infantry battalion australian_army raised service second world war 2nd formed october sydney attached 16th brigade formation raised 2nd war deploying middle_east early saw action north_africa greece crete syria returning australia following japan entry war australian infantry battalions fight major axis powers war germans italians japanese battalion took fighting track returning australia spent year training rebuilt december 3rd returned new_guinea campaign remained war ended following end hostilities battalion disbanded february brisbane battalion battle honours history formation outbreak second world war australian government decided raise volunteer force service overseas provisions defence act restricted deployment time militia areas considered australian territory force known 2nd raised unit formation formed victoria barracks sydney october 1st 2nd 4th battalions 3rd assigned 16th brigade initially infantry battalions 6th division adopted australian battalion structure rifle companies support company light machine gun platoon administrative headquarters soon switched british structure rifle companies consisting sections headquarters company consisting signals carrier pioneer anti aircraft transport administrative mortar battalion commanding officer lieutenant colonel officer fought world war continued serve militia war commanding personnel battalion raised area new_south_wales known area bounded line sydney south west canberra north sydney liverpool areas men enlisted october onwards november battalion formed colours chosen unit served world war raised militia formation colours chocolate green horizontal border gray added distinguish battalion militia counterpart serve distinction war following brief period training liverpool battalion took farewell march sydney sydney morning herald january gave account farewell march long columns thrilled hearts sydney moved quarter century spring day marched streets way glory marching magnificent battalion sailed troop convoy leave australia january embarking transport disembarked suez_canal february camp palestine undertook training actions north_africa engagement australian troops involved second world war came major italian military outpost north libya 16th brigade broke western defensive perimeter dawn january 1st battalion breached wire defences swung left advancing 2nd battalion followed suit swinging right 3rd moved straight breach 17th brigade led diversion south 16th brigade able capture late afternoon january resistance continued fighting cease morning italians captured significant amounts equipment material including food ammunition short supply significant alcohol captured australians italian inside 3rd position period 3rd lost officers men killed wounded allied forces advanced fortified naval outpost attacked perimeter defences early january following week continuous bombardment land sea tasked outer italian defences 1st battalion pass following initial breakthrough 3rd advanced west inner ring defences attacking number italian posts went fell day italians surrendering brigadier commander 19th brigade italian flag taken absence australian flag 4th battalion tied hat flag staff hauled battalion losses fighting seven officers men killed wounded following capture town 3rd garrisoned detached 19th brigade assault remained capture january prime minister interrupted journey australia england address troops capture march battalion left rest 6th division bolster allied defences greece greece crete march sailed alexandria aboard arriving greece landing port following day hour voyage convoy attacked numerous times axis aircraft invasion country april moved north attempt turn german forces following day occupied april 6th division grouped 2nd lone british brigade form formation long greek government requested allied forces withdraw greece april organised resistance april series battalion forced pull positions come contact germans april attempted block passage gorge fighting alongside 2nd battalion new rearguard action successful enabled allies withdraw south brigadier commander 16th brigade later wrote encounter fantastic battle time dig line including artillery carriers infantry headquarters transport yards rear confusion expected circumstances weapon firing aircraft continually saw cinema author seen battle germans enjoying numerical superiority ground luftwaffe total control skies captured township fierce rearguard fighting continued australian new_zealand forces withdrew new defensive line situation deteriorated official evacuation plan issued april april day parties evacuating allied troops marched athens way coast embarked april 3rd casualties campaign amounted killed wounded captured majority 3rd battalion successfully evacuated egypt small force men evacuated island crete instead transport ship sunk having formed rearguard withdrawal greece embarked separately main body taken aboard costa_rica voyage alexandria transport attacked german aircraft sank ordered abandon ship rescued royal_navy destroyers troops transported crete formed composite battalion men units 16th brigade unit known limited small arms ammunition moved positions shores undertake garrison duties anticipation german attack island following german invasion troops saw direct action german allied evacuation island week later undertook active patrols island evacuated aboard arrived alexandria june men killed fighting crete wounded prisoners war rest battalion concentrated palestine rebuilt advance campaign securing syria lebanon australian troops 7th division fighting syria formed 5th battalion 6th committed reinforcements help bring 7th division strength bitter campaign lasted days french forces attempted resist allied invasion launched order deny germans use territory launch attacks egypt modest allied force limited armour artillery equipped french force outnumbered attackers advantage holding mountainous terrain having contributed company garrison duties lebanon provided men help form shattered 1st battalion 3rd consisting officers ranks palestine june join campaign initially arriving palestine battalion committed forming block road damascus later committed attack road wider fighting damascus june operating british indian forces right flank launched unsuccessful action june tasked capturing high ground overlooking main road australians advancing battalion came command formed 17th brigade bring 7th division strength operated coast despite strength consisting companies total men joined fighting july advancing leading 17th brigade advance despite heavy fighting allied forces slowly advanced simultaneously coast inland finally overcoming french defences following armistice july troops remained syria january preparing defences undertaking garrison duties battalion casualties short campaign amounted killed wounded garrison duties ceylon following japan entry war december decision bring bolster allied defences pacific 3rd battalion left middle_east march aboard steamer original intention sent reinforce java sea concerns japanese attack ceylon sri_lanka prompted diversion 16th 17th arrived march freighter carrying battalion vehicles arrived shortly 3rd took defensive positions southeast island considered likely location japanese invasion force land april japanese naval force sortied recently captured launched series attacks carrier based aircraft attack occurred april little damage land british australian navies suffered losses regardless japanese failed sustain initial momentum expected invasion occur men 3rd battalion kept busy remainder time preparing defences manning anti aircraft positions undertaking jungle training receiving instruction lessons learned operations malaya singapore men taught use jungle according author melt foliage steps night use camouflage properly detect human presence crushed twigs disturbed leaf mould build shelters human animal sounds july british forces sent india relieve australian troops ceylon preparations 3rd battalion return australia embarking arrived melbourne august having returned southern route away japanese submarines patrolling east coast troops received weeks home leave time arrival final group leave cut short days recalled urgent telegram time port new_guinea fighting japanese track reaching critical stage short voyage brigade arrived port september fighting new_guinea following arrival port 16th brigade 25th brigade prepared relieve forces track australians having finally halted japanese advance fresh troops tasked launching counterattack drive japanese north consequently october november december took major actions october november action track november december october general spoke 16th brigade commander brigadier corner foot lloyd act god brigade chosen job eyes western world confidence men good luck don stop 16th brigade arrived crossing october days 25th 33rd battalions relieved following day 16th brigade continued advance found japanese withdrawn established strong defensive position japanese held high ground concealed positions clear fields fire narrow gorge options 16th brigade forced assault japanese defences advancing straight gorge amidst torrential rain stiff defence progress slow defensive position dealt individually water level creek rose steadily troops came heavy mortar fire attacked grenades heights supply situation grew desperate october managed work way japanese right flank preparation attack afternoon battalion launched attack breaking japanese outposts main position defenders overwhelmed abandoned weapons fled night remaining japanese withdrew position 16th brigade lost killed wounded action despite successful action superiors 7th division commander major general dissatisfied counter offensive rate progress relieved command day australian forces won japanese resistance decreased battle september 16th brigade advancing eastern fork track opposition november passed recently abandoned village days later australians advanced went battle coming entrenched force holding high ground japanese counter attacked day fighting continued november major general new divisional commander sent 25th brigade 1st battalion successful attack japanese rear japanese supply withdrawal route cut forced retreat final involvement campaign came 16th brigade advanced november left area november battalion second order march tired drained months advance swamps coastal plain proved heavy work day miles heavy rains following day failures resupply effort large number men fell exhaustion november 3rd spearheaded brigade advance coast japanese taken prisoner number minor contacts followed japanese defenders withdrew australians shake conduct assault following morning brigade reached junction trails miles coast 1st battalion attacked 3rd battalion took brigade flanking attack japanese position right forcing japanese fall action severely depleted brigade point fit men unable continue offensive operations activity limited patrolling maintaining defensive perimeter early december 16th brigade relieved 30th brigade relieved december returning strength officers ranks evacuated port plane december returned australia shortly leave fighting advance north sea 3rd lost men killed wounded final campaign short period leave 6th division came late january begin training convert jungle establishment structure size battalion reduced officer ranks giving total men ranks time camp built scratch months battalion ranks brought strength return sick wounded soldiers battalion began reform performed preceding campaigns recommended commissioning sent officer training unit south_australia training time recreation including swimming boxing tournaments 6th division rugby league championship victorious beating final team captain later went play captain time battalion received number reinforcements associated militia unit unit fighting new_guinea 30th brigade served track alongside 3rd 39th 49th battalions returned australia disbanded reinforcements arrived combination political strategic decisions years battalion went combat late order free american troops operations philippines australian forces directed responsibility operations new_guinea returned new_guinea november final brigade arriving december basically cut resupply japanese troops area holding coast past interior supported food supplies native gardens japanese heavy resistance australians primary tactic aggressive patrolling tasked reducing japanese remaining available support operations began limited offensive area initially held divisional reserve occupying defensive position west february tasked securing forward supply base near clearing miles east river came minor opposition february crossed month later progressed miles east occupying coastal town removing japanese area time contact japanese limited small scale actions large general action actions caused heavy casualties japanese defended casualties australians according author heavy relation size numerous small actions japanese forced fight addition nature campaign reduced troops resistance ability undertake proper medical precautions result large numbers sickness casualties malaria took particularly heavy toll troops affected particularly strong strain proved resistant normal accidents resulted losses incident seven men 3rd drowned flooded amidst torrential captured 16th brigade began pursuing japanese defenders withdrawn inland continued august offensive operations ceased word received japanese entered talks battalion area august news came japanese surrendered following atomic bombing hiroshima nagasaki battalion losses final campaign killed wounded disbandment cessation hostilities battalion remained area undertaking occupation duties strength slowly reduced personnel repatriated australia transferred units service eventually remaining personnel returned australia february 3rd battalion disbanded brisbane decorated battalions 2nd fought major axis powers italians germans japanese alongside australian 5th battalion allied troops able claim service total men served 3rd battalion killed wounded members 3rd received military crosses distinguished conduct medals military medals mentions despatches militia units fought war raised decided battle honours 2nd units associated units result battle honours passed reformed canberra introduction division australian_army reorganised reduced company strength forming company following abandonment divisional structure reformed right individual companies split form new battalions old based numerical designations following reorganisation saw reduction number infantry battalions australia linked battle honours 3rd battalion received following battle honours service war north_africa syria damascus greece south west pacific crossing road battle honours carried commanding officers following officers commanded lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel
2/3rd Battalion (Australia)