2/1st Battalion (Australia)

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For other uses, see 1st Battalion (Australia) and 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment.

2/1st Battalion
Troops from the 2/1st at Wondecla, Queensland, April 1944
ActiveOctober 1939 – December 1945
CountryAustralia
BranchAustralian Army
TypeInfantry
Size~800–900 personnel[1][2]
Part of16th Brigade, 6th Division
ColoursBlack over green
EngagementsWorld War II
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Unit colour patch
A two toned rectangular symbol

The 2/1st Battalion was an

Greece in early 1941. A lightning German advance quickly pushed the Allies back and forced them to evacuate after a very short campaign and the 2/1st was landed on Crete where they subsequently fought unsuccessfully to repel a German invasion in May. The majority of the battalion was captured on Crete, but the 2/1st was subsequently re-built from survivors in Palestine and returned to Australia in early 1942 following Japan's entry into the war. They then fought two campaigns against the Japanese in New Guinea, fighting in the Kokoda Track campaign during 1942–43 and the Aitape–Wewak campaign
in 1944–45. Following the war, the 2/1st was disbanded.

History

Formation

Raised at

unit colour patch (UCP) were the same as those of the 1st Battalion, a unit which had served during World War I before being raised as a Militia formation in 1921. These colours were black over green, in a horizontal rectangular shape, although a border of gray was added to the UCP to distinguish the battalion from its Militia counterpart.[5]

With an authorised strength of around 900 personnel,[2] like other Australian infantry battalions of the time, the battalion was formed around a nucleus of four rifle companies – designated 'A' through to 'D' – each consisting of three platoons.[6] After formation, a brief period of basic training was undertaken at Ingleburn, New South Wales, before the battalion embarked for overseas service on 10 January 1940,[3] aboard the SS Orford.[7]

Greece and the Middle East

After sailing via the Suez Canal, the 2/1st arrived in

Tobruk.[9] Following its capture, the battalion was left to garrison Tobruk as the advance continued. It left Tobruk on 7 March, ultimately bound for Greece with the rest of the 6th Division, amidst concerns of a German invasion.[3]

The battalion arrived in Greece on 22 March and was quickly deployed to the north of the country to resist the anticipated German attack. The battalion took up positions at

prisoners of war.[3][10] The fighting on Crete cost the 2/1st heavily, with 43 killed, 64 wounded and 511 captured.[11]

The losses on Crete represented the vast majority of the battalion's personnel, but by June there were about 70 men from the 2/1st in Palestine, some of whom had managed to escape after the fall of Crete and some who had been brought back there after Greece, rather than landing on Crete. The decision was subsequently made to re-form the battalion, rather than disband it. This was done by transferring 200 experienced men from the 16th Brigade's other two battalions – the

Melbourne on 7 August 1942.[3]

New Guinea

Troops from the 16th Brigade, including some from the 2/1st Battalion, cross the Owen Stanleys in October 1942.

After only a short period of respite, the 2/1st deployed to

Buna–Gona, and during the counter-offensive the 2/1st Battalion were involved in the major battles at Eora Creek and then at Gorari, followed by Sanananda between October and late November 1942. Heavy casualties were suffered by the battalion during the campaign, with over 60 percent being killed, wounded or evacuated sick.[3] Subsequent to the Kokoda campaign, the 2/1st returned to Australia to rebuild. At this time they received a large batch of reinforcements from the 49th Battalion, a Militia battalion that had fought around Sanananda before being disbanded.[14][15]

After their return to Australia, a long period of reorganisation followed, during which the battalion was converted to the

Aitape–Wewak region. The campaign lasted until the war ended and saw the 2/1st join the coastal advance towards the main Japanese base at Wewak along with the rest of the 16th Brigade.[16]

The battalion was finally disbanded in December 1945.

Mentions in Despatches.[3]

Battle honours

The 2/1st received the following battle honours:[3]

  • Bardia 1941; Capture of Tobruk; Mount Olympus; Brallos Pass; Retimo; Kokoda Trail; Eora Creek–Templeton's Crossing II; Oivi–Gorari; Buna–Gona; Sanananda Road; Nambut Ridge; But–Dagua; and Hawain River.

Commanding officers

The following officers commanded the 2/1st Battalion during the war:[3][18]

References

Citations

  1. ^ Kuring 2004, p. 47.
  2. ^ a b c Palazzo 2004, p. 94.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "2/1st Battalion". Second World War, 1939–1945 units. Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  4. ^ Eather 2003, p. 11.
  5. ^ Long 1952, pp. 321–323.
  6. ^ Long 1952, p. 52.
  7. ^ Eather 2003, pp. 12–15.
  8. ^ Coulthard-Clark 1998, p. 176.
  9. ^ Coulthard-Clark 1998, p. 177.
  10. ^ Coulthard-Clark 1998, pp. 189–190.
  11. ^ Long 1953, p. 315.
  12. ^ Long 1953, pp. 336 & 419.
  13. ^ Keogh 1965, p. 233.
  14. ^ Cranston 1983, pp. 192–193.
  15. ^ Festberg 1972, p. 107.
  16. ^ Johnston 2008, pp. 195–205.
  17. ^ Johnston 2008, p. 242.
  18. ^ Johnston 2008, p. 5.

Bibliography

Further reading


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