AHU:
A personal story
By
WO1 Chris Seymour
QM AHU
Volume 11, No. 38, March 8, 2006
I have spent much of the past three years travelling Australia
in the course of my duties.
In that time whenever I introduce myself as the QM of the Army
History Unit (AHU) the reply is inevitably what unit – Army
History Unit – never heard of them.
I want to correct that by explaining my unit to the readers of
Army.
“The AHU was created from the Directorate of History as a
result of a CA Directive in 1989. AHU is an independent unit on
the ORBAT and the Head of AHU is the CA principal staff officer
for historical matters and as such has direct access to CA and
DCA.
AHU is the unit of the Australian Army responsible for all aspects
of Army’s history and heritage and the role of AHU is to;
record, promote, preserve and maintain the history and heritage
of the Army, and to support the Chief of Army in meeting the command,
statutory and policy responsibilities in history and heritage
matters.
The unit’s history section manages CA’s annual history
conference, which will be held this year, on September 25-26,
exploring the topic of Small Wars and Insurgencies.
AHU runs an annual Grants Scheme to encourage research into the
history of the Army and its role in the development of the nation.
Additionally, through partnerships with Oxford University Press
and Australian Military History Publications AHU has developed
a highly successful publishing program. More than 30 titles are
on sale in bookshops throughout Australia and overseas.
AHU supervises the recording of current operational deployments
by using deployed field teams of two or three members collecting
and recording interviews with soldiers of all ranks, taking photographs,
and collecting artifacts of historical significance and providence
to the operation, for the Australian War Memorial and the Army
Museum Network.
The unit also has the responsibility for the command, control
and operation of 17 Army museums operating around Australia.
That’s part of the story of my unit and about who we are
and what we do.
If you would like more information about the Army History Unit
or if your unit has materiel that might have historical significance
or you want to find an Army Museum near you go to http:www.defence.gov.au/army/ahu/
