14th 32nd battalion australia 14th 32nd battalion infantry battalion australian_army served second world war formed september amalgamation 14th 32nd battalions assigned 6th brigade western australia battalion served firstly australia later new_guinea employed mainly garrison duties transferred deployed late war took briefly australian campaign island april returned australia rest organisation disbanded later year seeing combat history formation australia military forces resulted manpower shortage australian economy order situation australian government decided number units militia order free personnel return civilian workforce result october 14th 32nd battalions undertaking garrison duties western australia amalgamated form 14th 32nd battalion formation battalion adopted territorial title assigned 6th brigade battalion personnel drawn 14th battalion officers men 32nd volunteered serve conditions transferred 14th 32nd time cent battalion personnel overseas service battalion designated battalion meaning sent outside territorial limits imposed defence act new_guinea 14th 32nd battalion moved queensland undertake amphibious landing jungle warfare training preparation deployment overseas july sent new_guinea filled role garrison troops year operating command lieutenant colonel previously commanded company level greece middle_east battalion attached november 14th 32nd battalion forming vanguard 6th brigade carried amphibious landing bay opposition landing expected 14th 32nd battalion arrived beach found japanese defenders withdrawn coast allowed battalion concentrate task establishing unloading stores task difficult torrential november eventually able establish patrols sent locate japanese november patrols reached contacting locals found japanese withdrawing estimated japanese stationed size japanese garrison rest began arrive island decided australians undertake campaign engage offensive operations campaign 14th 32nd battalion assigned task advancing miles coast roads narrow tracks going difficult order improve mobility battalion barges carry series landings advanced passing wide bay reaching mid february battalion moved received intelligence reports force japanese occupying position creek fighting patrols sent contact evidence occupation found indicating japanese moving defensive position north river launch assault battalion relieved february 19th crossed following japanese withdrew mountains early march attempt force crossing river initially turned intense japanese mortar machine gun fire 19th successful second attempt forcing japanese bacon hill orders passed attack position 14th 32nd brought relieve 19th japanese position sat atop foot hill rose degrees places jungle preparation 14th 32nd occupied number positions bacon hill march attack began companies attacking cover intense artillery barrage provided elements 14th field regiment direct fire support provided companies high ground surrounding hill japanese defences prepared machine gun mortar fire sited positions soon pinned company order regain momentum flanking left undertaken hours came intense machine gun fire attempted round attack japanese rear forcing dig north bacon hill point situation desperate attackers number australian found embroiled intense battle finally late day having lost men killed wounded attack called attack resumed early following day companies attacking north digging eastern approaches hill steep western slope amidst heavy japanese mortar grenade attacks nightfall australians lost men killed wounded control position japanese positions holding march attack resumed finally japanese cleared hill following battle battalion continued patrolling operations area contact march relieved 19th battalion week later march 13th brigade began relieve units 6th brigade following fortnight transition took place april battalion returned received news returned australian rest organisation preparation operations embarked arriving brisbane week later disbandment war seen coming close army decided 6th brigade component units result 14th 32nd disbanded july war battalion lost men killed died active service wounded members battalion received following decorations distinguished service order order british_empire british military crosses distinguished conduct medal military medal seven mention dispatches battle honours service second world war 14th 32nd battalion received following battle honours south west pacific
14th/32nd Battalion (Australia)