Red roo proves a winner
Volume 11, No. 50, August 24, 2006
By Maj Mark Tanzer

Symbolic: Tpr Greg Larance. of Overwatch Battle Group (West), based at Camp Terendak, Tallil Air Base, wears the new kanagaroo patch. Photo by Cpl Rob Nyffenegger

IT’S as Aussie as you can get, and now the famous red kangaroo is on the arm of every soldier serving in southern Iraq with the Australian Army’s newest unit.

A big red skippy on a black background features as the unit patch for Overwatch Battlegroup (West), formerly known as the Al Muthanna Task Group, based at Camp Terendak, Tallil.

Battlegroup RSM WO1 David Hatton said the design was one of 27 submitted by soldiers.

“We were looking for something that was uniquely Australian, but simple in its design and therefore readily identifiable,” WO1 Hatton said.

“We’ve always had the red kangaroo on our vehicles over here, so I guess it was staring us straight between the eyes.

“The local Iraqis, regardless of education or background, all know that the red kangaroo means Australia, and so that was the main incentive – it helps us as we perform our work in Al Muthanna.”

He said red and black also held historical significance.

“The red is close to scarlet, which is the colour of the Royal Australian Infantry,” he said. “Red is also the squadron colour of our combat team from 2/14 LHR (QMI).

“Black is the colour of the berets in the Royal Australian Armoured Corps, and black is the lanyard colour for 2RAR.”