7th infantry battalion australian_army raised world war battalion completely recruited state victoria formed battalion served gallipoli campaign distinction having members awarded victoria_cross transferred europe fighting trenches western half years disbanded following end hostilities raised later known militia time infantry battalion based victoria lack funding following great depression shortage manpower following suspension compulsory training scheme battalion amalgamated 7th 38th battalion army expanded rising tensions europe second world war 7th battalion served primarily garrison role firstly defend australian mainland deploying late war campaign 23rd brigade took fighting central sector island months war following end hostilities battalion garrison role returned australia disbanding early battalion raised amalgamated unit reformed today exists 8th 7th battalion royal victoria regiment history world war formation following outbreak world war australian government decided raise volunteer force overseas service provisions defence act sending militia outside australian territory fight force draw military forces existed time largely recruits currently serving known initially consist men comprising infantry division light horse brigade recruitment intake began august units raised forming fortnight declaration war command lieutenant colonel battalion 5th 6th 8th battalions form 2nd brigade brigadier james took personal control recruitment process selecting officers known service company commanders turn entrusted choosing subordinates recruitment conducted period weeks end period process successful battalion establishment initially battalion organised companies designated recruitment initial training undertaken later reduced standard companies designated gallipoli september battalion marched city melbourne fortnight later embarked bound middle_east arrived egypt december undertook training called undertake defensive duties suez_canal following failed february battalion direct combat time number non commissioned officers allowed apply commissions british_army units early april battalion moved alexandria morning april battalion took landing coming ashore second wave course week battalion involved establishing suffered heavily losing officers men killed died wounds higher subsequent battle battalion fought war april 2nd brigade relieved 12th deal battalion early battalion able baptism fire respite long days landing cove transferred order attack attack costly failure battalion losing officers men killed involved believed brigade level attack conducted australian force entrenched enemy attack earned attack battalion given weeks rest received number reinforcements sent stalemate situation developed effort break allies launched offensive august battalion took taking positions captured battalion defended trenches repeated turkish process members performed acts gallantry later led receiving victoria_cross nation highest military decoration men corporal alexander corporal lieutenant captain fighting 7th battalion lost men killed despite battalion success holding trenches lone pine august offensive failed break setbacks resulted continued stalemate rest campaign fighting relatively static finally december decision evacuate allied force peninsula evacuation battalion soldiers alfred lawrence played significant invention self firing rifle assisted making turks believe men manning trenches evacuated western gallipoli 7th battalion withdrawn egypt underwent period reorganisation expansion prior transferred europe split provide raised doubling australian forces march sailed france half years fighting trenches western arrival battalion sent major action came july july august battalion committed fighting twice losing men killed battle second late august frontage equal half authorised strength transferred belgium manned trenches near canal time involved major attacks night sent patrols man land established listening posts gather intelligence september 7th battalion sister battalion 8th battalion mounted raid german line force roughly equivalent raid great success australians overwhelming defenders capturing section german line killing germans withdrawing october battalion returned spent winter months manning trenches training early precipitated loss high ground germans withdrew order defensive line developed february german withdrawal discovered allies finding open battlefield time believing german_army suffering limited manpower began advance follow night february 7th battalion launched meant trench raid turned open advance seeing extend lines kilometres allied advance brief germans established strength halted battalion withdrawn line organisation training return battle september october committed fighting road men killed phase later killed following battles withdrawn line december march following start german spring offensive battalion called help stem tide german advance german offensive ran momentum battalion kept pressure german line series peaceful subsequently taking allied days offensive launched near august offensive battalion fought major actions august captured number german mortars woods august continued operations late september withdrawn strength men line armistice came effect november shortly process began battalion numbers fell men repatriated australia amalgamated battalion amalgamated formed 5th 8th battalions form service war battalion suffered killed wounded members battalion received following decorations companion order michael military crosses bars distinguished conduct medals bar military medals bars service medals mention despatches foreign awards battalion received total battle honours service war inter war years decision battle honours traditions battalions served world war lines previously existing time units adopting numerical designations units drawn traditional recruitment territories 7th battalion reformed regional victoria headquarters depots time battalion drew personnel 7th infantry regiment 21st infantry regiment link units battalion inherited battle honour south_africa territorial titles introduced militia battalion adopted title mount alexander regiment granted motto time compulsory training scheme suspended newly elected government place voluntary system established renamed militia end compulsory training coupled low levels defence spending economic hardships brought great depression greatly reduced manpower available militia units time result number units disbanded amalgamated time affected july amalgamated 38th battalion form 7th 38th battalion battalions remained linked november following concerns growing tensions europe decided order double size prospect war apparent battalion designation changed north murray second world war following outbreak second world war september australian government decided raise volunteer force service overseas legal restrictions employing militia outside australia applied regardless number militia units attempted join formed units units required remain australia provide home defence case war spreading pacific occur october militia stages undertake short period days continuous training undertaken period days instead compulsory training scheme reintroduced 7th battalion ranks filled national servicemen battalion undertook number training camps victoria december japan entry war following attacks malaya pearl harbor battalion war service tasked defending area received orders north darwin carried garrison duties defend town experienced number air raids japanese aircraft time battalion transferred 23rd brigade originally 23rd brigade 8th division 2nd battalions units captured destroyed rebuilt militia battalions placed command brigadier arnold assigned 12th division remained darwin months relieved sent melbourne april taking leave sent queensland period intensive pre deployment training november 23rd brigade attached tasked taking americans launching renewed offensive 23rd brigade given task relieving garrisons outer islands primarily responsible island company detached arriving october tasked defending airfield japanese attack best remote members battalion sought existence acting crews navy boats carrying raids april months lobbying keen action having relieved previous command campaign 7th battalion transferred japanese garrison holding june moved central sector island relieved 27th battalion immediately began aggressive patrols order dominate japanese area operations tasked capture key positions including hill base point establish forward position course months end war battalion captured positions killed japanese soldiers following end hostilities battalion moved island guard japanese prisoners war process began members battalion slowly repatriated australia transferred units service march battalion personnel returned australia 7th battalion formally disbanded service war battalion lost men killed died active service men wounded members battalion received following decorations legacy following completion process reformed albeit reduced scale time raised right amalgamated unit known 8th 7th battalion north western victorian regiment formed order rural victorian battalions today honours traditions 7th battalion maintained 8th 7th battalion royal victoria regiment infantry battalion formed following introduction organisation later redesignated 7th battalion battle honours include 2nd 7th battalion entrusted 7th commanding officers following list officers served 7th battalion commanding officer world wars world war lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel second world war lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel battle honours 7th battalion received following battle honours south_africa world war landing defence lone pine gallipoli egypt road wood france flanders suez_canal second world war north_africa greece middle_east crete 42nd street withdrawal liberation australian new_guinea
7th Battalion (Australia)