2/33rd Battalion (Australia)
2/33rd Battalion | |
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Second World War
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Insignia | |
Unit colour patch |
The 2/33rd Battalion was an infantry battalion of the
Later, in early 1942, in response to Japan's entry to the war, the battalion was transferred back to Australia and after a period of re-organisation and training it was sent to
History
Formation in the United Kingdom
Raised on 27 June 1940, as part of the
Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Rudolph Bierwirth, in September, the battalion was issued with a circular brown over red
In October, the unit moved from Tidworth to Colchester and around the same time it was redesignated as the 2/33rd Battalion,[Note 2] to bring it into line with the other battalions of the Second Australian Imperial Force. At Colchester, the Australians undertook a period of intensive training which was followed by defensive duties amidst the backdrop of the ongoing Battle of Britain, which took place in the skies overhead. During this time, the battalion was allocated the role of mobile reserve, assigned the task of counter-attacking around Harwich in the event of a German invasion; in this role they undertook further training operating with and against tanks, with British armoured vehicles and crews being assigned to the battalion during training exercises.[3][6]
Garrison duties in North Africa and fighting in Syria
By the end of 1940, the threat of invasion had dissipated and the Australian troops that had been sent to the United Kingdom were transferred to the Middle East. Travelling by train from Colchester to
The 2/33rd remained at Mersa Metruh, undertaking defensive duties, until May 1941, but did not see combat. After this, the 7th Division began to prepare for an
Fighting against the Japanese in New Guinea
Embarking on the Mt Vernon in
In late August 1942, the 2/33rd deployed to New Guinea, where the
Concentrating at Ravenshoe, in Queensland, in the early months of 1943 the 2/33rd was reorganised as part of the 7th Division's conversion to the jungle divisional establishment. As a part of this, the battalion's establishment was dropped to just over 800 men and it lost its carrier platoon, receiving in its place a machine gun platoon equipped with four Vickers machine guns. In addition, the anti-aircraft platoon was re-roled as a tank-attack platoon and the transport platoon was reduced to a third, with its complement of 74 vehicles and 14 motorcycles being replaced by 25 jeeps.[22] Following this, an intense period of training was undertaken as the battalion received a batch of around 300 reinforcements to replace its losses in New Guinea; by July it was ready to deploy once again and subsequently returned to New Guinea to join the Salamaua–Lae campaign.[6][23]
Throughout the final weeks of July, the battalion was transported to Port Moresby aboard three transports: Canberra, Duntroon and Katoomba. Establishing a camp at "Pom-Pom" east of Port Moresby, the battalion spent the following month preparing for an airlift into
Borneo: Final campaign and disbandment
In early February 1944, the battalion was withdrawn back to Australia,
A series of minor actions followed as the Australians continued their advance up the Milford Highway.
In February 1946, the remaining cadre returned to Australia and the following month it was disbanded in Brisbane. During the war, 3,065 men served in the battalion, while a further 588 were posted to it following the war;
Battle honours
For its service during the war, the 2/33rd was awarded the following battle and theatre honours:[6]
- North Africa; Syria 1941; Syrian Frontier; Merjayun; South-West Pacific 1942–1945; Kokoda Trail; Ioribaiwa; 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.
Commanding officers
The following officers commanded the 2/33rd throughout the war:[6]
- Lieutenant Colonel Rudolph Bierwirth (1940–1941)[35]
- Lieutenant Colonel John Graham Monaghan (1941)[36]
- Lieutenant Colonel John Armstrong Corby (1941–1942)[37]
- Lieutenant Colonel Alfred William Buttrose (1942–1943)[38]
- Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Richard Worgan Cotton (1943–1945)[39]
Notes
- Footnotes
- ^ By the start of the Second World War, the authorised strength of an Australian infantry battalion was 910 men all ranks, however, later in the war it fell to 803.[1]
- ^ The numerical designation of 2nd AIF units was prefixed by "2/", which was used to set them apart from Militia units with corresponding numerical designations.[5]
- Citations
- ^ Palazzo 2004, p. 94.
- ^ Crooks 1971, pp. 1–8.
- ^ a b Crooks 1971, pp. 17–18.
- ^ "Colour Patches: Infantry Battalions of the Second Australian Imperial Force". Digger History. Archived from the original on 12 July 2007. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
- ^ Long 1952, p. 51.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "2/33rd Battalion". Second World War units, 1939–1945. Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original on 15 May 2013. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
- ^ Crooks 1971, pp. 20–22.
- ^ Crooks 1971, p. 23.
- ^ Crooks 1971, pp. 23–25.
- ^ Long 1953, pp. 353–354.
- ^ James 2017, pp. 172–179.
- ^ Crooks 1971, p. 125.
- ^ Crooks 1971, pp. 123–124.
- ^ a b c Johnston 2005, p. 248.
- ^ Crooks 1971, pp. 132–133.
- ^ Crooks 1971, pp. 133–137.
- ^ Crooks 1971, pp. 141–143.
- ^ Crooks 1971, p. 141.
- ^ McCarthy 1959, p. 229.
- ^ a b McCarthy 1959, p. 233.
- ^ Crooks 1971, p. 249.
- ^ Crooks 1971, pp. 249–256.
- ^ Crooks 1971, pp. 257–260.
- ^ Crooks 1971, pp. 258–261.
- ^ Morley, Dave (26 September 2013). "The Tragic Story of Nadzab". Army News: The Soldiers' Newspaper (1314 ed.). p. 21.
- ^ Crooks 1971, p. 373.
- ^ Keogh 1965, pp. 393–395.
- ^ Crooks 1971, p. 392.
- ^ Keogh 1965, pp. 456–462.
- ^ Long 1963, p. 522.
- ^ Long 1963, pp. 532–547.
- ^ Johnston 2005, p. 250.
- ^ Crooks 1971, pp. 421–423.
- ^ Crooks 1971, p. 425.
- ^ Crooks 1971, p. 9.
- ^ Crooks 1971, p. 32.
- ^ Crooks 1971, p. 42.
- ^ Crooks 1971, p. 136.
- ^ Crooks 1971, p. 246.
References
- Crooks, William (1971). The Footsoldiers: The Story of the 2/33rd Australian Infantry Battalion, A.I.F. in the War of 1939–45. Brookvale, New South Wales: Printcraft Press. OCLC 563965537.
- James, Richard (2017). Australia's War with France: The Campaign in Syria and Lebanon, 1941. Newport, New South Wales: Big Sky Publishing. ISBN 978-1-925520-92-7.
- ISBN 1-74114-191-5.
- OCLC 7185705.
- OCLC 18400892.
- Long, Gavin (1953). Greece, Crete and Syria. OCLC 3134080.
- Long, Gavin (1963). The Final Campaigns. Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 1 – Army. Vol. VII (1st ed.). Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Australian War Memorial. OCLC 1297619.
- McCarthy, Dudley (1959). South–West Pacific Area – First Year: Kokoda to Wau. Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 1 – Army. Vol. V (1st ed.). Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Australian War Memorial. OCLC 186193870.
- Palazzo, Albert (2004). "Organising for Jungle Warfare". In Dennis, Peter; Grey, Jeffrey (eds.). The Foundations of Victory: The Pacific War 1943–1944. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Army History Unit. pp. 86–101. ISBN 978-0-646-43590-9. Archived from the originalon 9 March 2016.