{"html":"  \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-images\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor \"\n        style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/44147/photo/zoom_65_Bn_Guard_Kure_Japan_1946.jpg)\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-description with-image\"\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor\"\u003eOccupation Force Japan - BCOF\u003c/h4\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWith the cessation of hostilities against Japan following VJ Day in August 1945, plans were put in place to form an Army of Occupation in Japan.  As Australia began de-mobilising its wartime forces, three new Infantry Battalions were raised to form the core of our nation's contribution to the British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF). \u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe battalions raised were the 65\u003csup\u003eth\u003c/sup\u003e, 66\u003csup\u003eth\u003c/sup\u003e and 67\u003csup\u003eth \u003c/sup\u003eInfantry Battalions which were later to become the foundation of Australia's new Regular Army.  \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF) was raised and Australia's contribution, the 34th Brigade, formed on Moratai Island in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) from volunteers among the troops assembling there for repatriation back to Australia and demobilisation.  The 34th Brigade, comprising the three aforementioned Battalions,  was initially commanded by Brigadier Robert Nimmo (who later served with distinction as the Chief Military Observer in Kashmir).\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThey subsequently deployed to Japan here they were based not far from the city of Hiroshima at the large Japanes Naval base at Kure, in the south of the main island of Honshu. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1947, the 65th, 66th and 67th, were to be re-titled as respectively the First, Second and Third Battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment, identifed as 1RAR, 2RAR and 3RAR respectively.  These units were to form the core of the new professional regular full-time Army for the rest of the 20th Century and into the 21st.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eMeanwhile relationships between the Western powers and their former Allies in the Soviet Union and Communist China, steadily deteriorated into what became known as 'The Cold War'.  The divided country of Korea was the epicentre of the tension in the 'Far East'.  \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eDespite that, the first two Battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment were repatriated back to Australia.  This left 3RAR, 77 Squadron RAAF and a number of other Army and RAAF units plus two warships of the Royal Australian Navy remaining behind in Japan. They were to form the basis of Australia's commitment to Korea when the Cold War went hot in 1950.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n"}