7th Battalion (Australia)
7th Battalion | |
---|---|
Active | 1914–1919 1921–1929 1936–1946 |
Country | Australia |
Branch | Australian Army |
Type | Infantry |
Size | 800–1,000 men[Note 1] |
Part of | 2nd Brigade, 1st Division (First World War) 23rd Brigade (Second World War) |
Motto(s) | Cede Nullis (Submit to None)[2] |
Colours | Brown over red |
Engagements | First World War
Second World War |
Website | 7th Battalion (1939–45) Association |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders |
The 7th Battalion was an
Although disbanded in 1919 following the end of hostilities, it was re-raised in 1921 in the Citizens Force (later known as the Militia) as a part-time infantry battalion based in Victoria. However, due to lack of funding following the Great Depression and a shortage of manpower following the suspension of the compulsory training scheme in 1929, the battalion was amalgamated with the 38th Battalion as the 7th/38th Battalion, although it was delinked again in 1936 when the Army was expanded due to rising tensions in Europe.
During the Second World War, the 7th Battalion served primarily in a garrison role, firstly being used to defend the Australian mainland before deploying late in the war to take part in the Bougainville campaign in 1944–1945. On Bougainville, as part of the 23rd Brigade, they took part in the fighting in the central sector of the island in the last months of the war. Following the end of hostilities, the battalion was once again used in the garrison role before being returned to Australia and disbanding in early 1946.
In 1948, the battalion was re-raised as an amalgamated unit with the 8th Battalion when the Citizens Military Force was reformed. Today, it exists as the 8th/7th Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment.
History
First World War
Formation
Following the outbreak of the First World War, the Australian government decided to raise an all volunteer force for overseas service due to the provisions of the Defence Act (1903) which precluded sending the Militia outside of Australian territory to fight. While this force would draw from the military forces that already existed—the part-time
Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Harold Elliot, the battalion was brigaded with the 5th, 6th and 8th Battalions to form the 2nd Brigade under Brigadier James Whiteside McCay.[6] Elliott took personal control over the recruitment process, selecting only those officers that he had known from his service in the Citizens Forces as his company commanders, who he in turn entrusted with choosing their own subordinates. Recruitment was conducted over a period of three weeks and by the end of the period the process had been so successful that the battalion was over establishment.[7] Initially, the battalion was organised into eight companies, designated 'A' to 'H', while recruitment and initial training was undertaken at Broadmeadows, however, this was later reduced to the new British standard four companies of double the size, designated 'A' to 'D'.[8]
Gallipoli
In September the battalion marched through the city of Melbourne and a fortnight later they embarked upon HMT Hororata bound for the Middle East.
In early April the battalion was moved to
After the attack the battalion was given a weeks rest at Cape Helles, where it received a number of reinforcements before being sent back to the lodgement at Anzac Cove, where a stalemate situation had developed. In an effort to break this deadlock, the Allies launched an
Despite the battalion's success in holding the trenches at Lone Pine, the August Offensive failed to break the deadlock as setbacks elsewhere resulted in continued stalemate and for the rest of the campaign the fighting was relatively static.[20] Finally, in December the decision was made to evacuate the Allied force from the peninsula. During the evacuation, two of the battalion's soldiers, William Scurry and Alfred 'Buntie' Lawrence played a significant part through their invention of a self-firing rifle, which assisted in making the Turks believe that there were still men manning the trenches even as they were being evacuated.[21]
Western Front
After Gallipoli the 7th Battalion was withdrawn to Egypt, where the AIF underwent a period of reorganisation and expansion prior to being transferred to Europe. The 7th Battalion was split to provide a
In late August, the 7th Battalion, with a frontage equal to just over half its authorised strength, was transferred to
In October, the battalion returned to the Somme where they spent the winter months manning trenches and training.
In May the battalion was withdrawn from the front line for re-organisation and training. It did not return until the
Throughout their service during the war, the battalion suffered 1,045 killed and 2,076 wounded.
Inter war years
In 1921, the decision was made to perpetuate the
In 1929, however, the compulsory training scheme was suspended by the newly elected Scullin Labor government.[40] In its place a voluntary system was established and the Citizens Force renamed the "Militia".[41] The end of compulsory training, coupled with low levels of defence spending and economic hardships brought about by the Great Depression greatly reduced the manpower available to many Militia units at this time and as a result a number of units were disbanded or amalgamated at this time.[42] The 7th Battalion was also affected and on 1 July 1929 it was amalgamated with the 38th Battalion to form the 7th/38th Battalion.[38] The two battalions remained linked until 9 November 1936 when,[38] following concerns about growing tensions in Europe, it was decided to delink them in order to double the size of the Militia as the prospect of another war became apparent.[43] In 1937, the battalion's designation was changed to the "North Murray Borderers".[36][38]
Second World War
Following the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, the Australian government once again decided to raise an all volunteer force for service overseas as the legal restrictions on employing the Militia outside of Australia still applied.[44] Regardless a number of Militia units attempted to join up en masse as already formed units and the 7th Battalion was one of these units.[38] However, as they were required to remain in Australia to provide home defence in the case of war spreading to the Pacific this did not occur.[38] In October 1939, the Militia was mobilised in stages to undertake a short period of 30 days continuous training and this was undertaken again in 1940, but for a period of 90 days instead. The compulsory training scheme was also reintroduced and the 7th Battalion's ranks were filled out with national servicemen.[38]
Throughout 1940 and 1941 the battalion undertook a number of training camps in Victoria. In December 1941, with Japan's entry into the war following the attacks on Malaya and Pearl Harbor, the battalion was mobilised for war service and tasked with defending the
They remained in Darwin for 18 months before being relieved and sent back to Melbourne in April 1943. After taking leave, the 7th Battalion was sent to the
In April 1945, after months of lobbying by Potts—who was keen to get back into action himself after having been relieved of his previous command during the Kokoda campaign—the 7th Battalion was transferred to Torokina on Bougainville Island, where the Japanese garrison was still holding out. In June they moved up the Numa Numa Trail to Pearl Ridge in the central sector of the island where they relieved the 27th Battalion.[48] Almost immediately they began aggressive patrols in order to dominate the Japanese in their area of operations and were tasked with the capture of several key positions including Wearne's Hill, Base Point 3, Tokua and Sisivie and to establish a forward position in the Wakunai Valley.[48] Over the course of the next three months until the end of the war, the battalion captured 25 positions and killed around 200 Japanese soldiers.[38]
Following the end of hostilities the battalion moved to the island of Fauro to guard Japanese prisoners of war.[38] As the demobilisation process began, members of the battalion were slowly repatriated to Australia, while others were transferred to other units for further service elsewhere. By March 1946 the last of the battalion's personnel had been returned to Australia and on 10 May 1946, the 7th Battalion was formally disbanded.[38] During its service throughout the war the battalion lost 25 men killed or died on active service, with a further 50 men wounded. Members of the battalion received the following decorations: one DSO, one MC, one MM and 16 MIDs.[38]
Legacy
Following the completion of the demobilisation process, the Citizens Military Force was reformed in 1948, albeit on a reduced scale.[49] At this time, the 7th Battalion was not re-raised in its own right, although an amalgamated unit known as the 8th/7th Battalion (North Western Victorian Regiment) was formed in order to perpetuate the two rural Victorian battalions. Today the honours and traditions of the 7th Battalion are maintained by the 8th/7th Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment,[50] an infantry battalion of the Australian Army Reserve,[22] that was formed in 1960 as the 2nd Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment, following the introduction of the Pentropic organisation, but which was later redesignated 8/7 RVR.[50] The 7th Battalion's battle honours include those of the 2nd AIF's 2/7th Battalion, which were entrusted to the 7th in 1961.[36]
Commanding officers
The following is a list of officers that served as the 7th Battalion's commanding officer during the two World Wars:
First World War:
- Lieutenant Colonel Harold Edward Elliott;
- Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Jackson;
- Lieutenant Colonel Carl Herman Jess;
- Lieutenant Colonel Ernest Edward Herrod.[5]
Second World War:
- Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Marcell Conran;
- Lieutenant Colonel Howard Leslie Ewin Dunkley;
- Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Thomas Henry Goucher;
- Lieutenant Colonel Geoffrey Moore Norris;
- Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Markham Sadler;
- Lieutenant Colonel Peter Glynn Clifton Webster;
- Lieutenant Colonel John Alfred Wilmoth.[38]
Battle honours
The 7th Battalion received the following battle honours:[36]
- South Africa 1899–1902.[Note 4]
- First World War: Suez Canal.[2]
- Second World War:
Notes
Footnotes
- ^ During the First World War the standard size of an Australian infantry battalion was 1,023 men. Later, during the Second World War it was between 800 and 900 men.[1]
- ^ In total, during the course of the war, 13 men from the 7th Battalion went on to accept commissions in British and Indian Army units.[12]
- ^ These figures differ slightly from those given by Austin who provides figures of four VCs, one CMG, 17 MCs with one bar, 23 DCMs with one bar, 100 MMs with seven bars, six MSMs, 34 MIDs, and eight foreign awards.[35]
- ^ Inherited from the 4th Battalion, Militia Infantry Brigade.[36]
- ^ Of these, all but two – South-West Pacific 1942–45 and Liberation of Australian New Guinea – were inherited from the 2/7th Battalion in 1961.[36]
Citations
- ^ Kuring 2004, pp. 47, 176
- ^ a b Austin 2004, p. 267
- ^ Grey 2008, p. 85
- ^ Austin 2004, p. 7
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "7th Battalion". First World War, 1914–1918 units. Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original on 11 September 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
- ^ Austin 2004, p. 8
- ^ Austin 2004, pp. 10–11
- ^ Austin 2004, p. 11
- ^ Mallett, Ross. "Part B: Branches – Infantry Battalions". First AIF Order of Battle 1914–1918. Australian Defence Force Academy. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
- ^ Austin 2004, pp. 30–31
- ^ Bean 1941, p. 163
- ^ a b Austin 2004, p. 34
- ^ Austin 2004, pp. 56–57
- ^ a b c d Austin 2004, p. 265
- ^ Austin 2004, pp. 72–73
- ^ Kuring 2004, p. 51
- ^ Austin 2004, p. 73
- ^ Dean & Gutteridge 2009, p. 27
- ^ Dean & Gutteridge 2009, p. 28
- ^ Austin 2004, p. 98
- ^ Lincoln 1988, pp. 557–558
- ^ a b "History of 8/7 RVR". Department of Defence. Retrieved 30 September 2009.
- ^ Austin 2004, p. 155
- ^ Austin 2004, p. 156
- ^ Austin 2004, p. 157
- ^ Austin 2004, p. 160
- ^ Austin 2004, p. 168
- ^ Austin 2004, p. 169
- ^ Austin 2004, p. 171
- ^ Austin 2004, p. 223
- ^ Austin 2004, p. 231
- ^ Austin 2004, p. 243
- ^ Austin 2004, p. 254
- ^ Austin 2004, p. 264
- ^ Austin 2004, p. 278
- ^ a b c d e f g h Festberg 1972, p. 65
- ^ Grey 2008, p. 125
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "7th Battalion (North West Murray Borderers)". Second World War, 1939–1945 units. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
- ^ Stanley, Peter. "Broken Lineage: The Australian Army's Heritage of Discontinuity" (PDF). A Century of Service. Army History Unit. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
- ^ Grey 2008, p. 138
- ^ Palazzo 2001, p. 110
- ^ Keogh 1965, p. 44
- ^ Keogh 1965, p. 45
- ^ Grey 2008, p. 146
- ^ "23 Australian Infantry Brigade". Orders of Battle.com. Retrieved 19 July 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Long 1963, p. 92
- ^ Long 1963, p. 93
- ^ a b Long 1963, p. 230
- ^ Grey 2008, p. 200
- ^ a b Shaw 2010, p. 11
References
- Austin, Ron (2004). Our Dear Old Battalion: The Story of the 7th Battalion AIF, 1914–1919. McCrae, Victoria: Slouch Hat Publications. ISBN 0-9579752-3-6.
- OCLC 220878987.
- Dean, Arthur; Gutteridge, Eric W. (2009) [1933]. The Seventh Battalion, A.I.F : resume of the activities of the Seventh Battalion in the Great War, 1914–1918. East Sussex. ISBN 9781845747800.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link - Festberg, Alfred (1972). The Lineage of the Australian Army. Melbourne, Victoria: Allara Publishing. ISBN 978-0-85887-024-6.
- ISBN 978-0-521-69791-0.
- OCLC 7185705.
- 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.
- Lincoln, Merrilyn (1988). "Scurry, William Charles (1895–1963)". In Serle, Geoffrey; Cunneen, Christopher (eds.). Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 11. Carlton, Victoria: Melbourne University Press. pp. 557–558. ISBN 978-0-522-84236-4.
- OCLC 1297619.
- Palazzo, Albert (2001). The Australian Army: A History of its Organisation 1901–2001. Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-551506-0.
- Shaw, Peter (2010). "The Evolution of the Infantry State Regiment System in the Army Reserve". Sabretache. LI (4 (December)). Garran, Australian Capital Territory: Military Historical Society of Australia: 5–12. ISSN 0048-8933.
Further reading
- Pedder, Allan (1989). The Seventh Battalion, 1936–1946. Niddrie, Victoria: 7th Battalion Association. ISBN 978-0-7316-6776-5.