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"2 Commando Company Association" and "126 Signal Squadron Association"
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The term Commando is derived from the South African / Dutch word used by the Boers identifying their irregular sized raiding forces employed against the British during the South African Wars.
Australian commandos evolved from these units and were formed in Australia during WW2, these centered around the Independent Companies and "M" and "Z" Special Units, all trained for unconventional warfare. Within these units a requirement also existed for long range communications back to Australia, radio operators were trained to use Morse code, manual encryption and portable transmitting equipment.
Some time after the end of WW2 a need was again identified for these type of forces and 2 Commando Company was raised on 24 Feb. 1955. 1 Commando Company was raised on 25 June 1955. To provide long range communications 301 Signals Squadron was raised in 1960, to later become 126 Signal Squadron (Special Forces) in 1968. Although carrying out some common training these 3 units functioned independently until the forming of the 1st Commando Regiment on 1 Feb. 1981 when they were all brought under a central command. In 1999 126 Sig Sqn was transferred to 4 RAR(Cdo) and 301 Signal Squadron was re-raised to provide communications support for the 1st Commando Regiment.
All Australian commandos wear the Sherwood green beret adopted from the British Commandoes. It was first used by the Companies and later continued under 1st Commando Regiment. Prior to 1956, the units wore the traditional Australian Rising Sun Badge. It was then decided to have a competition in which both 1 and 2 Company members could enter for a new design. The Officer Commanding 2 Company decided on a design by Warrant Officer Ronald Nordhoff, a dagger and boomerang, with the motto "Strike Swiftly".
The Black and Green Colours of the 1st Commando Regiment were adopted from the Colours used by the WW2 1st Inf Bn AIF. The sand colour background ties in with the SCOMD patch, these along with the dagger and boomerang of the Commando Companies has been used to form the emblem of the 1st Commando Regiment Association.