14th battalion australia 14th battalion infantry battalion australian_army served world war 21st brigade battalion raised volunteers drawn mainly state victoria completing training australia battalion deployed middle_east stationed egypt palestine saw action french syria june july short lived campaign garrison duties lebanon followed battalion withdrawn australia early australian forces concentrated pacific respond threat posed japan entry war short period training australia battalion deployed new_guinea august australians sent reinforcements fight japanese forces advancing port japanese exhausted supplies began fall north coast 14th saw action september period organisation australia battalion took advance allies went offensive new_guinea taking fighting range campaign battalion final involvement war came landing 14th disbanded war early history formation 14th battalion raised april victoria shortly start world war volunteer 2nd established time personnel volunteered serve combat overseas battalion assigned 21st brigade 7th division remain formation existence authorised strength personnel drawn state victoria allocated states later reinforcements battalion initial recruits previous military experience having served militia prior 2nd majority having relinquish rank transfer officially battalion average age formation battalion historian asserts necessarily accurate men found altered ages young old recruitment keeping 2nd recruitment practices pairs brothers early recruits case father son served platoon soon battalion headquarters established battalion commanding officer lieutenant colonel began choosing officers set task forming companies unit structure built rifle companies designated battalion headquarters headquarters company consisting specialist including signals pioneer anti aircraft transport administration mortars battalion companies formed largely territorial lines company drawn mainly north eastern regions victoria company drawn brighton company consisted largely men melbourne inner suburbs men scottish ancestry irish ancestry formed battalion complement men arrived formation complete basic training began august battalion presented regimental colours ceremony members served world war order establish links units later early october 14th battalion changed unit colour patch black blue diamond yellow blue earlier counterpart shortly partially trained battalion received orders deploy overseas october men embarked sydney new_south_wales bound middle_east middle_east travelling india battalion arrived egypt november transported palestine soldiers undertook training later moved january sent april egypt defend possible german attack siege german attack came time battalion subjected aerial attack remained end battalion relieved south african battalion returned palestine begin preparations operations syria lebanon french order prevent area falling hands germans launched attack suez_canal captured persia present day iran 14th battalion involvement syria lebanon campaign began night june unit advanced palestine border attacked outposts village following battalion advanced coast tyre evicted french defenders forcing crossing june 21st brigade advance came determined resistance 14th battalion found troops 6th days battalion came attack french aircraft artillery committed flanking action june conducting kilometre march heat day australians approached mountains arrived town fell 27th battalion following june battalion moved central sector allied advance order reinforce 31st battalion attached 25th brigade holding french counter attack damascus captured june 14th battalion committed fighting secure number features high ground north east town dominated surrounding area attacks proved unsuccessful costly 14th killed wounded june fighting continued june french began withdraw australians regained initiative july 14th battalion left begin preparations committed july july 14th involved number attacks capturing french positions july armistice came effect ending fighting following 14th battalion initially conduct battlefield clearance tasks moving men garrison troops overseeing captured soldiers france later september battalion transferred north construct defensive positions near tripoli lebanon december following japanese attacks pearl harbor malaya decision bring 6th 7th divisions australia early january 7th division left syria undertaking garrison duties returned palestine 14th moved camp near jerusalem time command battalion passed lieutenant colonel previously commanded 8th battalion january 14th battalion embarked transport egypt bound australia 14th casualties deployment middle_east killed wounded captured battalion returned australia bombay transferred city paris early february arrived march period leave followed battalion undertook defensive duties training queensland dispatched rest 7th situation track critical australians japanese advanced port august 21st brigade including 14th battalion disembarked port days later august battalion transported trucks marching reaching august august battalion received orders relieve severely depleted holding japanese shortage supplies possible company time result company dispatched companies dispatched company moved crossing company subsequently reached 39th position late evening august following day japanese launched fresh offensive battalions day number minor engagements took place august japanese offensive began earnest positions subjected heavy mortar artillery fire japanese infantry broke position gaps company depleted situation restored australian counter attacks rest 14th battalion arrived august amidst continuing fighting bringing inch mortar indirect fire support moved rear remained support 14th order help repel wave japanese attack august japanese battalions morning fresh attacks succeeded breaking 14th position company battalion right forced ground situation critical australians launched counter attack attack charged japanese firing light machine gun hip killing forcing withdraw subsequently killed sniper actions allowed australians briefly regain positions later posthumously awarded victoria_cross australia highest military decoration attacks day forced battalion fall kilometre track august japanese began threatening 14th left flank high ground situated attack battalion rear jeopardy battalion forced ground point brigade commander brigadier authorised withdrawal japanese pressing rear guard course following fortnight battalion fought series delaying actions fighting time reached 14th depleted amalgamated 16th battalion form composite battalion men 21st brigade prepared final stand battalions 25th brigade arrived relieve following composite battalion withdrawn line september 14th battalion begun campaign men arriving placed reserve men available officers casualties high men killed action dying wounds killed accidents wounded following 21st brigade relief fighting new_guinea began turn favour allies japanese having exhausted supplies began fall north coast november 14th reformed near port strength total men ranks situation new_guinea meant needed help capture japanese north eastern coast 14th battalion command lieutenant colonel replaced key late september placed vanguard brigade air transported november organised half strength companies following day battalion began kilometre march november 14th attacked coast east japanese positions concealed amidst strong resistance 14th suffered heavy casualties losing killed wounded early morning november battalion lost killed launched planned deliberate attack remaining japanese fortified position minor casualties 14th forced japanese defenders abandon positions managed break beach securing kilometres coast december reinforced platoon 14th ordered conduct reconnaissance village kilometres west japanese landed reinforcements december command lieutenant platoon launched surprise attack numerically superior force hand hand fighting followed japanese killed wounded men 14th wounded attack proved success enabled australians attack concern engaged japanese reinforcements subsequently taken december recommended victoria_cross actions killed leading patrol village december battalion remained area january time fit personnel left subsequently returned australia casualties fighting amounted killed action died wounds accidentally wounded time 21st brigade arrived australia heavily depleted cent authorised strength 14th subsequently underwent period rebuilding queensland preparation operations time units 7th division converted jungle divisional establishment saw reduction 14th battalion authorised strength men battalion brought strength july change command july lieutenant colonel previously commanded fighting track replaced commanding officer august rest 21st brigade battalion moved port undertook training month preparation campaign battalion destined limited role campaign september dispatched airfields relieve army defend vital airfields possible japanese attack 14th committed advance vanguard 21st brigade advance late september early october moving 16th battalion position advancing 14th left proceeded 14th moved 16th right flank protecting japanese attacks north october battalion reached battalion commanding officer seriously wounded moved main defensive position order personally carry reconnaissance surrounding area platoon sent japanese began advancing position directing company level attack japanese handed command captain commander company served acting commander briefly major arrived brigade headquarters lee remained acting command battalion second command major returned staff course officially command battalion lieutenant colonel december early battalion mainly involved patrol operations support 21st brigade advance capture japanese positions saddle effort battalion significant engagement came october platoon lieutenant destroyed japanese company capturing ridge overlooked valley japanese company threatening cut supply line 27th battalion leading 21st brigade advance following day heavy fighting took place john ridge battalion undertook mainly patrol actions following weeks actions varied size small groups company sized forces varied length day week late november battalion relieve 25th battalion john marching miles occupied outpost position opposite strong japanese position clashed times december withdrawn rear lakes area late december port early january limited engagements japanese months 14th involved campaign battalion suffered heavily men evacuated illness accidental injury time died permanently removed theatre contrast battle casualties time amounted seven killed action died wounds wounded borneo withdrawn australia march units 7th division received weeks leave reforming queensland following 14th battalion undertook period training finally committed campaign war campaign saw amphibious landings july initial landings early july 14th came ashore wrong place landing scheduled land landing largely unopposed minutes reorganisation australians able establish correct form point begin advance objective bridge advancing unopposed crossed bridge nightfall dug ridge highway following day battalion captured 21st brigade began advance east 27th battalion subsequently relieved 14th july battalion began came stronger opposition near river held evening following day 14th resumed advance crossing river beginning strip battalion lead company began receive artillery fire japanese coastal defence guns naval gunfire support called provide counter battery fire partially effective following day air support tanks brought days minor infantry actions undertaken periphery position direct indirect fire support reduce position view limiting casualties infantry finally july battalion attacked remaining japanese positions named frost brown australians supported naval bombardment heavy bombers dropped companies 14th battalion captured position found japanese dead number artillery pieces including naval guns high angle guns numerous heavy mortars machine guns represented 14th battalion major combat actions war 21st brigade subsequently captured tempo operations wound anticipation end war australians began conducting patrol operations interior stretching 25th brigade area highway battalion casualties final campaign war amounted killed wounded disbandment following cessation hostilities august 14th battalion remained borneo october moved present day indonesia battalion personnel arrived october shortly 14th transported sea arriving october battalion undertook garrison duties guarding japanese prisoners war maintaining administration law order dutch position assert colonial rule despite complex political situation 14th battalion managed achieve violence january 50th battalion began arrive relieve completed january january battalion embarked bound australia arrival brisbane queensland process began battalion ranks quickly reduced finally february victoria barracks final signed battalion disbanded course war total men served battalion killed action died wounds illness accident active service men 14th wounded action men prisoners war vast majority casualties came fighting battalion suffered battle casualties service war members 14th received following gallantry distinguished service decorations victoria_cross military crosses distinguished conduct medals military medals british empire medal mentions despatches addition member appointed officer order british empire section battalion section platoon company believed according highly decorated section australian british military history men assigned section formed received victoria_cross received distinguished conduct medal received military medal commanders following officers served commanding officer 14th battalion lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel battle honours 14th battalion received following battle honours service war north_africa syria south west pacific crossing river liberation australian new_guinea borneo
2/14th Battalion (Australia)