University of NSW Regiment Badge

The University of New South Wales Regiment was founded as the New South Wales University of Technology Regimentin 1952, while Army Headquarters' approval to form the unit had been granted in July 1951. The new university and regiment were sensitive at the time to the standing it had in relation to the historic traditions of Sydney University, and thus the regiment was founded along the lines of the Sydney University Regiment. While the first regimental headquarters were in Mews Street, Ultimo from 1952, in 1954 the vice-chancellor of the university Philip Baxter, who had strongly supported the regiment's creation, provided it with a base on campus on High Street.^[2]

The regiment was renamed the University of New South Wales Regiment (UNSWR) when the university changed its name in 1958. In 1959, the regiment moved to a new specially-built site on Day Avenue on campus.^[3] The initial structure of UNSWR reflected an infantry battalion. The regiment affiliated with the university to attract candidates, who having served as privates, lance corporals, corporals and sergeants could be subsequently commissioned in the Army Reserve.

UNSWR became allied to a British Army regiment in 1964, through amalgamations this affiliation is now with the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment (Queen’s and Royal Hampshires). On 18 November 1977 UNSWR affiliated with the Canterbury, and Nelson-Marlborough and West Coast Regiment, a Territorial Force unit based on the South Island for soldiers serving part-time in the New Zealand Army.^[4]

In 1991, the structure changed to a training unit with the introduction of dedicated officer commissioning training. This ultimately became the First Appointment Course. In 2008, UNSWR transferred to under command of 8th Brigade and commenced delivery of soldier training for 8th Brigade. In 2011, the commitment to the First Appointment Course was reduced and UNSWR commenced delivery of training also to the soldiers of 5th Brigade. In addition to its ongoing involvement with the training of University students to become Officers in the Army Reserve, UNSWR also now delivers junior leader and soldier specialist training for university and TAFE students in the greater Sydney area

In 2018 UNSWR was directed by the Headquarters of the 2nd Division to assume responsibility for all recruit and initial employment training soldier management and training for the Army Reserve in NSW.

On 26 June 2018 all available and current NSW Army Reserve trainees were posted into the Regiment. This posting action involved nearly 850 soldiers, or over 10% of the 2nd Division's total soldier asset.

As a result of this posting action, UNSWR became the third largest unit in the Australian Army.