18th battalion australia 18th battalion australian_army infantry unit served world war formed june battalion assigned 22nd brigade formed australian 8th division completing basic training 18th sent singapore malaya strengthen defences british colonies february possible japanese attack 18th battalion subsequently undertook garrison duties year locations malaya conducted jungle training constructed defences eastern coast following outbreak war pacific december 18th saw action japanese forces campaign took large scale ambush japanese force joining withdrawal singapore early assigned defend north west coast island battalion participated unsuccessful defence singapore early february following fall singapore majority battalion personnel taken prisoners war men died captivity survivors liberated returned australia battalion disbanded history formation 18th battalion raised sydney new south wales june formed july formed 2nd volunteers overseas service battalion commanding officer lieutenant colonel new south wales world war veteran previously commanded 35th battalion serving militia interwar years battalion concentrated july commissioned senior non commissioned officers selected militia cases personally established remainder battalion appointed recruits following arrival majority battalion personnel arrived july coming state new_south_wales men drawn places newcastle liverpool roughly percent coming rural backgrounds authorised strength men battalion organised battalion headquarters regimental aid post rifle companies headquarters company consisting support sections including signals mortars transport later carriers pioneers anti aircraft administration 19th 20th battalions assigned 22nd brigade formed 8th division colours chosen battalion unit colour patch 18th battalion unit served world war raised militia formation colours purple green diamond shape border gray oval shape added distinguish battalion militia counterpart oval shape designated battalion 8th division basic training began august provided experienced regular soldiers personnel previously served militia mid august battalion moved end month individual training completed collective training followed october battalion took divisional march sydney came november 18th transported complex exercises undertaken including brigade divisional levels fighting spread pacific late growing concerns allies possibility war japan review defences singapore malaya british government requested australian troops sent garrison region october australian government committed 22nd brigade supporting elements result 18th strength men subsequently embarked queen mary left sydney february bound singapore australian government wished send brigade middle_east join 6th 7th deployment intended short british government pledged release indian division replace australians consequently australian forces deployed having partially trained equipped process brought strength campaign men arrived singapore february moved barracks port north malaya battalion undertook training prepare jungle warfare moving march drafts reinforcements arrived time battalion brought wartime establishment jungle training tropical heat impact men number personnel hospitalised time illnesses malaria tropical skin diseases repatriated australia end march 18th authorised establishment actual strength amidst growing concerns australian military commanders japanese intentions scheduled replacement 22nd brigade cancelled 18th remained transported east august following month sent north situated east coast considered likely place japanese landing offered short route advance singapore battalion set work digging defensive positions constructing wire obstacles punctuated patrols anti aircraft anti gas mortar training battalion placed war december tensions region escalated days later japanese invasion malaya commenced fighting 18th remained december small group 18th men detached hoc british raiding force known raid japanese lines japanese convoy january battalion came contact japanese time patrol 18th capturing japanese airmen shot near mouth fortnight later japanese advances peninsula west led concerns coastal defences cut result january 18th ordered withdraw south miles having met japanese battle following landing japanese began advance south large numbers response january 18th battalion supported batteries artillery 10th field regiment tasked establishing ambush near estate rubber plantation establishing road company deployed north western road force company positioned south opposite road south company formed blocking force position stretched road oriented north company positioned reserve south plan ambush sprung day japanese advance proceeded slowly thought dark entered ambush site order inflict casualties possible japanese force estimated battalion sized allowed pass companies came company blocking position ambush finally initiated devastating indirect fire artillery mortars inflicted heavy casualties japanese northernmost company turned south attack japanese rear came determined resistance force japanese managed infiltrate ambush site dig small feature east estate pig farm north company effectively cut rest battalion fighting early morning company attempted assist cut company decided launch counterattack company order withdraw came brigade headquarters attack covered reserve company company able break contact fall company company isolated contact left fight way battalion lines time arrived men left form platoon 18th losses action amounted men killed wounded missing japanese losses unknown thought significant unable days fighting singapore withdrawal battalion fell road helping cover allied withdrawal engagements fought phase 18th patrolled constantly provided rearguard detachments time battalion briefly commanded major temporarily took consisted 22nd brigade number indian formations filling brigadier temporarily detached organise force cover withdrawal following arrival island returned battalion received small number reinforcements men allocated defence western area rest 8th division forming 22nd brigade defensive line north west sector stretching causeway battalion responsible defending frontage miles strength officers ranks battalion occupied position centre brigade stretched 20th position 19th north east village consisting tidal mud flats swamps streams work prepare area battalion allocated defend prior arrival political concerns local population wide frontage stretched 18th thin ground depth large gaps positions separated places tidal waterways thick vegetation shoreline battalion positions added handicap poor visibility water limited fields fire combined isolation meant unable support occupying positions february battalion worked improve best working cover darkness avoid japanese artillery air attacks japanese attack north west coast came night february beginning heavy artillery aerial bombardment 22nd brigade positions day followed assault began confronted battalions japanese 5th 18th divisions concentrated 18th 20th positions 18th forward companies strongly resisted frontal assaults day heavy casualties inflicted japanese course hours defenders eventually forced heavy indirect fire overwhelming numbers exploiting holes battalion perimeter avoid resistance february japanese penetrated battalion headquarters near road threatening roll battalion rear ordered forward companies fighting withdrawal fall battalion headquarters heavy fighting followed australians suffered grave losses groups lost darkness thick country battalion able establish 18th attempted defend airfield afternoon february reduced men withdrawn south east airfield occupying position 29th battalion left night february minor clashes occurred patrols sent fend japanese battalion continued hold line following orders withdraw moved village role brigade reserve carrier platoon covered battalion withdrawal amidst heavy artillery ambushed japanese columns roughly company sized inflicting heavy casualties vickers machine guns breaking contact result orders 22nd brigade fell road 18th took positions west junctions roads brigade launched counterattack later day majority battalion held reserve suffering casualties single company detached time hoc formation dubbed battalion tasked launching counterattack rest battalion moved reserve position road evening 18th occupied position north feature dubbed early morning february moved south gain better fields fire shortly 18th came attack rear japanese managed infiltrate position forcing 18th fall cover fire carriers later february 22nd brigade headquarters situated came attack japanese force moving south response 18th launched counterattack road time section battalion carrier platoon command lieutenant son lieutenant general conducted daring attack stopped japanese advance rolling axis road firing machine guns grenades advanced road heading south returning battalion headquarters 22nd brigade moved junction holland moving heavy fire battalion established new position confusion men found separated main body cut afternoon brigade position west battalion placed reserve battalion positions north situated high ground experienced heavy attack japanese aircraft artillery brigade supported australian british artillery fought regiments japanese 18th division course night february early following morning promoted brigadier took commander 22nd brigade taylor taken ill place major previously battalion second command took command battalion brief fighting 22nd brigade sector japanese 18th division attacked attempting brigade left flank response 18th sent retake high ground south east late afternoon attacking men supported british armoured cars artillery fire unable retake position light failed japanese pressed heavily 22nd brigade position forced ground falling junction time 18th men february attempt gain room possible counterattack allied commander lieutenant general ordered shortening allied lines south east formation mile perimeter singapore city australian forces concentrated mile perimeter centred miles west city tasked defending north east sector defensive line 18th positioned apart minor skirmishes japanese aircraft spotting artillery period respite followed australian sector japanese position moving easterly direction city way gaps line opened north south australians positions held british indian units japanese continued advance outskirts singapore february threatened isolated australians plans stand japanese closing island civilian population began suffer heavily subjected heavy artillery bombardment aerial attacks japanese aircraft increasingly unopposed anti aircraft guns ran ammunition supplies water food water shortage worse loss island finally morning february japanese succeeded determined counterattack viable instead decided surrender garrison battalion final involvement fighting came afternoon companies heavily shelled short time later surrender came effect men 18th received orders escape prisoners war majority 18th order escape following surrender small number men attempted evade capture members battalion found cut rest battalion earlier fighting attempted way allied lines sumatra eventually captured managed away ceylon eventually managed return australia transferred units later took fighting new_guinea japanese arrived effect capture 18th men carrier platoon earlier inflicted heavy casualties japanese fighting ordered battalion carriers tied executed 18th soldiers killed massacre surviving members battalion marched miles prisoner war camp shortly men split sent locations serve forced labourers majority 18th personnel sent remained sent japan sent work thai burma railway total men sent borneo subjected percent 18th men survived despite separated possible 18th men sought stay groups battalion structure maintained captivity battalion commanding officer sent burma senior allied officer worked secure welfare men working railway including 18th later sent thailand brought singapore work completed late transferred september route transport ship prisoners torpedoed submarine took charge prisoners evacuation attempting lead safety seen believed machine days later japanese frigates area time captivity men 18th undertook number subversive activities including building radio contact local resistance groups provided assistance form medicine intelligence involved numerous escape attempts successful alongside australians units successful escapes involved group men escaped camp groups group escaped camp work detail simply walked gate use came meeting outside camp men split group included lieutenant previously decorated distinguished conduct medal actions commissioned field having camp guards wagner group contacted local arranged rendezvous fishing vessel hiding weeks vessel eventually arrived offshore took board group met began working filipino forces fighting alongside end war escapes occurred later war including men escaped course days early july death marches escape men helped locals provided food information men able meet australians following end war august men survived prisoners war repatriated australia returning aircraft ship largely completed october later year battalion officially disbanded total men served battalion existence including reinforcements personnel transferred battalion battle casualties amounted killed wounded malaya killed wounded singapore men 18th died captivity prisoners war involvement war members battalion received following decorations military cross distinguished conduct medals military medal members mentions despatches battle honours 18th battalion received following battle honours malaya commanding officers following officers served commanding officer 18th lieutenant colonel major major
2/18th Battalion (Australia)