1st machine gun battalion australia 1st machine gun battalion battalion australian_army raised service world war formed december component companies spread australian states later concentrated new_south_wales completed basic training early months war battalion embarked overseas bound initially middle_east following diverted united_kingdom larger contingent australians helped bolster island garrison undertaking defensive duties period expected germans launch cross channel invasion battalion transferred middle_east late threat invasion passed underwent training egypt taking fighting germans greece crete having lost equipment suffering heavy casualties 1st rebuilt palestine undertaking garrison duties syria battalion withdrawn australia result japan entry war december 1st fought defensive role new_guinea campaign following withdrawal australia early battalion organised reassigned 7th division committed final campaign borneo campaign war battalion disbanded early subject book history formation 1st machine gun battalion formed december 2nd raised following reorganisation 6th division infantry battalions saw removal machine gun previously existed battalion single unit machine gun battalions subsequently raised 2nd war support infantry divisions developed british_army concept australian_army genesis machine guns assigned infantry battalions initially later grouped brigade level help compensate lack artillery support course war western concept evolved establishment machine gun companies establishment machine gun battalions similar formations established australian light horse units serving palestine campaign inter war years machine gun battalions deemed unnecessary army reorganised raised army looked expand fears war europe units raised time militia converting light horse units second world war broke decision raise machine gun battalions 2nd allocated division command lieutenant colonel 1st machine gun battalion formed machine gun companies headquarters company consisting anti aircraft platoon signals platoon transport platoon battalion headquarters australian machine gun battalions established authorised strength personnel like 1st infantry unit wheeled motor vehicles tracked carriers equipped vickers medium machine guns battalion machine gun companies designated consisting gun initially formed separately company forming new_south_wales company forming victoria south_australia new_south_wales end month companies concentrated moving company january intense period training followed range shoots liverpool field exercises areas conducted conjunction infantry battalions 18th brigade period concluded early battalion moved train harbour embarked queen mary men aboard queen mary originally destined middle_east decision mid voyage divert united_kingdom larger contingent australians sent help bolster garrison making long passage cape_town battalion landed scotland mid june france fallen britain preparing potential cross channel invasion australian troops 18th brigade eventually 25th brigade supporting arms help bolster island defences moved south camp remained britain rest year undertaking training mounting guard conducting patrols exercises took place october afford australians permanent barracks coming winter mainly canvas following month threat invasion seemingly passed received orders glasgow embark transport bound middle_east rejoin rest 6th division middle_east greece crete sailing west coast africa avoid threat air attack mediterranean carried battalion egypt reached end december following stops docking battalion moved rail miles west alexandria received new commanding officer lieutenant colonel prior promoted transferred divisional headquarters began training new conditions rest 6th division gone action 1st waiting majority equipment arrive committed place taken british machine gun battalion australian battalion remained late march early april rest 6th division greece german invasion expected spread different transport vessels completing crossing battalion machine guns employed anti aircraft defence 1st companies split company supported australian 4th battalion companies supported new_zealand 4th brigade company assigned australian 17th brigade campaign proved short lived allies quickly pushed advancing germans battalion subsequently withdrawn end april early having fought major actions mount evacuation elements companies taken aboard transport costa_rica later attacked german aircraft vessel sinking troops board evacuated royal_navy destroyers landed crete minus majority equipment lost sea crete battalion companies separated company company possession equipment assigned support australian 19th brigade companies went camp single platoon company later sent reinforce company remainder battalion total personnel evacuated island transport sailing egypt subsequently missing german invasion crete launched week later short sharp campaign followed saw machine gunners remained personnel including officers fighting island garrison finally defeated end end fighting 1st lost men killed wounded captured greece crete later escaped died captivity arriving egypt remainder battalion transported palestine subsequently rebuilt 1st machine gun battalion remained stationed october sent syria bolster garrison established following defeat french forces time 1st effectively assigned 7th division received new commanding officer lieutenant colonel world war veteran replaced battalion subsequently stationed damascus remaining early moved draw australian forces middle_east return australia response japan entry war battalion embarked american troop transport uss west point mid march completing voyage days new_guinea borneo following battalion arrival adelaide men locals city suburbs leave drafts april early 1st remained june order came queensland moving coast train battalion established camp near jungle training undertaken september 1st moved camp closer coast end october companies embarked brisbane bound new_guinea reinforce troops fighting route diverted company later embarked arrived port late november transport moving deployed defensively base mission company deployed december following month moved rest battalion remained deception bay queensland link companies landing port intervening period deployed companies temporarily detached militia 7th machine gun battalion company went action pacific time fighting marching support campaign battalion withdrawn australia early rest reorganisation period stationed soldiers experienced cold winter moving battalion reorganised conform requirements jungle divisional establishment result vehicles changed include trailers instead trucks considered impractical jungle change commanding officer took place time lieutenant colonel previously served battalion second command leaving command january returning long period training included courses amphibious warfare jungle exercises followed focus fighting pacific shifted away australian forces military consequently close end war battalion went action battalion contributed australian contingent sent india lecture british_army officers lessons jungle warfare battalion transported preparation recapture borneo 1st assigned support 7th division landing july largely divisional asset battalion provided company division component brigades 18th 21st 25th company remained reserve headquarters coming ashore aboard landing craft companies taking initial assault helped secure high ground overlooking company remained floating reserve 25th brigade battalion reserve company company headquarters element came ashore later wave set secure base subsequent advance inland battalion main focus progressing australians dubbed ran east west island southern shore australians fought oil pipeline airfield ran north south centre mountainous fighting borneo 1st lost men killed wounded following conclusion hostilities battalion personnel returned australia small drafts 1st undertook garrison duties area longer serving men repatriated discharged early volunteers transferred units raised deployed japan november batch men transferred 21st brigade occupation duties australian forces began preparing hand territories dutch authorities december battalion consisted personnel end month embarked transport kings point victory journey australia battalion subsequently disbanded january formed intended machine gun battalions provide highly mobile fire support author long carry highlights war utility machine gun battalions largely misunderstood commanders particularly focus australian_army operations shifted pacific commanders machine guns largely static defensive capacity short medium range targets offensive fire support weapons employed provide long range fire support medium machine guns largely utilised manner light machine guns reasons identified concept limited use include distrust overhead fire commanders preference organic fire support attached sub units estimating difficulty transporting vickers guns jungle tendency ignore targets seen disbandment machine gun battalion concept post war australian_army function structure standard infantry battalion 1st machine gun battalion subject book book based stories recounted dog owner served machine gunner 1st personnel served 1st war members battalion killed action died wounds died accident decorations awarded included military crosses military medals british mentions despatches commanders following officers served commanding officer 1st machine gun battalion lieutenant colonel prior lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel battle honours 1st received following battle honours involvement war greece middle_east crete south west pacific borneo
2/1st Machine Gun Battalion (Australia)