2/27th Battalion (Australia), History, Syria and Lebanon
Following Japan's entry into the war in December 1941, the Australian government began pressing for some of the AIF forces in the Middle East to be returned to Australia, to help defend against the Japanese advance in the Pacific. In late January 1942, the 2/27th embarked from Egypt aboard the Ile de France, sailing once again via Bombay. There, the battalion was transferred to the City of London.


2/27th Battalion (Australia), History, Syria and Lebanon
During the voyage, there were plans to divert the convoy to Java, to reinforce the Australian and Dutch forces there against the Japanese, but the deteriorating situation there resulted in the convoy being re-routed. After a port-call in Colombo, the convoy reached Fremantle on 15 March for a brief shore leave before proceeding on to Port Adelaide, where the 2/27th disembarked. Following a brief period of leave, the 21st Brigade concentrated in Queensland – the 2/27th being based around Caloundra – where, over the course of several months, they were prepared for deployment to the Pacific theatre.


2/27th Battalion (Australia), History, New Guinea
In mid-August 1942, the 2/27th battalion was deployed to New Guinea, where the Japanese were threatening to capture Port Moresby, following a landing around Buna in July. After initially being kept back at Port Moresby in reserve as the Battle of Milne Bay was fought, in early September 1942, at the height of the Kokoda Track campaign, the 2/27th moved north towards the Kokoda Track, joining Brigadier Arnold Potts' Maroubra Force.


2/27th Battalion (Australia), History, New Guinea
Following delaying actions around Isurava, the Australians had been forced to withdraw further south along the track, and in an effort to stem the Japanese advance, on 6 September the 2/27th, as the freshest of the 21st Brigade's units, was committed to the fighting, taking up a defensive position at Mission Ridge, on the northern face of Brigade Hill.


2/27th Battalion (Australia), History, New Guinea
For the next two days, the battalion held off a frontal attack by a Japanese battalion, but as a result of flanking moves a withdrawal to Menari was ordered and the 2/14th and 2/16th Battalions withdrew, leaving their wounded with the 2/27th, who formed the brigade rearguard. After 'B' and 'C' Companies launched a brief, but successful local counterattack, the 2/27th was also able to break contact. With the Japanese pressing hard, Potts ordered a further withdrawal from Menari before the 2/27th arrived, effectively cutting it off from the rest of the brigade. For the next two weeks, the 2/27th fought through the jungle, carrying their wounded with them, to regain contact with supporting units, eventually linking up with them at Jawarere on 22 September.


2/27th Battalion (Australia), History, New Guinea
After this, the battalion, having suffered heavily from disease, was briefly withdrawn back to Port Moresby for rest at the end of the month. In October, the 2/27th provided one company to the ad hoc Chaforce, providing work parties to bring up supplies and evacuate the wounded as the Australians advanced towards the Kumusi River, after the Japanese were pushed back from Kokoda. Also in October, the battalion provided a company to Jawforce, carrying out patrols between Jawarere and Nigabaifa, while a platoon was dispatched to Eilogo to form Eilogo Force.


2/27th Battalion (Australia), History, New Guinea
Both of these elements returned to the main body of the 2/27th in mid-November, although Chaforce remained detached at that time. In late November, the 2/27th was recommitted to the fighting as the Japanese withdrew towards their beachheads in the north. Even though it remained at only half strength, the battalion was moved by air from Port Moresby to Popondetta, and from there they joined the fighting around Gona, where the company that had been attached to Chaforce was also fighting.


2/27th Battalion (Australia), History, New Guinea
The fighting that followed severely depleted the battalion due to heavy casualties and tropical diseases and, as a result, by mid-January 1943 its fighting strength had fallen to just 70 men, and it was subsequently relieved by the 36th Battalion around the mouth of the Amboga River. It was then withdrawn back to Popondetta and then Dobodura for air transport back to Port Moresby. In Port Moresby, after a week of rest, the 2/27th embarked upon the transport Jason Lee for the voyage back to Australia, landing at Cairns in late January, before returning to the Atherton Tablelands.


2/27th Battalion (Australia), History, New Guinea
In March 1943, Lieutenant Colonel John Bishop, a former staff officer, took over as commanding officer, replacing Cooper who had been wounded at Gona in late 1942. The battalion was rebuilt on the Atherton Tablelands as part of preparations to make it ready for further operations in New Guinea. A period of rest and reorganisation followed, during which a batch of over 100 reinforcements was received from the 16th Motor Regiment. As part of the battalion's reorganisation under the Jungle divisional establishment, its authorised strength fell to 803 men many of its vehicles and heavy equipment were returned as the Australian Army was restructured to focus upon operations in the Pacific.


2/27th Battalion (Australia), History, New Guinea
In August 1943, the 2/27th returned to New Guinea and subsequently took part in the Ramu Valley–Finisterre Range campaign, flying into Kaiapit before beginning its advance towards Dumpu in September, which was undertaken following the capture of Lae and the Huon Peninsula campaign as part of efforts to advance towards Madang. Advancing through the Ramu Valley towards the range, the 2/27th saw heavy fighting as the 21st Brigade led the 7th Division's efforts to capture the high ground around Shaggy Ridge.


2/27th Battalion (Australia), History, New Guinea
In mid-October, the 2/27th helped turn back a heavy Japanese counterattack around John's Knoll and Trevor's Ridge, before the 21st Brigade was relieved. Halfway through the campaign, in mid-November, Bishop was replaced as battalion commander by Lieutenant Colonel Keith Picken, and returned to a staff position. Picken subsequently led the battalion throughout the remainder of the war. By early January 1944, the 2/27th was withdrawn from the fighting and in March 1944 it returned to Australia.


2/27th Battalion (Australia), History, Borneo and disbandment
A further period of training and reorganisation followed before the 2/27th returned to operations late in the war when it was dispatched to Borneo. As part of the Operation Oboe landings, the battalion took part in an amphibious landing at Balikpapan on 1 July 1945. Coming ashore at Klandasan, the 2/27th formed the spearhead of the 21st Brigade's assault, capturing several key features overlooking the beachhead before follow-on forces passed through them and carried forward the attack.


2/27th Battalion (Australia), History, Borneo and disbandment
On 3 July, the battalion began patrol operations from its base around Sepinggang, to provide flank protection for the 2/14th Battalion as the 21st Brigade advanced to Manggar airfield. Throughout the campaign, the battalion's casualties were light, and hostilities were short-lived as the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki took place only weeks after; after the initial landing, the battalion's main involvement in the campaign consisted largely of sub-unit patrol operations along the coast from Manggar. With the war over, the 2/27th was sent, along with the rest of the 21st Brigade, to Makassar in the Celebes Islands as part of the occupation force. They remained there until the beginning of February 1946, when they were relieved by Indian troops.


2/27th Battalion (Australia), History, Borneo and disbandment
After five years of war, the 2/27th battalion returned to Australia in early February 1946 aboard the transport Winchester Victory, which took them to Brisbane, Queensland. The battalion was disbanded in Chermside on 18 March 1946, as part of the demobilisation process. During its war service, a total of 2,769 men served with the battalion of whom 268 were killed in action, while a further 607 were wounded. The following decorations were awarded to members of the 2/27th Battalion: two Distinguished Service Orders, three Military Crosses and one Bar, one Distinguished Conduct Medal, 17 Military Medals, and 49 Mentions in Despatches.


2/27th Battalion (Australia), Battle honours
In 1961–62, the battalion's battle honours were entrusted to the 27th Battalion, and through this link are maintained by the Royal South Australia Regiment.


2/28th Battalion (Australia)
The 2/28th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army, which served during the Second World War. Formed in mid-1940 from Western Australian volunteers, the battalion served in North Africa in 1941–42 as part of the 24th Brigade, which was assigned to the 9th Division. The battalion's first major engagement came during the Siege of Tobruk, where the battalion carried out defensive duties as part of the garrison for over six months before being withdrawn by sea.


2/28th Battalion (Australia)
After undertaking occupation duties in Syria and Lebanon, the 2/28th took part in the First Battle of El Alamein in mid-1942 during which it was heavily depleted, and had to be rebuilt prior to its commitment to the Second Battle of El Alamein later in the year. In early 1943, the battalion returned to Australia and later took part in campaigns against the Japanese in New Guinea in 1943–44, where it was committed to capturing Lae, and then clearing the Huon Peninsula, and then retaking Borneo in 1945. After the war, the battalion was disbanded in early 1946.


2/28th Battalion (Australia), History, Formation
Raised in Perth, Western Australia, in July 1940 from volunteers for overseas service as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF), the battalion was allocated to the 24th Brigade, which was initially part of the 8th Division, but later reassigned to the 9th Division. The colours initially chosen for the battalion's unit colour patch (UCP) were the same as those of the 28th Battalion, a unit which had served during the First World War before being raised as a Militia formation in 1921. These colours were white over blue, in a diamond shape, although a border of gray was added to the UCP to distinguish the battalion from its Militia counterpart; this was later changed, though, following the unit's involvement in the fighting at Tobruk, when it adopted a 'T'-shaped UCP.


2/28th Battalion (Australia), History, Formation
Shortly after being raised, the battalion's personnel began concentrating at Melville Camp, near Fremantle, on 17 July. With an authorised strength of around 900 personnel, like other Australian infantry battalions of the time, the battalion was formed around a nucleus of four rifle companies – designated 'A' through to 'D' – each consisting of three platoons. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel John Lloyd, the battalion undertook a period of basic training in Australia to prepare them for combat, before embarking for overseas.


2/28th Battalion (Australia), History, Middle East
After training in Australia, in January 1941 the battalion was shipped to the Middle East, embarking from Fremantle, to join other elements of the 9th Division that were completing their training. After landing at Port Tewfik, the battalion established a camp at Khassa, north of Gaza, from where it undertook further training in Palestine before deploying to Libya. While the majority of the 9th Division moved into Cyrenaica in March 1941 following the departure of the 6th Division to Greece, the 2/28th, lacking transport, remained in Tobruk, on the border, along with the rest of the 24th Brigade.


2/28th Battalion (Australia), History, Middle East
Following the arrival of German forces in North Africa to reinforce their Italian allies, the British were pushed onto the defensive and they were forced to withdraw from Benghazi to Tobruk, which subsequently fell under siege. There, the 2/28th helped defend the vital port for over six months, alternating between the main defence line and the rear areas, and conducting patrols, before being withdrawn via the sea to Alexandria in late September 1941, and then being moved further back to Palestine for a period of rest.


2/28th Battalion (Australia), History, Middle East
Throughout early 1942, the 2/28th served in a garrison role in Syria and Lebanon as part of the Allied occupation force that had been established in the French colonies in the aftermath of the short Syria–Lebanon campaign. This was interrupted in mid-1942, as German and Italian forces began advancing towards Egypt, and the 9th Division was hurriedly recalled to help check their progress. As a result, the 2/28th Battalion moved back to the Western Desert, where it took part in the First Battle of El Alamein in July 1942. On 27 July, the battalion was tasked with capturing "Ruin Ridge".


2/28th Battalion (Australia), History, Middle East
After taking the position in a night attack, the 2/28th was then cut off and surrounded by German infantry and armour. Suffering heavy casualties, the majority of the battalion – around 500 men – was forced to surrender. A small group, about 90 men, were not captured, and they were later used as a cadre upon which the battalion was re-formed in Palestine.


2/28th Battalion (Australia), History, Middle East
In September, the 2/28th returned to the front line, and, on 23 October, it was committed to the Second Battle of El Alamein, conducting raids behind German lines before being moved into the main area of operations around a position dubbed the "Saucer" on 31 October. They remained there until being withdrawn in December.


2/28th Battalion (Australia), History, Middle East
The battalion subsequently concentrated along with the rest of the division in Palestine, around Gaza. In early 1943, the decision was made to bring the 9th Division back to Australia to take part in the fighting against the Japanese in the Pacific, joining the other two 2nd AIF divisions – the 6th and 7th – which had been withdrawn the previous year as the focus of Australian Army operations shifted to the war against Japan. The battalion's casualties during its time in the Middle East amounted to over 60 officers and 1,400 other ranks killed, wounded or captured.


2/28th Battalion (Australia), History, Pacific
Arriving at Fremantle in February 1943, the battalion was re-organised for jungle operations on the Atherton Tablelands in Queensland; as part of this process, the units of the 9th Division were converted to the jungle divisional establishment, which resulted in the authorised strength of its infantry battalions being reduced to around 800 men. It then subsequently took part in the amphibious landings around Lae in September 1943, landing to the east of the objective and leading the Australian advance across the Busu River.


2/28th Battalion (Australia), History, Pacific
During the advance, the battalion carried out a forced crossing of the Busu under heavy Japanese fire, during which 13 men were swept away in the rain flooded waters. After the capture of Lae, which fell more quickly than the Allied planners had expected, the battalion took part in the Huon Peninsula campaign that followed as the Australians followed up the Japanese forces that were withdrawing north. During this time, the 2/28th took part in actions around Finschhafen, Gusika and Wareo before returning to Australia in January 1944.


2/28th Battalion (Australia), History, Pacific
The battalion undertook training on the Atherton Tablelands for the next year, before taking part in one of the final Australian campaigns of the war when they landed on Labuan Island. After taking part in the initial landings on 10 June, they advanced north coming up against stiff Japanese resistance around an area called the "Pocket", which was eventually cleared on 21 June.


2/28th Battalion (Australia), History, Pacific
The battalion then re-embarked and was landed to the north of Brunei Bay, and advanced towards Beaufort, where they played a support role during the 24th Brigade's attack on Beaufort on 26–28 June, before helping to secure the eastern approaches to the vital rail junction through patrol actions towards Lumadan. The battalion was still in the Beaufort area when the war ended in August. Following this it undertook garrison duties around Jesselton; the battalion's strength dwindled slowly as personnel were returned to Australia for demobilisation or were transferred to other units for subsequent service. The battalion was finally disbanded in January 1946.


2/28th Battalion (Australia), History, Pacific
During its involvement in the war, a total of 3,153 men served with the 2/28th Battalion of whom 274 were killed and 511 wounded, while 480 were captured. Members of the battalion received the following decorations: two Distinguished Service Orders, six Military Crosses, four Distinguished Conduct Medals, 15 Military Medals and 51 Mentions in Despatches.


2/28th Battalion (Australia), Battle honours
In 1961, these battle honours were entrusted to the 28th Battalion, and through this link are maintained by the Royal Western Australia Regiment.


2/28th Battalion (Australia), Commanding officers
The following officers served as commanding officer of the 2/28th:


2/29th Battalion (Australia)
The 2/29th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army, which served during the Second World War. Formed in October 1940, the battalion served in Malaya as part of the 27th Brigade, which was assigned to the 8th Division. Recruited mainly from volunteers drawn from the state of Victoria, after completing its training around Bonegilla and then Bathurst, the 2/29th Battalion was sent to Malaya in August 1941 along with the rest of the 27th Brigade to bolster the Australian force there and subsequently fought in the Malayan Campaign following the Japanese attack in December 1941.


2/29th Battalion (Australia)
The battalion fought several delaying actions along the west coast, including fighting around Bakri and Muar, and in Johore, before Allied forces withdrew across the Causeway to Singapore. The battalion later took part in the defence of Singapore in February 1942, but was captured after the garrison capitulated on 15 February. They spent the remainder of the war as prisoners of war, with many dying in captivity.


2/29th Battalion (Australia), History
Raised on 17 October 1940 amidst an expansion of the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) following an escalation of hostilities in Europe, the 2/29th Battalion was established with volunteers drawn mainly from Victoria. Together with the 2/26th and 2/30th Battalions, it formed part of the 27th Brigade, the third and final brigade raised as part of the 8th Division, and the final brigade raised as part of the 2nd AIF.


2/29th Battalion (Australia), History
The colours chosen for the battalion's unit colour patch (UCP) were the same as those of the 29th Battalion, a unit which had served during World War I before being raised as a Militia formation in 1921. These colours were black and yellow, in an upright rectangle, although a border of gray in an oval shape was added to the UCP to distinguish the battalion from its Militia counterpart; the oval border denoted that the battalion was an 8th Division unit.


2/29th Battalion (Australia), History
With an authorised strength of around 900 personnel, like other Australian infantry battalions of the time, the battalion was formed around a nucleus of four rifle companies – designated 'A' through to 'D' – each consisting of three platoons. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel John Robertson, the battalion's initial personnel drafts concentrated at Bonegilla where they conducted rudimentary training, prior to the battalion moving to Bathurst, where it joined the other two battalions of the 27th Brigade, which moved its headquarters from Sydney at this time.


2/29th Battalion (Australia), History
Around the same time as the 2/29th moved to Bathurst, the 22nd Brigade was deployed to Malaya to form part of the British garrison forces there, and in mid-1941, as concerns grew about a Japanese attack in the Pacific, it was decided that the 27th Brigade would be despatched to join the 22nd. They subsequently embarked in July, having completed five months of further training at Bathurst during the Australian winter, and arrived in Singapore the following month.


2/29th Battalion (Australia), History
In early September, the battalion moved into Malaya, establishing itself in dispersed locations around Kahang and Kluang, before moving to Segamat later in the month, where further training took place to prepare them for the rigours of jungle warfare. When the Japanese launched their invasion of Malaya in early December 1941, the force of the attack initially fell on the British and Indian forces stationed on the north-east coast and around the Thai–Malayan border, and as a result the 2/29th Battalion did not see action until the middle of January when the Japanese began to advance into Johore. As the situation on the western side of the peninsula worsened, the 2/29th, along with the 2/19th Battalion, were sent to reinforce the 45th Indian Infantry Brigade who were fighting around Muar.


2/29th Battalion (Australia), History
Arriving at Bakri on 17 January, the Australians established strong defensive positions and the following day, with assistance from an anti-tank regiment, repulsed a heavy Japanese attack that had been supported by armour. As the Japanese felt for the 2/29th Battalion's flanks, their position grew increasing tenuous and they were in danger of being surrounded. The arrival of the 2/19th allowed the 2/29th to withdraw, but further flanking moves by the Japanese cut off the withdrawal route.


2/29th Battalion (Australia), History
Fighting their way through several Japanese road blocks and almost constant air attack, they found the river crossing at Parit Sulong in Japanese hands and despite several efforts to wrest control of it, the combined Australian and Indian force had to break track and head into the jungle in an effort to reach Yong Peng, which was still in British hands. In the process, they had to leave their wounded behind with a handful of medical personnel, trusting that they would be cared for by the Japanese. In the end, all but two of the 135 men were executed by their captors. Of the two survivors, one was Lieutenant Ben Hackney of the 2/29th Battalion, who was later captured by the Japanese, but who survived the war as a prisoner.


2/29th Battalion (Australia), History
Heavily depleted by the withdrawal, the 2/29th was withdrawn back to Singapore; the 130 men that successfully completed the trek back to Yong Peng were joined by a draft of 500 fresh replacements, many of whom were very inexperienced having been rushed from in Australia with very little training. The battalion's commanding officer, Robertson, had been among those killed in action around Muar, and he was subsequently replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Pond, previously the brigade major on the staff of the 27th Brigade, who subsequently led the battalion through the remainder of the short campaign. As the battalion was reconstituted with 19 new officers amongst the reinforcements, Pond sought to implement a hasty training program, in the short time available.


2/29th Battalion (Australia), History
Meanwhile, the fighting in Johore continued until 31 January when the Allied forces withdrew across the Causeway, which was subsequently blown up to delay Japanese forces from crossing the Strait of Johore. In anticipation of a Japanese assault across the strait, the Australian forces took up defensive positions in the north-western side of Singapore island, with the 27th Brigade assuming a position west of the Causeway. Despite the battalion's inexperience, it was assigned the role of divisional reserve and given additional tasks related to rear-area security.


2/29th Battalion (Australia), History
When the Japanese assault came on 8 February, the main thrust initially on the 22nd Brigade's positions further west, but as the situation worsened the 2/29th was sent to Tengah airfield to bolster the 22nd Brigade's defence of the north-west sector. Plans were made to launch a counter-attack to re-capture the village of Ama Keng, but these were cancelled when further Japanese advances made this impossible.


2/29th Battalion (Australia), History
Throughout 9 February, the battalion fought to hold the airfield against growing Japanese attacks before the defenders were forced to withdraw further back to the Bulim line, positioned on the Choa Chu Kang Road in between the 2/18th Battalion and a composite unit. There, the battalion turned back a Japanese attack on 10 February, but after neighbouring units withdrew amidst the confusion, the 2/29th were also forced back. Withdrawing in contact, elements of the battalion became separated until they were regrouped at Bukit Panjang.


2/29th Battalion (Australia), History
Over the course of the week, further fighting pushed them back to the Kranji–Jurong line where the 2/29th experienced the main force of a further Japanese thrust after the 12th Indian Infantry Brigade was pushed back by two Japanese divisions. Lacking supporting fires following obfuscation from higher headquarters, the battalion was nearly split in half as it withdrew in contact again towards high ground around Bukit Timah. In the process of the withdrawal, individual platoons were forced to fight their way back to Allied lines.


2/29th Battalion (Australia), History
At Bukit Timah, the battalion again regrouped minus one company which found itself detached and subsequently fought alongside the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Further fighting saw the Allied forces withdraw towards Singapore City's suburbs, where elements of the 2/29th were used to shore up the line along the Reformatory Road along with part of the 2/20th Battalion and the 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion. The Australian forces subsequently formed a perimeter around Tanglin Barracks where they were making preparations for a counter-attack by the time the garrison surrendered on 15 February following the loss of the city's main water reservoirs.


2/29th Battalion (Australia), History
The battalion's remaining personnel were subsequently ordered to congregate around Changi prison where they were captured. They remained prisoners of war for over three years. During this time, they were moved to camps across south-east Asia, including Japan, Burma, Thailand, and the Dutch East Indies where they were pressed into hard labour and subjected to harsh conditions. A total of 582 personnel from the 2/29th were killed in action or died in captivity, while 143 were wounded in action. Personnel from the battalion received the following decorations: one Officer of the Order of the British Empire, two Military Crosses, one Distinguished Conduct Medal, one Military Medal and 13 Mentions in Despatches.


2/29th Battalion (Australia), Commanding officers
The following officers served as commanding officer of the 2/29th:


2/2nd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia)
The 2/2nd Anti -Tank Regiment was an Australian Army anti-tank artillery regiment that was raised for service during the Second World War. Formed in 1940 in Brisbane, Queensland, the regiment was assigned to the 7th Division and was deployed to North Africa in 1940, and subsequently undertook defensive duties in Egypt in 1941, before taking part in the Syria–Lebanon campaign. Garrison duties were undertaken in Syria, before the regiment was back to Australia in early 1942. It later fought against the Japanese in New Guinea and on Borneo before being disbanded in 1946.


2/2nd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Formation
The 2/2nd Anti -Tank Regiment was formed near Redbank, Brisbane in Queensland in May 1940, as part of the all volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force. It consisted of four batteries: 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th Anti -Tank Batteries. The regiment would see service in the North African campaign, Northern Palestine, Egypt, Syria and then later Darwin and Borneo. The men of the 2/2nd came from all walks of life, from both the city and the country and their ages ranged from 18–40 years. The regiment became a part of the artillery force of the 7th Infantry Division, leaving Australia for the Middle East in October 1940.


2/2nd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Middle East
On arrival in November 1940, the regiment moved to Qastina, in Palestine, remaining there until March 1941 when they were sent to Egypt. The unit was only partially equipped and it was planned to deploy it from Deir Suneid to Amiriya to complete this process, after which it would join the 6th Infantry Division. This process was halted by the strategic situation in Libya and Egypt, which resulted in the battery being deployed to Ikingi Maryut in April.


2/2nd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Middle East
After receiving the remaining equipment, the regiment was assigned to the 7th Infantry Division and garrisoned Mersa Matruh. 'C' Troop of the regiment served at Salum in April 1941, while the 5th Battery came under command of the 7th Support Group in Salum from 12–13 April 1941. It served in the Halfaya battles during May 1941. The 6th Battery was detached to 22nd Guards Brigade and the 5th Battery to the 7th Support Group during Operation Brevity in May 1941.


2/2nd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Middle East
In mid-May 1941, the regiment returned with the 7th Division to North Palestine and served with them in the Syrian campaign from 8 June to 12 July 1941 with the 5th Battery detached to the British 6th Infantry Division. During the fighting in Syria, the 6th Battery supported the 21st Brigade during actions at Litani, Sidon and Damour, while the 7th Battery supported the 25th Brigade at Merdjayoun and Jezzine. During the fighting at Merdjayoun, the 8th Battery, under Major Arthur Rickard helped repel a French counter-attack, destroying eight tanks. The 2/2nd remained in Syria as an occupational force until January 1942, based around Tripoli.


2/2nd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Pacific campaign
After being relieved by the 2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment, the 2/2nd returned to Palestine before embarking for Australia in February 1942 as part of the convoys established to bring the AIF troops back from the Middle East following Japan's entry into the war. The regiment reached Adelaide, South Australia, in March 1942, and disembarked there. Throughout 1942, the regiment undertook defensive duties in Australia, moving northeast to Tenterfield, New South Wales, and then to south-east Queensland, with the regiment occupying positions around Woodford, Queensland.


2/2nd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Pacific campaign
At this time, the regiment's individual batteries were assigned to brigades within the 7th Infantry Division, and as those brigades deployed to New Guinea, the batteries deployed with them. The 8th Battery deployed with the 25th Brigade in September. The following month, a three battery structure was implemented, which resulted in the 7th Battery being disbanded.


2/2nd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Pacific campaign
On 26 November 1942, Brisbane was shaken by riots, protesting and violence over disputes between American and Australian servicemen, in what became dubbed the Battle of Brisbane. The 2/2nd's involvement came about through the actions and death of one of its members, Gunner Edward Webster, who was the only person killed during the riots. Private Norbert Grant, a United States military policeman fatally shot Webster with a shotgun which was fired three times, wounding many other Australian servicemen at the same time during a frantic struggle to disarm Grant. Grant was court-martialled by the US military for manslaughter, but he was later acquitted as his actions were deemed have been self defence.


2/2nd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Pacific campaign
That same month, the regiment was deployed to Port Moresby, as part of a plan to use them to defend Buna as part of Lilliput Force; due to delays in shipping, they arrived in December, landing at Oro Bay. Here, the regiment concentrated the 5th and 6th Batteries, and assumed command of several smaller detachments including US units. The regiment was renamed the 2/2nd Tank Attack Regiment in March 1943 and the following month it moved to Milne Bay, to occupy beach defences. While there, they came under the command of the 5th Infantry Division. This assignment changed to Headquarters Milne Bay Fortress in June.


2/2nd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Pacific campaign
The regiment returned to Australia in October 1943, and was concentrated under the First Australian Army at Helidon, Queensland, and received reinforcements from several Militia tank attack regiments that were disbanded at this time. In June 1944, the regiment moved to Batchelor, in the Northern Territory, to replace 103rd Anti-Tank Regiment under Northern Territory Force. The 2/2nd then left in September 1944 for Atherton, Queensland, there it trained with the 7th Division. The unit then deployed to Morotai Island in June 1945, preparation for commitment to Borneo. It landed with 7th Division at Balikpapan on 1 July 1945, where it saw out the rest of the war, being utilised as ad hoc infantry and in the field artillery role.


2/2nd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Pacific campaign
Two members of the regiment, Staff Sergeant D. L. W. Morrison and Major G. G. Schneider, are recorded by the Australian War Memorial to have been captured in the Malayan Campaign and then made prisoners of war. Twenty men are recorded to have been killed in service of the 2/2nd; of these, two were killed on Australian soil.


2/2nd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), History, Disbandment
The 2/2nd was disbanded in Queensland in 1946 along with the rest of the 7th Division. After the war, its members held annual meetings in Brisbane, Queensland, until 2004, when its remaining numbers were too low to support such a practise. Military decorations awarded to members of the 2/2nd Anti -Tank included two Distinguished Service Orders, two Military Crosses, two Military Medals and five mentions in despatches. A total of 19 men of the 2/2nd feature on the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial. Battle honours mentioned on the 2/2nd's ANZAC Day banner are: Syria, Palestine, Egypt, New Guinea, Morotai, Balikpapan and Libya.


2/2nd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), Gallery
Elements of the 2/2nd on occupational duties in Tripoli 1941.


2/2nd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), Gallery
Members of the 2/2nd Tank Attack Regiment removing the breech block during a demonstration of stripping a 75mm Pack Howitzer.


2/2nd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia), Gallery
Tank Rock, Queensland, 27 November 1944. A 2/2nd Tank Attack Regiment gun crew load 6-pounder gun during practice at the artillery range.


2/2nd Battalion (Australia)
The 2/2nd Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army raised for service as part of the all-volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force during World War II. Raised in October 1939, the battalion was deployed to the Middle East and in early 1941 took part in the first ground action undertaken by Australian troops during the war during the Battle of Bardia before helping to capture Tobruk. In April, the battalion briefly fought in Greece, before being evacuated after the Allied forces were overwhelmed by German forces.


2/2nd Battalion (Australia)
Some members of the battalion took part in the Battle of Crete, after which the battalion undertook garrison duties in Syria. In mid-1942, the 2/2nd undertook defensive duties in Ceylon before returning to Australia. They subsequently took part in the fighting against the Japanese along the Kokoda Track and then around Buna–Gona. After a period of reorganisation and training in Australia throughout 1943–44, late in the war the battalion was committed to the Aitape–Wewak campaign before being disbanded in early 1946 after the war.


2/2nd Battalion (Australia), History
Established shortly after the outbreak of the war, the 2/2nd Battalion formed part of the 16th Brigade, the first brigade formed within the 6th Division, and was among the units raised as part of the all volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force that was recruited for overseas service at the start of the war. The colours chosen for the battalion's unit colour patch (UCP) were the same as those of the 2nd Battalion, a unit which had served during World War I before being raised as a Militia formation in 1921. These colours were purple over green, in a horizontal rectangular shape, although a border of grey was added to the UCP to distinguish the battalion from its Militia counterpart.


2/2nd Battalion (Australia), History
With an authorised strength of around 900 personnel, like other Australian infantry battalions of the time, the battalion was formed around a nucleus of four rifle companies – designated 'A' through to 'D' – each consisting of three platoons. After opening its headquarters at Victoria Barracks, Sydney, on 24 October 1939, less than a fortnight later the battalion moved to Ingleburn Army Camp, where rudimentary training was carried out. In early 1940, the battalion was deployed to the Middle East, arriving in Egypt in mid-February 1940. It later completed its training in Palestine. In early January 1941, the 2/2nd took part in the Battle of Bardia – the first major ground action of the war undertaken by Australian troops – before being committed to the Capture of Tobruk at the end of the month.


2/2nd Battalion (Australia), History
In March 1941, the 6th Division was despatched to Greece and in April 1941, following the German invasion of that country, the 2/2nd took part in the disastrous Battle of Greece. Amidst a series of withdrawals, the battalion's most significant engagement was a delaying action at Tempe Gorge.


2/2nd Battalion (Australia), History
At the conclusion of the campaign, the majority of the battalion was evacuated back to Palestine, but a contingent of almost 200 took part in the Battle of Crete in May 1941 as part of the 16th Brigade Composite Battalion, which fought an unsuccessful campaign to repulse an airborne German assault in May 1941. Following the conclusion of the fighting on Crete, the 2/2nd was rebuilt and sent to Syria, where the Allies had established a garrison following the capitulation of Vichy French forces at the end of the Syria–Lebanon campaign. They subsequently undertook garrison duties in Syria between October 1941 and January 1942, at which time the Australian Government requested its return following Japan's entry into the war.


2/2nd Battalion (Australia), History
En route back to Australia, the 16th and 17th Brigades were diverted to Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) and the 2/2nd helped defend the island against a possible Japanese invasion until July when it continued its return journey back to Australia, arriving in August 1942. The following month, the 2/2nd was thrust into the Kokoda Track campaign, arriving just as the tide turned in the Allies' favour. It later fought several actions along the track, including significant actions at Templeton's Crossing and Oivi, as the Australians counter-attacked and advanced north towards the Japanese beachheads around Buna and Gona. They suffered heavy casualties in the process. Having started the campaign with almost 700 personnel, by the time the battalion fought its final actions around Sanananda in December 1942, it had an effective strength of below 100, with many having been evacuated due to sickness.


2/2nd Battalion (Australia), History
The battalion was later withdrawn to Australia and throughout 1943–44, it was brought back up to strength and reorganised on the Atherton Tablelands in Queensland. They subsequently spent over a year preparing for their final campaign. In late 1944, they were committed to the Aitape–Wewak campaign. Essentially a mopping up operation to clear the Japanese from around the airfield at Aitape and the surrounding areas, the campaign eventually saw the Australians advance along the coast towards Wewak and inland towards the Torricelli Mountains.


2/2nd Battalion (Australia), History
For his actions during the campaign, one of the battalion's officers, Lieutenant Albert Chowne, was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross; in addition to this, members of the battalion received the following awards: four Distinguished Service Orders, nine Military Crosses and one Bar, four Distinguished Conduct Medals, 24 Military Medals, and 79 Mentions in Despatches. Throughout the war, a total of 2,851 men served with the battalion of whom 217 were killed and 368 wounded; it was disbanded on 18 February 1946, after returning to Australia after the conclusion of hostilities.


2/2nd Battalion (Australia), Battle honours
The 2/2nd received 15 battle honours for its involvement in the war:


2/2nd Battalion (Australia), Battle honours
These honours were subsequently entrusted to the 2nd Battalion in 1961, and through this link are maintained by the Royal New South Wales Regiment.


2/2nd Commando Squadron (Australia)
The 2/2nd Commando Squadron was one of 12 independent companies or commando squadrons raised by the Australian Army for service during World War II. The 2/2nd served in Timor, New Guinea and New Britain during World War II, taking part in the Battle of Timor in June 1942 as part of Sparrow Force. Following the capture of the island, the company was withdrawn in December 1942 and returned to Australia, later taking part in operations in New Guinea in 1943–1944 and then on New Britain in 1945.


2/2nd Commando Squadron (Australia), History, Formation
Initially formed as the "2nd Independent Company", the unit was raised in 1941. With an authorised strength of 17 officers, 256 other ranks, it undertook training at the Guerrilla Warfare Camp at Foster, near Wilsons Promontory, Victoria. After training the company was transported north to Katherine, Northern Territory, where they were stationed until Japan entered the war following the attacks on Pearl Harbor and Malaya.


2/2nd Commando Squadron (Australia), History, Timor campaign
Amid fears of a Japanese advance towards mainland Australia, the 2nd Independent Company was sent to Timor, as part of Sparrow Force, along with the 2/40th Battalion and a small force of artillery. Upon arriving at Dili on 17 December 1941, most of the 2nd Independent Company moved to protect Dili airfield in east Timor, whilst other elements took up positions in the nearby mountains. The Japanese invaded Timor on 20 February 1942, attacking both east and west Timor at the same time, quickly overwhelming the small force of Australian and Dutch defenders. Hopelessly outnumbered the 2nd Independent Company was unable to hold the airfield and was forced to retreat into the mountains, from where they would wage a guerrilla campaign against the Japanese for over a year.


2/2nd Commando Squadron (Australia), History, Timor campaign
After the fall of the island, it was believed that the 2nd Independent Company had been captured along with the 2/40th Battalion, and for almost three months the unit was officially listed as missing by the Australian Army. On 19/20 April 1942, however, members of the unit were able to make contact with Darwin, using a wireless transmitter nicknamed Winnie the War Winner. "Winnie", reputedly named after Winston Churchill, was cobbled together by Signaller Max (Joe) Loveless, a Tasmanian member of the unit who had a background as an amateur radio station operator.


2/2nd Commando Squadron (Australia), History, Timor campaign
The set was built on the back of a four-gallon kerosene tin, using parts from several failed radio sets. Some parts were obtained via night raids into occupied enemy territory. After this, the Royal Australian Navy was able to bring in supplies for the company on the south coast of east Timor in late May, allowing the guerrilla campaign to continue. During August, the Japanese launched a major offensive against the guerrillas and carried out a series of reprisals against the civilian population of east Timor in order to reduce their support for the Australians.


2/2nd Commando Squadron (Australia), History, Timor campaign
This campaign was ultimately unsuccessful, although the local Timorese paid a high price for the assistance they provided the Australians: it is estimated that between 40,000 and 60,000 Timorese perished during the Japanese occupation. In September, in an effort to maintain the pressure on the Japanese, the 2nd Independent Company was reinforced with the landing of the 2/4th Australian Independent Company. By late-November 1942, however, it was clear that the Australians could not sustain their campaign due to extreme ill-health amongst all the men, and the ever-increasing number of Japanese reinforcements as well as reduced food supplies.


2/2nd Commando Squadron (Australia), History, Timor campaign
Furthermore, the Japanese used increasing numbers of Dutch Timorese to wreak havoc among the Portuguese Timorese, who then found it impossible to keep helping the Australians. As a result, both the 2/2 and 2/4 were withdrawn from Timor between mid-December 1942 and January 1943, along with Portuguese civilians, some Dutch troops and Timorese who would later serve with Z Special Unit.


2/2nd Commando Squadron (Australia), History, New Guinea and New Britain campaigns
Upon return to Australia, the company, now renamed the "2/2nd Independent Company", reformed at the training centre at the Jungle Warfare School at Canungra, Queensland, where it was reinforced and re-equipped. The 2/2nd was relocated to the Atherton Tableland Camp, Atherton Tableland, where it briefly became part of the 2/6th Cavalry (Commando) Regiment, although this was short lived as it became an independent unit once again not long afterwards. As a part of this re-organisation, the company would eventually be renamed the "2/2nd Commando Squadron".


2/2nd Commando Squadron (Australia), History, New Guinea and New Britain campaigns
In June 1943, the 2/2nd sailed from Townsville to Port Moresby and was subsequently flown to Bena Bena, in the Bismarck Ranges in New Guinea. Here, the 2/2nd supported the 2/7th Independent Company in patrolling the Ramu River area. In mid-July, the 2/2nd moved into position in Bena Bena and by the end of the month their patrols were skirmishing with the Japanese. They continued to conduct operations in New Guinea until October 1944 when, after being away from Australia for more than a year, the 2/2nd were withdrawn from the fighting for a period of leave in Australia.


2/2nd Commando Squadron (Australia), History, New Guinea and New Britain campaigns
After three months leave, the 2/2nd Commando Squadron reformed at Strathpine, Queensland and began a period of training and re-organisation in preparation for their next campaign. In April 1945, the unit embarked for New Britain, where they landed at Jacquinot Bay on 17 April and subsequently moved to Wide Bay, in order to support the 13th Brigade, attached to the 5th Division that was based at Lamarien.


2/2nd Commando Squadron (Australia), History, New Guinea and New Britain campaigns
Following the end of hostilities in the Pacific in August 1945, the 2/2nd Commando Squadron was deemed to be surplus to the post-war requirements of the Australian Army and as such it was steadily reduced in strength as men were discharged or transferred to other units. The remainder returned to Australia and in early 1946 the 2/2nd Commando Squadron was disbanded. During its service during the war, the 2/2nd lost 22 men killed in action or died on active service. Members of the squadron received the following decorations: two Distinguished Service Orders, three Military Crosses, one Distinguished Conduct Medal, one Military Medal, 35 Mentions in Despatches and two foreign awards.


2/2nd Commando Squadron (Australia), Legacy
After the war, some of the unit's members became advocates for the rights of the Timorese people, recognising the contribution that they had made to Australia's war effort. One member, John Patrick "Paddy" Kenneally, who died in March 2009 at the age of 93, said that the Australians would "...not have lasted a week had the Timorese not protected them". Kenneally visited East Timor four times after World War II; once in 1990 and a further three times after independence from Indonesia was achieved in 1999.


2/2nd Commando Squadron (Australia), Legacy
In 2005, he appeared in TV advertisements promoting a fair deal for the people of East Timor in negotiations over Timor Sea gas and oil and was instrumental in securing a fair share of the gas field for the Timorese people. On 25 April 2008 Kenneally, two of his sons and one of his grandsons attended an Anzac Day service in East Timor, at a memorial overlooking Dili and built by veterans from the 2/2nd.


2/2nd Field Regiment (Australia)
The 2/2nd Field Regiment was an Australian Army field artillery regiment that was raised for service during the Second World War. Assigned to the 6th Division, the regiment was formed from Second Australian Imperial Force volunteers. Raised in October 1939, the regiment undertook basic training in Australia before departing for the Middle East in mid-1940. Further training was undertaken in Egypt, before the regiment saw action in the Western Desert in early 1941, and in Greece and on Crete in the middle of the year. Later, they provided a defensive garrison on Ceylon in mid-1942 before returning to Australia. It did not see further action until the final phase of the war, when it was deployed to Aitape–Wewak, fighting against the Japanese, in 1944–1945. It was disbanded in January 1946, after returning to Australia for demobilisation.


2/2nd Field Regiment (Australia), History
Formed on 13 October 1939 at the Melbourne Showgrounds in Victoria, the regiment was raised from volunteers from the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF). Among the first artillery regiments raised as part of the 2nd AIF, it was assigned to the 6th Division, and as the division was established with three artillery regiments, it was allocated initially to support the 17th Brigade. At the outset, the regiment consisted of two batteries: the 3rd and 4th. Training was undertaken at Seymour, Victoria, and Puckapunyal throughout late 1939 and early 1940.


2/2nd Field Regiment (Australia), History
In mid-1940, the regiment deployed to North Africa where further training was carried out, including divisional level exercises at the end of the year. When the Australians went into action in the Western Desert, in January 1941, the regiment support to the 16th Brigade's attack on Bardia and the capture of Tobruk. This was followed by further actions around Derna and Barce, before the 6th Division was relieved and withdrawn to Mersa Matruh, in Egypt, prior to their deployment to Greece in April. This campaign was short lived as the Allies were quickly overwhelmed by the German advance.


2/2nd Field Regiment (Australia), History
During the course the fighting, the regiment supported several of the 6th Division's brigades: the 16th, around the Veria Pass, then the 19th around Servia, both the 17th and 19th on the Thermopylae Line, and finally the 19th during a rearguard action around the Brallos Pass, before being evacuated by sea from Megara.


2/2nd Field Regiment (Australia), History
In the chaos that followed the Allied withdrawal from Greece, the regiment was landed on Crete in May. Lacking their guns, the 2/2nd was formed into an ad hoc force known as Cremor Force, which was named after the 2/2nd's commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel William Cremor. The regiment's headquarters assumed control of the force and the gunners were re-roled as infantry, fighting alongside elements of the 2/3rd Field Regiment, and the 16th and 17th Brigades, which formed composite battalions with personnel that had been separated from the main body of their brigades when they had been evacuated from Greece. Stationed around Canea and Suda Bay, after the German invasion began on 20 May, Cremor Force saw only limited involvement in the fighting before being withdrawn from Sfakia by the Royal Navy. They reached Egypt by the end of May and moved to Khassa, in Palestine.


2/2nd Field Regiment (Australia), History
After evacuation from Crete, a third battery, the 52nd, was raised for the regiment in September 1941 when it was re-forming in Palestine. In early 1942, the Australian government sought the return of the 6th Division due to the threat of Japanese invasion. En route to Australia, the 16th and 17th Brigades, including the 2/2nd Field Regiment, were diverted to Ceylon where they formed a defensive garrison amidst concerns about a possible Japanese invasion. They returned to Australia in the middle of the year, and after leave, the unit was reconstituted at Greta, New South Wales. After this, the regiment was detached from the 6th Division, which was reorganised for jungle warfare. This resulted in a reduction of the division's artillery regiments to just one. During 1943, the regiment undertook various assignments around Australia: including Singleton, Cemetery Point, and Narellan.


2/2nd Field Regiment (Australia), History
The regiment did not rejoin the 6th Division until the division's artillery establishment was increased to two regiments in March 1944. It subsequently moved to Wondecla, on the Atherton Tablelands, in Queensland. The role of Australian troops in the Pacific had largely been taken over by US troops by then, leaving the Australian troops with a limited combat role in the last years of the war in the Pacific.


2/2nd Field Regiment (Australia), History
As a result, the regiment did not see action again until late in the war when it was committed to the Aitape–Wewak campaign in late 1944 when Australian forces took over from US troops, which were redeployed to the Philippines. Arriving in December 1944, during the campaign, the 2/2nd initially supported the 16th Brigade as it advanced towards Wewak in January 1945. The following month, the 1st Battery was detached from the 2/1st Field Regiment as the advance pushed towards the Danmap River. From May, the 2/1st Field Regiment took over as the lead artillery element supporting the advance. Subsequently, the 2/2nd was mainly used in a reserve role around Dallman Harbour, although the 52nd Battery was pushed forward to support operations further inland.


2/2nd Field Regiment (Australia), History
Following the end of the war, the regiment returned to Australia with the rest of the 6th Division in mid-December 1945 for demobilisation, and was disbanded on 11 January 1946. During the war, 17 members of the regiment were killed in action, while four more died of wounds and five more died of other causes. The following decorations were bestowed: two Distinguished Service Orders, six Military Crosses, one Distinguished Conduct Medal, three Military Medals, one George Medal and one British Empire Medal. Two personnel were appointed as Officers of the Order of the British Empire and one was appointed as a Member of the Order of the British Empire.


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


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia)
The 2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion was an infantry support unit of the all-volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force that was raised for service overseas during the Second World War. Formed in mid-1940 in Sydney, from personnel drawn from the states of Queensland and New South Wales, the battalion was allocated to the Australian 9th Division.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia)
After completing training in Australia, the battalion operated in the Middle East between early 1941 and early 1943, seeing action against German and Italian forces at the First and Second Battles of El Alamein, and undertaking garrison duties in Syria as part of the Allied garrison that was established there after the Syria–Lebanon campaign.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia)
In early 1943, the 2/2nd was brought back to Australia to fight several campaigns against the Japanese. The first of these came in September 1943 when the battalion landed east of Lae in New Guinea and then took part in the advance to secure the town, which fell within a fortnight. This was followed by fighting on the Huon Peninsula, which saw the battalion undertake an amphibious landing at Scarlet Beach and then take part in actions around Finschhafen, Sattelberg and Sio until it was withdrawn back to Australia in early 1944. In mid-1945, the machine gunners from the 2/2nd supported landings on Tarakan, Labuan and Brunei Bay as part of Allied efforts to recapture Borneo. After the war, the battalion was disbanded in February 1946.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Formation and training
The 2/2nd 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 the Second World War. Motorised infantry units, equipped with wheeled motor vehicles, motor cycles 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.


2/2nd 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.


2/2nd 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 the Second World War broke out, the decision was made to raise several machine gun battalions within the 2nd AIF, allocated at a rate of one per division.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Formation and training
The 2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion was formed on 2 May 1940, in Sydney, New South Wales. Upon formation, the battalion was assigned to the 7th Division, the 2nd AIF's second division – there were also five infantry divisions as part of the Militia at this time – and its personnel were recruited from two Australian states: Queensland and New South Wales, with many having served previously in the Militia with various light horse regiments and infantry battalions.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Formation and training
The battalion's first commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel David Whitehead, who had previously commanded the 1st Light Horse (Machine Gun) Regiment (Royal New South Wales Lancers). The nucleus of its trained personnel were also drawn from this regiment, as well as several Queensland-based Militia units. The colours chosen for the battalion's unit colour patch (UCP) were gold and black, in a triangular shape with a border of grey; this was later changed, though, following the unit's involvement in the fighting at Tobruk, when it adopted a 'T'-shaped UCP.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Formation and training
Because of the geographic dislocation of its recruits, basic training was undertaken separately with Queenslanders completing their induction at Redbank in the Greater Brisbane area and New South Welshmen undertaking theirs at Ingleburn and then Cowra in the New South Wales Central Tablelands, before the battalion finally concentrated at Pyrmont in New South Wales, in late 1940. At this point, the unit's establishment was completed, as the battalion structure was finalised.


2/2nd 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.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Formation and training
Within the machine gun companies there were three platoons; normally these were numbered sequentially starting from 1 to 3 in Headquarters Company through to 13 to 15 in 'D' Company; however, the 2/2nd differed from other Australian machine gun battalions, designating its platoons alphanumerically: A1, A2, A3 through to D1, D2, and D3. A Light Aid Detachment of electrical and mechanical engineers was also attached. After a period of further training, the battalion was ready to deploy overseas, and in February 1941, the unit embarked for the Middle East, departing from Sydney aboard the transport Aquitania.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Service in the Middle East
After arriving in the Middle East, the 2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion conducted more training in Palestine until April 1941 when it was transported to Mersa Matruh, where the battalion began a year-long period serving in the garrison role. Towards the end of this period – January 1942 – the battalion was reassigned to the 9th Division and moved to Syria where it undertook further garrison duty as part of the Allied occupation force that had been established after the Syria–Lebanon campaign to defend against a possible German attack across the Caucasus Mountains. This came to an end in late June 1942 when the 9th was rushed to El Alamein to help establish a hasty defence line.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Service in the Middle East
Throughout July, the battalion's companies were detached to support individual Australian brigades during the First Battle of El Alamein as the Allied forces – which had, since the beginning of the year, been steadily pushed back by the German and Italian forces – fought desperately to stop the German advance east towards Cairo. Supporting the infantry battalions fighting around Tel el Eisa in early July, several of the battalion's crews played significant roles in turning back attacks on the Australian positions, and in concert with divisional artillery were reported to have inflicted heavy casualties upon the German and Italian soldiers.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Service in the Middle East
Later, in the middle of the month, they supported an attack by the 2/32nd Infantry Battalion, now commanded by the 2/2nd's old commander, Whitehead, around Makh Khad Ridge to the right of the Qattara Track. By the end of the month the offensive had come to a halt and during the lull that followed the battalion provided defensive fire from depth positions. In October, it joined the second Allied counter-attack that was launched during the Second Battle of El Alamein. During these battles, the battalion was heavily engaged, with a company supporting a composite force under Whitehead, and another operating in support of the 24th Brigade. Its casualties amounted to 21 killed, 128 wounded and 26 captured.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Service in the Middle East
At the conclusion of the El Alamein fighting, the 2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion was withdrawn to Gaza in early December, remaining there with the rest of the 9th Division until embarking on the Queen Mary for Australia in late January 1943, as part of the final withdrawal of Australian ground units from the Middle East to the Pacific to fight the Japanese.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting in New Guinea and Borneo
Upon their return, a period of leave followed after which the battalion was re-constituted on the Atherton Tablelands in Queensland in April 1943. The battalion was subsequently retrained, re-equipped and reorganised to prepare it for the rigours of jungle warfare and throughout this time several drafts of reinforcements were received. These were mainly drawn from the states of South Australia and Western Australia, which changed the demographics of the battalion's personnel. Some personnel were also drawn from Europeans who had been living in New Guinea.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting in New Guinea and Borneo
Finally, the battalion received orders to deploy to the territory of Papua, and in August 1943 the 2/2nd arrived at Milne Bay, which had been developed into a large Allied base after the fighting there the previous year. After a month of garrison duties and work parties, the battalion was committed to the final actions of the Salamaua–Lae campaign. In early September 1943, it took part in the landing at Lae, as the 9th and 7th Divisions rushed to secure the town. During the 9th's landing east of the town, the battalion suffered 29 casualties in a single Japanese air attack, but overall the battalion's involvement in the advance resulted in only limited casualties as its personnel were mainly used to unload stores and equipment, as well providing local defence.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting in New Guinea and Borneo
Lae fell sooner than anticipated and the Allies moved quickly to consolidate, dispatching the 9th Division to secure the Huon Peninsula in late September. During the initial landing at Scarlet Beach, only one company from the 2/2nd was deployed – 'C' Company – in support of the 20th Brigade. Initially, the company was responsible for defending the beachhead around Scarlet Beach, but as the Australians fanned out and advanced south where Japanese resistance intensified, the machine gunners began patrolling operations further afield to the north and west.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting in New Guinea and Borneo
Once Finschhafen had been secured in early October, the Australians increased the size of their force ashore, landing the 24th Brigade, and along with it, the rest of the 2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion. After this, the battalion formed the main part of the divisional reserve, carrying out labouring tasks and maintaining a mobile reserve to counter-attack if necessary. In November, as the 26th Brigade attacked Sattelberg, the machine guns of 'B' Company were used in an offensive role for the first time during the campaign.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting in New Guinea and Borneo
Following the fall of Sattelberg, elements of the battalion supported the advance to Wareo before supporting the subsequent advance to Sio as the Australians followed up the retreating Japanese. During December, 'A' Company was detached in support of the Militia 4th Brigade, before the 20th Brigade resumed the lead, marching on to Sio in mid-January 1944. The battalion remained in New Guinea until late February, unloading ships, before embarking upon the transport Seasnipe on 25 February as the 9th Division were relieved by the 5th and withdrawn to Australia for rest and reorganisation. After a short voyage, the 2/2nd disembarked in Brisbane in early March 1944. Total casualties sustained by the battalion in New Guinea were 12 dead and 53 wounded.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting in New Guinea and Borneo
A long period of relative inactivity subsequently followed as a result of inter-Allied service politics which saw the US Army assume primacy of operations in the Pacific, and indecision about the future role of Australian forces in the Pacific campaign. During this time, the battalion was based around Ravenshoe in Queensland, and was virtually rebuilt, having fallen to a strength of just over 250 personnel due to the effects of tropical diseases and losses suffered during the previous campaign.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting in New Guinea and Borneo
The battalion was transferred to the "tropical war establishment" during this period as part of an Army-wide reorganisation intended to optimise units for jungle warfare. As a result of this change, the battalion was no longer considered a motorised unit with its guns largely being carried across the battlefield by soldiers moving on foot. It was mostly a notional change as the battalion had lost the majority of its vehicles when the machine gunners had embarked from the Middle East earlier the previous year when the 9th Division had returned most of its equipment to the British.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting in New Guinea and Borneo
A small number of vehicles had been allocated to the battalion for its previous campaign in New Guinea, amounting to just six jeeps and two five-tonne 6 x 6 GMC tractors. This had proven insufficient to maintain supplies, though, and so with the re-organisation this was increased so that each company headquarters had two jeeps, with another four equipped with trailers being provided to each machine gun company for resupply. This represented a total of 19 jeeps and trailers across the whole battalion.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting in New Guinea and Borneo
After over a year, the battalion was committed to its final campaign of the war, transiting through Morotai Island as it joined the fighting on Borneo. 'D' Company supported the 26th Brigade during its assault on Tarakan Island in May, while the rest of the battalion supported the landings on Labuan Island and around Brunei Bay during the Battle of North Borneo. It was a short, but sharp campaign.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Fighting in New Guinea and Borneo
During this time, in addition to their normal close support role, the machine gunners were often used as infantry, conducting extensive patrolling in search of Japanese stragglers which resulted in a number of clashes, as well as conducting defensive tasks against infiltrators and raiding parties. In North Borneo, a number of members of the battalion were also used to assist with the operation of a narrow gauge railway which had been brought back into service to maintain the Australian supply line. In early August, the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagaskai brought the war to an end. The battalion's casualties during the campaign in Borneo totaled five dead and six wounded, while casualties on Tarakan amounted to five soldiers killed or wounded.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Disbandment
In late August the 2/2nd was concentrated on the island of Labuan where it was tasked with setting up and running a reception camp for released Allied prisoners of war and internees prior to their repatriation, doing so until late December when the camp was finally closed. Meanwhile, following the conclusion of hostilities, the battalion's personnel were slowly transferred to other units or repatriated back to Australia for demobilisation. In January 1946, the 2/2nd's remaining personnel returned to Australia and the following month, on 26 February, the unit was disbanded.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Disbandment
Throughout the course of the war, a total of 1,824 personnel served within the unit. One member, the author Eric Lambert, based some of the content in his works, including The Twenty Thousand Thieves, on the events he witnessed while serving with the battalion. The battalion lost 67 men killed or died on active service, while a further 193 were wounded and 28 were captured. Members of the battalion received the following decorations: two Distinguished Service Orders, one Military Cross, one Distinguished Conduct Medal, five Military Medals and 20 Mentions in Despatches.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Disbandment
After the war, the Australian Army moved away from the machine gun battalion construct and consequently no similar units have been raised since, with the role being subsumed into the support companies of individual infantry battalions. The concept was arguably misunderstood by Australian commanders throughout the war, and this may have influenced the decision to move away from the concept. When the units had been established, the intent had been that the machine gun battalions would provide highly mobile fire support;  however, this was largely only applicable in theatres where principles of open warfare could be applied.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Disbandment
Once the focus of Australian Army combat operations shifted to the Pacific, the machine gun battalions were largely misused, being employed in a static defensive capacity against short and medium range targets, or for menial tasks, rather than as offensive fire support weapons that could have been employed to provide long range fire support. The medium machine guns were also largely utilised in the same manner as light machine guns, such as the Bren.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), History, Disbandment
Other reasons identified for the concept's limited use include distrust of overhead fire by some commanders, a preference for organic fire support over attached sub-units, over-estimating  the difficulty of transporting Vickers guns in the jungle, and a tendency to ignore targets that could not be seen. The difficulties of target acquisition in dense jungle also contributed.


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), Commanding officers
The 2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion was commanded by the following officers:


2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia), Battle honours
The 2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion was awarded the following battle honours:


2/2nd Pioneer Battalion (Australia)
The 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion was one of four pioneer battalions raised as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force during World War II. Raised in 1940, the battalion served in the Middle East during the Syria–Lebanon Campaign against the Vichy French in mid-1941, fighting mainly as infantry. In 1942, the battalion was committed to the defence of Java, fighting against the Japanese and was all but destroyed following the capitulation of the defending garrison. Rebuilt in 1943, it later took part in the Salamaua–Lae and Finisterre Range campaigns in 1943–44 and the Borneo campaign in 1945 before being disbanded.


2/2nd Pioneer Battalion (Australia), History
Formed in May 1940 at Puckapunyal, Victoria, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Nelson Wellington, the battalion was one of four pioneer battalions raised as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force during World War II. The concept of pioneer battalions had originally been explored by the Australians during World War I, when five such battalions were formed and utilised as support troops assigned at divisional level on the Western Front.


2/2nd Pioneer Battalion (Australia), History
Notionally organised along a traditional infantry structure, pioneer battalions consisted of a headquarters and four companies, and were expected to serve to undertake minor engineering tasks during combat in order to free up trained engineers for more complex tasks. Within the divisional structure, the pioneers were administered as corps troops under the direction of the divisional engineer commander.


2/2nd Pioneer Battalion (Australia), History
After completing initial training, the 2/2nd Pioneers embarked upon the Queen Mary in April 1941 and sailed for the Middle East. After arriving in Egypt in May, the battalion eventually served in Syria and Palestine, assigned to the 7th Division, fighting against the Vichy French during the Syria–Lebanon Campaign, where they fought mainly as infantry. The battalion had not been fully trained in this role and had not received all the equipment required, lacking mortars and possessing only a small number of automatic weapons, and lacking some of the specialist troops of established infantry battalions, including an intelligence section.


2/2nd Pioneer Battalion (Australia), History
Nevertheless, it was committed to several attacks, including a two company frontal assault on Fort Merdjayoun on 17 June, which resulted in heavy casualties with  27 killed, 46 wounded, and 29 being taken prisoner. Further actions followed around Merdjayoun, El Mtolle and Damour before the Vichy French defenders capitulated in July. Casualties throughout the whole campaign amounted to 14 officers and 161 other ranks killed or wounded.


2/2nd Pioneer Battalion (Australia), History
Following the completion of the fighting in Syria, the 2/2nd Pioneers undertook training and garrison duties moving between several locations including Damour, Tripoli, Fort Legout, and then Qatana. In 1942, following Japan's entry into the war, the 2/2nd was ordered to return to Australia, embarking upon the troopship Orcades. En route, they were diverted, however, along with other elements of the 7th Division to defend Java against the Japanese, landing there in late February 1942 and joining "Blackforce" under the command of Brigadier Arthur Blackburn. There, during the Netherlands East Indies campaign, the 2/2nd


2/2nd Pioneer Battalion (Australia), History
Pioneers took part in a brief, but bitter engagement before being ordered to surrender; a large number of the 2/2nd's personnel were captured – over 800 men – of whom 258 later died in captivity. Dispatched across south-east Asia, the men were used as forced labour on the Burma–Thailand railway, and in camps on Java and Borneo.


2/2nd Pioneer Battalion (Australia), History
A small number of personnel who had been in the battalion's rear detail, managed to avoid capture having been routed separately from the Middle East. Returning to Australia, initially they were to be redistributed to other units, but eventually the decision was made to reform the 2/2nd and throughout the remainder of 1942 and into 1943 the battalion was rebuilt from this cadre. In June 1943, the 2/2nd Pioneers were deployed to New Guinea undertaking both traditional infantry and engineering tasks.


2/2nd Pioneer Battalion (Australia), History
Assigned once again to the 7th Division, they saw combat in the Markham–Ramu Valley, advancing overland from Tsili Tsili, and constructing an airfield after the Landing at Nadzab. They were then re-roled as infantry and joined the drive on Lae alongside Australian and US forces. They remained in New Guinea, taking part in the advance into the Finisterres, including the fighting around Shaggy Ridge, until early 1944 when they returned to Australia for rest and reorganisation.


2/2nd Pioneer Battalion (Australia), History
The battalion's final involvement in the war came in mid-1945 when it deployed to support both the 7th and 9th Divisions in Operation Oboe as part of the 2nd Beach Group. In this role they participated in both the Battle of Tarakan and the Battle of Balikpapan during the Borneo campaign. During this campaign, the battalion was used primarily as a labour force around the beachhead, unloading stores and equipment, maintaining defensive positions and guarding prisoners. Following the end of hostilities in August 1945, the battalion was disbanded in late 1945.


2/2nd Pioneer Battalion (Australia), History
The 2/2nd's casualties during the war amounted to 394 killed in action or died on active service, and 121 wounded. Members of the battalion received the following decorations: two Distinguished Service Orders, five Officers of the Order of the British Empire, two Military Crosses, two British Empire Medals, 13 Military Medals and 13 Mentions in Despatches.


2/2nd Pioneer Battalion (Australia), History
After the war, the functions of the pioneers were subsumed into traditional infantry battalions, which each raised a platoon of assault pioneers within their support companies. As a result, no pioneer battalions have been re-raised in the Australian Army since the end of World War II.


2/2nd Pioneer Battalion (Australia), Battle honours
For the service during World War II, the 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion was awarded the following battle honours:


2/3 holin family
The 2 or 3 TMS Putative Holin (2/3 Holin) Family () consists of many proteobacterial proteins ranging in size from about 70 to 120 amino acyl residues (aas) in length that exhibit 2 or 3 predicted transmembrane segments (TMSs). Although annotated as holins, these proteins are not yet functionally characterized. A representative list of proteins belonging to the 2/3 Holin family can be found in the .


2/30th Battalion (Australia)
The 2/30th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army that served during World War II. Raised in late 1940 as part of the all volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF), the battalion formed part of the 27th Brigade, which was assigned to the 8th Division. In mid-1941, the battalion was deployed to Malaya, as the garrison there was increased amidst rising tensions in the Pacific. In early1942, it fought against the Japanese during the Malayan Campaign and the Battle of Singapore, where it was captured in February 1942. Many of the 2/30th's personnel died in captivity before the war ended in August 1945.


2/30th Battalion (Australia), History, Formation and training
Formed on 22 November 1940 at Tamworth, New South Wales, the battalion was part of the 27th Brigade, which was initially raised as part of the 9th Division, before being transferred to the 8th Division. A unit of the all-volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF), the battalion drew its personnel from training and Militia battalions manned by volunteers from the state of New South Wales, recruiting mainly from Sydney and several regional areas including Wagga Wagga, Goulburn and Dubbo.


2/30th Battalion (Australia), History, Formation and training
Most of the battalion's initial intake of officers were drawn from local Militia infantry battalions, although some were commissioned from the ranks. The colours chosen for the battalion's unit colour patch (UCP) were the same as those of the 30th Battalion, a unit which had served during World War I before being raised as a Militia formation in 1921. These colours were purple and yellow, in an upright rectangle shape, although a border of gray in an oval shape was added to the UCP to distinguish the battalion from its Militia counterpart; the oval border denoted that the battalion was an 8th Division unit.


2/30th Battalion (Australia), History, Formation and training
With an authorised strength of around 900 men, like other Australian infantry battalions of the time, the battalion was formed around a nucleus of four rifle companies – designated 'A' through to 'D' – each consisting of three platoons. There was also a battalion headquarters and a headquarters company that consisted of various specialist platoons and sections including signals, mortars, transport, pioneers, anti-aircraft and administration. The battalion was equipped with a variety of vehicles including Bren carriers, sedans and trucks.


2/30th Battalion (Australia), History, Formation and training
Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Galleghan, a former Militia officer who had commanded the 17th Battalion, the battalion completed its training around Bathurst, New South Wales, after moving there in early 1941 after commencing training at Tamworth, which was focused upon preparing the battalion for warfare in the Middle East, as it was believed that the 8th Division would ultimately join the other 2nd AIF divisions in the desert.


2/30th Battalion (Australia), History, Malaya and Singapore
As concerns about Japanese intentions in the Pacific grew, it was dispatched to Malaya in late July 1941 to carry out garrison duties, along with the rest of the 27th Brigade, where it joined the 22nd Brigade, which had been dispatched earlier in the year. Embarking aboard the transport Johann Van Olden-Barneveldt from Woolloomooloo, the battalion sailed as part of a convoy of three transports that transited through Fremantle, Western Australia, before arriving in Singapore in August 1941. Upon arrival, they established camp at Changi, remaining there until September, when the battalion moved north to Johore, establishing themselves around Batu Pahat. Further training was undertaken in Johore, including a large scale exercise around Kluang.


2/30th Battalion (Australia), History, Malaya and Singapore
Following Japan's entry into the war in December 1941 and the Malayan Campaign began, the 2/30th Battalion assumed battle stations around Kluang, before moving to Jemaluang. The battalion's involvement in the campaign saw it participate in the battles at the Gemencheh Bridge during the Battle of Gemas, around Ayer Hitam during the defence of Johore and on Singapore. The fighting around the Gemencheh Bridge was their most significant action. Taking place on 14 January 1942, it was the first major action undertaken by Australian forces during the fighting in Malaya.


2/30th Battalion (Australia), History, Malaya and Singapore
As the Japanese streamed south towards Johore, the battalion was tasked with carrying out an ambush around a cutting on the Gemas–Tampin Road, to inflict heavy casualties before withdrawing. The ambush proved a considerable success, resulting in between 600 and 1,000 casualties for the Japanese and the destruction of several tanks and armoured vehicles. Nevertheless, the British and Commonwealth forces were steadily forced back off the Malay Peninsula and withdrew across the Causeway to Singapore Island.


2/30th Battalion (Australia), History, Malaya and Singapore
After the withdrawal to Singapore, the 2/30th Battalion took up a defensive position near the Causeway, as the Australian forces were assigned to the north-west sector of the island. Within this area, the 27th Brigade adopted a position east of the Kranji River, with the 22nd on its left. When the Japanese attack came on early in the morning on 8 February, the main thrust fell on the 22nd Brigade's position and they were steadily forced back. On 10 February, the Japanese launched a second wave against the 27th Brigade's sector, and after a brief, but futile fight the 2/30th was forced to withdraw from the Causeway back towards Bukit Mandai as its flanks became exposed.


2/30th Battalion (Australia), History, Malaya and Singapore
The fighting continued for another week, during which the British and Commonwealth forces were pushed back south through Bukit Timah towards the urban area on the island's south-east coast. The Australians, under the command of Major General Gordon Bennett, formed a defensive perimeter about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from the centre of the city, in preparation to make a stand, with the 2/30th establishing itself near the French consulate.


2/30th Battalion (Australia), History, Malaya and Singapore
But, on 15 February 1942, the British and Commonwealth garrison was ordered to surrender by the garrison commander, Lieutenant General Arthur Percival, and as a result, the majority of the battalion was captured and subsequently became prisoners of war, although some were able to escape and return to Australia. They remained in Japanese captivity for the next three-and-a-half years, during which over 300 members of the battalion died from disease or brutality. The battalion's final commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel George Ramsay, who took over command of the 2/30th on 9 February after Galleghan was hospitalised. While the battalion was not officially disbanded until the end of the war, it was not reformed after the Malayan campaign.


2/30th Battalion (Australia), History, Malaya and Singapore
During the course of the war the 2/30th Battalion lost 433 men killed in action or died in captivity, while a further 136 were wounded. The following decorations were bestowed upon 2/30th Battalion personnel: one Distinguished Service Order, four Officers of Order of the British Empire, two Military Crosses, two Distinguished Conduct Medals, one British Empire Medal and 16 Mentions in Despatches. As of 2008, the battalion's numerical designation was perpetuated by the 2/30 Training Group, an Australian Army unit stationed in Butterworth, Malaysia, which conducts training for forces deployed as part of Rifle Company Butterworth. This unit also uses the same Unit colour patch as the 2/30th Battalion.


2/30th Battalion (Australia), Commanding officers
The following officers served as commanding officer of the 2/30th Battalion:


2/31st Battalion (Australia)
The 2/31st Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army that served during World War II. It was raised in June 1940 and was assigned to the 25th Brigade, 7th Division. It initially served in the United Kingdom where it undertook defensive duties before being moved to the Middle East in 1941. After taking part in the fighting in Syria and Lebanon, the battalion undertook garrison duties around Tripoli before being transferred back to Australia in 1942. In late 1942 the battalion was sent to New Guinea to fight against the Japanese along the Kokoda Track. They subsequently fought a number of battles throughout 1942, 1943 and early 1944. Their last campaign came in mid-1945 when they landed on Borneo. After the war the battalion was disbanded in March 1946.


2/31st Battalion (Australia), History, Formation
The battalion was formed in the United Kingdom on 27 June 1940 from Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) personnel that had originally been designated for service in non-infantry roles who were grouped together to form an infantry battalion. Initially designated as the "70th Battalion", due to manpower shortages at first it was composed of only three rifle companies instead of the normal establishment of four. Many personnel were drawn from the 2/1st Anti -Tank Regiment at this time. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Horace Strutt the battalion was initially based at Tidworth.


2/31st Battalion (Australia), History, Formation
In August 1940, Strutt was replaced with Lieutenant Colonel Ragnar Garrett as commanding officer. In October 1940, the battalion's designation was changed to the "2/31st Battalion" in order to bring it in line with the designations of the rest of the 2nd AIF, and it moved to Colchester. In November, the battalion was assigned to the 25th Brigade. It was during this time the battalion suffered its first casualty, when one of its members was killed in a German air raid. While in England the battalion undertook training and was employed on defensive duties, guarding against a possible invasion by German forces.


2/31st Battalion (Australia), History, Formation
The circumstances of the battalion's establishment overseas resulted in the situation of the battalion's personnel being issued two different Unit colour patches (UCP). Personnel who were in the United Kingdom at the end of 1940 were issued with a circular UCP consisting of black over red, with a border of grey.


2/31st Battalion (Australia), History, Formation
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 brown and yellow rectangle inside a grey circle: this was intended to link the battalion to the 31st Battalion, which had served during World War I. Upon arrival in the Middle East, though, these patches were replaced with the black and red patches.


2/31st Battalion (Australia), History, Middle East
In January 1941, with the threat of invasion of England reduced, it was decided to send the 2nd AIF units there to the Middle East and the battalion arrived in Egypt in March 1941. Following this the battalion moved to Palestine where it undertook further training and received a draft of reinforcements which enabled it to raise a fourth company in order to bring it up to establishment. Having been transferred to the 7th Division, the battalion took up defensive positions around Mersa Matruh before taking part in the Syria-Lebanon campaign, during which it took part in several battles.


2/31st Battalion (Australia), History, Middle East
The first of these came in early June, when the battalion captured the town of Khirbe in Lebanon, before advancing towards Jezzine. On 13 June, the 2/31st, supported by a troop from the 7th Division Cavalry Regiment, crossed the Litani River bridge and led the advance. Coming under fire from Vichy French troops on the hills overlooking the town, the battalion suffered a number of casualties, including its commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Selwyn Porter. After clearing the French from the main position around Green Hill, Jezzine was finally secured.


2/31st Battalion (Australia), History, Middle East
Between 15 and 29 June, the French brought up reinforcements and subsequently launched a series of counterattacks against the Australians. On 17 June, a French attack at Jezzine was repulsed. The 2/31st then launched an unsuccessful attack on "Hill 1332", a key feature in the area, during which they lost seven killed and 22 wounded. The following day a further 17 men were killed when French aircraft attacked the battalion's positions around the Hotel Egypt. Throughout the rest of the month, fighting continued around Jezzine until on 29 June the Vichy French began to withdraw.


2/31st Battalion (Australia), History, Middle East
In early July the 2/31st commenced operations to the north of Jezzine with the aim of securing the high ground around Amatour and Badarane. On the night of 9/10 July they advanced up steep terrain under the cover of a heavy artillery barrage. During the fighting that followed, one of the battalion's members, Private James Gordon, performed the deeds for which he subsequently received the Victoria Cross, crawling forward and single-handedly attacking a French post that was holding up his company's advance.


2/31st Battalion (Australia), History, Middle East
On 12 July an armistice was signed between the Allies and the Vichy French. Following this, the battalion established itself at Amchite where they undertook occupation duties until mid-September when the 25th Brigade received orders to move to Tripoli. The 2/31st Battalion was assigned the task of fortifying Jebel Tourbel, about 10 miles (16 km) north of Tripoli. Upon completion of this task, the battalion undertook defensive duties there until February 1942.


2/31st Battalion (Australia), History, New Guinea campaigns 1942–1944
Due to concerns about the entry of Japan into the war in the Pacific, the battalion was brought back to Australia in early 1942. Departing Port Tewfik on 9 February on the MV Vernon, the battalion arrived at Port Adelaide, South Australia, on 9 March and moved to Camp Woodside. In early April they conducted a road and rail move to Casino, New South Wales, where a weeks' leave was granted before moving on to Caboolture, Queensland. During this time the battalion undertook defensive duties securing the northern approach to Brisbane during the Battle of the Coral Sea. From June they began jungle training in preparation for deployment to New Guinea in September where the units of the Militia had been fighting a delaying campaign against the Japanese along the Kokoda Track.


2/31st Battalion (Australia), History, New Guinea campaigns 1942–1944
On 31 August, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Colin Dunbar, the battalion was moved to Brisbane where they embarked upon the Cremer bound for Port Moresby. Arriving there on 9 September, the battalion received orders to proceed towards the Owen Stanley Range. They arrived at Ioribaiwa on 15 September, however, almost as soon as they arrived they were forced to pull back to Imita Ridge. The Japanese, however, had exhausted their supply lines and were unable to follow and thus the Australian force was able to begin its own advance.


2/31st Battalion (Australia), History, New Guinea campaigns 1942–1944
On 1 November, the 2/31st was in the vanguard as it entered the village of Kokoda. Following this, Dunbar handed over command of the battalion to Lieutenant Colonel James Miller, and under his command the battalion took part in significant battles at Gorari and Gona. In December, however, Miller died from scrub typhus,  and as the casualties from combat and disease mounted the battalion was eventually withdrawn from the fighting to Port Moresby from where it embarked to return to Australia in January 1943. By the end of the battalion's involvement in the campaign, only 55 men were fit for duty.


2/31st Battalion (Australia), History, New Guinea campaigns 1942–1944
Following six months of training and re-organisation in Australia, the 2/31st returned to New Guinea in July 1943 where, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Murray Robson who had previously served as second in command, they took part in the Salamaua-Lae campaign, before carrying out patrolling operations through the Markham Valley and into the Finisterre Range as part of the Finisterre Range campaign. After having been relieved by the 24th Battalion in January 1944, the 2/31st was once again withdrawn to Australia, arriving there in February to reconstitute and train for the next phase of the war.


2/31st Battalion (Australia), History, Borneo 1945
After this the battalion spent over a year training on the Atherton Tablelands in Queensland before moving to Morotai and then later taking part in the landing at Balikpapan along with the rest of the 7th Division in one of the last Australian campaigns of the war. Landing at Green Beach on 2 July 1945, the second day of the operation, the 2/31st went ashore unopposed and moved inland, taking up positions in the centre of the Australian line around a location called "Ration".


2/31st Battalion (Australia), History, Borneo 1945
After establishing themselves on the hill, later in the day they were struck by airburst artillery before commencing clearing patrols and occupying a smaller feature known as "Resort". The following day the battalion commenced operations along the Milford Highway, as the Japanese began to withdraw towards Batuchampar. Attacking Japanese positions around the "Nobody" and "Nurse" features, the 2/31st encountered heavy opposition from the Japanese defenders. Having lost 50 men killed or wounded, the battalion occupied the positions on 4 July, after the Japanese withdrew, having lost 63 killed.