islands Regiment (PIR) grew. PIB was tasked to patrol in and around Port Moresby.
Banded, then disbanded
Recruitments were conducted on PNG natives and the first PIB patrol advanced north of Papua and into New Guinea territory of Kokoda and Buna. The PIB patrol were the first troops to meet the invading Japanese soldiers on the northern coastline of Papua on 23 July 1942, the date which is now honoured as, National Remembrance Day, in PNG.
In 1943-1944, PIB established its operation in Morobe known as Salamaua Campaign and further north to Madang and Sepik. The PIB was proving to be a formidable force which led to the forming of the New Guinea Infantry Battalions (NGIB) in March 1944 at Nadzab in Morobe. By October and November of the same year, PIB and NGIB were combined to form the Pacific Islands Regiment (PIR) which was administered by ANGAU.
The Pacific Islands Regiment was disbanded in mid-1946 after WWII and again the Territory of Papua and New Guinea had no armed forces.
Pacific Islands Regiment
birth and transition
In 1950, with continuous political instability in the Asia Pacific Region; Australia feared a repeat invasion through its Northern Territory through its territory of Papua. This, among other reasons, prompted the release of an instruction by the Australian Army Headquarter (HQ) to re-raise PIR. As a tribute to the old PIR; the new unit was given the same proud title ‘Pacific Islands Regiment’ (PIR).
On 11 March 1951, the first intakes of the then PIR were enlisted. The first of all those first recruits was Boino Warko who was enlisted as Regimental # 801 Pte Boina Warko. The PIR settled at ‘Eggy’s Corner’ which was the site of former Australia General Hospital during WWII. Eggy’s Corner is now known as Taurama Barracks.
In March 1951, the PIR began with 18 enlistees who were all members of the newly formed Alpha Company. The regiment continued recruitment till 1952 when it consisted a battalion HQ with four Rifle Companies based at Taurama Barracks.
Roles of PIR
Some of the major tasks of the PIR were the protection of the 760km land border between Dutch Papua (later West Papua, Irian Jaya and Indonesia) and PNG and the maritime border around Manus. Despite challenges faced the PIR, the company continued to rotate between those locations.
It was on the 04 July 1956 when the Regimental Colours containing the Battle Honours for the PIB for WWII was presented to the PIR.
In 1963, the PNG Military District headquarter, now known as Murray Barracks, was established. The establishment of Murray Barracks was relegated with more command authority by the Australian Northern Command. The establishment of 1PIR and later 2PIR came under the PNG Military District HQ.
Between 1964 and 1966, the Indonesian confrontation in Malaya and Borneo border raised the urgency for an expansion of the PIR. On 03 March 1965, Delta Company, Support Company and part of the BHQ at PIR separated from PIR and moved to Moem Barracks in Wewak where 2PIR was formed. Since 2PIR was formed from elements/segments of 1PIR, the second Battalion also celebrate 11 March each year as its battalion birthday.
Despite the establishment of a PNG Military District HQ, Australian Defence Force Officers still held the senior command positions including the 1PIR Commanding Officer position. However, that changed in 1974 when PNG observed the first major transition in the appointment of Lieutenant Colonel Ted Diro as the first native Commanding Officer to 1PIR.
After Independence
on 16 Sept 1975
On 16 Sept 1975 when PNG became independent, both PIR Units became part of the PNGDF. Since 1984, the Regiment’s Colonel- in-Chief was HRH ‘The Prince of Wales’ and the regiment became ‘Royal’ regiment in 1985, changing its name to become the Royal Pacific Island Regiments (RPIR).
The units of the RPIR were deployed to Vanuatu in the 1980s, fought the secessionist movements in Bougainville in 1997 and more recently took part in the RAMSI operations in Solomon Islands. Ongoing priority tasks for the two battalions is the continuous manning of the 760km Indonesian and PNG border from Wutung in West Sepik down to Toraasi in South-Fly.
March 10, 2017 marked 66 years for 1RPIR in PNG and the celebration to mark the number of years of the battalion’s existence was celebrated on at Taurama Barracks, where PIR first began on 11 March 1951.
The reviewing officer at the parade was Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko. He was accompanied by PNGDF commander Brigadier-Gilbert Toropo.
This year’s champion, Charlie Champion was accorded the privilege to Troop the Regimental Colour.