2/1st Field Regiment (Australia)

2/1st Field Regiment
2/1st Field Regiment
	Gunners from the 2/1st at Bardia
Active	1939–1945
Country	Australia
Branch	Australian Military Forces
Type	Regiment
Role	Artillery
Part of	6th Division
Engagements	World War II North African campaign; Battle of Greece; Kokoda Track campaign; Battle of Buna–Gona; Battle of Wau; Aitape–Wewak campaign;

The 2/1st Field Regiment was an

Greece, before being withdrawn back to Australia in early 1942, following Japan's entry into the war. In late 1942, and early 1943, the regiment took part in the defence of Port Moresby during the fighting along the Kokoda Track, before taking part in the Battle of Buna–Gona and the defence of Wau, remaining in New Guinea on garrison duties until August 1943. Withdrawn to Australia, a long period of training followed before the regiment took part in its final campaign of the war Aitape–Wewak campaign

in 1945.

History

The 2/1st Field Regiment was raised in October 1940, as part of the all volunteer

Aboukir, Sidi Bisr, Port Fuad and Helwan.^[2]

At Helwan, in September 1940, the regiment was re-roled once again as a field regiment, and re-equipped. The following month, the 6th Division began large scale exercises in preparation for its commitment to the

Derna, Barce and then Benghazi.^[3]

Following this, the 6th Division was deployed to

Katukurunda at this time. The 2nd Battery relieved them in May.^[3]

The regiment remained on Ceylon until July 1942, when the 16th and 17th Brigades completed their return to Australia. Arriving in August, the regiment was reconstituted at Greta, New South Wales. By this time, in New Guinea, the Japanese were advancing towards Port Moresby. The Militia troops that had initially delayed the advance had been reinforced by the 21st and 25th Brigade, and together these troops halted the Japanese advance. The 16th Brigade was subsequently deployed as the Australians began a counter offensive to push the Japanese back to their beachheads around Buna–Gona. The 2/1st Field Regiment was assigned to the defence of Port Moresby initially, but in November detached elements of the 51st Battery to support the US 32nd Infantry Division's attack on Buna, while the remainder of the battery was assigned to support the 7th Division's attack on Gona. In January 1943, the 2nd Battery, and regimental headquarters, moved forward to Buna, and the 1st Battery was moved to Wau where they supported Kanga Force during the Battle of Wau. Meanwhile, the main part of the regiment was used to raise X Field Battery around Pari, to crew 18-pounder field guns near the newly established port facilities at Buna, before being sent to Oro Bay. By February 1943, they were relieved by the 2/6th Field Regiment and moved back to Port Moresby, while the 1st Battery remained at Wau throughout the Salamaua–Lae campaign.^[3]

They returned to Australia in August 1943, and after leave, the unit was reconstituted at Narellan, New South Wales. The 1st Battery arrived a month later.^[5] After this, the regiment was detached from the 6th Division, which was reorganised for jungle warfare. This resulted in a reduction of the division's artillery regiments to just one.^[6] The regiment was reassigned to the 1st Division at this time and undertook labouring duties on the Sydney wharves before moving to Ravenshoe, Queensland in February 1944. Here they were assigned as corps artillery to the 1st Australian Corps. A further move to Mapee followed in May 1944, before the regiment was reassigned to the 6th Division, as the number of artillery regiments assigned to the division was increased. In September 1944, the regiment moved to Wondecla, Queensland, where it began preparations for deployment overseas. The regiment did not see action again until late in the war when it was committed to the Aitape–Wewak campaign in late 1944 when Australian forces took over from US troops, which were redeployed to the Philippines.^[7] Arriving in January 1945, the main body of the regiment remained around the airfield at Aitape, undertaking defensive duties, while the 1st Battery supported the 16th Brigade's advance along the Danmap River. The regiment moved forward to Naguib in May, where they supported the 19th Brigade's push towards Wewak, and then final operations around Mount Shiburangu. The regiment was out of the line, resting at Wewak, when the war came to an end in August 1945.^[5]

The units of the 2nd AIF were disbanded in 1945 and 1946 as part of the demobilisation of the Australian military after World War II.^[8] This process was delayed due to a lack of shipping, but over the course of several months small drafts of personnel were sent back to Australia, based on a points system to determine priority. Meanwhile, to occupy the troops sports and recreational activities were organised, and a vocational education scheme established. In December 1945, the demobilisation process increased as several drafts were sent home on the troopship Duntroon. In early January 1946, the main body of the unit, consisting of 358 men, returned aboard the Duntroon, while 107 personnel who did not have enough points for discharge were transferred to the 4th Infantry Battalion for further service. The regiment's guns embarked on 24 January and two days later, the regiment's headquarters closed.^[9]

During the war, around 2,000 men served with the 2/1st Field Regiment and the regiment's casualties amounted to 26 dead, 77 wounded and 71 captured.

Mentions in Despatches. One member was also appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.^[11] The regiment's numerical designation is perpetuated by the 1st Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, a regular Army artillery unit.^[12]