The RCBRG thanks the Minister for initiating the current inquiry by DHAAT into the service of Rifle Company Butterworth 1970-1989. For many years the Department of Defence have been holding up previous, flawed, reviews as a reason that a new inquiry into RCB service was unnecessary. Included in those flawed reviews was the previous New […]

The independent Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal will re-examine the issue of medallic recognition for Australians who served with Rifle Company Butterworth in Malaysia between 1970 and 1989. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel Andrew Gee said the Government had listened to the concerns raised by many veterans who had served on Rifle […]

This Report originated from the RCBRG’s challenge over 15 years to the Government’s decision that RCB service was peacetime service. Despite RCBRG’s evidence (much from the then declassified 212 secret and 16 top secret documents) supporting their claim for warlike service, and their experience of Defence’s unfair grievance process that denied natural justice, their numerous […]

There is a long running dispute between the RCBRG and the Defence Department on the rightful categorisation of RCB’s service in Malaysia 1970 – 1989 to protect the RAAF assets at Air Base Butterworth (ABB) during the Communist Insurgency (1969-1989). Defence records this service as peacetime service while the RCB troops seeks to prove it […]

It’s been four months since we made our last RCB submission for review to the Minister for Defence Personnel, Andrew Gee, which was supported by the Ethicos Report written by Howard Whitton a noted authority on governance probity and law making. Howard’s examination of the evidence (which includes 210 past secret and 16 past top-secret documents) related to the Government’s RCB […]

RCB veterans and supporters, I apologise that this Update is very long overdue. Your patience and support are greatly appreciated by all in the RCBRG.  Sadly, OPSEC prevents us from being totally open and transparent in our research and planning, but rest assured we are working hard to secure the recognition we all deserve for our […]

This year is the fiftieth anniversary of the deployment of Australian Army troops to the Airbase at Butterworth in Malaysia. However, it seems that a deliberate strategy has been made by Australian authorities to airbrush out the true story of the service of 9,000 Australian Army troops deployed to Airbase Butterworth during the period 1970 […]

The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) congratulates Rifle Company Butterworth (RCB) for its 50th anniversary of establishment in Malaysia. “Your presence and sacrifice here in Malaysian soil in protecting the RMAF Butterworth base during the resurgence of the communist insurgency in 1970-1989 was a remarkable contribution and had always been the highlight of your presence here […]

Ray Fulcher’s appeal was heard on the 26th March 2020 by telephone We are disappointed DHAAT did not find warlike service yet we are buoyed by their finding that RCB service was NOT peacetime but hazardous. Read the full text of the Tribunal’s Decision here The Tribunal decision is appealable in the Federal Court within 28 […]

Ray’s appeal to the Tribunal was heard today 26th March 2020 by telephone. Following the hearing Ray reported on the RCB facebook site: ” Hi all. Ken (Ken Marsh RAAF) and I are very happy with how the hearing went this morning. Both because of the questions and comments from the Tribunal and their demeanour towards us. […]