2/25th Battalion (Australia)

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For other uses, see 25th Battalion (Australia).

2/25th Battalion
Second World War
Insignia
Unit colour patch

The 2/25th Battalion was an

Borneo campaign, landing at Balikpapan
. The battalion was disbanded in early 1946.

History

Formation

Raised in

Militia prior to joining the 2/25th.[1] Marshall oversaw the establishment of the battalion, which was achieved by bringing together a small number of Regular officers, volunteers from the Militia and men with no previous military experience who had enlisted following the outbreak of the war.[1] The majority of the former militiamen were drawn from the Cavalry Brigade in Queensland and the 25th, 42nd and the 61st Battalions.[1]

The colours chosen for the battalion's

unit colour patch (UCP) were the same as those of the 25th Battalion, a unit which had served during the First World War before being raised as a Militia formation in 1921. These colours were black over light blue, in a diamond shape, although a border of gray in a circle shape was added to the UCP to distinguish the battalion from its Militia counterpart.[3]

Consisting of a battalion headquarters, four rifle companies designated 'A' to 'D' and one training and reinforcement company (known as 'E' Company), the battalion conducted initial training at Grovely before moving to Darwin in October, where they relieved the 2/15th Battalion as part of the town's defensive garrison.[4] Forming part of the 24th Brigade it was initially assigned to the 8th Division, before being transferred to the 9th Division in November 1940.[5] In February 1941, the battalion returned to Brisbane aboard HMAT Zealandia, arriving in Brisbane after a nine-day voyage.[6] For the next two months they were stationed at Redbank before they finally departed for overseas service in April 1941, moving to Sydney, by rail where they embarked upon the RMS Queen Mary bound for Egypt.[2]

North Africa and Syria

The battalion arrived at

Port Tewfik on 3 May 1941 from where they entrained and were moved by rail and then road to a camp near Ikingi Maryut.[7] They remained there for roughly a week, undertaking further training as they received the rest of their equipment and weapons—sub machine guns, anti-tank rifles and mortars—before the men entrained again and moved to Mersa Matruh on the coast, whereupon they were transferred to the 25th Brigade, swapping with the 2/32nd Battalion.[8][9] Amidst concerns of a German attack along the Egypt–Libya border, the battalion carried out the tasks of building and manning defences of the brigade's inner perimeter.[10]

Members of the 2/25th Battalion in Beirut, September 1941

On 25 May they entrained once again, with the original plan of joining the garrison at Tobruk. These plans were changed, however, and the 2/25th along with the rest of the 25th Brigade moved to Palestine instead where they were transferred to the 7th Division, with whom they would remain for the rest of the war.[10]

In June–July 1941 the battalion took part in the fighting against the

Merdjayoun after a Vichy counterattack had recaptured it a few days earlier. Encountering a force of French tanks, however, the battalion's attack was ultimately unsuccessful and they suffered heavy casualties, as well as losing over 50 men captured.[2][14][Note 2]

Most of the losses had come from 'B' Company and so it became necessary to merge the company with a platoon from 'A' Company. A few days later, on 25 June, the battalion was temporarily attached to the 21st Brigade[15] and together they carried out a series of advances inland due to concerns of a possible French counterattack around Beit ed Dine, capturing a number of towns and villages along the way before an armistice came into effect on 12 July 1941.[2][16][17] After this the battalion carried out garrison duties in Lebanon before being brought back to Australia in February 1942 to meet the growing threats in the Pacific following Japan's entry into the war in December 1941.[2]

New Guinea campaigns, 1942–1944

The 2/25th Battalion arrived in

Adelaide, South Australia on 10 March 1942, having made the voyage from Egypt aboard the American troopship USS Mount Vernon.[18] Following this they undertook training at Woodside Camp before moving north to Caboolture, Queensland in May. Undertaking marksmanship training at the rifle range at Enoggera in Brisbane and specific jungle training in July, later in early August the battalion carried out amphibious landing training, undertaking practice assaults on Bribie Island, before carrying out further marksmanship and physical fitness training as they prepared for the order to proceed overseas as the situation in New Guinea became quite serious.[19] This order finally came on 31 August, following a brigade-level demonstration exercise that was viewed by General Douglas MacArthur the previous day.[20]

Embarking on the SS Van De Lijn and Katoomba on 1 September 1942, the battalion proceeded to Port Moresby, via Townsville.[21] The voyage was not without incident, as the Van De Lijn was involved in a collision with the troopship Perthshire, resulting in the death of one member of the 2/25th Battalion and injuries to five others. Nevertheless, they arrived in Port Moresby on 9 September, after having put into Townsville for a couple of days before proceeding on to New Guinea.[21]

Men from the 2/25th and 2/33rd Battalions cross the Brown River during a patrol in October 1942

They spent two days at a staging camp at Murray Barracks where they were issued the new jungle green uniforms before setting out on 11 September, along with the rest of the 25th Brigade, to carry out the march towards Ioribaiwa.

Battle of Buna–Gona in late November–early December.[2]

In December they move to a rest camp at Donadabu before finally, in January 1943, the battalion was withdrawn to Australia for rest and re-organisation.

Atherton Tablelands.[23]

They returned to New Guinea, however, arriving at Port Moresby on 22 July, aboard the troopship

Salamaua–Lae campaign, which saw the 7th Division to which the battalion was attached drive on Lae through the Markham Valley.[26] Advancing through the plantations that lined the Markham Road, they encountered only light resistance[26] and the 2/25th, in the vanguard of the Australian force, was the first to enter the town on 16 September.[2]

Later in September the battalion was flown to Kaipit, from where they carried out patrols in support of the

Finisterre Range campaign, operating in an area that included the Markham and Ramu Valleys and the Finnisterre Range.[2] During this time the battalion was involved in a series of relatively minor contacts, with the most significant coming on 13 September around Whittaker's Bridge, near Heath's Plantation, and then on the night of 12/13 December around the Evapia River and at Kesawai.[27] It was during the fighting at Heath's Plantation on 13 September 1943 that Richard Kelliher, from 'B' Company performed the deeds that later led to him receiving the Victoria Cross.[28]

In January 1944, the battalion handed over their area of responsibility to the 24th Battalion and was withdrawn back to Port Moresby.[29] From there, it embarked for Australia in February 1944.[2]

Borneo 1945

A black and white photograph showing soldiers advancing across a beach through smoke and debris
Members of the 7th Division at Balikpapan

For the next sixteen months, between February 1944 and June 1945, the battalion was stationed in various locations in Queensland, firstly at

Borneo.[2][31] Landing at Balikpapan on 2 July, the battalion took part in the last major Allied amphibious operation of the war[32] and the subsequent fighting that followed as the Australians moved inland.[33]

The fighting took place mainly around Manggar airstrip as the defending Japanese employed delaying tactics of ambushes and booby traps, however, within three weeks the fighting was largely over.[26] The battalion's involvement consisted mainly of carrying out fighting patrols and establishing observation posts along the axis of the main advance up the Milford Highway.[34] Nevertheless, it was involved in a number of significant engagements throughout July as patrols came into contact with pockets of resistance and small Japanese force's attacked the battalion's observation posts before orders to cease aggressive actions came down from higher command in early August.[35] Following that the battalion was involved in reconnaissance patrols as the war came to an end.[36]

Disbandment

Following the end of the war the battalion remained in

Member of the Order of the British Empire.[2][39][Note 3]

Battle honours

For their service during the Second World War, the 2/25th Battalion received the following battle honours:[2]

  • North Africa, Syria 1941, Merjayun, Chenim and Rharife, Damour, Mazaraat ech Chouf, South-West Pacific 1942–45, Kokoda Track, Iroibaiwa, Eora Creek–Templeton's Crossing II, Oivi–Gorari, Buna–Gona, Gona, Lae–Nadzab, Lae Road, Liberation of Australian New Guinea, Ramu Valley, Shaggy Ridge, Borneo 1945, Balikpapan, Milford Highway.

In 1961, these battle honours were entrusted to the 25th Battalion, and through this link are maintained by the Royal Queensland Regiment.[40]

Commanding officers

The following officers commanded the 2/25th Battalion during the war:[41]

  • Lieutenant Colonel Norman Marshall, DSO and two Bars, MC (1940);[Note 4][42]
  • Lieutenant Colonel Charles Burton Withy, DSO, MC (1940–1942);
  • Lieutenant Colonel Richard Harold Marson, DSO (1942–1945).[2][Note 5][43]

Notes

Footnotes
  1. jungle establishment
    of 803 men. See Palazzo 2004, p. 94.
  2. ^ Most of these men were released and returned to the battalion following the armistice that was signed on 12 July. See Draydon 2000, p. 79.
  3. ^ There is a slight discrepancy between the Australian War Memorial source and Draydon's unit history regarding decorations. The AWM lists only eight MMs, while Draydon lists nine. Draydon also omits to mention the number of MIDs, while the AWM omits to mention the BEM that Draydon includes in his list. Draydon's list, however, seems more comprehensive as he includes the official citations for all honours except the MIDs.
  4. ^ Marshall subsequently obtained the rank of brigadier and went on to command the 27th Brigade. He was discharged in early 1942, probably due to bad health, and died later in September 1942.
  5. ^ Following the end of the war Marson became the commanding officer of the 65th Infantry Battalion, and commanded that unit on occupation duties in Japan. He was later awarded the US Legion of Merit and commanded the 42nd Battalion, CMF in 1952 before retiring in 1955.
Citations
  1. ^ a b c d Draydon 2000, p. 17.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "2/25th Battalion". Second World War, 1939–1945 units. Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original on 26 April 2010. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
  3. ^ Long 1952, pp. 321–323.
  4. ^ Draydon 2000, p. 23.
  5. ^ Draydon 2000, p. 31.
  6. ^ Draydon 2000, pp. 36–37.
  7. ^ Draydon 2000, p. 41.
  8. ^ Draydon 2000, pp. 43–47.
  9. ^ Johnston 2005, p. 3.
  10. ^ a b Draydon 2000, p. 47.
  11. ^ Draydon 2000, p. 49.
  12. ^ James 2017, pp. 173–174.
  13. ^ Draydon 2000, pp. 51–53.
  14. ^ James 2017, pp. 199–211.
  15. ^ Draydon 2000, p. 66.
  16. ^ Draydon 2000, pp. 66–78.
  17. ^ James 2017, p. 303.
  18. ^ Draydon 2000, p. 104.
  19. ^ a b Johnston 2007, p. 23.
  20. ^ Draydon 2000, pp. 105–108.
  21. ^ a b Draydon 2000, p. 109.
  22. ^ Draydon 2000, p. 110.
  23. ^ Draydon 2000, pp. 163–167.
  24. ^ Draydon 2000, p. 169.
  25. ^ Draydon 2000, p. 170.
  26. ^ a b c Johnston 2007, p. 27.
  27. ^ Draydon 2000, p. 201–203.
  28. ^ Draydon 2000, p. 175.
  29. ^ Draydon 2000, p. 199.
  30. ^ Draydon 2000, p. 222.
  31. ^ Draydon 2000, p. 235.
  32. ^ Johnston 2007, p. 32.
  33. ^ Draydon 2000, p. 238.
  34. ^ Draydon 2000, pp. 238–257.
  35. ^ Draydon 2000, p. 257.
  36. ^ Draydon 2000, pp. 257–258.
  37. ^ Draydon 2000, pp. 265–280.
  38. ^ Johnston 2005, p. 248.
  39. ^ Draydon 2000, p. 297.
  40. ^ Festberg 1972, pp. 26 & 85.
  41. ^ Johnston 2005, p. xv.
  42. ^ "QX6290 Brigadier Norman Marshall, DSO and 2 bars, MC". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 17 October 2009.
  43. ^ "QX6378 (QX700192) Lieutenant Colonel Richard Harold Marson, DSO". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 17 October 2009.

References

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