48th battalion australia 48th battalion infantry battalion australian_army served second world war raised adelaide south australia august battalion formed initially assigned 7th division later transferred deployed middle_east saw action siege second battles returned australia fighting new_guinea following japan entry war campaign new_guinea battalion took advance campaign fighting campaign following withdrawn australia remained year 48th battalion took landing final involvement war disbanded october considered australia highly decorated unit war members receiving victoria_cross nation highest decoration gallantry decorations members history formation 48th battalion raised august adelaide command lieutenant colonel militia officer previously commanded unit volunteer 2nd 48th battalion formed specifically service overseas recruited mainly state south_australia battalion headquarters staff began arriving early month key personnel having served previously south australian militia units including 27th end august large draft recruits arrived 2nd rudimentary individual training undertaken nearby park lands colours initially chosen battalion unit colour patch unit served world war raised militia formation colours white dark blue circle shape diamond shaped border gray added distinguish battalion militia counterpart later changed following unit involvement fighting adopted authorised strength personnel like australian infantry battalions time battalion formed nucleus rifle companies designated consisting companies supported battalion headquarters headquarters company specialist signals pioneer anti aircraft transport administrative mortars forming 26th brigade 23rd 24th battalions assigned 7th division initial training period later transferred rest 26th brigade pre leave battalion undertook weeks collective training october following month battalion marched city adelaide prior deployment overseas shortly embarked north_africa undertaking mile route march equipment battalion embarked november large transport set sail following day actions north_africa sailing troops given brief shore leave entered suez_canal mid december arrival middle_east battalion briefly occupied camp moving palestine battalion joined rest time undertook training march time moved rest undertake training desert relieve 6th division deploying greece shortly germans landed forces africa reinforce italians axis went offensive british commonwealth forces libya forced retreat strategically important port town early april 48th fell general retreat setting blocking position withdrawal prevent german force cutting division route coast road days constant movement desert battalion reached port subsequently took defence battalion saw action receive battle honours 48th entered defences april rest 9th division commanded lieutenant general instructed hold fortress weeks general commander chief ended defending fortress months gradually withdrawn defensive system consisted lines outer position consisted scattered perimeter posts reserve company positions dubbed red line secondary defence system miles red line dubbed blue line time battalion alternated occupying main defence line working rear areas conducting patrols mid april battalion stationed western sector patrols resulted battalion capturing virtually entire 1st totalling nearly officers men later month 48th took daylight raid hill opposite perimeter italians artillery tanks infantry supported british tanks 7th raid caught defenders surprise resulting capture italians large quantities weapons vehicles light casualties late 48th patrol perimeter overnight german patrols pushed miles south set ambush laid series land mines bypass track german supply subsequently destroyed july battalion moved road sector opposite italians october majority including 48th battalion withdrawn sea british division arrived garrison overall 48th suffered casualties including men killed died wounds sent palestine syria order train rest undertake garrison duties allied occupation force established following syria lebanon campaign new commander lieutenant colonel assumed command took 20th brigade 48th proceeded train high terrain temperatures late june axis forces commanded general crossed egyptian frontier offensive aimed capturing alexandria making brief stand forced withdraw line response transported south syria committed july forces launched determined assault line july 9th division ordered launch counter attack plan 48th ordered traverse coastline capture ridge north station commencing attack shortly dawn july initial artillery bombardment disrupted italian troops main objective attack captured italians taken prisoner 48th advanced south captured station successfully defended number axis counter attacks july battalion ordered capture west_point ridge held heavily entrenched axis forces initial success 48th came heavy artillery mortar fire forced withdraw having suffered casualties actions attack private awarded battalion victoria_cross captured machine gun post gun crew firing company went capture second post killed taking total 48th suffered casualties period july october men killed dying wounds wounded august lieutenant general took command succeeded preventing axis advance montgomery began preparing allied offensive axis forces second battle started october finished november axis forces withdrawing westwards avoid 48th battalion engaged right allied line near coast period 20th 26th brigades pushed westwards endured numerous germans sought regain control strategically important coast road end month battalion heavily depleted having started nearly men line week fighting battalion field fit men result rotated line final german counterattack repulsed allowing allies launch final breakout phase operation actions offensive members 48th awarded battalion second awarded actions week period charged axis positions subsequently killed attacking enemy position grenades october private earned battalion october area platoon reduced seven men enemy fire charged nearest enemy position killed occupants destroyed post grenades proceeding position killed overall 48th suffered casualties period october november men killed dying wounds wounded losses resulted battalion withdrawn line battle reached climax early november allies went advance battalion moved time slowly rebuilt men wounded returned unit replaced reinforcements process continue new year helping secure victory 9th division moved palestine december previous october australian government sought bring division australia order use japanese pacific 6th 7th divisions withdrawn year december british prime minister winston_churchill finally agreed provide necessary shipping following divisional parade 48th battalion embarked january fighting new_guinea convoy carrying battalion mid february small number western australian personnel disembarked begin home leave rest battalion continued moving adelaide rail late march south australian personnel completed leave battalion constituted time series held australian capital city welcome home 48th marched adelaide 48th transported queensland established camp near april battalion organised trained jungle operations south west pacific theatre order prepare conditions new_guinea undertaking training battalion converted tropical establishment warfare pacific posed unique problems differed greatly 48th experienced north_africa new_guinea logistics transport significant challenges order meet battalion size reduced men anti aircraft carrier disbanded battalion rifle companies lost organic motor transport mobility issue solved marching foot vehicles relatively useless dense jungle supplies brought native carriers air july battalion moved undertook amphibious training american engineer boat final preparations committed fighting new_guinea sailing aboard henry allen arriving new_guinea early august 48th established camp bay undertook amphibious training taking landing september final phase campaign large scale amphibious landing conducted australian forces landings gallipoli battalion rest 26th brigade landed miles north west subsequently advanced westwards september captured following fall 7th division advanced assault september allies launched follow campaign peninsula initially brigade committed operation 48th battalion remained 26th brigade transported sea late october order reinforce 20th brigade landed month previous effort follow troops withdrawing coming heavy japanese counterattack time battalion took attempted landing japanese launched australian japanese defeated late october australian attention turned site abandoned lutheran mission newly arrived 26th brigade chosen lead assault division brigades main advance began november battalion took preliminary attack previous day order secure start line advance pushing north west company tanks 48th began drive difficult terrain japanese defence advance slow progress november captured battalion reached southern slopes feature yards summit november 48th company carried surprise attack position south east crossing creek company stepped shortly hours reached base steep cliff began assault summit held machine gun fire grenades japanese position finding impossible hill gradient degrees attack appeared danger failure light began fade ammunition ran low actions company platoon commanders attack laying sections provide covering fire went forward armed rifle quantity grenades attacking japanese positions went end accounted posts attack halted yards summit night company edge plateau mission situated fresh supplies brought rear attack resumed hours day supported heavy artillery mortar fire 48th ridge found position japanese having abandoned previous night actions previous day given honour raising australian flag mission later awarded victoria_cross battalion fourth distinguished conduct medal received actions fighting later sent officer training unit commissioned returned battalion lieutenant departure usual army policy result intensive lobbying behalf following capture 48th continued advance north rest 26th brigade pushing difficult terrain arrived december following japanese began fall retreat battalion involvement combat operations peninsula came end troops arrived relieve january battalion camped withdrawn camping february 48th withdrawn australia sailing aboard ship battalion landed brisbane february camp personnel marched long period home leave time new_guinea battalion suffered casualties killed died wounds died illness wounded landing battalion began reforming near april time composition units 9th division underwent significant changes men discharged medical reasons transferred units young replacements brought battalion original members struck sickness fighting new_guinea long period training followed battalion undertook number exercises including amphibious operations british royal marines finally following year training australia battalion committed final deployment war moving april order landing embarking battalion transported ships battalion arrived later month battalion undertook series manoeuvres exercising armour night prepare coming campaign april battalion embarked practicing beach landings week setting sail objective entire group assigned task capturing destroying japanese garrison assault began embarking 48th wave attack leading brigade hours landing left flank miles town western island 23rd right preliminary bombardment successful battalion came ashore largely unopposed allowing landing craft close shore pushing inland 48th secured primary objectives hours right forward company took sporadic fire secured oil tanks battalion left hand company able capture bridge high feature overlooking landing beach meeting resistance advancing inland japanese fired right forward company secured abandoned defenders company sent secure ridge hours western end ridge secured battalion began taking fire east forward momentum maintained 48th suffered number casualties end day yard yard established battalion companies collins highway ridge parks feature course couple days japanese resistance australian advance increased australians secured island airfield low ground west coast june significant engagements took place hills surrounding town 48th captured pressing hill assaulted feature supported tanks 9th armoured regiment experienced heaviest losses campaign losing killed wounded assaults steep slopes feature major engagement came late 48th took fighting drive main japanese position company level attack stiff resistance ridge captured following morning battalion waited japanese counterattack played key role capturing position previous day mortally wounded subsequently died june major combat operations island ceased australians began phase campaign australians sought clear isolated pockets japanese troops evaded capture operations continued july time 48th assigned sector near eastern coast town centre island battalion involvement borneo campaign resulted casualties including killed died wounds accident disbandment following end hostilities august battalion remained undertake garrison duties time undertook patrol operations bring pockets japanese troops learned surrender dangerous operations effort reduce casualties patrols went japanese prisoners help talk comrades surrendering process began numbers long serving men repatriated australia limited service transferred units service finally october battalion disbanded occasion marked small ceremony involving unit remaining members course war total men served 48th battalion men killed action died active service wounded captured according australian war memorial 48th battalion australia highest decorated unit second world war members battalion received victoria_cross posthumously decorations awarded members 48th included distinguished service orders military crosses distinguished conduct medals military medals mentions despatches commanding officers following officers commanded 48th battalion war lieutenant colonel august january lieutenant colonel january june lieutenant colonel july august battle honours 48th battalion awarded battle honours service war north_africa defence line tell south west pacific borneo
2/48th Battalion (Australia)