Australia in the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation
The war remained a limited one however, and was fought primarily on the island of Borneo, although a number of Indonesian seaborne and airborne incursions into the Malay Peninsula did occur.
[1] As part of Australia's continuing military commitment to the security of Malaysia, Australian army, naval and air force units were based there with the Far East Strategic Reserve, mainly in the 28th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade Group.
Other army units deployed included artillery batteries and engineers, both of which served tours in support of the infantry in Borneo.
[Note 1] In early 1963 the Indonesian Government adopted a policy of destabilising and ultimately breaking up Malaysia, which was to become independent of the United Kingdom in September 1963.
This was due at least in part to a fear that any such fighting would spread to the long and indefensible border between Indonesia and the Australian-administered Territory of Papua and New Guinea.
[3] Although not initially agreeing to send troops to Borneo, in April 1964 the Australian Government agreed to allow its forces to be used to protect peninsular Malaysia from attack, whilst also announcing that it would dispatch an engineer construction squadron to Borneo, while also providing two naval mine-sweepers, four helicopters and other support in addition to units already stationed in Malaysia.
Meanwhile, in June the 111th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery deployed to Butterworth in northern Malaysia to defend the airfield in case the Indonesians conducted an unexpected air raid.
[4] The 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR), which was based at Camp Terendak in Malacca, was subsequently used to mop up two small airborne and seaborne landings near Labis and Pontian in September and October 1964.
[5] During the early phases of the war, the British and Malaysian troops attempted only to control the Malaysian/Indonesian border, and to protect population centres from Indonesian attacks.
[2] 3 RAR deployed to Borneo in March 1965, and served there until the end of July, conducting a number of operations on both sides of the border.
The battery had deployed to Sarawak from its base at Terendak in Malaysia in late April 1965, and was attached to the British 4th Light Regiment.
[12] Its tour was less eventful, however, and the battalion primarily operated in Malaysian territory where it ambushed tracks leading from the border with Indonesia.
Malaysia and Indonesia agreed to a peace treaty on 11 August and 4 RAR and the other Commonwealth units in Borneo ceased operations the next day.
Although there was only one shooting incident between the PIR and Indonesian troops, a number of incursions took place and these patrols–which were often conducted in rugged terrain–placed considerable demands on Australia's already limited defence resources.
At this time two Australian destroyers or frigates were always in Malaysian waters as part of the FESR and other warships, including the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne, made periodic visits.
[21] RAN warships undertook coastal patrols in the Malacca Strait, off Singapore and the Tawau-Wallace Bay area off Sabah.
[23] Twelve RAN warships served in Malaysian waters during Australia's involvement in the Confrontation, with several performing more than one tour of duty.
On 17 July 1963 Australian Sabres sighted Indonesian Air Force MiG-19s near the Malaysian coast and tracked one of them back towards its base at Medan in North Sumatra.
When the Australian Government became concerned that the parachute landings could lead to open hostilities it ordered the RAAF to deploy 16 Sabres from No.
An Army anti-aircraft battery was also deployed to Darwin and additional Sabre pilots and ground crew were sent to Butterworth to reinforce No.
[30] The rules of engagement for the Australian fighters in Malaysia were loosened as a result of the landing in Johore to allow any Indonesian aircraft which could be positively identified as being within Malaysian or Singapore airspace to be destroyed.
[27] Australian C-130 Hercules made regular courier flights between Darwin and Butterworth, though Indonesia withdrew permission for these aircraft to fly through its airspace in July 1964.
78 Wing Sabres began operations at Labuan island off Borneo in September 1965 to improve the RAF's air defences in the region.
[33] Official acknowledgement of Australian involvement in Claret missions only occurred in 1996 when Cabinet papers discussing the operations were released.
