previous numerical designations. This saw the battalion finally become the 31st Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment. During this time the battalion's numbers fluctuated as national service was suspended in 1960, reintroduced in 1965 and then finally abolished in late 1972. Finally the strength of the unit declined to the extent that it was reduced to a company-sized element and was subsequently renamed as the 31st Independent Rifle Company in 1976. On 30 October 1986 the unit regained battalion status and it was reformed once more as the 31st Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment. In 2006, the decision was made to re-organise the Brisbane-based 7th Brigade to make it a fully Regular unit. Subsequently, the two Reserve infantry battalions based at Enoggera, the 9th and 25th/49th Battalions, Royal Queensland Regiment, were re-allocated to the 11th Brigade in July 2007. As a result of this, it was decided to amalgamate the two existing battalions of the 11th Brigade, so that the brigade could maintain the traditional three battalion structure. As such, on 1 January 2008, 31 RQR was amalgamated with 42 RQR to form the 31st/42nd Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment. Lineage The following list details the lineage of 31 RQR. 1881–1886 — Independent Rifle Companies 1886–1903 — 3rd Queensland (Kennedy) Regiment 1903–1912 — 1st Battalion, Kennedy Regiment 1912–1921 — 2nd Infantry Battalion, Kennedy Regiment 1921–1943 — 31st Battalion (Kennedy Regiment), AMF 1943–1946 — 31st/51st Battalion (Kennedy and Far North Queensland Regiment), AIF 1948–1960 — 31st Battalion, North Queensland Regiment 1960–1965 — 'C' Coy, 2nd Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment 1965–1976 — 31st Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment 1976–1986 — 31st Independent Rifle Company 1986–2008 — 31st Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment Battle honours The 31st Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment, received 42 battle honours. The first battle honour of South Africa 1899–1902 was bestowed upon the regiment due to the involvement of many men from the Kennedy Regiment in the first and second contingents of the Queensland Mounted Infantry. During World War I, the 31st Battalion, AIF, received 16 battle honours, which were later passed to the 31st Battalion when it was re-raised as a militia battalion in 1921. The 31st/51st Battalion earned five battle honours during World War II, while the 2/31st Battalion earned another 22, which were later passed to the Kennedy Regiment in 1948. Boer War: South Africa 1899–1902. World War I: Egypt 1915–16, Somme 1916–18, Bapaume 1917, Bullecourt, Ypres 1917, Menin Road, Polygon Wood,