About This Unit
1st Recruit Training Battalion (1RTB), Kapooka
The site that was to become the Army's Recruit Training Centre (ARTC) was established on a property on the southern slopes of the Pomingalarna Reserve in 1942 as a direct result of defence needs during the Second World War. As a part of the Royal Australian Engineers Centre thousands of engineers were trained in basic soldiering skills as well as engineering duties. In addition 47,000 regular soldiers also trained at the barracks from 1942 to 1945. The location was also the camp for members of the Australian Women's Army Service who acted as orderlies, drivers and hospital staff during that period of time.
On 24 May 1945 at a little after 3 pm, 26 men were killed in an accident on the base. 24 trainees were assembling hand held explosive devices under the supervision of training staff when a large explosion occurred. There was only one survivor of the group. The cause of the explosion has never been determined. The incident led to Australia's largest military funeral.[5]
Following the Second World War the barracks became the 1st Recruit Training Battalion (1RTB). It was established in November 1951 with Lieutenant Colonel V.E. Dowdy appointed as the first Commanding Officer. During 1952 and 1953, wih the Korean War in progress, 1RTB was joined by 2nd Recruit Training Battalion in temporary buildings on the ridge south of the main camp.
Most of the current facilities were constructed during 1965 and 1966, as Australia's commitment to the Vietnam War escalated, and the Barracks were titled Blamey Barracks, after the Army's wartime chief. Officially opened on 6 December 1966 by the then Governor of New South Wales, Sir Roden Cutler, 1RTB conducted training for both national service and regular Army recruits, and during the Vietnam War between 1965 and 1972, in excess of 10,000 National Service men trained at Kapooka.
In 1985, 1RTB became responsible for the training of female recruits, who were previously trained at the Womens' Royal Australian Army Corps (WRAAC) School at Georges Heights in Sydney. The centre took on the additional responsibility of training some reserve recruits from 1993 until, by the early 2000s all Reservists undertook their basic training there as well. For a period, the courses were 'common' to both Reserve and Regular personnel.
The Army Adventurous Training Wing moved from Bonegilla, Victoria to the Blamey Barracks in 1998. In October 2006, Recruit Training Wing formally changed its name back to the 1st Recruit Training Battalion (1RTB).
Training is constantly evolving as operational and skills needs evovle in a rapidly chainging operational environment. https://www.defenceconnect.com.au/land/12819-australian-army-training-to-be-completed-25-percent-faster (www.defenceconnect.com.au)
Source: - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_Recruit_Training_Centre (en.wikipedia.org)