2nd machine gun battalion australia 2nd machine gun battalion infantry support unit volunteer raised service overseas second world war formed sydney personnel drawn states queensland new_south_wales battalion allocated completing training australia battalion operated middle_east early early seeing action german italian forces second battles undertaking garrison duties syria allied garrison established syria lebanon campaign early 2nd brought australia fight campaigns japanese came september battalion landed east new_guinea took advance secure town fell fortnight followed fighting peninsula saw battalion undertake amphibious landing actions withdrawn australia early machine gunners 2nd supported landings allied efforts recapture borneo war battalion disbanded february history formation training 2nd machine gun battalion machine gun battalions raised volunteer 2nd service overseas second world war infantry units equipped wheeled motor vehicles motor cycles tracked carriers machine gun battalions formed provide greater level support fire available ordinary infantry battalions 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 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 rate division 2nd machine gun battalion formed sydney new_south_wales formation battalion assigned 7th division 2nd second division infantry divisions militia time personnel recruited australian states queensland new_south_wales having served previously militia light horse regiments infantry battalions battalion commanding officer lieutenant colonel previously commanded 1st light horse machine gun regiment nucleus trained personnel drawn regiment queensland based militia units colours chosen battalion unit colour patch gold black triangular shape border grey later changed following unit involvement fighting adopted geographic recruits basic training undertaken separately completing induction greater brisbane area undertaking theirs battalion finally concentrated new_south_wales late point unit establishment completed battalion structure finalised structured lines 2nd machine gun battalions consisted personnel organised headquarters element consisting signals anti aircraft administration machine gun companies equipped vickers machine guns total entire battalion machine gun companies normally numbered starting headquarters company company 2nd differed australian machine gun battalions designating light aid detachment electrical mechanical engineers attached period training battalion ready deploy overseas february unit embarked middle_east departing sydney aboard transport service middle_east arriving middle_east 2nd machine gun battalion conducted training palestine april transported battalion began year long period serving garrison role end period january battalion reassigned moved syria undertook garrison duty allied occupation force established syria lebanon campaign defend possible german attack came end late june 9th rushed help establish hasty defence line july battalion companies detached support individual australian brigades allied forces beginning year steadily pushed german italian forces fought desperately stop german advance east cairo supporting infantry battalions fighting early july battalion crews played significant roles turning attacks australian positions concert divisional artillery reported inflicted heavy casualties german italian soldiers later middle month supported attack 32nd infantry battalion commanded 2nd old commander right track end month offensive come halt followed battalion provided defensive fire depth positions october joined second allied counter attack launched second battle battles battalion heavily engaged company supporting composite force operating support 24th brigade casualties amounted killed wounded captured conclusion fighting 2nd machine gun battalion withdrawn early december remaining rest 9th division embarking queen mary australia late january final withdrawal australian ground units middle_east pacific fight japanese fighting new_guinea borneo return period leave followed battalion constituted queensland april battalion subsequently equipped reorganised prepare jungle warfare time drafts reinforcements received mainly drawn states south_australia western_australia changed demographics battalion personnel personnel drawn europeans living new_guinea finally battalion received orders deploy territory august 2nd arrived bay developed large allied base fighting previous year month garrison duties work parties battalion committed final actions campaign early september took landing 9th 7th divisions rushed secure town 9th landing east town battalion suffered casualties single japanese air attack overall battalion involvement advance resulted limited casualties personnel mainly stores equipment providing local defence fell sooner anticipated allies moved quickly consolidate secure late september initial landing company 2nd deployed company support 20th brigade initially company responsible defending australians advanced south japanese resistance intensified machine gunners began patrolling operations north west secured early october australians increased size force ashore landing 24th brigade rest 2nd machine gun battalion battalion formed main divisional reserve carrying tasks maintaining mobile reserve counter attack necessary november attacked machine guns company offensive role time campaign following fall elements battalion supported advance supporting subsequent advance australians followed retreating japanese december company detached support 20th brigade resumed lead marching mid january battalion remained new_guinea late february unloading ships embarking transport february relieved 5th withdrawn australia rest reorganisation short voyage 2nd disembarked brisbane early march total casualties sustained battalion new_guinea dead wounded long period relative inactivity subsequently followed result inter allied service politics saw army assume operations pacific future role australian forces pacific campaign time battalion based queensland virtually rebuilt having fallen strength personnel effects tropical diseases losses suffered previous campaign battalion transferred tropical war establishment period army wide reorganisation intended units jungle warfare result change battalion longer considered unit guns largely carried battlefield soldiers moving foot change battalion lost majority vehicles machine gunners embarked middle_east earlier previous year returned equipment british small number vehicles allocated battalion previous campaign new_guinea amounting proven insufficient maintain supplies organisation increased company headquarters equipped trailers provided machine gun company resupply represented total trailers battalion year battalion committed final campaign war joined fighting borneo company supported 26th brigade assault rest battalion supported landings short sharp campaign time addition normal close support role machine gunners infantry conducting extensive patrolling search japanese resulted number clashes conducting defensive tasks raiding parties number members battalion assist operation narrow gauge railway brought service maintain australian supply line early august dropping atomic bombs hiroshima brought war end battalion casualties campaign borneo totaled dead wounded casualties amounted soldiers killed wounded disbandment late august 2nd concentrated island tasked setting running reception camp released allied prisoners war prior late december camp finally closed following conclusion hostilities battalion personnel slowly transferred units repatriated australia january 2nd remaining personnel returned australia following month february unit disbanded course war total personnel served unit member author based content works including events witnessed serving battalion battalion lost men killed died active service wounded captured members battalion received following decorations distinguished conduct medal military medals mentions despatches war australian_army moved away machine gun battalion construct consequently similar units raised role support companies individual infantry battalions concept arguably misunderstood australian commanders war influenced decision away concept units established intent machine gun battalions provide highly mobile fire support largely applicable theatres principles open warfare applied focus australian_army combat operations shifted pacific machine gun battalions largely employed static defensive capacity short medium range targets tasks 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 difficulties target acquisition dense jungle contributed commanding officers 2nd machine gun battalion commanded following officers lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel lieutenant colonel battle honours 2nd machine gun battalion awarded following battle honours north_africa defence line borneo
2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia)