2/1st Machine Gun Battalion (Australia)
2/1st Machine Gun Battalion | |
---|---|
Active | 1939–1946 |
Country | Australia |
Branch | Australian Army |
Type | Infantry |
Role | Direct fire support |
Size | ~ 800–900 personnel |
Part of | 6th Division 7th Division |
Mascot(s) | Horrie the Wog Dog[1] |
Engagements | World War II
|
Insignia | |
Unit colour patch |
The 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion was a
The battalion was transferred to the Middle East in late 1940, after the threat of invasion had passed. It underwent further training in Egypt, before taking part in fighting against the Germans in
History
Formation
The 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion
Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Claude Prior, the 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion was formed with four machine gun companies, a headquarters company – consisting of an anti-aircraft platoon, a signals platoon and a transport platoon – and a battalion headquarters.
Defence of Britain
The men aboard Queen Mary were originally destined for the Middle East but a decision was made mid-voyage to divert them to the United Kingdom, as part of a
Middle East, Greece, and Crete
Sailing around the west coast of Africa to avoid the threat of air attack in the Mediterranean, the Otrango carried the battalion to Egypt, which was reached at the end of December, following stops at Freetown and
Spread across several different transport vessels, after completing the crossing – during which the battalion’s machine guns were employed for anti-aircraft defence
On Crete, the battalion's companies were once again separated; 'D' Company, the only company in possession of all of its equipment, was assigned to support the
After arriving in Egypt, the remainder of the battalion was transported to Palestine, where it was subsequently rebuilt. The 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion remained stationed around Gaza until October, when it was sent to Syria to bolster the garrison that had been established there following the defeat of Vichy French forces. At this time, the 2/1st effectively became assigned to the 7th Division,[30] and received a new commanding officer, as Lieutenant Colonel Cyril Fidock, a World War I veteran, replaced Gooch.[31] The battalion was subsequently stationed in Damascus and at Zaboud, remaining there until early 1942, when it was moved back to Gaza as part of the draw-down of Australian forces in the Middle East and their return to Australia in response to Japan's entry into the war. The battalion embarked upon an American troop transport, USS West Point, in mid-March 1942, completing the voyage to Port Adelaide, via Fremantle, in just 19 days.[32]
New Guinea and Borneo
Following the battalion's arrival in Adelaide, the men were billeted by locals in the city's suburbs while leave drafts were despatched throughout April. In early May, the 2/1st was reconstituted at Ingleburn, where it remained until June 1942, when the order came to move to Queensland. Moving up the coast via train, the battalion established a camp near
The battalion was withdrawn back to Australia in early 1944 for rest and reorganisation. During this period it was stationed at
In May 1945, the battalion was transported to
Following the conclusion of hostilities, the battalion's personnel were returned to Australia in small drafts, as the 2/1st undertook garrison duties in the Balikpapan area. The longer-serving men were repatriated and discharged early, while volunteers were transferred to other units that were being raised as part of the
When they had been formed, it was intended that the machine gun battalions would provide highly mobile fire support; however, Phillip Hocking, author of The Long Carry, highlights that throughout the war the utility of the machine gun battalions was largely misunderstood by commanders, particularly after the focus of the Australian Army's operations shifted to the Pacific. Some commanders used the machine guns largely in a static defensive capacity against short and medium range targets, rather than as offensive fire support weapons that could be employed to provide long range fire support. The medium machine guns were also largely utilised in the same manner as light machine guns, such as the Bren. Other reasons identified for the concept's limited use include distrust of overhead fire by some commanders, a preference for organic fire support over attached sub-units, over-estimating the difficulty of transporting Vickers guns in the jungle, and a tendency to ignore targets that could not be seen.[45] After their disbandment, the machine gun battalion concept was not used in the post-war Australian Army, as the function became nested within the structure of a standard infantry battalion.[5]
One of the 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion's mascots,
Commanders
The following officers served as commanding officer of the 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion:[3]
- Lieutenant Colonel Claude Esdaile Prior (1939–1940);
- Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Neil Gooch (1941);
- Lieutenant Colonel Cyril Henwood Fidock (1941–1944);
- Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Graham Keith Haupt (1944–1945).
Battle honours
The 2/1st received the following battle honours for their involvement in the war:[3]
- Greece 1941, Mount Olympus, Servia Pass, Middle East 1941, Crete, South West Pacific 1945, Borneo, Balikpapan, and Milford Highway.
Notes
- Footnotes
- ^ The numerical designation of 2nd AIF units was prefixed by "2/", which was used to set them apart from Militia units or units of the First Australian Imperial Force, which did not use a prefix.[2]
- Citations
- ^ "Horrie the Wog Dog". Encyclopedia. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
- ^ Long 1961, p. 51.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "2/1st Machine Gun Battalion". Second World War, 1939–1945 units. Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
- ^ Hocking 1997, pp. 1 & 309.
- ^ a b c Dennis et al 1995, p. 372.
- ^ Dennis et al 1995, pp. 371–372.
- ^ Dennis et al 1995, p. 371.
- ^ Hocking 1997, pp. 1 & 4.
- ^ Hocking 1997, p. 314.
- ^ Faulkner 2008, p. 184.
- ^ Hocking 1997, pp. 2 & 26.
- ^ Kuring 2004, pp. 206–207.
- ^ Hocking 1997, p. 22.
- ^ Hocking 1997, pp. 1–4.
- ^ Hocking 1997, p. 39.
- ^ Plowman 2003, p. 143.
- ^ Long 1961, pp. 306–307.
- ^ Hocking 1997, pp. 19–21.
- ^ Hocking 1997, pp. 21–35.
- ^ Long 1961, p. 123.
- ^ Hocking 1997, pp. 37–39.
- ^ Hocking 1997, pp. 40–46.
- ^ Long 1953, pp. 1–7 & 33.
- ^ Hocking 1997, p. 50.
- ^ Long 1953, pp. 86–89.
- ^ Hocking 1997, pp. 54–80.
- ^ Hocking 1997, p. 66.
- ^ a b Long 1953, p. 214.
- ^ Hocking 1997, pp. 81–85.
- ^ Hocking 1997, p. 163.
- ^ Hocking 1997, p. 166.
- ^ Hocking 1997, pp. 173–179.
- ^ Hocking 1997, pp. 179–188.
- ^ Hocking 1997, pp. 221–223.
- ^ Kuring 2004, p. 207.
- ^ Hocking 1997, p. 193.
- ^ Dexter 1961, p. 17.
- ^ Hocking 1997, p. 223.
- ^ Dexter 1961, p. 781.
- ^ Hocking 1997, p. 225.
- ^ Hocking 1997, pp. 242–243.
- ^ Hocking 1997, pp. 246 & 262 maps.
- ^ Long 1963, p. 545.
- ^ Hocking 1997, pp. 303–313.
- ^ Hocking 1997, pp. 309–313.
- ^ Idriess 1945.
- ^ Hocking 1997, p. 312.
- ^ Hocking 1997, p. 316.
References
- Dennis, Peter; ISBN 0195532279.
- Dexter, David (1961). The New Guinea Offensives. Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 1 – Army. Vol. VI. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: OCLC 2028994.
- Faulkner, Andrew (2008). Arthur Blackburn, VC: An Australian Hero, His Men, and Their Two World Wars. Kent Town, South Australia: Wakefield Press. ISBN 978-1-86254-784-1.
- Hocking, Philip (1997). The Long Carry: A History of the 2/1st Australian Machine Gun Battalion, 1939–1946. Melbourne, Victoria: 2/1 Machine Gun Battalion Association. ISBN 0-646-30817-3.
- OCLC 37082543.
- Kuring, Ian (2004). Redcoats to Cams: A History of Australian Infantry 1788–2001. Loftus, New South Wales: Australian Military History Publications. ISBN 1-876439-99-8.
- OCLC 3134080.
- Long, Gavin (1961) [1952]. To Benghazi. Australia in the War of 1939–1945, Series 1 – Army. Vol. I. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Australian War Memorial. OCLC 3134176.
- Long, Gavin (1963). The Final Campaigns. Australia in the War of 1939–1945, Series 1 – Army. Vol. VII. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Australian War Memorial. OCLC 1297619.
- Plowman, Peter (2003). Across the Sea to War. Dural, New South Wales: Rosenberg Publishing. ISBN 1-877058-06-8.