2/12th Battalion (Australia)

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For other uses, see 12th Battalion (Australia).

2/12th Battalion
Members of "B" Company, Australian 2/12th Battalion, who helped silence a Japanese mountain gun on one of the hills known as Prothero I & II during the Battle of Shaggy Ridge
Active13 October 1939 – 1 January 1946
CountryAustralia
BranchAustralian Army
TypeInfantry
Size800–900 men[Note 1]
Part of18th Brigade, 7th Division
Garrison/HQRutherford, New South Wales
EngagementsWorld War II
Commanders
First CommanderLieutenant Colonel
Unit colour patch

The 2/12th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army which served during World War II. Raised in late 1939 as part of the all volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force, the battalion's initial recruits were drawn primarily from the states of Queensland and Tasmania. Assigned to the 18th Brigade, the battalion completed basic training in Australia before embarking for overseas in May 1940.

It was originally intended that the battalion would land in the Middle East; however, the strategic situation in Europe at the time resulted in it being diverted to the

re-capturing Borneo, landing on Balikpapan
in July 1945. It was disbanded in January 1946.

History

Formation and garrison duties in the United Kingdom

The 2/12th Battalion was formed on 13 October 1939 as part of the

unit colour patch (UCP) were the same as those of the 12th Battalion, a unit which had served during World War I before being raised as a Militia formation in 1921. These colours were white over light blue, in a horizontal rectangular shape, although a border of gray was added to the UCP to distinguish the battalion from its Militia counterpart.[5]

Reinforcements from the 2/12th in England, November 1940

With an authorised strength of around 900 personnel,

Colchester, Essex.[2]

Middle East

In December 1940, after the threat of invasion of the United Kingdom had diminished, the decision was made to transfer the Australian units based there to the Middle East and subsequently the battalion was dispatched to

Syria-Lebanon campaign, the battalion was assigned to Syria to undertake garrison duties,[2] being based initially around Aleppo and then Djerablous, on the banks of the Euphrates near the Turkish border.[15] Other outposts were established around Idlib, El Hamman, Meidane Ekbes, Azaz, and Radjou.[16]

The battalion returned to Camp Julius in Palestine in mid-January 1942 where they were subsequently reassigned to the 7th Division.

Adelaide, South Australia, in late March, making camp at Sandy Creek.[2][18]

Pacific

Troops from the 2/12th at Sanananda, January 1943

The battalion moved to Tenterfield, New South Wales in early May after which personnel from Queensland and New South Wales were granted home leave. Later in the month, a further move to Kilcoy, Queensland, occurred after which jungle training began.[19] In August 1942, the 2/12th Battalion was transported to Brisbane where it embarked upon the transports Anshun and Jacob, bound for New Guinea.[20] They were subsequently deployed to Milne Bay, where they took part in the Australian counterattack following the Japanese landing, which resulted in the first major defeat of the Japanese of the war.[21] In October, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Arnold, the battalion was selected to invade Goodenough Island. Transported aboard the destroyers HMAS Stuart and Arunta,[22] after a short fight the battalion secured the island. They subsequently remained on Goodenough Island until December.[2][23] In late December, they were re-committed to the fighting, as the understrength 18th Brigade was sent to Buna,[24] where the 2/12th successfully attacked Giropa Point on New Years Day 1943, despite losing 63 men killed and 122 wounded.[2] After this, the battalion took part in further actions around Sanananda, where they suffered a further 61 men killed in action. The battalion's involvement in the fighting lasted until late January 1943 when it was withdrawn to Soputa by road, and then by air to Port Moresby. In early March, the battalion returned to Australia aboard the transports Taroona and Maetsuycker.[2][25]

Disembarking in

Finisterre Mountains. They were subsequently joined by the rest of the brigade on 4 January 1944 when it was airlifted to Dumpu to relieve the 21st Brigade.[29] Throughout early 1944, the 2/12th was involved in the fighting around Shaggy Ridge, where they undertook several attacks to the north of the ridge, around the Protheroe I and II features between 21 and 24 January.[2] Between February and April, they continued operations in the Ramu Valley, undertaking patrols before returning to Australia aboard the transport Pahud in May 1944.[30][31]

Alex Gurney (second from left) presenting the original art work of one of his Bluey and Curley comic strips to men of the 2/12th Battalion at Kesawai, Ramu Valley, New Guinea, 5 March 1944.[Note 2]

A long period of training in Queensland, around Brisbane and then on the Atherton Tablelands,[32] followed before they were dispatched along with the rest of the 7th Division to take part in the landing on Balikpapan in July 1945, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Bourne.[33] The battalion's involvement in the fighting on Borneo was only brief, however.[2] Despite being landed in the wrong position on 1 July,[34] the 2/12th secured its objectives with very few casualties—losing three killed and 13 wounded and inflicting 103 killed on the opposing Japanese forces on the first day—helping the 18th Brigade secure the high ground overlooking the landing beach at Klandasan before continuing on towards their main objectives. By 3 July Balikpapan had fallen,[35] and two days later the battalion ceased active operations.[2] They remained on Borneo until the end of the war. When the demobilisation process began, members of the battalion were progressively returned to Australia for discharge, or were transferred elsewhere for further service. Those that were not, remained with the battalion undertaking garrison duties until the 2/12th was finally disbanded on 1 January 1946.[2]

During the course of the war, a total of 3,491 men served with the 2/12th Battalion

Mentions in Despatches. In addition, two members of the battalion were appointed as Officers of the Order of the British Empire.[2]

Battle honours

The 2/12th received the following battle honours:[2]

In 1961, these battle honours were entrusted to the 12th Battalion, and are now maintained by the 12th/40th Battalion, the Royal Tasmania Regiment.[37]

Commanding officers

The following officers served as commanding officer of the 2/12th Battalion:[2]

  • Lieutenant Colonel John Field (13 October 1939 – 7 May 1942);
  • Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Arnold (7 June 1942 – 1 August 1943); and
  • Lieutenant Colonel Charles Bourne (1 August 1943 – 15 August 1945).[38]

Notes

Footnotes
  1. ^ The establishment of a standard Australian infantry battalion was 35 officers and 875 other ranks at the start of World War II. Under the jungle organisation each battalion was reduced by one officer and 106 other ranks.[1]
  2. ^ This photograph, held by the Australian War Museum, was taken at the same time, with the same subjects, and in the same location as [1], and [2].
Citations
  1. ^ a b Palazzo 2004, p. 94.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "2/12th Battalion". Second World War, 1939–1945 units. Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original on 15 March 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2009.
  3. ^ Graeme-Evans 1989, p. 11.
  4. ^ Graeme-Evans 1989, p. 1.
  5. ^ Long 1952, pp. 321–323.
  6. ^ Long 1952, p. 52.
  7. ^ Graeme-Evans 1989, pp. 13–17.
  8. ^ Graeme-Evans 1989, p. 25.
  9. ^ Johnston 2005, p. 4.
  10. ^ Graeme-Evans 1989, p. 75.
  11. ^ Graeme-Evans 1989, p. 83.
  12. ^ Graeme-Evans 1989, p. 93.
  13. ^ Wilmot 1993, pp. 88, 150–151 and 280.
  14. ^ Graeme-Evans 1989, p. 201.
  15. ^ Johnston 2005, p. 71.
  16. ^ Graeme-Evans 1989, pp. 217–235.
  17. ^ Johnston 2005, p. 77.
  18. ^ Graeme-Evans 1989, pp. 236–242.
  19. ^ Graeme-Evans 1991, pp. 19–23.
  20. ^ Graeme-Evans 1991, p. 29.
  21. ^ Johnston 2005, p. 92.
  22. ^ Gill 1968, p. 182.
  23. ^ "Battle of Goodenough Island, 22–24 October 1942". History of War. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
  24. ^ Johnston 2005, p. 124.
  25. ^ Graeme-Evans 1991, pp. 325–331.
  26. ^ Graeme-Evans 1991, pp. 331–337 & 391.
  27. ^ Bradley 2004, p. 179.
  28. ^ Johnston 2005, p. 181.
  29. ^ Keogh 1965, p. 352.
  30. ^ Graeme-Evans 1991, p. 395.
  31. ^ Johnston 2005, p. 207.
  32. ^ Graeme-Evans 1991, pp. 398–411.
  33. ^ Long 1963, p. 524.
  34. ^ Long 1963, p. 515.
  35. ^ Keogh 1965, p. 462.
  36. ^ Johnston 2005, p. 248.
  37. ^ Festberg 1972, pp. 33 & 72.
  38. ^ "2/12 Infantry Battalion: Appointments". Orders of Battle.com. Retrieved 30 October 2011.

References

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