33rd battalion infantry battalion australian_army second world war formed united_kingdom june battalion create 25th brigade eventually 7th division threat invasion passed battalion transferred middle_east early period garrison duty battalion fought french invasion syria lebanon later early response japan entry war battalion transferred australia period organisation training sent new_guinea took track campaign arriving height fighting japanese advance stalled took pursuit japanese forces northern coast fighting returning australia months refit battalion committed campaign range campaign returning australia early long period inactivity followed 33rd undertook campaign borneo final months war battalion disbanded brisbane march history formation united_kingdom raised june 25th brigade battalion initially designated continuation numbers assigned infantry battalions raised world war australian infantry battalions established united_kingdom early months war 31st 32nd battalions formed surplus australian infantry reinforcements support corps personnel drawn australian states personnel originally assigned 6th division sent bolster garrison following threat invasion lacking support personnel large amounts specialist equipment battalion initially consisted rifle companies consisting companies designated numerically designated rifle company short standard establishment time time battalion strength personnel authorised strength addition battalion headquarters company consisted signals anti aircraft mortars carrier pioneer transport lacked large specialist equipment outset commanded lieutenant colonel september battalion issued circular brown red unit border grey denote battalion 2nd unit circumstances battalion establishment overseas resulted situation battalion personnel issued different personnel united_kingdom end issued brown red issued reference australia issued battalion reinforcements australia consisting black green oval circle grey intended link battalion served world war arrival middle_east patches replaced brown red patches october unit moved time redesignated 33rd battalion bring line battalions australians undertook period intensive training followed defensive duties amidst backdrop ongoing took place skies overhead time battalion allocated role mobile reserve assigned task counter attacking event german invasion role undertook training operating tanks british armoured vehicles crews assigned battalion training exercises garrison duties north_africa fighting syria end threat invasion dissipated australian troops sent united_kingdom transferred middle_east travelling train january main body battalion embarked transport sailed reached egypt early march 25th brigade assigned 7th division moving camp palestine battalion fourth rifle company designated company taken strength having previously formed september excess reinforcements time 7th division preparing greece follow wake 6th division entry fighting early german successes prompted movement fortress guard possible german advance egypt libya 33rd remained undertaking defensive duties combat 7th division began prepare invasion french held syria lebanon short lived campaign early june mid july 33rd took fighting attacking early stages campaign fighting mainly disparate company groups following french capitulation battalion undertook garrison duties lebanon allied occupation force established defend possible german invasion turkey september battalion occupied position port tripoli remained early australian government requested return 7th following japan entry war battalion role 7th division fighting french largely censored time concerns negative public opinion australia battalion historian notes later caused friction 7th division personnel 6th 9th divisions general lack public awareness casualties sustained battalion syria lebanon numbered dead wounded captured fighting japanese new_guinea embarking battalion sailed egypt early february arrived mid march battalion camped period conditioning exercises followed mid april majority personnel sent home leave end month remained undertook day train journey casino new south wales limited training undertaken mid time orders received time queensland end month battalion returned strength final leave draft returned time strategic situation pacific balance japanese advancing south concerns possible japanese invasion 25th brigade tasked defending coastal area north brisbane late august 33rd deployed new_guinea track campaign reaching climax japanese advanced port embarking late august landed port september days later battalion thrown battle japanese leading 25th brigade forward japanese advance continued australians withdrew 25th brigade withdrew 33rd formed rearguard covering withdrawal completing movement battalion subsequently assumed position depth right japanese began withdraw having reached limits supply line australians pursued northern coast japanese originally landed july october november battalion fought significant engagements thrown fighting late november early december casualties heavy time japanese destroyed battalion withdrawn battalion reduced companies early january main body 33rd returned australia transports rear detail followed middle month aboard total casualties sustained 33rd period included dead wounded concentrating queensland early months 33rd reorganised 7th division conversion jungle divisional establishment battalion establishment dropped men lost carrier platoon receiving place machine gun platoon equipped vickers machine guns addition anti aircraft platoon tank attack platoon transport platoon reduced complement vehicles replaced following intense period training undertaken battalion received batch reinforcements replace losses new_guinea july ready deploy subsequently returned new_guinea join campaign final weeks july battalion transported aboard transports canberra establishing camp east port battalion spent following month preparing support september battalion personnel waited fly jackson airfield near port heavily laden bomber crashed trucks carrying battalion killing injuring represented battalion casualties entire war following day 33rd flown subsequently took capture end month transported air committed advance involved mainly small unit actions patrols battalion casualties new_guinea campaigns numbered dead wounded borneo final campaign disbandment early february battalion withdrawn australia returning aboard long period training rebuilding followed forces assumed primary responsibility fighting japanese pacific inter allied politics coupled rapidly evolving strategic situation resulted period operational uncertainty australian_army significant ambiguity future employment japanese result close end war 33rd went action june battalion embarked subsequently took capture following month landing 33rd formed floating reserve early stages assault came ashore second day 25th brigade infantry battalions assumed control central australian following day 25th brigade began advance inland main north eastern axis australians dubbed 33rd took position right hand brigade coming stiff japanese resistance advanced road overcome machine gun artillery support advance inland continued series minor actions followed australians continued advance month fighting island largely secured following bombing hiroshima nagasaki early august japanese sued peace hostilities came end fighting borneo 33rd lost dead wounded immediate aftermath war australians remained borneo occupation force army slowly time battalion steadily reduced personnel repatriated australia discharge transferred units service including providing personnel raised occupation duties japan february remaining returned australia following month disbanded brisbane war men served battalion posted following war 33rd lost men killed wounded members battalion received following decorations seven military crosses military medals mentions despatches battle honours service war 33rd awarded following battle theatre honours north_africa syria crossing liberation australian new_guinea commanding officers following officers commanded 33rd war lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel
2/33rd Battalion (Australia)