104th Field Battery, Royal Australian Artillery

104 Field Battery, Royal Australian Artillery
Men of 104th Field Battery line up for a hot tea ration in Belgium in 1917
Active	1916–present
Country	Australia
Branch	Australian Army
Type	Artillery
Role	Indirect fire support
Part of	1st Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery
Garrison/HQ	Enoggera Barracks
Nickname(s)	The Germs
Motto(s)	The Professionals
Mascot(s)	The Germ

The 104 Field Battery, Royal Australian Artillery was formed in the town of Moascar in Egypt during March 1916 as the 104th Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery, part of 4th Field Artillery Brigade. The battery was disbanded, reformed and rerolled many times during its history. It is now one of three gun batteries in 1 Regt RAA.

The 104th Field Battery, Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery, had its beginnings in Egypt, in March 1916. At this time the Battery was raised as a part of the general expansion of divisional artillery prior to the AIF being dispatched to France. In mid-March 1916 the battery sailed for France, and upon their arrival were issued with new 4.5 inch howitzers, reunited with their horses and commenced training. On 21 April 1916, 104th Howitzer Battery relieved C Battery of 176 Brigade Royal Field Artillery (RFA) on the line south east of Armentières, exchanging guns in the process. Shortly after this, they were deployed to the Somme and saw their first real action on the Western front. After the Third Battle of Ypres, the battery fired in support of the British 30th Division and the British 7th Brigade in the Battle of the Hindenburg Line.

Over the next two years, the 104th Field Battery, as part of the 2nd Division Artillery, saw intense and unrelenting action on the Western Front, with almost 58% of the total gunners deployed from Australia being killed. After victory was declared the battery returned to Australia and was disbanded.

The battery served two tours of South Vietnam; the first was from May 1968 to May 1969 as part of 12 Field Regiment, supporting 4 RAR. On returning to Australia, the battery regrouped in Holsworthy, and moved up to Townsville in preparation for its second tour of Vietnam. The battery's second tour was from May 1971 to December 1971, again supporting 4 RAR. 104th Field Battery was the last Australian Field Artillery unit to leave Vietnam. On returning to Australia the Battery was located at Coral Lines Ingleburn with 12th Field Regiment.