infantry unit australian_army raised world war battalion fought western late disbanded early formed time unit based state queensland 1930s battalion merged couple times result manpower shortages early australia second world war 49th expanded following year deployed new_guinea undertake garrison duty following japan entry war 49th committed fighting early stages new_guinea campaign taking december took casualties suffered heavily disease battalion withdrawn australia early subsequently disbanded july majority personnel units post war period existing merged 25th battalion form 25th 49th battalion royal queensland regiment history world war originally formed february expansion volunteer took place failed world war expansion undertaken raising new division australia splitting battalions veteran 1st division egypt experienced personnel provide staff new battalions form 4th sent gallipoli late campaign remained intact formation assigned 13th brigade battalion drew staff total officers ranks 9th raised primarily volunteers state queensland thick fighting gallipoli having come ashore landing cove wave covering force provided officers ranks australia brought battalion strength battalion commanding officer lieutenant colonel previously served 10th battalion authorised strength officers ranks forming battalion moved miles suez_canal undertook period training desert early june time infantry divisions based egypt transferred europe later joined undertook initial training australia preparations united_kingdom end year sailing transport 49th battalion landed france june moved line arriving june half years battalion fight numerous battles trenches western france belgium battalion significant action came taking efforts august early september conceived follow action advance line exploit developed line battle proved costly ultimately unsuccessful introduction western time committed early august suffered heavily german artillery second time succeeding capturing farm eventually pushed weight strong german counter attacks suffered heavy casualties making debut officers ranks killed wounded significant attacks rest year rotated number times firstly later conducted patrols raids periods rest training manual labour rear enduring harsh winter early new year germans withdrew kilometres broad plan lines free reserves brief advance followed australians followed opponents checked strongly prepared defences early april preliminary 13th brigade thrown attack 49th initially placed brigade reserve putting attack captured railway cutting line significant action came june transferred sector belgium large formed line june 49th joined advanced 13th brigade right past encountered german time german machine gun fire intense heavy casualties suffered initial attack particularly officers company commander killed end battle 49th suffered casualties inflicted artillery fallen german counterattack june fighting experienced late september follow actions success road australians belgium time undertook mainly defensive actions held positions line early moved south following collapse russia late germans able transfer large amounts equipment manpower eastern western subsequently launched spring offensive march falling southern flanks sector held british offensive initially succeeded driving allies late march germans closed vital australian divisions grouped transferred help blunt attack took positions april played significant german attack second battle words author 4th division faced strongest attack mounted australians war supported 45th vital counter attack late afternoon amidst heavy rain saved situation australians line penetrated german counterattack railway bridge west town suffered heavily losing officers ranks later month took second battle launching day attack successfully recaptured town lost previous day following attack german divisions german offensive halted brief period peaceful penetration operations carried allies sought regain initiative august allies launched offensive known days offensive ultimately brought end war took initial fighting attacking end month rotated rear following month commencing september 49th undertook final offensive action war forming divisional reserve attack outpost line efforts penetrate forward german main line shortly attack heavily depleted fighting withdrawn line rest reorganisation return armistice signed november subsequently disbanded process according australian war memorial course war lost men killed men wounded members unit received following awards distinguished service order orders british_empire military crosses bar seven distinguished conduct medals military medals bars service medals mentions despatches foreign awards unit received total battle honours bestowed inter war years inter war years focus australia defence planning primarily maintenance time military force known war years force existed alongside albeit largely paper process completed early reorganised mirror divisional structure forming infantry divisions cavalry divisions previously existing structures redesignated adopt numerical designations units possible units allocated geographical areas unit raised consequently reformed south east queensland 1st military district headquartered company sized detachments assigned 7th brigade formation newly raised battalion drew personnel 9th 52nd infantry regiments territorial titles adopted battalion assumed title adopted motto initially manpower maintained mixture voluntary compulsory service compulsory training scheme abolished newly elected government replaced volunteer militia economic hardships period resulted volunteers december 49th battalion strength fallen men ranks result early 49th battalion merged based 25th form 25th 49th battalion october amidst wide scale reorganisation militia battalions 49th amalgamated remained linked july reformed right australia second world war second world war initial stages war militia battalions primarily provide training called short periods continuous service scheme established january provisions defence act prevented sent overseas main focus australia combat effort volunteer 9th 49th split undertook concentrations early months beginning february firstly later tensions pacific grew possibility war japan likely measures taken improve defences islands australia north detachment soldiers 15th battalion sent port middle october year detachment transferred 49th march rest dispatched join detachment new_guinea strength officers ranks 49th occupied mainly digging defences training achieved largely rudimentary small detachment sent thursday island later 39th 53rd battalions joined 49th transferred 30th brigade troops high discipline described worst according australian war memorial japanese entered war december advanced south 49th found air attack track campaign troops joined hoc unit tasked conducting long range patrols prevent japanese cutting track rest battalion established standing patrols contact japanese combat role helped improve outlook soldiers morale improved preceding months battalion strength increased september strength officers ranks including draft officers posted experienced units august battalion continued expand october november time half personnel volunteered transfer training opportunities remained limited preparations send unit battle tide fighting turned allies joined fighting northern coast encircled position known road attacks launched early december break unit ended failure ammunition began run low supported 55th 53rd battalion thrown battle launching frontal assault early morning december attacking companies 49th suffered heavily came heavy machine gun fire sited concealed japanese positions course hours 49th lost cent assault force attack failed second attempt supported armour december failed break resulted casualties remainder month 49th remained actions confined mainly patrolling providing fire support neighbouring units defensive operations deployed nearly years personnel suffering illnesses malaria constant rain jungle conditions resulted increasing numbers non battle casualties battalion numbers early january relieved 9th battalion moved port air concentrating strength officers ranks period training rebuilding undertaken prepare battalion return early march ordered australia sailing transport disembarked period leave concentrated rest 30th brigade consisted 39th 3rd 22nd infantry battalions time government decided 30th brigade converted unit conduct period intense training sending new_guinea result personnel transferred late reducing 49th staff personnel june took brigade exercises early following month decision 30th brigade disbanded reinforce 6th division reinforcements sent specifically 16th 19th brigades consequently disbanded july remaining personnel transferred 1st infantry battalion went action fighting campaign 6th division late war casualties listed australian war memorial killed wounded majority suffered fighting author served new_guinea campaign figures listing casualties fighting officers ranks killed wounded ranks evacuated sick members battalion received following decorations involvement fighting new_guinea awarded battle honours majority involvement new_guinea campaign battalion commanded lieutenant colonel post war years war australia military rapidly formed time element established force recreated reduced scale room order battle initially conscription reintroduced form national service scheme saw influx manpower following year raised special conditions battalion catering training needs men eligible elected serve parade regularly lived civilian occupation held national service scheme ended december joined national service took immediate effect battalion significant personnel dropping approximately later able rebuild numbers extent strength officers ranks moved 7th brigade 6th brigade infantry battalion 49th battalion ready reserve battalion offering increased training opportunity normal reserve service scheme ended amalgamated 25th battalion 25th 49th battalion royal queensland regiment returned 7th brigade battle honours received following battle honours world war road albert france flanders egypt second world war south west pacific
49th Battalion (Australia)