ðə fˈɛsɚɹ ɚɹˈɪdʒᵻnˌeɪɾᵻd fɹʌm ɐ dʒˈuːn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti θɹˈiː lˈɛɾɚ fɹʌm hˈæɹəld ˌælɪɡzˈændɚ, ðə bɹˈɪɾɪʃ mˈɪnɪstɚɹ ʌv dᵻfˈɛns, tə fˈɪlɪp mək bɹˈaɪd ænd tˈɑːm məkdˈɑːnəld, hɪz ɪkwˈɪvələnts ɪn ɔːstɹˈeɪliə ænd nˈuː zˈiːlənd mˈɪnɪstɹiz, ɹᵻspˈɛktɪvli.
The FESR originated from a June 1953 letter from Harold Alexander, the British Minister of Defence, to Philip McBride and Tom Macdonald, his equivalents in Australia and New Zealand ministries, respectively.