Series number

AWM87

Series title

Records of 13 National Service Training Battalion

Series contents range

06 Feb 1952 – 08 Dec 1959

Extent

0.13 m

Access conditions

Subject to the Australian Archives Act (1983)

Agency controlling

Department of Defence

Custodial Agency

Australian War Memorial

Function and Provenance

Series 87 consists of documentary records (1952-1959) and files of administrative instructions and minutes (1957-1959), relating to 13 National Service Training Battalion (13 NS Trg Bn).

Different forms of compulsory military service have existed in Australia at various times between Federation and 1972. In 1951, with concerns about the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 and Cold War tensions, the Menzies Liberal government introduced compulsory military training. Under this National Service scheme, eighteen-year-old men were required to undertake 176 days of military training. Those who elected to undertake their training in the army could break up their training requirements into two periods - 98 days in the Australian Regular Army and 78 days in the Citizen Military Forces (CMF). They were not liable for compulsory overseas service. Those who elected to undertake their training with the Royal Australian Navy or the Royal Australian Air Force had to complete their 176 days in one stretch and could be required to serve overseas.

13 NS Trg Bn was one of the training battalions raised in 1951 for the full-time basic Army training component of the National Service obligation. 13 NS Trg Bn was located at Balikpapan Barracks (later Bardia Barracks) at Ingleburn, NSW and was one of ten such battalions located around Australia. Other NS Trg Bns were at Singleton and Holsworthy (NSW), Wacol (Qld), Puckapunyal and Watsonia (Vic), Woodside (SA), Brighton (Tas) and Swanbourne (WA).

This National Service scheme was considered inefficient as it consumed a substantial portion of the regular force in the conduct of training of recruits to produce a standby force of limited operational utility. It was therefore terminated in 1960. A different scheme, involving two years full-time service in the Army, for a smaller number of recruits selected by ballot and without the option of Navy or Air Force service, was introduced in 1964.

There is no record of how or when the files in Series AWM87 were received by the AWM but first indication of their existence is December 1959.

Content

This series consists of small selection of files raised within 13 NS Trg Bn. Contents include:

• Administrative Instructions
• Records relating to the unit mascot (ANZAC I and II)
• Headquarters internal Minutes
• Other miscellaneous administrative instructions, notices and messages.

System of Arrangement and Control

The files are arranged in simple numerical order imposed by the War memorial.

Using the Series

The entire series was has an access status of "OPEN". Records are available to be viewed in the Reading Room at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra and more information can be found at: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/research-at-the-memorial 

Sources

AWM87 Series Dossier