Our December 2019 Lecture - Konfrontasi Digger: 3 RAR During the Indonesian Confrontation

Between 1962 and 1966, Indonesia under the aggressive leadership of Sukarno ‘confronted’ the new state of Malaysia, labelling it a cloak for British imperial interests in south-east Asia.

The two nations fought a small, undeclared war, drawing troops from Australia, New Zealand and Britain to the Malaysian cause. Dennis Healey, UK Secretary of State for Defence, called this “one of the most efficient uses of military forces in the history of the world”.

During its deployment to Malaya, 3^rd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR) was engaged in a number of different operational situations.

Colonel Bob Guest Rtd (pictured) will present an overview of ‘Konfrontasi’, highlighting significant events and actions based on personal experience as a digger and subsequent research. During its 5 months tour of Borneo, 3 RAR conducted 30 secret ‘Claret’ operations across the border into Indonesia. Eighteen of these were fighting patrols and there were four significant contacts. Two of these four were by Bob Guest’s unit, 7 Platoon, C Company, 3 RAR.

Colonel Bob Guest Rtd, is a Graduate of the Canadian Forces Staff College and the Joint Services Staff College, he holds an Honorary Fellowship with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists, and is a Member of the Military History Society of New South Wales.

Time & Venue: Saturday, 7 December 2019, 2:00PM – 3:00PM, Goulburn Room, Level 4, City of Sydney RSL, 565 George Street, Sydney CBD. Admission is free of charge but a gold coin donation would be appreciated. For further information call 0419 698 783 or email president@militaryhistorynsw.com.au       

Bob Guest - Biography

Bob Guest is a retired Army infantry officer with 31 years of service. He was a 13-year-old entry into the Royal Australian Naval College. But after two and a half years there, he returned to high school before joining the regular Australian Army. He saw operational service in Konfrontasi and with the Australian Army Training Team in Vietnam.

In the latter years of his career he went into Joint Warfare and his final appointment was Acting Chief of Staff at HQ Training Command. On discharge he worked for 10 years at the UNSW on the managerial side and for a further 10 years was CEO of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists. He was a member of the Executive team on the Boer War Memorial project and is currently a guide at the Australian National Maritime Museum.

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