2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2 RAR) is an Australian light infantry battalion. 2 RAR was first formed as the Australian 66th Battalion in 1945 and is currently based at Lavarack Barracks in Townsville where it forms part of the Australian 3rd Brigade. Traditionally light infantry (or skirmishers) were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. ... Lavarack Barracks is a major Australian Army base located in Townsville, Queensland. ... Townsville redirects here. ... The Australian 3rd Brigade is an infantry brigade. ...

2 RAR has seen active service during the Korean War, Malayan Emergency, Indonesian Confrontation and Vietnam War. In addition, the Battalion has participated in peacekeeping operations in Japan, East Timor and the Solomon Islands and has contributed rifle companies to the security force protecting the Australian embassy in Baghdad following the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. In May 2006 2 RAR's headquarters, support company and a rifle company will deploy to Iraq as part of the third rotation of the Al Muthanna Task Group. Combatants Western Allied/UN combatants: South Korea, United States Communist combatants: North Korea, Peoples Republic of China, Soviet Union Strength Note: All figures may vary according to source. ... The Malayan Emergency was an insurrection and guerrilla war of the Malay Races Liberation Army against the British and Malayan administration from 1948-1960 in what is now Malaysia. ... The Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation was an intermittent war over the future of the island of Borneo, between British-backed Malaysia and Indonesia in 1962-1966. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) United States of America South Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand the Philippines Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) National Liberation Front (Viet Cong) Strength ~1,200,000 (1968) ~420,000 (1968) Casualties South Vietnamese dead: 230,000 South Vietnamese wounded: 300,000 US dead... Location of Baghdad within Iraq Baghdad (Arabic: ‎ translit: , Kurdish: Bexda, from Persian Baagh-daad or Bag-Da-Du meaning “Garden of God” [1]) is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate. ... Combatants Coalition Forces (United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Poland) Iraq Commanders Tommy Franks Saddam Hussein Strength 263,000 375,000 The 2003 invasion of Iraq, termed Operation Iraqi Freedom by the US administration, began on March 20. ... Australian soldiers supported by an ASLAV-25 patrol along a railway line near Camp Smitty during routine foot patrols in Al Muthanna Province. ...