2/31st Battalion (Australia), History, Borneo 1945
Following this, the Australians advanced along the open country along the Milford Highway. Relying heavily upon direct and indirect fire support to suppress the Japanese positions along the numerous ridges that lay astride the axis of advance, the going was slow. By 9 July the open country of the coast turned to thick bush and the Australians began to encounter improvised explosive devices and booby traps in the scrub.


2/31st Battalion (Australia), History, Borneo 1945
Early on 10 July, a company from the 2/31st Battalion launched a successful attack which saw them capture 12 3-inch naval guns that were being used as part of the Japanese defensive system for the loss of five wounded. Late in the afternoon, while fighting around the "Coke" feature, the battalion suffered a serious setback when a company was ambushed, resulting in 18 killed and 23 wounded.


2/31st Battalion (Australia), History, Borneo 1945
A brief period of inactivity followed before the advance continued. On 26 July, as a result of the casualties that they had suffered earlier in the month, the battalion was withdrawn from the fighting and moved to the rear. Although they undertook security duties, they did not see action again before the war ended on 15 August 1945. During the fighting around Balikpapan the 2/31st Battalion suffered the highest number of casualties of any Allied unit deployed in the Borneo campaign, losing 44 men killed and 134 wounded.


2/31st Battalion (Australia), History, Disbandment
Following the end of the war, the battalion remained in Borneo. Initially they were stationed around Bandjermasin where they undertook garrison duties, but in October 1945 they were moved to Balikpapan. At this time, the demobilisation process began and some of the battalion's long serving personnel were offered the opportunity to return to Australia. Others were transferred to the 65th Battalion, which was being raised as part of the Australian contribution to the British Commonwealth Occupation Force. On  31 January 1946, the remaining personnel embarked upon HMAS Kanimbla, for the return to Australia. They landed in Brisbane in February 1946, where the battalion was disbanded early the following month.


2/31st Battalion (Australia), History, Disbandment
During the course of the war a total of 2,660 men served in the 2/31st Battalion of whom 251 were killed or died and 479 wounded. Members of the battalion received the following decorations: one Victoria Cross, three Distinguished Service Orders, four Military Crosses, one Distinguished Conduct Medal, 20 Military Medals and 25 Mentions in Despatches.


2/31st Battalion (Australia), Battle honours
The 2/31st Battalion received 22 battle honours for its service during World War II. These honours are:


2/31st Battalion (Australia), Commanding officers
The following officers served as commanding officer of the 2/31st Battalion:


2/32nd Battalion (Australia)
The 2/32nd Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army, which served during the Second World War. Formed in June 1940 from surplus Australian troops who had been sent to the United Kingdom shortly after the Fall of France, the battalion was originally designated the "71st Battalion", before being redesignated. After completing training in the United Kingdom, the 2/32nd served in North Africa in 1941–1942 as part of the 25th Brigade, which was assigned to the 9th Division, before being assigned to the 24th Brigade. In early 1943, the battalion returned to Australia and later took part in campaigns against the Japanese in New Guinea in 1943–1944 around Lae and on the Huon Peninsula, and in Borneo, landing on Labuan in mid-1945, before being disbanded in 1946.


2/32nd Battalion (Australia), History
Initially designated the 71st Battalion, the unit was raised in the United Kingdom in June 1940, as part of the 25th Brigade, which was formed from Australian troops that had been sent to the country to help bolster the garrison after the Fall of France. Understrength upon formation, the battalion consisted of only three rifle companies at the outset, rather than the usual four, and drew personnel from infantry reinforcements and surplus support corps troops.


2/32nd Battalion (Australia), History
Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Alonzo Sparkes, individual and collective training was completed at Tidworth Barracks and Colchester, and by October 1940, the battalion was redesignated as the 2/32nd Battalion, to bring them into line with the other units of the Second Australian Imperial Force. At the time, along with the troops of the 18th Brigade, they were tasked with responding in the event of a cross-Channel invasion.


2/32nd Battalion (Australia), History
The circumstances of the battalion's establishment overseas resulted in the unique situation of the battalion's personnel being issued two different unit colour patches. Personnel who were in the United Kingdom at the end of 1940 were issued with a circular UCP consisting of purple over red, with a border of grey.


2/32nd Battalion (Australia), History
However, this UCP was issued without reference to Army Headquarters in Australia, who issued battalion reinforcements in Australia with a UCP consisting of an upright white and yellow rectangle inside a grey circle: this was intended to link the battalion to the 32nd Battalion, which had served during the First World War. Upon arrival at the unit, though, these patches were replaced with the purple and red patches. The battalion received a third UCP, following the unit's involvement in the fighting at Tobruk, when the 9th Division units adopted a 'T'-shaped UCP.


2/32nd Battalion (Australia), History
The feared invasion of the United Kingdom never eventuated, and by early 1941, the two Australian infantry brigades that had been sent to the United Kingdom were transferred to the Middle East. Arriving there in March 1941, the 2/32nd Battalion, along with the rest of the 25th Brigade, joined the 9th Division. A fourth company was raised while the battalion completed further training in Palestine and then, in April, the battalion joined the fighting in the Western Desert.


2/32nd Battalion (Australia), History
After the Allies were pushed back to Tobruk, the 2/32nd Battalion was moved forward by train to Mersa Matruh, and then by ship to the encircled port of Tobruk. By May, they were firmly established and around this time, the battalion was transferred to the 24th Brigade, joining its other two battalions in the defence of the port. They remained there, conducting patrols and manning the line, until 23 September 1941, when the majority of the Australian garrison was withdrawn by sea.


2/32nd Battalion (Australia), History
The 2/32nd subsequently served in Palestine and Lebanon until July 1942 when the 9th Division was called upon to help stem the tide of the German and Italian advance around El Alamein; throughout the remainder of the year, the battalion took part in the First and Second Battles of El Alamein.


2/32nd Battalion (Australia), History
In December 1942, the battalion was withdrawn back to Gaza, where the 9th Division concentrated prior to departure from the Middle East; the Japanese had entered the war in the Pacific the previous year, and the Australian government had requested that their troops be returned as they were needed for the fighting in New Guinea. After a parade at Gaza in December, the 9th Division departed the Middle East in January 1943, arriving back in Australia the following month.


2/32nd Battalion (Australia), History
A period of reorganisation followed, during which time the battalion was converted to the jungle divisional establishment, before being committed to the fighting for the first time in the Pacific in September 1943, when they were assigned to capture Lae, during the final stages of the Salamaua–Lae campaign. After conducting an amphibious landing north-west of the town, the battalion's involvement in the fighting was limited as it was held back as part of the divisional reserve throughout the operation and Lae was captured sooner than expected.


2/32nd Battalion (Australia), History
The battalion's next campaign followed only a few weeks later, when the operations to secure the Huon Peninsula were launched, with the 24th Brigade landing at Finchhafen in late September. Throughout the following months, the 2/32nd was involved in the fighting around the landing beaches and then the advance inland. It was heavily involved in the fighting around Pabu, where over 195 Japanese were killed before the Australians continued the advance into the Christmas Hills in December 1943. The battalion's campaign ended in February 1944, when it was withdrawn back to Australia for rest.


2/32nd Battalion (Australia), History
A long period of training followed on the Atherton Tablelands, as inter-Allied politics resulted in limited opportunities for the employment of Australian troops throughout 1944 and into 1945. As a result, it was not until mid-1945 that the 2/32nd went into battle again. The Borneo campaign ultimately proved to be their final involvement in the war. During the initial operations to capture Labuan, the battalion remained in reserve, and only came ashore on 12 June.


2/32nd Battalion (Australia), History
The battalion was transported from Labuan to Padas Bay four days, on 16 June, via landing craft, and following this took part in capturing Weston the next day. The 2/32nd subsequently patrolled towards Beaufort, carrying out an attack on the town in concert with the 2/43rd Battalion on 26 June, to secure the Weston–Beaufort railway line. Throughout early July the battalion advanced towards Papar. The main advance was made along the railway line with a flanking move being provided by one company that conducted an amphibious landing to the south; after these moves, the town was subsequently taken on 12 July 1945.


2/32nd Battalion (Australia), History
Following the end of hostilities in August, the 2/32nd's personnel were repatriated to Australia in drafts for demobilisation or transfer to other units for further service. The remaining personnel were transported back to Australian as a cadre in January 1946, at which time the 2/32nd was disbanded. During its service, a total of 2,916 men served with the battalion of whom 214 were killed, 567 wounded and 225 captured. Members of the 2/32nd received the following decorations: three Distinguished Service Orders, four Military Crosses, four Distinguished Conduct Medals, 16 Military Medals, and 42 Mentions in Despatches; in addition, three members of the battalion were appointed as Officers of the Order of the British Empire.


2/32nd Battalion (Australia), Battle honours
In 1961, these battle honours were entrusted to the 32nd Battalion, and through that link are now maintained by the Royal Victoria Regiment.


2/32nd Battalion (Australia), Commanding officers
The following officers served as commanding officer of the 2/32nd:


2/33rd Battalion (Australia)
The 2/33rd Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army during the Second World War. It was formed as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force in the United Kingdom in  June 1940 as the "72nd Battalion" to create the 25th Brigade, which eventually became part of the 7th Division. After the threat of invasion had passed, the battalion was transferred to the Middle East in early 1941, and after a period of garrison duty in the Western Desert, the battalion fought against the Vichy French in the invasion of Syria and Lebanon.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia)
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 New Guinea where it took part in the Kokoda Track campaign. Arriving at the height of the fighting, after the Japanese advance stalled it took part in the pursuit of Japanese forces to the northern coast, fighting around the beachheads at Buna–Gona. In 1943, after returning to Australia for six months to refit, the battalion was committed to the Salamaua–Lae campaign, and then the Ramu Valley–Finisterre Range campaign. Returning to Australia in early 1944, a long period of inactivity followed before the 2/33rd undertook its last campaign in Borneo in the final months of the war. The battalion was disbanded in Brisbane in March 1946.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), History, Formation in the United Kingdom
Raised on 27 June 1940, as part of the 25th Brigade, the battalion was initially designated the 72nd Battalion, as a continuation of the numbers assigned to the infantry battalions of the Australian Imperial Force, which had been raised during the First World War.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), History, Formation in the United Kingdom
One of three Australian infantry battalions established in the United Kingdom during the early months of the war – the others being 2/31st and 2/32nd Battalions – it was formed from surplus Australian infantry reinforcements and support corps personnel – drawn from all Australian states, these personnel had originally been assigned to the 6th Division – who were sent to bolster the garrison following the Fall of France when the threat of invasion loomed. Understrength and lacking support personnel and large amounts of specialist equipment, the battalion initially consisted of only three rifle companies, each consisting of three platoons.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), History, Formation in the United Kingdom
The companies were designated 'A' to 'C', while the platoons were numerically designated 1 through to 9. This was one rifle company short of the standard establishment of the time, and at the time the battalion had a strength of just over 460 personnel, well below its authorised strength of around 900. In addition, the battalion headquarters company, which consisted of six platoons – signals, anti-aircraft, mortars, carrier, pioneer, and transport – was also understrength, and lacked a large amount of specialist equipment at the outset.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), History, Formation in the United Kingdom
Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Rudolph Bierwirth, in September, the battalion was issued with a circular brown over red unit colour patch (UCP), with a border of grey to denote that the battalion was a 2nd AIF unit. However, the circumstances of the battalion's establishment overseas resulted in the situation of the battalion's personnel being issued two different UCPs. Personnel who were in the United Kingdom at the end of 1940 were issued with the brown over red UCP.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), History, Formation in the United Kingdom
However, this UCP was issued without reference to Army Headquarters in Australia, who issued battalion reinforcements in Australia with a UCP consisting of a black over green oval in a circle of grey: this was intended to link the battalion to the 33rd Battalion, which had served during the First World War. Upon arrival in the Middle East, though, these patches were replaced with the brown and red patches.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), History, Formation in the United Kingdom
In October, the unit moved from Tidworth to Colchester and around the same time it was redesignated as the 2/33rd Battalion, 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.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), History, Formation in the United Kingdom
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.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), History, 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 Glasgow in January 1941, the main body of the battalion embarked upon the transport Nea Hellas and sailed via Freetown and Durban. They reached Egypt in early March 1941 where the 25th Brigade, was assigned to the 7th Division.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), History, Garrison duties in North Africa and fighting in Syria
Moving to a camp in Palestine, the battalion's fourth rifle company – designated 'D' Company – was taken on strength, having previously been formed at Beit Jirja in September 1940 from excess reinforcements from the 6th Division. At the time, the 7th Division was preparing to go to Greece, to follow in the wake of the 6th Division; however, the entry of the Afrika Korps into the fighting in the Western Desert and early German successes prompted their movement to the fortress at Mersa Metruh, to guard against a possible German advance into Egypt from Libya.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), History, Garrison duties in North Africa and fighting in Syria
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 invasion of Vichy French-held Syria and Lebanon. A short-lived campaign, from early June until mid-July, the 2/33rd took part in the fighting around Merdjayoun – attacking Fort Khiam in the early stages of the campaign – and Jezzine, fighting mainly in disparate company groups.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), History, Garrison duties in North Africa and fighting in Syria
Following the French capitulation, the battalion undertook garrison duties in Lebanon as part of the Allied occupation force established there to defend against a possible German invasion through Turkey; in September the battalion occupied a position around the port of Tripoli. They remained there until early 1942 when the Australian government requested the return of the 7th Division to Australia, following Japan's entry into the war.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), History, Garrison duties in North Africa and fighting in Syria
The battalion's role, and indeed that of the whole 7th Division, in the fighting against the Vichy French was largely censored at the time due to concerns about negative public opinion in Australia and the battalion's historian, William Crooks, notes that later this caused some friction between 7th Division personnel and those from the 6th and 9th Divisions, and a general lack of public awareness of what they had done. Casualties sustained by the battalion in Syria and Lebanon numbered 21 dead, 84 wounded and 26 captured.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting against the Japanese in New Guinea
Embarking on the Mt Vernon in Port Tewfik, the battalion sailed from Egypt in early February and arrived in Adelaide, South Australia, in mid-March. After this, the battalion camped at Woodside, in the Adelaide Hills, where a period of re-conditioning and exercises followed until mid-April when the majority of its personnel were sent on home leave. At the end of the month, those that remained undertook a five-day train journey to Casino, New South Wales. Limited training was undertaken until mid-May, around which time orders were received for another move, this time to Caboolture, Queensland.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting against the Japanese in New Guinea
By the end of the month, the battalion returned to almost full strength when the final leave draft returned. At the time, the strategic situation in the Pacific was in the balance; the Japanese were advancing south and due to concerns about a possible Japanese invasion, the 25th Brigade was tasked with defending the coastal area north of Brisbane.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting against the Japanese in New Guinea
In late August 1942, the 2/33rd deployed to New Guinea, where the Kokoda Track campaign was reaching its climax as the Japanese advanced on Port Moresby. Embarking on the Katoomba in late August, they landed at Port Moresby on 9 September. Four days later the battalion was thrown into battle against the Japanese around Ioribaiwa, leading the 25th Brigade forward. As the Japanese advance continued, the Australians withdrew back to Imita Ridge. As the 25th Brigade withdrew, the 2/33rd formed a rearguard, covering the withdrawal.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting against the Japanese in New Guinea
After completing the movement rearwards, the battalion subsequently assumed a position in depth on the right. The Japanese then began to withdraw, having reached the limits of their supply line, and the Australians pursued them back to the beachheads on the northern coast where the Japanese had originally landed in July. Throughout October and November, the battalion fought significant engagements at Myola and Gorari, before being thrown into further fighting around Gona in late November and early December.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting against the Japanese in New Guinea
Casualties were heavy, and by the time the Japanese beachhead had been destroyed, the battalion was withdrawn to Port Moresby, the battalion had been reduced to only two companies; early in January 1943, the main body of 2/33rd returned to Australia upon the transports Both and Duntroon. The rear detail followed in the middle of the month aboard the Taroona. Total casualties sustained by the 2/33rd during this period had included 46 dead and 121 wounded.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting against the Japanese in New Guinea
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. 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.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting against the Japanese in New Guinea
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 Nadzab, in support of US paratroopers. On 7 September 1943, while the battalion's personnel waited to fly out to Nadzab from Jackson's Airfield, near Port Moresby, a heavily laden US B-24 Liberator bomber crashed into trucks carrying the battalion, killing 60 and injuring a further 92; this represented a third of the battalion's casualties for the entire war.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting against the Japanese in New Guinea
The following day, the 2/33rd was flown into Nadzab and they subsequently took part in the capture of Lae; at the end of the month, they were transported by air to Kaipit from where they were committed to the advance up the Ramu Valley into the Finnesterre Range during which they were involved mainly in small unit actions and patrols. The battalion's casualties in New Guinea during the campaigns of 1943–1944 numbered 84 dead and 70 wounded.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), History, Borneo: Final campaign and disbandment
In early February 1944, the battalion was withdrawn back to Australia, returning aboard the Kanimbla. A long period of training and rebuilding followed, as US forces assumed the primary responsibility for the fighting against the Japanese in the Pacific. Inter-Allied politics, coupled with a rapidly evolving strategic situation resulted in a period of operational uncertainty for the Australian Army during which there was significant ambiguity about their future employment against the Japanese. As a result, it was not until close to the end of the war that the 2/33rd went into action again.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), History, Borneo: Final campaign and disbandment
In June 1945, the battalion embarked for Morotai Island, from where they subsequently took part in the re-capture of Balikpapan the following month. During the landing, the 2/33rd formed part of the floating reserve, but after the early stages of the assault it came ashore on the second day along with the 25th Brigade's two other infantry battalions, and they assumed control of the central part of the Australian beachhead. The following day, the 25th Brigade began to advance inland up the main north-eastern axis, which the Australians dubbed the "Milford Highway". The 2/33rd took up position on the right hand side of the brigade's front, coming up against stiff Japanese resistance as it advanced around Chilton Road, but this was overcome with machine gun and artillery support, after which the advance inland continued.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), History, Borneo: Final campaign and disbandment
A series of minor actions followed as the Australians continued their advance up the Milford Highway. After a month of fighting, the island was largely secured and following the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in early August 1945, the Japanese sued for peace and hostilities came to an end. During the fighting in Borneo the 2/33rd had lost 25 dead and 57 wounded. In the immediate aftermath of the war, the Australians remained on Borneo as an occupation force, while the Army was slowly demobilised. During this time the battalion was steadily reduced as personnel were repatriated to Australia for discharge, or were transferred to other units for further service, including providing personnel to the 34th Brigade, which was raised for occupation duties in Japan.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), History, Borneo: Final campaign and disbandment
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; of these, the 2/33rd lost 200 men killed and 363 wounded. Members of the battalion received the following decorations: two Distinguished Service Orders, seven Military Crosses, 11 Military Medals and 27 Mentions in Despatches.


2/33rd Battalion (Australia), Battle honours
For its service during the war, the 2/33rd was awarded the following battle and theatre honours:


2/39 Evzone Regiment
The 2/39 Evzone Regiment "Col. Karachristos" (Greek: 2/39 Σύνταγμα Ευζώνων «ΣΧΗΣ ΚΑΡΑΧΡΗΣΤΟΣ», 2/39 ΣΕ) is a historic unit of the Hellenic Army. Formerly an elite Evzone (light infantry) regiment, today its name and tradition are borne by the Recruit Training Centre of Messolonghi (ΚΕΝ Μεσολογγίου).


2/39 Evzone Regiment, History
The regiment was formed on 23 December 1913 at Messolonghi, as part of the Hellenic Army's reorganization following the Balkan Wars.


2/39 Evzone Regiment, History
The regiment fought in the Macedonian front operations of World War I as part of the 3rd Infantry Division from 25 April 1918 until the war's end in the Prespa Lakes area. Following the Allied breakthrough of the German-Bulgarian front in autumn, the regiment advanced to Pirot. Along with the rest of the division, it was transferred to Smyrna in August 1920, and took part in all subsequent operations of the Asia Minor Campaign until the Greek defeat in 1922.


2/39 Evzone Regiment, History
During the Greco-Italian War of 1940–41, the regiment was part of the 8th Infantry Division and thus one of the first units to face the Italian attack. The regiment served throughout the conflict, being disbanded after the capitulation of the Greek army to the Germans in April 1941.


2/39 Evzone Regiment, History
After the end of World War II, on 2 December 1950 a training centre for new recruits (Κέντρο Εκπαίδευσης Νεοσυλλέκτων, ΚΕΝ) was established at Messolonghi, which on 31 August 1965 received the designation "12th Infantry Regiment", before being renamed to "2/39 Evzone Regiment" on 26 June 1978. On 26 September 2000, the regiment received the honorific name "Col. Karachristos" after its commander, Col. Vlasios Karachristos, killed in action on 20 August 1921.


2/39 Evzone Regiment, History
For its wartime service, the regiment had been twice decorated with the highest Greek military distinction, the Commander's Cross of the Cross of Valour, the first time for its actions in the Macedonian Front, and the second for its actions during the spring and summer battles of 1921, especially the two-day battle of Avgin near Bursa in March. The regiment was also awarded the French Croix de guerre 1914–1918 for its actions on the Macedonian Front.


2/39 Evzone Regiment, History
The regiment and the training centre are located in the "Lt. Gen. Spyros Moustaklis Camp" on the northern outskirts of Messolonghi.


2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia)
The 2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment was an Australian Army anti-tank artillery regiment that was raised for service during the Second World War as part of the all volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force. It was formed in July 1940, and was assigned to the 8th Division, but was later reassigned to the 9th Division. With this formation, the regiment took part in the Siege of Tobruk in 1941 and then the First and Second Battles of El Alamein in 1942. After returning to Australia in early 1943, the regiment became a corps-assigned unit, and its individual batteries served in New Guinea in 1943–1944, and then Borneo against the Japanese in 1945.


2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Formation and service in North Africa
The 2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment was formed in July 1940 at Warwick Farm, New South Wales, as part of the all volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force that was raised for overseas service during World War II. The regiment was assigned to the 8th Division on formation but it was later transferred to the 9th Division; its first commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel Eoin Munro.


2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Formation and service in North Africa
It initially consisted of four batteries – the  9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th – and like other such units raised at this time, had an authorised strength of 30 officers and 526 soldiers, and forty-eight Ordnance QF 2-pounder guns, although it did not initially receive these weapons and initial training was undertaken using simulated weapons. In September, the regiment moved to Ingleburn, New South Wales, before embarking for the Middle East in November, arriving the following month. Further training was undertaken at Julis, in Palestine.


2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Formation and service in North Africa
In February – March 1941, the regiment joined the rest of the 9th Division; the regiment was sent to Amiriya in Egypt, where they were hastily issued with a mix of weapons including captured Solothurn anti-tank rifles, Italian 47 mm guns, and 37 mm Bofors guns. Amidst the chaos and confusion of  the German offensive in Cyrenaica, the regiment was dispersed across several locations – the 9th Battery garrisoned the port of Tobruk, while the 12th remained on the Egyptian border.


2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Formation and service in North Africa
The 11th Battery, and regimental headquarters, was allocated to support the 3rd Indian Motor Brigade at Mechili, where they were heavily engaged over three days in early April. After the town was surrounded by German armoured forces, the force attempted to break out and withdraw back to Tobruk. Some  was eventually captured; the regiment lost 91 men captured, including Munro, as well as four others killed and seven wounded.


2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Formation and service in North Africa
The remnants of the regiment, then under the command of Major Henry Glover, concentrated around Tobruk where the 9th Battery joined them as the town fell under siege. New 2-pounder guns were issued, and the regiment assumed command of several infantry anti-tank companies (the 20th and 24th). They were heavily engaged over Easter, as the Germans launched a heavy armoured assault against the perimeter. Meanwhile, the 12th Battery was cut off from the regiment, and was assigned to the 22nd Guards Brigade carrying out defensive actions around the frontier, before being transferred to support the 7th Armoured Division.


2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Formation and service in North Africa
In August, the battery deployed to Mersa Matruh, rejoining the Australian 9th Division. The rest of the regiment remained in Tobruk until September, taking part in the defence of the town before being relieved by a British unit, and withdrawn by sea back to Palestine. Its losses during the siege amounted to 11 killed, 39 wounded and 96 captured.


2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Formation and service in North Africa
Following withdrawal from Tobruk, the regiment was reformed at Hill 95 before moving to Qastina Camp to rejoin the rest of the 9th Division. It was expanded to a 64-gun regiment, and absorbed several anti-tank companies at this time. They deployed to Syria in January 1942, undertaking defensive duties around Tripoli as part of the Allied occupation force, remaining there until June 1942 when they were recalled to Egypt after the Germans launched an offensive. By July, the regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel J.F. Herbertson; the 2-pounders were replaced by 6-pounders around this time.


2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Formation and service in North Africa
Detaching a battery to support each of the 9th Division's three infantry brigades, over the course of several months the regiment took part in defensive fighting during the First Battle of El Alamein. Casualties throughout July amounted to 23 killed, 80 wounded and 46 captured. Later, during October and November, the regiment supported the offensive actions of the Second Battle of El Alamein, during which the 9th Division carried out attacks towards the coast, before the  Allied breakthrough in early November. The 2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment fired 1,276 rounds during 13 days of heavy fighting, during which 36 guns were destroyed.


2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Service in New Guinea and Borneo
In December, the regiment was withdrawn back to Palestine, at which time preparations began for the 9th Division to return to Australia, where they were to join the other 2nd AIF divisions fighting the Japanese. Embarking in January 1943, the regiment returned to Australia by sea, and reached Sydney the following month. A period of leave followed, before the regiment was reconstituted at Kairi, Queensland; around this time it was re-designated the 2/3rd Tank Attack Regiment. As the Australian Army was reorganised for the fighting in the Pacific, it adopted the jungle division establishment.


2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Service in New Guinea and Borneo
This saw a reduction in the number of anti-tank batteries assigned to each division to one, as the armoured threat was considered low in the Australian Army's area of operations in the Pacific; as a result the regiment became a corps asset, assigned to I Corps. The 9th Battery was subsequently assigned to the 4th Division, and was transferred out of the regiment, moving to Townsville, Queensland, while the 12th Battery was temporarily assigned to the 6th Division.


2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Service in New Guinea and Borneo
The 10th Battery deployed to New Guinea in July, initially with a view to provide support during the advance through the Markham Valley; however, the lack of Japanese armour meant they remained around Port Moresby and were used in a defensive role, and undertook manual labour until returning to Australia in April 1944. Meanwhile, in September 1943, the 11th Battery was detached for the landing at Lae, supporting the 9th Division. Later, it deployed to support the 20th Brigade around Scarlet Beach during operations to secure Finschaffen, manning defensive positions along the beach, before returning to Australia in March 1944. In May 1944, the regiment was reconstituted, with the 10th and 11th Batteries rejoining regimental headquarters at Mapee, Queensland; in August, they moved to Wongabel. The 12th Battery returned to the regiment in September 1944, when the 6th Division deployed to Aitape–Wewak where there was no need for anti-tank support.


2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Service in New Guinea and Borneo
By late 1944, the jungle division establishment was changed, and the allocation of anti-tank batteries restored to three per division. The regiment moved to Ravenshoe, Queensland, concentrating with the rest of the 9th Division at this time in preparation for deployment overseas. By December 1944, the regiment was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel J.N.L Argent, on the Atherton Tablelands. He subsequently commanded the regiment during its final campaign of the war, the recapture of Borneo.


2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Service in New Guinea and Borneo
The move began in March 1945, via Cairns, Queensland, and then to Morotai Island; the regiment undertook labouring duties in May loading ships to support the 26th Brigade's operation to retake Tarakan. Further stevedoring work was undertaken in June before the regiment embarked to support landings around Labuan and Brunei.


2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Service in New Guinea and Borneo
There was no real anti-tank role for them, and as such during the advance on Weston and Beaufort, the regiment was employed mainly as makeshift infantry assigned to the ad hoc Gusforce, to carry out patrols around Sipitang; it also employed a variety of weapons, including 4.2-inch mortars, 6-pounder anti-tank guns and 75 mm pack howitzers. At the end of the fighting the regiment undertake garrison duties on the Natuna Islands.


2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), Legacy and perpetuation
Approximately 1,800 personnel served in the 2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment during its existence. The Australian War Memorial lists 70 members of the regiment on the Roll of Honour as having lost their lives during the war, while 28 members were decorated as a result of their service.


2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), Legacy and perpetuation
Post war, the regiment was perpetuated by the 3rd Anti-Tank Regiment, which was raised in 1948 within the part-time Citizens Military Force. This unit was later converted to a field artillery regiment, and in the 1950s was re-designated as the 23rd Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery.


2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), Legacy and perpetuation
The regiment was later reduced to a battery and in 2018 was assigned to the 9th Regiment, Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia)
The 2/3rd Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Raised for service during the Second World War as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF), it was formed in October 1939 in Sydney and was attached to the 16th Brigade, 6th Division, the first formation raised as part of the 2nd AIF during the war.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia)
Deploying to the Middle East in early 1940, it saw action in North Africa, Greece, Crete, and Syria in 1941–1942 before returning to Australia following Japan's entry into the war, and was one of only two Australian infantry battalions to fight against all the major Axis powers of the war: the Germans, Italians, Japanese and Vichy French.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia)
In 1942–1943, the battalion took part in fighting along the Kokoda Track before returning to Australia where it spent over a year training and being rebuilt. In December 1944, the 2/3rd returned to New Guinea to take part in the Aitape–Wewak campaign and remained there until the war ended. Following the end of hostilities, the battalion was disbanded on 8 February 1946 in Brisbane. The battalion's battle honours are perpetuated by the Royal New South Wales Regiment.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Formation
Upon the outbreak of the Second World War the Australian government decided to raise an all-volunteer force for service overseas, due to the provisions of the Defence Act (1903) which restricted the deployment of the part-time Militia to only those areas considered to be Australian territory. This force was known as the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF), and the 6th Division was the first to be raised. As a unit of this formation, the 2/3rd Battalion was formed at Victoria Barracks, Sydney, on 24 October 1939. Along with the 2/1st, 2/2nd and 2/4th Battalions, the 2/3rd was assigned to the 16th Brigade.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Formation
Although initially the infantry battalions of the 6th Division adopted the Australian battalion structure of two rifle companies, a support company, a light machine gun platoon and an administrative headquarters, they soon switched to the British structure with four rifle companies – each consisting of three platoons with three sections – and a headquarters company consisting of signals, carrier, pioneer, anti-aircraft, transport, administrative and mortar platoons.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Formation
The battalion's first commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel Vivian England, an officer who had fought in the First World War and had continued to serve in the Militia after the war, commanding the 55th Battalion. Personnel for the battalion were raised from an area around New South Wales that is known by the Aboriginal name of "The Werriwa". This area is bounded by a line from Sydney to Bega in the south, and from Bega, west to the Snowy Mountains, Cooma, Canberra, Yass, then north to Sydney through the Goulburn and Liverpool areas.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Formation
The men were enlisted from 20 October onwards, and by 3 November 1939 the battalion was formed. The colours chosen for the unit colour patch (UCP) were the same as those of the 3rd Battalion, a unit which had served during the First World War before being raised as a Militia formation in 1921. These colours were chocolate over green, in a horizontal rectangle, although a 3 mm border of gray was added to the UCP to distinguish the battalion from its Militia counterpart, which would also go on to serve with distinction during the war.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Formation
Following a brief period of training at Liverpool and Ingleburn, the battalion took part in a farewell march through Sydney. The Sydney Morning Herald of 4 January 1940 gave an account of their farewell march: "The long khaki columns thrilled the hearts of Sydney as it had not been so moved for a quarter of a century since that still, spring day in 1914 when the first A.I.F. marched through the same streets on its way to Anzac and imperishable glory; the marching was magnificent."


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Formation
Afterwards, the battalion sailed in the first troop convoy to leave Australia on 9–10 January 1940, embarking upon the transport Orcades. They disembarked at El Kantara on the Suez Canal on 14 February 1940, and from there they were trucked to their camp at Julis in Palestine, where they undertook further training.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, First actions: North Africa, 1941
The first engagement that Australian troops were involved in during the Second World War came at Bardia, a major Italian military outpost in the north of Libya. The 16th Brigade broke through Bardia's western defensive perimeter at dawn on 3 January 1941, when the 2/1st Battalion breached the wire defences and swung left before advancing. The 2/2nd Battalion followed suit, swinging to the right, and the 2/3rd then moved straight through the breach.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, First actions: North Africa, 1941
Late in the day, a counter-attack by Italian tanks threatened the 2/3rd Battalion's headquarters, until a hastily organised defensive action led by the commanding officer, England, and a platoon of anti-tank guns restored the situation. Meanwhile, the 17th Brigade led a diversion to the south. Although the 16th Brigade was able to capture Bardia in the late afternoon of 4 January, resistance continued, and fighting did not cease until the next morning. Over 40,000 Italians were captured along with significant amounts of equipment and material – including food and ammunition – which was in short supply. A significant amount of alcohol was also captured by the Australians in Italian dugouts inside the 2/3rd's position around Wadi-el-Ghereida. During this period, the 2/3rd lost five officers and 56 men killed or wounded.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, First actions: North Africa, 1941
After this, the Allied forces advanced to the fortified naval outpost of Tobruk. The 6th Division attacked the perimeter defences early on 21 January, following a week of continuous bombardment from both land and sea. The 2/3rd Battalion was tasked with breaching the outer Italian defences for the 2/1st Battalion to pass through. Following the initial breakthrough, the 2/3rd then advanced west along the inner ring of defences, attacking a number of Italian posts as they went. Tobruk fell the next day, with the Italians surrendering to Brigadier Horace Robertson, the commander of the 19th Brigade.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, First actions: North Africa, 1941
The Italian flag was taken down and in the absence of an Australian flag, a signaler from the 2/4th Battalion tied his slouch hat to the flag staff and hauled it up to the top. The battalion's losses during the fighting for Tobruk were seven officers and 50 men killed or wounded.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, First actions: North Africa, 1941
Following the capture of the town, the 2/3rd garrisoned Tobruk, although B Company was detached to the 19th Brigade for its assault on Derna, and remained there after its capture on 30 January. Prime Minister Robert Menzies interrupted his journey from  Australia to England to address the troops after the capture of Tobruk. On 7 March 1941, the battalion left Tobruk, along with the rest of the 6th Division, to bolster the Allied defences in Greece. On the eve of the battalion's next campaign, Lieutenant Colonel Donald Lamb assumed command from England, who had been criticised for his handling of the battalion during the fighting around Bardia.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Reverses in Greece and Crete, 1941
On 18 March 1941, the 2/3rd Battalion sailed from Alexandria aboard HMS Gloucester, arriving in Greece and landing in the port of Piraeus on the following day, after a 22-hour voyage during which their convoy had been attacked numerous times by Axis aircraft. After the invasion of the country on 6 April, they were moved north to attempt to turn back the German forces. The following day they occupied Veria, and on 12 April the 6th Division was grouped together with the 2nd New Zealand Division and a lone British brigade to form an Anzac Corps.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Reverses in Greece and Crete, 1941
This formation did not last long, however, as the Greek government requested Allied forces withdraw from Greece on 16 April before ceasing organised resistance on 18 April. Due to a series of withdrawals elsewhere, the battalion was forced to pull back from its positions at Veria and did not come into contact with the Germans until 18 April when they attempted to block passage of the Tempe Gorge. Fighting alongside the 2/2nd Battalion and New Zealanders, the rearguard action was successful and enabled the Allies to withdraw to the south.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Reverses in Greece and Crete, 1941
Brigadier Arthur Allen, commander of the 16th Brigade, later wrote of this encounter: "it was a fantastic battle. Everyone was on top, with no time to dig in, and all in the front line, including artillery, Bren carriers and infantry, as well as headquarters, with transport only yards in the rear. Some confusion could be expected in the circumstances, with every weapon firing and aircraft almost continually strafing from above. If you saw it in the cinema you would say the author had never seen battle."


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Reverses in Greece and Crete, 1941
With the Germans enjoying numerical superiority on the ground, and with the Luftwaffe in total control of the skies, they then captured the township of Tempe. Although fierce rearguard fighting continued while the Australian and New Zealand forces withdrew to a new defensive line at Thermopylae, the situation deteriorated. An official evacuation plan was issued on 21 April, and on 25 April – Anzac Day – parties of evacuating Allied troops marched through Athens on their way to the coast. The 2/3rd Battalion  embarked from Kalamata on 27 April. The 2/3rd's casualties during the campaign amounted to 14 killed, 31 wounded and 62 captured.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Reverses in Greece and Crete, 1941
While the majority of the 2/3rd Battalion was successfully evacuated to Egypt, a small force of 141 men were evacuated to the island of Crete instead, after the transport ship they were on was sunk. Having formed the rearguard during the withdrawal from Greece, they had embarked separately from the main body, being taken aboard the Costa Rica. During the voyage to Alexandria, the transport had been attacked by German aircraft, and as it sank, they were ordered to abandon ship. After being rescued by Royal Navy destroyers, the troops were transported to Crete, where they were formed into a composite battalion with men from other units of the 16th Brigade, and together the unit became known as the 16th Brigade Composite Battalion.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Reverses in Greece and Crete, 1941
With only limited small arms and ammunition they moved to positions above Kalives on the shores of Suda Bay to undertake garrison duties in anticipation of a German attack on the island. Following the German invasion on 20 May 1941, some of these troops saw direct action against German paratroopers. After the Allied evacuation from the island a week later, they undertook active patrols around the island before being evacuated on 31 May 1941 aboard HMS Phoebe. They arrived in Alexandria on 1 June 1941. Two 2/3rd Battalion men were killed during the fighting on Crete, and one was wounded. Fifty became prisoners of war. Meanwhile, the rest of the battalion had concentrated in Palestine, where it was rebuilt in advance of its next campaign.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Securing Syria and Lebanon, 1941–1942
Australian troops from the 7th Division were already fighting in the Syria–Lebanon Campaign when the re-formed 2/3rd Battalion, along with the 2/5th Battalion and the 6th Division Cavalry Regiment, were committed as reinforcements, to help bring the 7th Division up to strength. In a bitter campaign that lasted 28 days, Vichy French forces attempted to resist the Allied invasion, which had been launched in order to deny the Germans the use of Vichy territory to launch attacks against Egypt.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Securing Syria and Lebanon, 1941–1942
Against a modest Allied force with only limited armour and artillery, the well-equipped French force outnumbered the attackers and had the advantage of holding the mountainous terrain. Having contributed a company to garrison duties around Sidon in Lebanon, and provided 100 men to help re-form the shattered 2/1st Battalion, the 2/3rd was understrength – consisting of only 21 officers and 385 other ranks – when it entrained at Majdal in Palestine on 18 June 1941 to join the campaign.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Securing Syria and Lebanon, 1941–1942
Initially, after arriving from Palestine, the battalion was committed to forming a block on the road between Damascus and Deraa; they were later committed to an attack to sever the Beirut road around Mezze, as part of wider fighting around Damascus on 20–21 June. On the evening of 20 June, the battalion advanced to help relieve the 5th Indian Infantry Brigade which had become surrounded, and during a series of confused night-time actions, captured several forts to the west of Mezze.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Securing Syria and Lebanon, 1941–1942
After a French counterattack on Fort Sarrail, most of the battalion's headquarters company was briefly captured, including the 2/3rd's commanding officer, Lamb, who was wounded in the action. An Australian counterattack early on 21 June freed the captured personnel, though, and together with a successful defensive action in the Barada Gorge, helped force the Vichy defenders in Damascus to surrender. The following week, with Major John Stevenson, the battalion's second-in-command, in charge,  the 2/3rd was transferred to the British 16th Brigade. Operating with British and Indian forces on the right flank, the 2/3rd launched an unsuccessful action at Jebel Mazar on 24–28 June, where they were tasked with capturing the high ground overlooking the main road, along which the Australians were advancing.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Securing Syria and Lebanon, 1941–1942
After this, the battalion came under command of the re-formed 17th Brigade, which was reconstituted to bring the 7th Division up to full strength as it operated along the coast. Despite being well below strength – consisting of just two companies with a total of 300 men – it joined the fighting at Damour on 6–10 July, advancing along the Darmour River and leading the 17th Brigade's advance. Amidst heavy fighting the Allied forces slowly advanced simultaneously along the coast and inland, finally overcoming the Vichy French defences. Following the armistice on 14 July, the troops remained in Syria until January 1942 preparing defences and undertaking other garrison duties. The battalion's casualties during the short campaign amounted to 16 killed and 77 wounded.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Garrison duties in Ceylon, 1942
Following Japan's entry into the war in December 1941 the decision was made to bring the 6th Division back to bolster the Allied defences in the Pacific, and the 2/3rd Battalion left the Middle East on 10 March 1942, aboard the steamer Orontes. The original intention was that they would be sent to reinforce Java; however, while they were at sea concerns about a Japanese attack on Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) prompted the diversion of the 16th and 17th Brigades to Colombo, and they arrived there on 21 March. The freighter Ben Rennies, carrying the battalion's vehicles, arrived shortly afterwards and the 2/3rd took up defensive positions in the southeast part of the island, which was considered to be the most likely location for a Japanese invasion force to land.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Garrison duties in Ceylon, 1942
On 5 April, a Japanese naval force sortied from the recently captured Andaman Islands and launched a series of attacks by carrier-based aircraft on Colombo and Trincomalee. Another attack occurred on 9 April. Little damage was done on land, but both the British and Australian navies suffered losses. Regardless, the Japanese failed to sustain their initial momentum and the expected invasion did not occur. Nevertheless, men from the 2/3rd Battalion were kept busy for the remainder of their time preparing defences, manning anti-aircraft positions and undertaking jungle training, while receiving instruction in lessons learned from operations in Malaya and Singapore.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Garrison duties in Ceylon, 1942
The men were taught how to use the jungle according to author Paul Ham "...to 'melt' into the foliage; to retrace their steps at night; to use camouflage properly; to detect human presence by crushed twigs and disturbed leaf mould; to move silently over undergrowth. To build shelters; and to discern human from animal sounds."


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Garrison duties in Ceylon, 1942
In July, British forces were sent from India to relieve the Australian troops in Ceylon. Preparations were made for the 2/3rd Battalion to return to Australia, and after embarking upon the SS Westernland, they arrived in Melbourne on 8 August 1942, having returned via the southern route away from the Japanese submarines patrolling the east coast. After this, the troops all received two weeks home leave, staggered from the time of their arrival. The final group had their leave cut short after only three days, however, when they were recalled by urgent telegram. The 16th Brigade was again on the move, this time to Port Moresby in New Guinea, where the fighting against the Japanese along the Kokoda Track was reaching a critical stage. After a short voyage, the brigade arrived at Port Moresby on 21 September 1942.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting in New Guinea, 1942–1943
Following their arrival at Port Moresby, the 16th Brigade along with the 25th Brigade, prepared to relieve the forces on the Kokoda Track. With the Australians having finally halted the Japanese advance, the fresh troops would be tasked with launching a counterattack to drive the Japanese back to Buna in the north. Consequently, throughout October, November and into December, the 2/3rd Battalion took part in three major actions: Eora Creek (22–28 October), Oivi (5–12 November), and an action on the Sanananda Track (21 November – 19 December).


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting in New Guinea, 1942–1943
On 3 October, General Douglas MacArthur spoke to the 16th Brigade's commander, Brigadier John Lloyd, at Ower's Corner, at the foot of the Kokoda Track: "Lloyd, by some act of God your Brigade has been chosen for this job. The eyes of the Western world are upon you. I have every confidence in you and your men. Good luck and don't stop." The 16th Brigade arrived at Templeton's Crossing on 19 October, just three days behind the 2/25th and 2/33rd Battalions, whom they relieved. The following day the 16th Brigade continued the advance but found that the Japanese had withdrawn to Eora Creek, where they had established a strong defensive position.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting in New Guinea, 1942–1943
Here the Japanese held the high ground in well-concealed positions that had clear fields of fire into the narrow gorge below. With no other options, the 16th Brigade was forced to assault the Japanese defences frontally, advancing straight up the gorge. Amidst torrential rain and stiff defence, progress was slow as each defensive position had to be dealt with individually. As the water level in the creek rose steadily, the troops came under heavy mortar fire and were attacked with grenades lobbed from the heights above.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting in New Guinea, 1942–1943
The supply situation grew desperate too, but by 28 October the 2/3rd Battalion had managed to work its way around the Japanese right flank in preparation for an attack. In the afternoon, the battalion launched its attack, breaking through the Japanese outposts and into the main position. The defenders were overwhelmed and many of them abandoned their weapons as they fled. That night, the remaining Japanese withdrew from the position. The 16th Brigade lost 72 killed and 154 wounded in this action.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting in New Guinea, 1942–1943
Despite the successful action, the superiors of the 7th Division's commander, Major-General Arthur Allen, were dissatisfied by the counter-offensive's rate of progress, and he was relieved of his command the day before the Australian forces won through at Eora Creek. Japanese resistance decreased after that battle, and by 31 September the 16th Brigade was advancing along the eastern fork of the Track through Missima without opposition. On 2 November they passed through the recently abandoned village of Kokoda.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting in New Guinea, 1942–1943
Three days later, as the Australians advanced towards the Kumusi River, the 2/3rd Battalion went into battle at Oivi, after coming up against an entrenched force holding the high ground from Oivi to Gorari. The Japanese counter-attacked the next day, and as fighting continued through to 6 November, Major General George Vasey, the new divisional commander, sent the 25th Brigade and the 2/1st Battalion on a successful attack against the Japanese rear at Gorari. The Japanese at Oivi, their supply and withdrawal route cut, were then forced to retreat.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting in New Guinea, 1942–1943
The 2/3rd Battalion's final involvement in the campaign came as the 16th Brigade advanced towards Sanananda in November. They left the Wairopi area on 16 November, with the battalion second in order of march. Tired and drained from the exertions of the last two months, the advance across the swamps of the coastal plain proved heavy work. On the first day they made 6 miles (9.7 km), but after heavy rains the following day and failures in the resupply effort, a large number of men fell behind due to exhaustion. On 19 November, the 2/3rd spearheaded the brigade's advance to the coast. Several Japanese stragglers were taken prisoner and a number of minor contacts followed, but the Japanese defenders withdrew before the Australians could shake out to conduct an assault.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting in New Guinea, 1942–1943
The following morning, the brigade reached the junction of the Sananada and Cape Killerton trails, about 2 miles (3.2 km) from the coast. After the 2/1st Battalion was attacked, the 2/3rd Battalion took part in a brigade flanking attack around the Japanese position to the right, forcing the Japanese to fall back. The action, however, had severely depleted the brigade to the point where, with less than 1,000 fit men, it was unable to continue offensive operations. Thereafter activity was limited to patrolling and maintaining a defensive perimeter. In early December the 16th Brigade was relieved by the 30th Brigade.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting in New Guinea, 1942–1943
The 2/3rd Battalion itself was relieved on 6 December, returning to Poppondetta with a strength of just six officers and 67 other ranks, before being evacuated back to Port Moresby by plane on 23 December 1942. They were returned to Australia shortly afterwards for leave and to reorganise. During the fighting along the Kokoda Track and the advance north to the sea, the 2/3rd lost 69 men killed and 103 wounded.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Final campaign: Aitape–Wewak, 1944–1945
After a short period of leave the 6th Division came together again in late January 1943 on the Atherton Tablelands to begin training, and to convert to the more austere jungle establishment. Under this structure, the size of the battalion was reduced by one officer and 106 other ranks, giving the 2/3rd Battalion a total of 803 men of all ranks. At this time, a camp was built from scratch at Wondecla, but it was 12 months before the battalion's ranks were brought to full strength by the return of sick and wounded soldiers.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Final campaign: Aitape–Wewak, 1944–1945
As the battalion began to reform, some who had performed well in the preceding campaigns were recommended for commissioning and were  sent to an Officer Training Unit at Woodside, in South Australia. Along with training there was time for recreation including swimming carnivals, boxing tournaments and a 6th Division rugby league championship in which the 2/3rd Battalion was victorious, beating the 2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion in the final. The team captain, Col Windon, later went on to play for and captain the Wallabies.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Final campaign: Aitape–Wewak, 1944–1945
During this time the battalion received a number of reinforcements from its associated Militia unit, the 3rd Battalion (The Werriwa Regiment). This unit had been fighting in New Guinea as part of the 30th Brigade, with whom it had served on the Kokoda Track alongside the 2/3rd as well as the 39th and 49th Battalions, before being returned to Australia, where it had been disbanded. Other reinforcements also arrived from the 16th Battalion, and a new commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Ian Hutchison took over in April 1943, having temporarily commanded the battalion during the fighting around Eora Creek in the previous campaign.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Final campaign: Aitape–Wewak, 1944–1945
Due to a combination of political and strategic decisions, it was almost two years before the battalion went into combat again. In late 1944, in order to free up American troops for operations in the Philippines, Australian forces were directed to take over responsibility for operations around Aitape in New Guinea. The 6th Division returned to New Guinea in November 1944, with the final brigade arriving on 31 December 1944. Although basically cut off from resupply, there were around 35,000 Japanese troops in the area, holding the coast past Wewak and into the interior. Supported by food supplies from native gardens in the Torricelli Mountains, the Japanese put up heavy resistance to the Australians' primary tactic of aggressive patrolling.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Final campaign: Aitape–Wewak, 1944–1945
Tasked with reducing the Japanese, while remaining available to support operations elsewhere, the 6th Division began a limited offensive in the Wewak area. The 16th Brigade was initially held in divisional reserve, occupying a defensive position west of the Raihu River, until in February 1945 it was tasked with securing a forward supply base near Dogreto Bay and clearing up to the Anumb River, about 8 miles (13 km) to the east of the river. They came up against only minor opposition and by 23 February they had crossed the Anumb; less than a month later they had progressed 6 miles (9.7 km) east, occupying the coastal town of But and removing the Japanese from the Dagua area.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Final campaign: Aitape–Wewak, 1944–1945
During this time, contact with the Japanese was limited to small-scale actions rather than a large general action; nevertheless, these actions caused heavy casualties as the Japanese defended stubbornly. Casualties amongst the Australians were, according to author Eustace Keogh, "heavy in relation to the size of...the numerous small actions the Japanese forced them to fight". In addition, the strenuous nature of the campaign reduced the troops' resistance and ability to undertake proper medical precautions and as a result there were large numbers of sickness casualties. Malaria took a particularly heavy toll, with troops being affected by a particularly strong strain that proved resistant to the normal doses of atebrine. Accidents also resulted in losses. In one incident, seven men from the 2/3rd drowned when the Danmap River flooded amidst a torrential downpour.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Final campaign: Aitape–Wewak, 1944–1945
Wewak was captured on 10 May 1945, and the 16th Brigade began pursuing the Japanese defenders that had withdrawn inland. They continued until 11 August, when offensive operations ceased after word was received that the Japanese had entered into ceasefire talks. The battalion was in the Mount Shiburangu area on 15 August when news came that the Japanese had surrendered following the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The battalion's losses during its final campaign were 51 killed and 76 wounded.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Disbandment
After the cessation of hostilities, the battalion remained in the Aitape–Wewak area undertaking occupation duties. Its strength was slowly reduced as personnel were repatriated to Australia for demobilisation or transferred to other units for further service. Eventually, the remaining cadre of personnel returned to Australia, and on 8 February 1946 the 2/3rd Battalion disbanded in Brisbane, as one of the most decorated battalions of the 2nd AIF. They had fought all the major Axis powers: the Italians, Germans, Vichy French and Japanese. Alongside the Australian 2/5th Battalion, they were the only Allied troops able to make this claim. During its service a total of 3,303 men served with the 2/3rd Battalion of whom 203 were killed and 432 wounded. Members of the 2/3rd received four Distinguished Service Orders, 16 Military Crosses, 12 Distinguished Conduct Medals, 30 Military Medals, two British Empire Medals and 73 Mentions in Despatches.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Disbandment
In 1948, the Militia units that had fought during the war were re-raised as part of the Citizens Military Force (CMF), and it was decided to entrust the battle honours of the 2nd AIF units to their associated CMF units. As a result, the 2/3rd Battalion's battle honours were passed to the 3rd Battalion (The Werriwa Regiment), which was reformed around Canberra.


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), History, Disbandment
In 1960, with the introduction of the Pentropic division into the Australian Army, the CMF was reorganised and the 3rd Battalion (The Werriwa Regiment) was reduced to company strength, forming 'C' Company, 3rd Battalion, Royal New South Wales Regiment (3 RNSWR). In 1965, following the abandonment of the Pentropic divisional structure, the 3rd Battalion was reformed in its own right as the individual companies were split up to form new battalions with the old regionally based numerical designations. In 1987, however, following another reorganisation of the Army Reserve which saw a reduction in the number of the infantry battalions across Australia, 3 RNSWR was linked with 4 RNSWR to become 4th/3rd Battalion, Royal New South Wales Regiment (4/3 RNSWR).


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), Battle honours
The 2/3rd Battalion received the following battle honours for its service during the war:


2/3rd Battalion (Australia), Battle honours
These battle honours are now carried by the Royal New South Wales Regiment.


2/3rd Commando Squadron (Australia)
The 2/3rd Commando Squadron was one of twelve independent or commando companies and squadrons formed by the Australian Army for service during World War II. Raised in October 1941 as the 2/3rd Independent Company, it served in New Caledonia and New Guinea before being amalgamated into the 2/7th Cavalry Commando Regiment and adopting the name 2/3rd Commando Squadron in 1943. After this, the squadron did not see action again until 1945, when it participated in the Borneo campaign. Throughout the course of the war, the 2/3rd lost 69 members killed in action. No battle honours were awarded to the unit, although it participated in a number of notable engagements in these campaigns and its members received numerous decorations for their service. Following the end of hostilities in the Pacific, the unit was disbanded in early 1946, upon their return to Australia.


2/3rd Commando Squadron (Australia), History
Formed in October 1941 as the 2/3rd Independent Company, the unit undertook training at the Guerrilla Warfare Camp at Foster, Victoria. After completing training, the 2/3rd was transported north to Katherine, Northern Territory, where it carried out various garrison duties. During this time there was considerable debate within the high command of the Australian Army about the role that the 2/3rd and the other independent companies would fill.


2/3rd Commando Squadron (Australia), History
However, following Japan's entry into World War II after the attack on Pearl Harbor and British forces in Malaya, it was decided to use the independent companies in the islands to the north of Australia, where it was necessary to establish outposts that could warn of the approach of the Japanese. With this in mind, the 2/3rd Independent Company was sent to New Caledonia in December 1941 as a gesture of goodwill to the Free French and in order to defend against a possible Japanese attack.


2/3rd Commando Squadron (Australia), History
The deployment of the 2/3rd to New Caledonia was only a temporary measure, however, until the US Army sent Taskforce 6814 to reinforce the island, arriving in March 1942. Impressed with the 2/3rd and the training methods that they utilised, permission was sought by the American commander to retain the 2/3rd on the island in order to retrain his division. However, due to the requirements of the defence of Australia at the time, the company was withdrawn in early August 1942, although their commanding officer, Major George Matheson, stayed on to provide assistance and was promoted to lieutenant colonel.


2/3rd Commando Squadron (Australia), History
After its return to Australia, the company spent the next six months training and undertaking garrison duties before sailing for New Guinea in mid-February 1943. Under the command of Major George Warfe, the 2/3rd arrived in Port Moresby, although they did not stay there very long as they were quickly flown to Wau. From there they were used to harass and pursue the Japanese towards Mubo. Following this, the 2/3rd moved to Missim, from where they began a guerilla campaign along the Komiatum Track, in support of the 3rd Division’s campaign around Salamaua.


2/3rd Commando Squadron (Australia), History
As a part of this campaign, the 2/3rd patrolled deep into Japanese held territory, setting ambushes and gathering intelligence. They also made a number of attacks against Japanese positions, in order to harass them to keep them off balance and as such defend the 3rd Division's flanks. The most notable of these attacks came in May 1943 when a strengthened platoon launched an attack against Ambush Knoll, a feature which controlled Bobdubi Ridge, and captured it.


2/3rd Commando Squadron (Australia), History
By capturing the knoll, the 2/3rd threatened the Japanese supply lines to Mubo and Salamaua and because of this it forced them to launch a number of fierce counterattacks in an attempt to retake it. These counterattacks occurred over the course of the following three days and four nights, however, the platoon from the 2/3rd, consisting of only fifty-two men, managed to hold the knoll.


2/3rd Commando Squadron (Australia), History
During its time in New Guinea, the 2/3rd suffered heavy casualties and as a result after the fall of Salamaua in September, they were withdrawn and brought back to Australia. They had performed quite well in the circumstances, however, and were credited with having killed 969 Japanese. Against this, the 2/3rd had suffered 65 killed, 119 wounded, and 226 men evacuated for medical reasons.


2/3rd Commando Squadron (Australia), History
Upon its return to Australia, the 2/3rd was reformed on the Atherton Tablelands, Queensland. During this time, a reorganisation of the independent companies by the Australian Army was undertaken as part of a wider reorganisation of the Army as a whole and as a part of this reorganisation the 2/3rd was integrated into the 2/7th Cavalry Commando Regiment, along with the 2/5th and the 2/6th Independent Companies. In October, the 2/3rd Independent Company was renamed the 2/3rd Cavalry Commando Squadron, although later this name was simplified to just 2/3rd Commando Squadron. To a large extent, however, despite being placed under a regimental structure, the squadron continued to remain largely independent in terms of tactics and training.


2/3rd Commando Squadron (Australia), History
For the remainder of 1943 until early 1945 there was a lull Australia's involvement in the war in the Pacific, and the 2/3rd remained on the Atherton Tablelands, where it trained and conducted exercises with the 7th Division. The squadron's final campaign of the war came in 1945, when attached to the 7th Division, the 2/3rd participated in the landing at Balikpapan.


2/3rd Commando Squadron (Australia), History
Landing on Green Beach on 1 July 1945 along with the rest of 2/7th Cavalry (Commando) Regiment, the squadron moved off along Vasey Highway with the objective of capturing Seppinggang airfield, acting in support of the 2/5th Commando Squadron. The following day, however, they came under heavy mortar fire from the Japanese on Lady Schofield Knoll which prevented them from capturing the airfield until 3 July. After that, on 4 July, a number of troops were transferred to the 2/9th Infantry Battalion in order to patrol the area around Penadjam, with the rest of the 2/3rd continuing on to Seppinggang. Offensive operations ceased on 27 July, and with Japan's surrender in August, the war came to a close.


2/3rd Commando Squadron (Australia), History
Following the end of hostilities in the Pacific, the 2/3rd was slowly reduced in strength as members were posted out to other units for occupation duties, before the remainder of the unit returned to Australia at the end of December. In early 1946, at Chermside camp, in Brisbane, Queensland, the 2/3rd Commando Squadron was finally disbanded. A total of 69 members of the squadron were killed or died on active service during the war, and its members received the following decorations: four Military Crosses, four Distinguished Conduct Medals, six Military Medals, one British Empire Medal and four Mentions in Despatches.


2/3rd Field Regiment (Australia)
The 2/3rd Field Regiment was an Australian Army field artillery regiment that was raised for service during the Second World War. Formed in 1939 and assigned to the 6th Division, the regiment was deployed to the United Kingdom to defend against a possible invasion in 1940 before being sent to North Africa, where it briefly saw action prior to being sent to Greece and Crete in 1941. In 1942, the regiment returned to Australia, after which it did not see action again until late in the war when it was committed to the Aitape–Wewak campaign in 1944–45. Following the end of the war, the regiment returned to Australia and was disbanded in January 1946.


2/3rd Field Regiment (Australia), History
Formed on 1 November 1939 at Wayville, South Australia, the regiment had an establishment of 32 officers and 595 other ranks, which were drawn from all six Australian states and the Northern Territory. Its first commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel Athol Hobbs. The majority of the officers and non-commissioned officers were appointed from the Militia. South Australian recruits represented the largest intake and were organised into a complete subunit, the 5th Battery, while recruits from the other states were allocated to the 6th Battery. The regiment began basic training at Woodside Camp during November, before moving to Ingleburn, New South Wales, the following month where more involved training was undertaken. Basic equipment and vehicles were received at this time, but no artillery pieces were issued.


2/3rd Field Regiment (Australia), History
In May 1940, the regiment embarked on HMT Queen Mary bound for the Middle East. En route, the convoy was diverted to the United Kingdom following the German invasion of France. Arriving there in June, the regiment joined other elements of the Second Australian Imperial Force in the United Kingdom. Established at Tidworth Camp in Wiltshire, and then later at Colchester, the regiment was employed on garrison duties to defend against a potential German invasion following the Fall of France.


2/3rd Field Regiment (Australia), History
During this time, it was partially broken up to provide personnel to fill out the newly forming 2/31st, 2/32nd and 2/33rd Infantry Battalions. In August, the regiment received a new commanding officer when Lieutenant Colonel Horace Strutt took over. Shortly after this, the regiment was equipped with 25-pounder artillery pieces and Morris gun tractors. It was the first Australian artillery regiment to receive the 25-pounders.


2/3rd Field Regiment (Australia), History
With the threat of invasion over, the regiment was moved to North Africa in November 1940 aboard the Empress of Canada. Arriving in late December, the regiment was assigned to the 6th Division, the regiment saw action against the Italians at Tobruk where they supported the 19th Infantry Brigade. Benghazi fell next and after that was taken, the regiment deployed one battery forward in support of the 17th Infantry Brigade at Marsa Brega. A short time later, though, the regiment was withdrawn back to Ikingi Maryut to re-organise.


2/3rd Field Regiment (Australia), History
In early April 1941, the regiment was sent to Greece, where it supported Australian and New Zealand infantry who were fighting to stop the German invasion there. After arriving on 6 April, the regiment moved forward towards the Yugoslav border where it attempted to defend Vevi in the Florina Valley three days later, where they had the distinction of being the first Australian artillery unit to engage German forces during the war.


2/3rd Field Regiment (Australia), History
After mauling an SS force on the Itia–Vevi road, as the Australian and New Zealand forces were pushed back to Servia on 11 April, amidst driving snow the regiment fought a desperate rearguard effort around the Klidi Pass, firing over open sights at advancing German infantry. Falling back by battery through thick mud, the regiment came under attack from German fighter-bombers before they eventually affected their withdrawal.


2/3rd Field Regiment (Australia), History
A disastrous series of withdrawals followed in which the regiment lost all of its equipment. A week later, further withdrawals took them towards Elasson, where the regiment was briefly attached in support of the 6th New Zealand Brigade. On 18 April, the fighting was so intense that the regiment's guns fire over 6,000 rounds in a twenty-four-hour period as it attempted to thwart the advance of a German armoured column near Mount Olympus. Later the regiment supported the 4th New Zealand Brigade around Erithrai. Finally, on 27 April the regiment was evacuated from Greece on board HMS Ajax and withdrawn back to Crete.


2/3rd Field Regiment (Australia), History
Organised as part of the ad hoc Cremor Force, the regiment was initially assigned as a makeshift infantry unit to carry out garrison duties, in early May the regiment was re-equipped with captured Italian and French pieces including 75 mm and 100 mm guns, the regiment was assigned a coastal defence role and moved to Georgiopolis, on the south-east coast of Suda Bay, where the men set to work digging-in in the hills overlooking the beach. When the fighting broke out following the arrival of German parachute troops on 20 May, the regiment was transported to Maleme airfield.


2/3rd Field Regiment (Australia), History
Another battery was detached to Retimo and in these places the regiment fought with its guns in support of the 19th Infantry Brigade, while around Meg Khorafia some of the regiment's personnel were thrown into the line as infantry. Around Galatas, as the Germans pressed hard against the Australian and New Zealand defences, the regiment found itself holding the line as the infantry fell back, and as the guns fired over open sights, the gunners defended themselves with small arms.


2/3rd Field Regiment (Australia), History
Later during the month, as the Allies were forced back towards Sphakia, to prevent the Germans from capturing it, the regiment had to destroy most of its equipment. Two of the captured 75 mm guns were saved, though, and were manpacked by men from 'B' Troop over mountainous terrain to act in a rearguard role between Sphakia and Suda, while the Royal Navy attempted to evacuate the stranded troops. The regiment continued to fight until it was withdrawn by sea on 31 May, leaving behind 129 men who were captured by the Germans.


2/3rd Field Regiment (Australia), History
Amongst these were the men from 'B' Troop, who had formed the rearguard protecting the evacuation beach. After the departure of the last transport ship, they attempted to evade capture but were eventually rounded up by German patrols. The regiment's total losses for Greece and Crete were 27 killed and 47 wounded. In addition to the men captured on Crete, one other had been captured in Greece. Those that were captured were first sent to Salonica before being sent to a number of prisoner of wars camp in Germany, Italy and Austria. While prisoners, numerous escape attempts were made by men from the 2/3rd, although ultimately only four men successfully avoided recapture following their escape.


2/3rd Field Regiment (Australia), History
While being reformed and re-equipped in Palestine, the regiment received a new commanding officer in October 1941 with the arrival of Lieutenant Colonel Lewis Dyke, a regular officer. A third battery – the 53rd – was raised within the regiment at this time and the regiment adopted a new structure which saw each battery consist of two four-gun troops. This resulted in the regiment's authorised strength reaching 736 personnel of all ranks.


2/3rd Field Regiment (Australia), History
The regiment remained in the Middle East until February 1942 when the 6th Division was recalled back to Australia in response to the growing threat posed by Japan's entry into the war. Arriving in Adelaide in March, the regiment was stationed at Aldgate until May when it was transferred to Townsville, Queensland, by rail. There, the regiment was reallocated to the 5th Division and assigned a coastal defence role in Cairns, operating antiquated 18-pounder guns. In November, Lieutenant Colonel Gordon Bleby took over as commanding officer.


2/3rd Field Regiment (Australia), History
In June 1943, the regiment returned to the 6th Division and was moved to the Atherton Tablelands, where it was re-organised for jungle warfare. This resulted in the regiment's establishment dropping to 688 personnel. It was also re-equipped with a quantity of short 25-pounders as well as some of the standard pieces. Throughout late 1943 and into 1944, the regiment was based around Wondecla, in Queensland.


2/3rd Field Regiment (Australia), History
Due to a perception in the Army that there was little need for artillery in jungle warfare, the regiment did not see action again until December 1944 when it joined the 6th Division's campaign in Aitape–Wewak, once again assigned to the 19th Brigade. In January 1945, the regiment received four 4.2-inch mortars to assist in the provision of close support to long-range infantry patrols; two 155 mm guns were also added to the regiment's equipment scale. Throughout January and February, the regiment supported the advance from Aitape to the Danmap River.


2/3rd Field Regiment (Australia), History
As the campaign progressed, in March they were switched to operations between Maprik and Wewak. Late in the campaign, Bleby left the regiment on promotion to 1st Division Headquarters and was replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Cecil Chapman. The regiment saw action right up until the end of the war, and had the distinction of firing the last fire mission in the New Guinea campaign, when on 15 August, it fired 1,000 rounds on "six regimental targets" eight hours after Japan's surrender to deal with a Japanese artillery unit that was continuing to hold out.


2/3rd Field Regiment (Australia), History
Following the conclusion of hostilities, the regiment returned to Australia and was eventually disbanded at Puckapunyal, Victoria, on 18 January 1946. The regiment's casualties amounted to 46 men killed in action or died of wounds or accident, 49 wounded and 130 captured out of a total of 1,887 men who served in its ranks. The following decorations were awarded to 2/3rd members: one Distinguished Service Order, three Orders of the British Empire, four Military Crosses, two Distinguished Conduct Medals, one Military Medal and 43 Mentions in Despatches.


2/3rd Field Regiment (Australia), Commanding officers
The following officers served as commanding officer of the 2/3rd Field Regiment:


2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia)
The 2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion was formed in June 1940  as part of the 7th Division and served in Egypt, Syria, the Netherlands East Indies and New Guinea during World War II. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Blackburn when it was raised, the battalion was primarily a South Australian unit, although it had sub-units formed in Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia. After completing training in Australia, in April 1941 the battalion embarked for the Middle East. In June/July 1941 it saw action against Vichy French forces during the Syria–Lebanon campaign, during which time the battalion was heavily involved in supporting various elements of the 7th Division.


2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia)
Following Japan's entry into the war, the decision was made to transfer a large number of Australian troops from the Middle East to the Pacific region. In early 1942, as the Japanese advanced through the Netherlands East Indies, the majority of the battalion was captured during the Battle of Java. A small number of the battalion's personnel returned to Australia and it was subsequently re-raised in mid-1942. It was later attached to the 6th Division as a corps unit and served in Papua New Guinea during the Aitape–Wewak campaign in 1944–1945. The battalion was disbanded in January 1946.


2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Formation and training
The 2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion was one of four machine gun battalions that were raised as part of the all-volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) for service overseas during World War II. Motorised infantry units, equipped with wheeled motor vehicles, motorcycles and sometimes tracked carriers, the machine gun battalions were formed to provide a greater level of support by fire than that which was organically available within ordinary infantry battalions. At its peak, the 2/3rd was equipped with 124 motor vehicles of various descriptions and 50 motorcycles.


2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Formation and training
Developed by the British Army, the concept within the Australian Army had its genesis during the Gallipoli Campaign in 1915, when the machine guns assigned to the infantry battalions – initially two and then, later, four – had been grouped together and co-ordinated at brigade level to help compensate for the lack of artillery support. Over the course of the war, on the Western Front the concept had evolved through the establishment of machine gun companies in 1916 and machine gun battalions in 1918.


2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Formation and training
Similar formations had also been established amongst the Australian Light Horse units serving in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign. During the inter-war years, the machine gun battalions had been deemed unnecessary. When the Army was reorganised in 1921, they were not re-raised, but in 1937, as the Army looked to expand as fears of war in Europe loomed, four such units were raised within the part-time Militia, by converting light horse units and motorising them. When World War II broke out, the decision was made to raise several machine gun battalions within the 2nd AIF, allocated at a rate of one per division.


2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Formation and training
The 2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion was formed on 17 June 1940, in Wayville, South Australia. Upon formation, the battalion was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Blackburn, a World War I veteran who had received the Victoria Cross for actions at Pozieres. Designated a South Australian battalion, its personnel were nevertheless recruited from several Australian states: South Australians predominated, but there were also men from Victoria, Tasmania, and Western Australia, with many of the battalion's cadre staff of officers and senior non commissioned officers having served previously in the Militia with various light horse regiments and infantry battalions. In common with the other Australian machine gun battalions, the colours chosen for the battalion's unit colour patch (UCP) were black and gold. These were presented in a triangular shape with a border of grey.


2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Formation and training
Initially, the battalion was stretched across several locations, with companies being formed in Seymour, Victoria, Brighton, Tasmania, and Northam, Western Australia. The Tasmanians and Western Australians had initially been intended to join the 2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion, and during its formative period, the companies completed basic training in their home locations, before concentrating together at Warradale, South Australia with the Tasmanians sailing to Melbourne to link up with Victorians prior to entraining for the journey west, while the Western Australians crossed the Nullarbor Plain. At this point, the unit's establishment was completed, as the battalion structure was finalised.


2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Formation and training
It was structured along the same lines as the other 2nd AIF machine gun battalions, which consisted of between 800 and 900 personnel organised into a headquarters element consisting of three platoons – signals, anti-aircraft and administration – and four machine gun companies, each equipped with 12 Vickers machine guns, to make a total of 48 across the entire battalion. Within the machine gun companies there were three platoons; these were numbered sequentially starting from 1 to 3 in Headquarters Company through to 13 to 15 in 'D' Company. A Light Aid Detachment of electrical and mechanical engineers was also attached.


2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting against the Vichy French: Palestine and Syria
In early April 1941, the battalion, less 'D' Company which travelled west for home leave, entrained at Oakbank, near to Woodside, South Australia where they had moved the previous February. From there, the battalion travelled overland to Sydney where they embarked upon the SS Ile de France from Pyrmont Wharf, bound for the Middle East, as part of a large convoy of troopships. Sailing via Fremantle where 'D' Company rejoined the battalion, they sailed on to Colombo, which was reached in late April, where the troopship put in for repairs and shore leave was given to all battalion personnel.


2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting against the Vichy French: Palestine and Syria
Departing again in early May, they continued on alone, crossing the Red Sea in a week and making landfall at Port Tewfik. The troops had to endure a two-day wait before disembarkation whereupon they were taken to the eastern side of the Suez Canal by lighter and then transferred by train to Kantara.


2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting against the Vichy French: Palestine and Syria
Upon arrival in the Middle East, the 2/3rd was assigned to the 7th Division, the 2nd AIF's second division and subsequently joined them in Palestine, establishing a camp at Hill 95, to the north of Gaza. There the battalion undertook a vigorous physical training regime to regain the fitness lost from the sea voyage. The final elements of unit identity were issued at the time: pugarees and colour patches. It also finally began to receive its vehicles and heavy equipment, including its Vickers machine guns as preparations were made for the battalion to join the fighting in the Western Desert.


2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting against the Vichy French: Palestine and Syria
In the end, this did not eventuate, as the 7th Division was committed to the Syria–Lebanon campaign in early June, to secure the Allied eastern flank from attack. Due to the presence of Vichy French troops, the campaign was politically sensitive and as a result of heavy censorship not widely reported in Australia at the time; the nature of the fighting, where it was reported, was also downplayed with the Vichy Forces outnumbering the Allies and also being better equipped.


2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting against the Vichy French: Palestine and Syria
For the 2/3rd, the campaign saw them heavily involved throughout the short, but sharply contested campaign, with each of the four machine gun companies supporting separate efforts by elements of the 7th Division and also British troops, seeing action around Merdajayoun, Metula, Quneitra, Sidon and Damour before the Vichy French requested an armistice in mid-July. The 2/3rd's casualties during the campaign amounted to one officer and 41 other ranks killed or wounded.


2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting against the Vichy French: Palestine and Syria
In the aftermath of the campaign, the 2/3rd stayed on as part of the Allied occupation force established in Syria and Lebanon to defend against a possible drive south by Axis forces through the Caucasus. The battalion defended a position north-east of Beirut, around Bikfaya, initially but was moved around to various locations including Aleppo, on the Turkish border, throughout the remainder of 1941. They endured a bitter cold, and snowy, winter at Fih near Tripoli, which was punctuated by leave drafts to Tel Aviv.


2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Into action against the Japanese: Java and captivity
In late 1941, the Japanese entered the war, attacking Pearl Harbor and launching an invasion of Malaya. Faced with a threat closer to home, the Australian government pressed for the return of its troops from the Middle East, and so in early 1942 the 7th Division began withdrawing from their garrison posts in Syria and Lebanon. The 2/3rd left the village of Fih and moved to a camp at Hill 69, in Palestine, on 14 January 1942.


2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Into action against the Japanese: Java and captivity
They remained there until 31 January when they boarded a train which took them to Kantara where they were ferried across the canal to continue the journey to Port Tewfik where the majority of the battalion, totalling 636 personnel of all ranks, boarded the troopship Orcades. Men who were in the hospital or on course were subsequently reposted to the 2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion, and remained in the Middle East, later seeing action at El Alamein. Others who did not board the Orcades included the battalion's 'B' Echelon, essentially all its vehicles, baggage and heavy weapons, and its maintenance personnel. These embarked on eight smaller vessels: the Silver Willow, Penrith Castle, Shillong, Tarifa, Sophecles, Nigerstroom, Industria and Tricolor. These ships were to follow the Orcades up at its eventual destination, which was at the time, still being kept secret even to the troops on board.