5th Battalion troops return to Darwin after Rifle Company Butterworth rotation

After months of stomping through the jungle and honing their survival skills, a contingent of Darwin soldiers have returned home to their families. Find out what the rotation involved.

Darwin Diggers have returned home after almost four months of training across South East Asia. Picture: Supplied.

About a hundred Darwin soldiers have returned to their families after an adventure-filled trip to South East Asia, involving jungle survival training, unarmed combat and connecting with their foreign counterparts.

On Tuesday evening, Bravo Company from Darwin’s 5th Battalion landed at RAAF Base Darwin – 14 weeks after they jetted northwards.

Having partaken in various military activities across Malaysia, Borneo and Thailand, Bravo Company commander Major Jamie Frisby said it was “great” to be back in the Top End.

“We had an excellent hitout over there,” he said.

“Our soldiers achieved quite a lot, it’s always great to be back in Australia.”

Bravo Company commander Major Jamie Frisby was the last man to hit the tarmac.

In Malaysia, the company completed Exercise Jungle Genesis – a unilateral exercise involving individual and collectives resilience and warfighting skills in the extremely arduous conditions of the Malaysian jungle.

The contingent then travelled to Borneo, where the Diggers linked up with US and Malaysian troops to focus on conventional warfighting skills.

After a short break, Bravo Company then flew to Thailand, linking up with local troops to conduct survival training.

The troops stomped the Sandakan Death March trail over several days. Picture: Department of Defence.

Borneo made a particularly big impression on the troops, with the company having retraced the Sandakan Death March.

Across several days and nights, Bravo company stomped the same trail 1787 Australian prisoners were forced to march in WWII which was survived by only six men.

Major Frisby said the experience left and emotional impact.

“It was extremely humbling, retracing the steps, seeing the graves, listening to the stories, it’s quite touching,” he said.

“We had a number of people on our contingent who had relatives on the death march, so for them to be able to go to cemeteries and find their relatives names on the wall … it means a lot to them.”

The return of Bravo Company marks the completion of the 144th rotation to Malaysia under Rifle Company Butterworth – a longstanding rotation which was first established in 1970 to provide a quick reaction force in Asia.

5RAR commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Grogan was keen to greet his returning troops. Picture: Supplied.

Waiting at the airport was 5th Battalion commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Grogan, who said he was proud of his troops.

“It’s great to have our soldiers home, it’s great to see them reunited with friends and family and have them back here in Darwin,” he said.

“They will get some time off before they get back into work.”

Lieutenant Felix Jenney spars with champion Muay Thai fighter Sombat “Buakaw” Banchamek on Exercise Chapel Gold 2024 in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Picture Supplied.

Troops catching a breather before going into patrols activities. Picture Supplied.

Survival training included learning how to extract drinking water from your surroundings. Picture Supplied.

First Aid training also featured through the rotation. Picture Supplied.

On patrol in the jungle. Picture Supplied.

Originally published as 5th Battalion troops return to Darwin after Rifle Company Butterworth rotation