The 2/6th originally formed as a cavalry regiment. They saw action in North Africa and the Middle East, including at Bardia, Tobruk and Syria. Following Japan's entry into the Second World War, the 2/6th returned to Australia where it was transformed into a commando regiment. After a period of retraining, it deployed to New Guinea to take part in Australia's final campaigns of the war.
The 2nd Cavalry Regiment formed on 20 November 1970. On 9 October 1971, the 17 official battle honours of the 2/6th were passed into the custody of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment. This ensured the history, honours and memory of the 2/6th would be carried forward. To this day, a strong bond remains between the current members of the 2nd Cavalry and the descendants of the 2/6th Cavalry Commando Regiments.
A service is held on 3 November each year to honour the service and sacrifice of the 2/6th Cavalry Commando Regiment. This date marks the formation of the regiment in 1939.
Reviewed 22 December 2022