4th machine gun battalion australia 4th machine gun battalion australian_army unit raised service volunteer 2nd second world war formed late 8th division battalion established provide direct fire support division infantry brigades fourth unit raised 2nd unit personnel largely drawn state western_australia formation battalion concentrated near perth basic individual training moving complete advance late amidst concerns war pacific unit deployed north darwin undertook garrison duties weeks following japan entry war following japanese landings malaya 4th embarked darwin transferred malaya arriving singapore final days fighting peninsula wake withdrawal british commonwealth forces island battalion hastily deployed support australian brigades 22nd 27th brigades north western sector island initial japanese landing elements battalion heavily engaged landing beaches outnumbered course week defenders pushed centre island city singapore suffered heavy casualties time subsequently prisoners war fall singapore detachment men battalion left australia deployed singapore took fighting java brief campaign majority personnel taken captivity allied forces overwhelmed mid march attempted fight eventually men killed captured prisoners remained japanese captivity end war august half years held japanese members 4th sent prison camps pacific slave labour subjected harsh conditions extreme brutality war surviving members battalion returned australia 4th raised history formation training 4th machine gun battalion machine gun battalions raised volunteer 2nd service overseas second world war infantry units equipped wheeled motor vehicles tracked carriers machine gun battalions formed provide greater level fire support available infantry battalions developed british_army concept genesis australian_army machine guns assigned infantry battalions initially grouped brigade level help compensate lack artillery support western concept evolved establishment machine gun companies finally establishment machine gun battalions similar formations established australian light horse units serving palestine campaign inter war years machine gun battalions deemed unnecessary raised army reorganised australian_army looked expand owing fears war europe units formed time militia converting light horse units militia machine gun battalions raised new units later second world war began formed consolidating machine gun companies assigned number infantry battalions light horse units converted role use garrison forces 2nd australia overseas expeditionary force decision raise machine gun battalions corps troops usually allocated rate division militia units later designated units majority personnel volunteered overseas service meant deployed outside australian territory 2nd units amid tide german successes europe influx volunteers 2nd result australian government decided raise volunteer division overseas service named 8th division established infantry brigades 22nd 23rd 27th division supported corps troops including engineers cavalry artillery pioneers machine gun battalion direct fire support formation 4th machine gun battalion came november lieutenant colonel world war veteran commanded militia infantry battalion war established headquarters camp near perth western australia rest 8th division drawn personnel mainly populous eastern states new_south_wales victoria decision select personnel 4th enlisted conducting training west potentially primarily pragmatic decision reduce time concentrate unit complete training like 2nd units 4th drew staff officers senior non commissioned officers volunteers local militia units augmented partially trained ranks local recruit training depots batch numbering men arrived november marched december battalion brought authorised strength men personnel formed machine gun companies headquarters company consisting specialist including signals anti aircraft battalion headquarters platoon commanders contingent arrived regional officer training units initially training hampered lack equipment vickers machine guns assigned battalion available start focus individual collective training stores arrived training accelerated help experienced militia world war veterans brought share experiences new troops christmas new year leave battalion received distinctive unit colour patch black gold triangle early new year establishment battalion command formation completed appointment platoon commanders following return appointment courses training evolved establishment school specialist courses including range finding transport drum band raised february training focused skill arms undertaking mile march perth conducted course days undertaken according australian war memorial test physical fitness endurance personnel officers efficiency battalion motor transport administration personnel return training progressed field firing night manoeuvres defensive exercises specialised training continuing july time battalion considered ready deployment month received orders proceeding drafts transports rail established end month battalion endured bitter winter conducting field exercises amidst steep wooded slopes mount range complex physically demanding worked battalion peak efficiency preparation deployment amidst growing tensions pacific garrison duties northern australia august 27th brigade sent malaya reinforce 22nd serving garrison role february having dispatched 4th machine battalion forming 2nd troops remaining australia 23rd brigade result concerns japanese intentions region decision brigade north bolster defences darwin event fighting pacific government planned split infantry battalions defend island chain australia north forces role corps troops 4th pioneers 4th machine gun battalion remained uncertain 8th division commander major general unhappy dispersal command dispatch machine gunners malaya support infantry brigades arguing valuable beach defence bennett request rejected initially march limited numbers recruits enlisting mid september elements army headquarters melbourne begun advocate early october following decision split command 8th division removing elements australia bennett command 4th machine gun battalion received orders north darwin serve home defence role case japanese attack october battalion began journey north camped overnight continuing journey road vehicle convoy took north final journey reached october battalion allocated large defensive zone bay included large beach frontage extensive swamp lands creeks inland november extensive work undertaken improving camp preparing position fortified undertook garrison duties guarding ammunition road railway construction heavy summer rains flooded camp surrounding area construction brought wave fever battalion threat attacks creeks battalion position battalion mascot dog named gunner fell victim news japanese attack pearl harbor invasion malaya came early december need bolster australian forces pacific bennett pressed harder reinforcements december 4th machine gun battalion received orders embark malaya december transferring responsibility defensive area militia light horse machine gun regiment south_australia battalion embarked bound malaya port arriving january transferred transport rest way completed transferring battalion equipment news received miles north east bombed carrier based aircraft concerns aircraft looking convoy warships fleeing philippines port bombed convoy departure advanced sailed immediately instead proceeding malaya taken sydney new south wales decided safer proceed southern route brief stay sydney battalion equipment deficiencies good reinforcements received local recruit training depots embarked january company proceeded way troops kept occupied training light machine gun thompson sub machine gun quantities hastily added battalion equipment scale reached january overnight large number 4th men defied orders stay aboard ship went ashore spend time families sailed day men left situation malaya grave japanese steadily pushing british commonwealth defenders south peninsula gravity situation australian government knee reaction saw dispatch partially trained reinforcements arrived departed ferried joined ship company late afternoon january reinforcements good men left partially trained ill prepared fighting follow departing convoy steamed java reached early january proceeding reached mid morning january men transferred number smaller faster dutch ships run japanese bombers attacking allied shipping area concert australian british indian escorts dutch flying boats convoy entered january arrival singapore consisting personnel ranks battalion allocated task preparing machine gun positions north coast naval base stepped japanese bombing naval base 4th accommodated day fighting having pushed peninsula course seven weeks final week january allies withdrew mainland singapore final stand covering withdrawal 22nd brigade australian unit cross foot wide causeway blown early morning january prevent japanese capturing slow advance machine gun battalions available defending british commonwealth forces preparations expected japanese assault battalion split provide support troops 22nd 27th 44th western island japanese assault expected february concerns lack defending infantry machine gun reinforcements hastily formed sixth company detached time form strong initially command officer 19th infantry battalion later taken major 4th machine gun battalion japanese attack came night february heavy artillery aerial bombardment lasted day company positioned locations support australian 22nd brigade north western area found thick fighting japanese concentrated landing australian 8th division stretched large frontage ground defence australians immediately pressure shortly platoon supporting 20th infantry battalion head road confronted large number landing barges filled japanese assault troops hours platoon lieutenant fought desperate action repel invaders machine guns personal small arms grenades platoon inflicted heavy casualties japanese sank barges despite heavy casualties japanese mortar machine gun fire kept fighting early morning february threatened low ammunition gun fired rounds having gun knocked platoon forced withdraw destroying equipment went prevent captured platoon forced withdraw contact taking wounded action later rewarded platoon commander badly wounded taking machine guns crew wounded near platoon lieutenant stationed support company 18th infantry battalion wooded area low hills platoon established formation near shore machine guns distributed sections north south axis facing narrow peninsula mouth small inlet according official history japanese landing party approached southern section opened fire approaching barges kept firing hours despite retaliation hand grenades japanese landed crossed neck peninsula case extremely wide sector assigned 22nd brigade japanese landing parties able spread australian positions risk cut ammunition running low ordered southern section retreat according led section jungle path came party japanese resting shot revolver knocked swing machine gun lost life attempting cover section withdrawal northern section platoon held ground informed near infantry platoon surrounded withdraw forced retreat machine guns northern section found japanese troops blocking path private cliff attacked japanese officer wielding sword took sword japanese soldier situation worsened early february company reserve sent forward provide assistance slowly pushed important airfield village took positions east airfield shortly joined platoon company detached causeway sector remnants 22nd numbering men original isolated attempting fight way pushed day orders passed counter attack airfield size japanese forces area grew men later cancelled favour establishing line east airfield established early afternoon line 4th company positioned east platoon company remnants amounting men moved south joined company supporting indian 44th brigade engaged fallen south west coast avoid cut established west late february japanese landings causeway sector held 27th despite having reduced infantry battalions transfer 29th hard pressed able mount stiff defence supported machine guns company platoon inflicted casualties japanese landing craft coming ashore mouth casualties mounting pressure placed brigade rear large gap developed japanese advances 22nd area decision withdraw beach north south woodlands road south australian 22nd indian 44th 6th 15th 12th infantry brigades established axis south coast early evening february japanese secured entire west coast island days allied troops pushed south east city singapore time battalion companies constant action case companies separate command companies battalion headquarters reinforcements company detached suffered heavily days lost men killed missing hoc formation disbanded men returned 4th platoon company took mounted role carriers began patrolling support february engaged road supporting following day attacked japanese light tank knocked carriers platoon february allied troops withdrawn small perimeter city 8th division holding position miles east city centred axis holland road headquarters barracks japanese gaining ground north south lines indian 44th british 54th brigades situation critical threatened cut began plan stand moving forward survey situation badly wounded mortar small arms fire evacuated died wounds late evening february despite loss battalion kept fighting end sending patrols following day severely japanese vehicle convoy came close position late february british commander lieutenant general gave order surrender physical process surrender slow despite orders surrender weapons ammunition men proceeded destroy majority equipment following morning japanese arrived later marched prison men battalion attempted escape japanese began executing prisoners regimental sergeant major successfully sumatra later recaptured private les remained run days recaptured collapsing bullet wounds received attempt java detachment majority battalion fighting singapore small detachment men sent java majority men failed return time unofficial leave missing ship arrested military police confined quarters weeks january released command officers small group embarked set singapore escorted canberra reaching february detachment found placed dutch command formed composite infantry company reserve battalion hoc formation known formed brigadier end month having taken sumatra japanese invaded java divisions strong naval task force fierce fighting sea ensued force allied ships sunk japanese transports sunk majority japanese troops landed detachment 4th found majority 4th personnel formed hoc infantry force known consisting major fought defensive actions overwhelmed taken captivity march small number continued fight eventually captured men held camps java sumatra majority later sent singapore transported camps south east asia disbandment fighting total men deployed battalion lost men killed action wounded suffered shell shock total men taken captivity including wounded men managed escape australia remaining men died prisoners war following capture men 4th singapore concentrated prison split sent prison camps pacific including borneo burma thailand java sumatra japan slave labour burma thai railway coal mines subjected harsh treatment starvation disease extreme brutality took heavy toll soldiers 4th killed taken japan ships sunk allied submarines captivity soldiers continued contribute allied war effort building series home radios transmitted japanese shipping movements british forces india able gain news home liberated august war surviving members battalion returned australia 4th raised members battalion received following decorations military cross distinguished conduct medal mentions despatches addition member battalion appointed member order british empire war australian_army moved away machine gun battalion concept similar units raised machine gun role support companies individual infantry battalions idea arguably misunderstood australian commanders war influenced decision away concept units established intent machine gun battalions provide highly mobile fire support worked principles open warfare worked focus australian_army combat operations shifted pacific machine gun battalions largely employed static defensive capacity short medium range targets tasks offensive weapons long range fire support medium machine guns largely 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 lieutenant colonel battle honours 4th machine gun battalion received following battle honours service second world war malaya singapore
2/4th Machine Gun Battalion (Australia)