Australian Army Chaplaincy badge will not change: ‘In This Sign Conquer’ to remain

‘IN This sign Conquer’ will remain as the motto on the Australian Army Chaplaincy badge after Australia’s army chief struck down a politically correct movement to change it.

Australian Army Chaplaincy Corps hat badge will be changed as the quote on the badge relates to the 'Crusades'.

• LAST NOVEMBER: ‘CONQUER’ REMOVED FROM MOTTO

AUSTRALIA’S army chief has slapped down officers and scrapped proposed politically correct changes to the historical chaplains hat badge.

The backflip was hailed as a victory for common sense and came after The Daily Telegraph revealed a new edict that four out of 12 combat ration menu options offered to Diggers should be halal.

Chief of Army Lieutenant General Angus Campbell wrote to The Daily Telegraph yesterday to say “combat ration packs are not about political correctness ... (they) are about our people.

“It is important our combat ration pack menus cater for a variety of tastes, including the food, social and religious preferences of ADF members.”

Chief of Army Lt General Angus Campbell has halted a move to scrap the word ‘conquer’ from motto on historic army chaplain hat badges.

In his letter Lt Gen Campbell also pointed to a statement on the Army website that shows he has the “final decision” on any changes to the chaplains hat badge and has shot down the idea.

“A change to the Australian Army Chaplaincy badge is not a matter the Chief of Army is currently considering,” the statement said.

“Some Chaplains raised the idea to contemporise the corps badge when looking into the current and future needs of chaplaincy in the Army and broader Defence. For their open-mindedness they are commended.”

Former Army intelligence officer Bernie Gaynor — the Australian Liberty Alliance Senate candidate for Queensland — said: “Defence has clearly backed down on changes to the Army chaplain’s hat badge. This is a win for common sense.”

Defence confirmed last November that the chaplain’s 102-year-old motto was being changed to “better reflect the diversity of religion throughout the Australian Army”.

It said new wording to replace the motto “In this sign conquer” on the badge was “under consideration”.

Mr Gaynor said: “This change should never have been considered in the first place and it only came to the attention of the public after unhappy soldiers spoke up.”

The decision to change the badge, which has its origins in the Roman empire, came after an imam was appointed to join the Religious Advisory Committee to the Services.

When the change was first proposed Christian Democrat Party leader Rev Fred Nile slammed it as “politically correct nonsense.”

Yesterday he said: “I am very pleased. The badge is part of our history, it goes back to the foundation of the chaplains in our Australian Army.