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In France, at dawn, on Tuesday the Twentieth of November 1917, Brigadier Hugh Elles led an assault on the Hindenberg line with 381 tanks made up of of three tank brigades of two battalions spread out over a six mile front. In the centre of the line was Elles' Mark IV tank named HILDA flying a flag which he had stitched together from locally acquired silk cut into three strips laid horizontally.
Brown below, Red in the middle and Green aloft, symbolizing a charge through MUD and BLOOD to the GREEN Fields of Cambrai and beyond. (See the original in the Memorabilia Gallery) A single gunshot sent the men and machines into battle creating a breach which allowed the cavalry to charge through, followed by the infantry, forcing a major breakthrough advancing three miles. Though Cambrai was not taken, the battle was deemed a success and church bells were rung throughout Britain. Each year the battle is commemorated as "Cambrai day".The Sixth Division Cavalry Regiment of the Australian Imperial Forces (AIF) adopted these colours (by now modified to vertical stripes) from the British, and after adding a distinguishing grey back, wore them throughout the Second World War (1939-1945).
In March, 1944, the 2/7 Independent company joined the Regiment and became 2/7 Commando Squadron and were granted leave to retain their famous BROWN DOUBLE DIAMOND colour patch. This site is dedicated to the 2000 plus members of the regiment whose names appear on the nominal roll for 2/7, 2/9, 2/10 Commando Squadrons et al. And our daughter regiment 2 Cavalry Regiment who are carrying on the tradition today with dignity and courage. 
On 9th. October 1971 at Holsworthy N.S.W. the Battle Honours of the 2/6 Cavalry Commando Regiment were passed into the custody of 2 Cavalry Regiment. A plaque to represent the occasion was presented to that Regiment by our original CO. Brigadier M. A. Fergusson DSO MC ED.This plaque is now fixed to a Memorial situated at the entrance to the HQ of the 2 Cavalry Regiment, Waler Lines, Robertson Barracks, Palmerston, NT. |
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