39th infantry unit australian_army originally raised february service world war making 10th brigade attached served western france belgium disbanded march following organisation australian_army battalion raised unit known regiment amalgamated 37th battalion 37th 39th battalion later 37th amalgamated 24th battalion form 24th 39th battalion raised single unit october world war battalion sent new_guinea july august year unit heavily engaged defence time fought desperate actions japanese attempted hold reinforcements brought port involvement battle time withdrawn muster men following return australia unit disbanded early july history world war formation formed february victoria service world war command lieutenant colonel battalion raised expansion 1st took place conclusion majority battalion recruits came 37th 38th 40th battalions formed 10th brigade following brief period training 39th battalion marched melbourne city unit subsequently embarked bound united_kingdom sailing cape_town battalion landed plymouth july moved train marching undertook period months training sent france november completing channel crossing november landed moved train night december battalion took place trenches western relieving sister battalion 37th sector remained week introduction trench warfare time battalion repelled small german raid sent patrols man land western having endured long winter flanders serving mainly defensive role battalion major engagement came belgium early june battle began badly 39th near march line departure battalion suffered high number casualties following german gas attack subsequently resulted 39th able muster manpower attack amounting assault force men despite 39th quickly reorganised single wave attacking 10th brigade right subsequently overcame initial german opposition facing second phase battle advanced south southern edge involved fighting north initially held german machine gun fire overcome continued advance final objective eventually digging yards farm having managed capture objectives later october took major attacks sector firstly brilliant success second disastrous failure fighting october 39th formed wave 10th brigade attack went following 37th 38th battalions advanced strongly held boxes switch digging party 39th joined launched final wave brigade attack 40th came stiff opposition men 39th pushed forward objective finally secured battle 39th remained line october withdrawn reorganisation rest couple days later battalion fighting ordered advance attacking morning october despite heavy rain previous evening heavy fighting followed battalion managed secure objective forced withdraw flanks threatened neighbouring units unable advance thick mud course months 39th battalion rotated line rear areas holding line belgium winter spring german_army launched effort victory known spring offensive 39th australian battalions moved south france order stem tide german onslaught fighting series defensive actions late march early june allies launched offensive days offensive august battalion rest 10th brigade serving divisional reserve participate advance known greatest days allies western august battalion committed battle undertaking attack village attack ill conceived ultimately failed despite battalion remained line august early september advanced battalion undertook major action war end september serving alongside americans breached parts line canal final battle battalion long serving commanding officer lieutenant colonel taken command february battalion major battle killed action late october 39th relieved battalion removed line undertake training reorganisation middle october 39th bolstered company reinforcements 37th disbanded help losses 10th brigade units 39th action rear armistice declared november fighting process began slowly men began marching australia finally march disbanded point battalion remaining personnel amalgamated units form 10th regiment soldiers returning australia course war 39th battalion suffered men killed wounded members battalion received following decorations member excellent order british_empire distinguished conduct medals military crosses military medals bars mentions dispatches involvement fighting western 39th battalion awarded battle honours inter war years end world war wholesale disbandment units australian_army wartime army disbanded personnel decided need raise time military force known responsibility defence australian mainland force organised lines 1st units raised kept numerical designation 1st battalions ceased exist officially april reorganised following month adopting numerical designations structures raised melbourne formation battalion attached 10th brigade battalion drew personnel 22nd 24th infantry regiments 29th light horse territorial designations adopted battalion assumed title years later changed regiment assumed motto initially battalion kept strength volunteers men serving terms compulsory training scheme scheme suspended newly elected government renamed militia combination end compulsory training financial hardships great depression meant volunteers available men risk losing jobs undertake training result 1930s number units amalgamated disbanded size army reduced merged later 37th amalgamated 24th battalion 24th 39th battalion alliance regiment approved world war formation october issued order raising single battalion called national service intent raise battalion relieve queensland based serving garrison force port outset battalion formed men transferred variety infantry light horse units including 24th 39th battalion deployed road victoria elements 3rd lieutenant colonel battalion new commanding officer having previously served 23rd battalion world war war battalion headquarters opened near october nucleus officers senior non commissioned officers experience world war prepared battalion arrival soldiers ranks bring required establishment october draft officers men assembled transported rail following day numbers increased arrival seven officers men later june arrived new_guinea battalion strength bolstered transfer officers 2nd including new commanding officer lieutenant colonel november 39th battalion streets melbourne weapons taken days form battalion battalion declared ready training end events pacific training cut short battalion able undertake training exercise time exercise code named battle conducted victorian western district end october days japanese attack fleet pearl harbor british malaya december battalion ordered prepare war service threat invasion japanese changed strategic situation planning forecasts australian high command instead relieving 39th combined 49th new_south_wales based 53rd battalion form 30th brigade plans entire formation deploy new_guinea christmas day spent camp loaded trains following day rapid north train went straight departed street station melbourne hours later trains arrived sydney hours december battalion moved ferry officers men battalion boarded passenger ship bound new_guinea initially arrival new_guinea january 39th battalion defend airfield near port carry garrison tasks building defences unloading stores wharf battalion commanding officer deemed medically unfit service relinquished command june military situation new_guinea deteriorated battalion received orders track order act blocking force possibility japanese advance overland north order counter threat composed troops sent arriving july proved large japanese force landed week later quickly began inland clash occurred july platoon company command captain having destroyed engaged japanese far river australians forced withdraw hundreds japanese marines began crossing river barrage mortar machine gun fire withdrew miles set successful ambush advancing japanese banks creek forced high ground attempted stand tried contact battalion headquarters rest battalion spread track order reinforcements evening july japanese attacked main position men company left time armed small arms light machine guns match assaulting japanese casualties sides high australians resorted hand hand combat battalion commanding officer lieutenant colonel flown battalion following death killed organising withdrawal clear lost following morning cover dense mist commanding officer major assuming temporary command survivors abandoned position fell village mile track remnants company bad state august major brigade major 30th brigade arrived command sent disgrace mistaken belief run away fighting august rest 39th battalion troops experience fighting japanese launched counterattack managed secure airfield close proximity japanese relief aircraft unable land short food ammunition forced fall days fighting eventually managed halt japanese advance august fell point fighting ceased weeks time 39th joined 53rd 30th brigade headquarters lieutenant colonel arrived command reaching battalion august subsequently began organising battalion defence august brigadier took command reinforcements arrived 14th 16th later 27th battalions 7th reached area despite situation remained bleak supply issue problem australians reinforcements arrived state disarray having committed battle fashion suffering badly hunger disease japanese experiencing similar problems relation supplies began advance august despite rugged defensive actions australians forced august crossing september finally days later exhausted efforts longer able considered effective fighting force 39th relieved sent track rest job required having stalled japanese advance order allow reinforcements brought reinforcements came shape 25th brigade comprising 25th 31st 33rd battalions bitter fighting ensued australians withdrew september time japanese reached limit september began withdraw november australian hands fighting disbandment following 39th battalion withdrawal line september spent month sent port mid october detailed prepare defensive positions november attached 21st brigade december 39th battalion involved fighting brigade fought time 39th suffered heavy casualties fighting continued having captured mission battalion moved track december taking forward position new year battalion withdrawn returned 30th brigade suffered heavy casualties january flown frontage seven officers men february 39th ordered prepare operations area anticipation japanese attack attack march 39th battalion embarked return journey australia following 39th battalion return australia men given period leave 30th brigade queensland initially plan brigade rebuild prior returning new_guinea july decided 30th brigade component battalions 39th 49th 3rd battalions disbanded reinforce 6th division reinforcements sent 16th 19th brigades came effect july result decision called service transferred militia battalion new_south_wales volunteered overseas service sent 2nd battalion units later saw service new_guinea end battalion involvement fighting new_guinea men served ranks battalion suffered combat casualties consisted killed action died wounds died causes wounded action illness disease took heavy toll result months combat 39th battalion muster roll seven officers ranks service world war members 39th battalion received following decorations seven 39th received battle honours war australian unit receive trail battle honour battle honours 39th battalion received following battle honours world war line france flanders world war south west pacific crossing road river commanding officers world war lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel world war lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel legacy end war 39th battalion involvement fighting significant narrative surrounding legend australia emergence modern nation battalion actions shown film recently australian movie based partly war australia time military forces reformed battalions disbanded war raised 39th august australian_army raised 39th personnel support battalion later designated 39th operational support battalion adopting 39th numerical designation order order battle ceremony held shrine remembrance melbourne governor general described 39th battalion australia soldiers stating australian nation heroic service
39th Battalion (Australia)