RAA Liaison Letter 2024 - 2025 Edition

RAA Liaison Letter – 2024 / 2025 Edition 80 Reviewed by Lieutenant General Ash Power AO, CSC Action! Action! Action! outlines the role that gunners of all persuasions have played in supporting Australia both in war and in the interwar periods. Clearly explained are the key roles Artillery plays during conflict, roles in high demand and never questioned – “fires” after all, is a warfighting function. Also explained are the challenges gunners, like other elements of the Army, faced when peace broke out and funding dried up. It’s all there, the highs and lows and it is a great read. It will become obvious to the reader that over the last a century and a half there have been two constants; the proud history of unbroken continuous service provided by gunners and the constant changes that they have faced. During my service I was questioned on the very need for Artillery, questioning that became more animated the longer we were at peace. Peace unfortunately, is a temporary existence, and once again Artillery is in the ascendancy. The threat of war is clear to all. Arguably there has never been a more exciting time to be a gunner. After decades of toing and froing we are about to get self-propelled artillery, a long-range fires capability is just around the corner. Undergoing yet another Army restructure – a reinvention of what has worked in previous wars – we are going full circle, with the creation of 10 Brigade, a fires formation. This is now Army’s main effort. Gunners have always understood the need for the combined arms team and were early proponents of jointery. Action! Action! Action! takes us from the creation of our very first gunner organisations, covers off on Artillery’s contribution during our biggest wars and other conflicts, and clearly articulates not only the traditional support gunners have provided but also the myriad of tasks in non-traditional roles that gunners have performed. It’s important for all gunners to understand this impressive history as we prepare for the future and this publication lays that history out in an easy to read and digestible fashion. Just as important however is the need for all who defend our nation to get a better understanding of the role that all parts of the combined arms team play; I commend Action! Action! Action! to all who wear a service uniform. Ubique, and always there. Reviewed by Major General Craig Furini AM, CSC; Representative Colonel Commandant of The Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery I applaud the Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company (RAAHC), especially Nick Floyd and Paul Stevens for their commitment to capturing the story of the employment of Australian artillery over the 150 years from 1871 to 2021. Action! Action! Action! is a story as much about the artillery as it is about the birth of a nation and the Australian Army. The authors have done a wonderful job of telling a balanced story that covers all the branches of the Australian artillery — field, coastal and garrison, air defence and searchlight, anti-tank, weapon locating and surveillance and target acquisition, and artillery intelligence — as well as the essential story of the men and women of the artillery who have “stood by their guns” over the last century and a half. One telling aspect of Action! Action! Action! is that no matter how things change, much stays the same. This is where the book leaves the reader in the last chapter (Change and Constancy, pp.207- 211). The book provides a fascinating insight into the thinking and approach of generations of Gunners. It is clear they have remained unwavering in their commitment to the provision of accurate, responsive and dependable battle winning fires and effects as part of the combined arms and joint teams. Yet at the same time, continually reflected, evolved and adapted tactically, technically and organisationally to ensure what they bring to the battlefield remains battle winning regardless of peacetime bureaucratic challenges and those that have questioned the very need for artillery. Action! Action! Action! lays this out in a narrative that is informative and compelling. As the current Representative Colonel Commandant, I am thrilled to see Action! Action! Action! address the service and achievements of contemporary veterans over the last 30 years. It is a story they deserve to see told. Defined by a high operational tempo, this era saw Batteries, Troops, teams and individuals deploy across the globe providing essential warfighting and peacekeeping capabilities in and out of role. Simultaneously the era witnessed major advancements in artillery capability with new guns, UAVs, sensors and digitisation accompanied by organisational and doctrinal changes. For the first time the events and developments of this era have been brought