21st Brigade (Australia)
Encyclopedia
The 21st Brigade was a brigade
-sized infantry
unit of the Australian Army
. Formed in April 1940 as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force
, the unit was raised for service during World War II
. As part of the 7th Division the brigade served during the Syria-Lebanon campaign
, the Kokoda Track campaign
, the Buna-Gona campaign, the landing at Nadzab
, the Ramu Valley–Finisterre Range campaign
and the Balikpapan landings
. It was disbanded in 1946.
(2nd AIF). Consisting of three infantry battalion
s—the 2/14th
, 2/16th and 2/27th
—the brigade was raised from personnel drawn from Victoria
, South Australia
and Western Australia
. Following a period of training in Australia at Puckapunyal, Victoria, under the command of Brigadier Jack Stevens
, the brigade embarked for the Middle East
in October 1940 aboard the Aquitania
.
Following their arrival in Egypt
, the brigade moved to Dimra in the Hebron Hills in Palestine
, where they undertook further training as the 7th Division underwent a period of re-organisation as a number of brigades were transferred to and from it. In April 1941, the brigade went to Egypt, where they undertook a defensive role along the Libyan border where a German attack was expected. They returned to Palestine in May, however, in order to prepare for operations elsewhere in the theatre.
, which saw British
, India
n and Free French forces defeat Vichy French land forces in the Middle East. On 8 June, the 21st Brigade began its advance along the coast from Tyre, over the Litani
towards Sidon
, which was captured on 15 June. Following this, the Vichy French launched a counterattack which stalled the Australians' advance until 30 June when they were able to seize the initiative again. The 21st Brigade then drove towards Damour
. On 6 July, the 2/16th Battalion attacked the main Vichy defensive position on El Atiqa Ridge, launching a frontal assault on a force of French Foreign Legion
troops. Meanwhile, the 2/27th Battalion began opening a gap in the front, while the 2/14th approached Damour from its eastern approaches. On 7 July, the 2/27th Battalion was subjected to a strong French counterattack on Hill 560 which resulted in heavy casualties for the Australians before the French were ejected from the hill early in the morning the following day. On 9 July Damour fell and subsequently the 2/14th and 2/27th Battalions advanced through the mountains beyond.
By mid-July an armistice came into effect and the 21st Brigade subsequently undertook garrison duties along the coast. In December 1941 Imperial Japanese forces advanced rapidly in South East Asia following the attack on Pearl Harbor
and the invasion of Malaya. As a result, in January 1942, the British government requested that the 7th Division be brought back from the Middle East to conduct operations in the Netherlands East Indies. From 30 January, the division, including the 21st Brigade, began disembarking from Suez
. In February 1942, however, as the situation in the Pacific worsened, the Australian government decided that the division should be brought back to Australia rather than be committed to the fighting in Java
, or in Burma.
in August 1942. Under the command of Brigadier
Arnold Potts
, who had taken over from Stevens in April, they were sent to Port Moresby
from where they reinforced the militiamen
of the 39th Battalion, fighting a rearguard action on the Kokoda Track
. Throughout late August and into September the brigade fought a number of delaying actions along the track, initially around Isurava, but as the Japanese advance towards Port Moresby continued they were pushed back to Ioribaiwa. In mid-September, as the brigade prepared to make its final stand on Imita Ridge, they were relieved by the 25th Brigade
and subsequently withdrawn back to Sogeri, near Port Moresby, in early October. During this time, a force of about 400 men from the brigade's three infantry battalions were grouped together into an ad hoc force known as "Chaforce" to conduct raids on Japanese lines of communication
and to carry out various tasks such as battlefield clearance. Throughout their involvement around Kokoda, the brigade suffered 233 men killed, and although at the time there were questions raised in the upper echelons of the Australian Army about the brigade's performance, particularly from General Thomas Blamey
, later this assessment was re-evaluated and the 21st Brigade's effort has since been described as "one of the greatest in Australian military history".
In late November, the brigade, under the command of Brigadier Ivan Dougherty
who had replaced Potts in controversial circumstances following the withdrawal from Kokoda, was committed to the fighting around Gona
. The 2/14th Battalion, consisting of only 350 men, arrived at Popondetta in the evening of 25 November and began the advance towards Gona at dawn the following day. They were followed shortly afterwards by the 2/27th, while the 2/16th arrived a little while later, after the two battalions had launched an attack around Basabua on 29 November. Further engagements followed on 30 November when clearing operations were undertaken between Basabua and Gona and on 1 December the brigade, operating as a composite battalion due to heavy casualties, attacked Gona itself. They were able to enter the village and remained for a short period of time before being forced out by a Japanese counterattack. Another unsuccessful attack was launched on 6 December. On 8 December, however, supported by a heavy artillery barrage, the 21st Brigade attacked the village from the west while the 39th Battalion attacked from the south-east. This time the attack was successful and Gona was captured with the last Japanese resistance being overcome the following afternoon amidst fierce hand-to-hand fighting. The brigade had suffered heavily over the previous 11 days, with 750 Australians being killed or wounded.
Following this, the 21st Brigade headquarters moved to the Huggins Road Block area while its three infantry battalions, which had all been reduced to below company-strength due to losses, began the process of "mopping up" around the coast to the west of Gona. Finally, in mid-January, the brigade was withdrawn back to Australia, where they were subsequently re-organised under the "jungle" divisional establishment
, which saw a reduction in the brigade's personnel.
By that time the brigade was down to about 44 per cent of its authorised "jungle" establishment of 119 officers and 2,415 other ranks, and subsequently it underwent a period of rebuilding around Ravenshoe, in Queensland
in preparation for further operations. In August the 21st Brigade embarked for Port Moresby, and on 15–16 September the brigade headquarters, along with the 2/14th and 2/16th Battalions, was flown into Nadzab
, west of Lae to relieve the US Army's 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment. After the fall of Lae
, the brigade advanced up the Markham and Ramu Valleys, before moving against the Japanese strongholds in the Finisterre Range
. The 21st Brigade remained in the Ramu Valley for about three and a half months, before being withdrawn in January 1944, by which time they had lost 57 men killed or missing and 142 men wounded. On top of this they suffered 2,436 non battle casualties, although most of these men returned to active service later on.
, Sarawak. Coming ashore on 1 July, the brigade was committed to the first wave of the assault, landing unopposed. Supported by 'B' Company, 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion
, the 21st Brigade quickly reached their initial objectives and the following day began to advance towards the east, arriving at the airfield at Sepinggang before noon on 2 July. On the third day of the fighting, the 21st Brigade came up against determined Japanese resistance after crossing the Batakan Ketjil river but this was overcome in the afternoon following a naval barrage.
The next day they resumed their advance to the east but were subsequently engaged and held up by Japanese coastal defence artillery near the Manggar Besar river. Following this, as armoured support was brought up and naval and aerial bombardment was used to reduce the Japanese position, one of the guns was captured on 6 July. Over the course of the following three days the brigade turned back a number of Japanese counterattacks. By 9 July, following further bombardment, the Japanese resistance around the position was overcome and the brigade subsequently captured Sambodja, 18 miles (29 km) from Manggar, before sending out patrols in support of the 25th Brigade which was beginning the advance up the Milford Highway.
By the night of 21/22 July main combat operations around Balikpapan came to an end as organised Japanese resistance ceased. Patrol operations continued, however, and minor engagements were fought until the war ended in August. The brigade was disbanded during 1946.
of the 21st Brigade:
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
-sized infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
unit of the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
. Formed in April 1940 as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force
Second Australian Imperial Force
The Second Australian Imperial Force was the name given to the volunteer personnel of the Australian Army in World War II. Under the Defence Act , neither the part-time Militia nor the full-time Permanent Military Force could serve outside Australia or its territories unless they volunteered to...
, the unit was raised for service during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. As part of the 7th Division the brigade served during the Syria-Lebanon campaign
Syria-Lebanon campaign
The Syria–Lebanon campaign, also known as Operation Exporter, was the Allied invasion of Vichy French-controlled Syria and Lebanon, in June–July 1941, during World War II. Time Magazine referred to the fighting as a "mixed show" while it was taking place and the campaign remains little known, even...
, the Kokoda Track campaign
Kokoda Track campaign
The Kokoda Track campaign or Kokoda Trail campaign was part of the Pacific War of World War II. The campaign consisted of a series of battles fought between July and November 1942 between Japanese and Allied—primarily Australian—forces in what was then the Australian territory of Papua...
, the Buna-Gona campaign, the landing at Nadzab
Landing at Nadzab
The Landing at Nadzab was an airborne landing on 5 September 1943 during the New Guinea campaign of World War II that began with a parachute drop at Nadzab in conjunction with the Landing at Lae....
, the Ramu Valley–Finisterre Range campaign
Finisterre Range campaign
The Finisterre Range campaign, also known as the Ramu Valley–Finisterre Range campaign, was a series of actions in the New Guinea campaign of World War II...
and the Balikpapan landings
Battle of Balikpapan (1945)
The Battle of Balikpapan was the concluding stage of the Borneo campaign . The landings took place on 1 July 1945. The Australian 7th Division, composed of the 18th, 21st and 25th Infantry Brigades, with support troops, made an amphibious landing, codenamed Operation Oboe Two a few miles north of...
. It was disbanded in 1946.
Formation
The brigade was formed on 4 April 1940 as part of the 7th Division of the Second Australian Imperial ForceSecond Australian Imperial Force
The Second Australian Imperial Force was the name given to the volunteer personnel of the Australian Army in World War II. Under the Defence Act , neither the part-time Militia nor the full-time Permanent Military Force could serve outside Australia or its territories unless they volunteered to...
(2nd AIF). Consisting of three infantry battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
s—the 2/14th
2/14th Battalion (Australia)
The 2/14th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army, which served during World War II. Part of the 21st Brigade, 7th Division, the battalion saw action against the Vichy French in Syria in 1941 before returning to Australia in early 1942. They subsequently fought against the...
, 2/16th and 2/27th
2/27th Battalion (Australia)
The 2/27th Battalion was a infantry battalion of the Australian Army during the Second World War. Formed as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force at Woodside Camp, South Australia on 7 May 1940 as part of the 21st Brigade...
—the brigade was raised from personnel drawn from Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
and Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. Following a period of training in Australia at Puckapunyal, Victoria, under the command of Brigadier Jack Stevens
Jack Stevens
Major General Sir Jack Edwin Stawell Stevens KBE, CB, DSO, ED was a senior officer in the Australian Army during the Second World War...
, the brigade embarked for the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
in October 1940 aboard the Aquitania
RMS Aquitania
RMS Aquitania was a Cunard Line ocean liner designed by Leonard Peskett and built by John Brown & Company in Clydebank, Scotland. She was launched on 21 April 1913 and sailed on her maiden voyage to New York on 30 May 1914...
.
Following their arrival in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, the brigade moved to Dimra in the Hebron Hills in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, where they undertook further training as the 7th Division underwent a period of re-organisation as a number of brigades were transferred to and from it. In April 1941, the brigade went to Egypt, where they undertook a defensive role along the Libyan border where a German attack was expected. They returned to Palestine in May, however, in order to prepare for operations elsewhere in the theatre.
Syria and Lebanon
In June and July 1941, the brigade was allocated to form the backbone of the Allied invasion of Lebanon and SyriaSyria-Lebanon campaign
The Syria–Lebanon campaign, also known as Operation Exporter, was the Allied invasion of Vichy French-controlled Syria and Lebanon, in June–July 1941, during World War II. Time Magazine referred to the fighting as a "mixed show" while it was taking place and the campaign remains little known, even...
, which saw British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n and Free French forces defeat Vichy French land forces in the Middle East. On 8 June, the 21st Brigade began its advance along the coast from Tyre, over the Litani
Battle of the Litani River
The Battle of the Litani River was a battle of the Second World War that took place between during the advance on Beirut during the Syria-Lebanon campaign...
towards Sidon
Sidon
Sidon or Saïda is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate of Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast, about 40 km north of Tyre and 40 km south of the capital Beirut. In Genesis, Sidon is the son of Canaan the grandson of Noah...
, which was captured on 15 June. Following this, the Vichy French launched a counterattack which stalled the Australians' advance until 30 June when they were able to seize the initiative again. The 21st Brigade then drove towards Damour
Damour
Damour is a Lebanese Christian town that is 24 kilometres south of Beirut. The name of the town is derived from the name of the Phoenician god Damoros who symbolized immortality ....
. On 6 July, the 2/16th Battalion attacked the main Vichy defensive position on El Atiqa Ridge, launching a frontal assault on a force of French Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
troops. Meanwhile, the 2/27th Battalion began opening a gap in the front, while the 2/14th approached Damour from its eastern approaches. On 7 July, the 2/27th Battalion was subjected to a strong French counterattack on Hill 560 which resulted in heavy casualties for the Australians before the French were ejected from the hill early in the morning the following day. On 9 July Damour fell and subsequently the 2/14th and 2/27th Battalions advanced through the mountains beyond.
By mid-July an armistice came into effect and the 21st Brigade subsequently undertook garrison duties along the coast. In December 1941 Imperial Japanese forces advanced rapidly in South East Asia following the attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
and the invasion of Malaya. As a result, in January 1942, the British government requested that the 7th Division be brought back from the Middle East to conduct operations in the Netherlands East Indies. From 30 January, the division, including the 21st Brigade, began disembarking from Suez
Suez
Suez is a seaport city in north-eastern Egypt, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Suez , near the southern terminus of the Suez Canal, having the same boundaries as Suez governorate. It has three harbors, Adabya, Ain Sokhna and Port Tawfiq, and extensive port facilities...
. In February 1942, however, as the situation in the Pacific worsened, the Australian government decided that the division should be brought back to Australia rather than be committed to the fighting in Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, or in Burma.
New Guinea
In March the 21st Brigade arrived back in Australia and after a period of leave and training, it was dispatched to Papua New GuineaPapua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
in August 1942. Under the command of Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
Arnold Potts
Arnold Potts
Brigadier Arnold William Potts DSO, OBE, MC was an Australian grazier who served in the First World War and led 21st Brigade of the Second AIF during its defence of the Kokoda Trail during the Second World War...
, who had taken over from Stevens in April, they were sent to Port Moresby
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
from where they reinforced the militiamen
Australian Army Reserve
The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citizens Forces, the Citizen Military Forces, the Militia and, unofficially, the...
of the 39th Battalion, fighting a rearguard action on the Kokoda Track
Kokoda Track
The Kokoda Trail or Track is a single-file foot thoroughfare that runs overland — in a straight line — through the Owen Stanley Range in Papua New Guinea...
. Throughout late August and into September the brigade fought a number of delaying actions along the track, initially around Isurava, but as the Japanese advance towards Port Moresby continued they were pushed back to Ioribaiwa. In mid-September, as the brigade prepared to make its final stand on Imita Ridge, they were relieved by the 25th Brigade
25th Brigade (Australia)
The 25th Brigade was a brigade-sized infantry unit of the Australian Army that served during the Second World War. Raised in July 1940 and consisting of three infantry battalions, the 25th Brigade served in the United Kingdom, the Middle East, New Guinea and Borneo before being disbanded in...
and subsequently withdrawn back to Sogeri, near Port Moresby, in early October. During this time, a force of about 400 men from the brigade's three infantry battalions were grouped together into an ad hoc force known as "Chaforce" to conduct raids on Japanese lines of communication
Lines of Communication
"Lines of Communication" is an episode from the fourth season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:Franklin and Marcus attempt to persuade the Mars resistance to assist Sheridan in opposing President Clark...
and to carry out various tasks such as battlefield clearance. Throughout their involvement around Kokoda, the brigade suffered 233 men killed, and although at the time there were questions raised in the upper echelons of the Australian Army about the brigade's performance, particularly from General Thomas Blamey
Thomas Blamey
Field Marshal Sir Thomas Albert Blamey GBE, KCB, CMG, DSO, ED was an Australian general of the First and Second World Wars, and the only Australian to date to attain the rank of field marshal....
, later this assessment was re-evaluated and the 21st Brigade's effort has since been described as "one of the greatest in Australian military history".
In late November, the brigade, under the command of Brigadier Ivan Dougherty
Ivan Dougherty
Major General Sir Ivan Noel Dougherty CBE, DSO & Bar, ED was an Australian Army officer during World War II.-Education and early life:...
who had replaced Potts in controversial circumstances following the withdrawal from Kokoda, was committed to the fighting around Gona
Battle of Buna-Gona
The Battle of Buna–Gona was a battle in the New Guinea campaign, a major part of the Pacific campaign of World War II. On 16 November 1942, Australian and United States forces attacked the main Japanese beachheads in New Guinea, at Buna, Sanananda and Gona. Both forces were riddled by disease and...
. The 2/14th Battalion, consisting of only 350 men, arrived at Popondetta in the evening of 25 November and began the advance towards Gona at dawn the following day. They were followed shortly afterwards by the 2/27th, while the 2/16th arrived a little while later, after the two battalions had launched an attack around Basabua on 29 November. Further engagements followed on 30 November when clearing operations were undertaken between Basabua and Gona and on 1 December the brigade, operating as a composite battalion due to heavy casualties, attacked Gona itself. They were able to enter the village and remained for a short period of time before being forced out by a Japanese counterattack. Another unsuccessful attack was launched on 6 December. On 8 December, however, supported by a heavy artillery barrage, the 21st Brigade attacked the village from the west while the 39th Battalion attacked from the south-east. This time the attack was successful and Gona was captured with the last Japanese resistance being overcome the following afternoon amidst fierce hand-to-hand fighting. The brigade had suffered heavily over the previous 11 days, with 750 Australians being killed or wounded.
Following this, the 21st Brigade headquarters moved to the Huggins Road Block area while its three infantry battalions, which had all been reduced to below company-strength due to losses, began the process of "mopping up" around the coast to the west of Gona. Finally, in mid-January, the brigade was withdrawn back to Australia, where they were subsequently re-organised under the "jungle" divisional establishment
Jungle Division
The Jungle Division was a military organisation adopted in 1943 by the Australian Army during the Second World War. This organisation was a much lighter version of the standard British-pattern infantry division used during previous campaigns in the deserts of North Africa and was optimised to meet...
, which saw a reduction in the brigade's personnel.
By that time the brigade was down to about 44 per cent of its authorised "jungle" establishment of 119 officers and 2,415 other ranks, and subsequently it underwent a period of rebuilding around Ravenshoe, in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
in preparation for further operations. In August the 21st Brigade embarked for Port Moresby, and on 15–16 September the brigade headquarters, along with the 2/14th and 2/16th Battalions, was flown into Nadzab
Nadzab
-History:A Lutheran mission station was established at Nadzab around 1910. Nadzab was the site of the only Allied paratrooper assault in New Guinea on 5 September 1943.The Lae Nadzab Airport is a regional airport served by regional aircraft with domestic flights....
, west of Lae to relieve the US Army's 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment. After the fall of Lae
Lae
Lae, the capital of Morobe Province, is the second-largest city in Papua New Guinea. It is located at the start of the Highlands Highway which is the main land transport corridor from the Highlands region to the coast...
, the brigade advanced up the Markham and Ramu Valleys, before moving against the Japanese strongholds in the Finisterre Range
Finisterre Range
Finisterre Range is a mountain range in north-eastern Papua New Guinea, at . The unnamed highest point of the range , which is ranked 45th in the world by prominence, is usually quoted at 4,175 m, but SRTM data suggests that it is nearer to 4,120 m...
. The 21st Brigade remained in the Ramu Valley for about three and a half months, before being withdrawn in January 1944, by which time they had lost 57 men killed or missing and 142 men wounded. On top of this they suffered 2,436 non battle casualties, although most of these men returned to active service later on.
Borneo
After returning to Australia in 1944, the brigade retrained in north Queensland and practised amphibious assault operations. In July 1945, the brigade participated in the amphibious assault on BalikpapanBalikpapan
Balikpapan is a seaport city on the eastern coast of the island of Borneo, Indonesia, in the East Kalimantan province, a resource-rich region well known for its timber, mining, and petroleum export products. Two harbors, Semayang and Kariangau , and the Sepinggan International Airport are the main...
, Sarawak. Coming ashore on 1 July, the brigade was committed to the first wave of the assault, landing unopposed. Supported by 'B' Company, 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion
2/1st Machine Gun Battalion (Australia)
The 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion was formed on 14 December 1939 as part of the 6th Division and served in England, Greece, Crete and Papua New Guinea before becoming part of the 7th Division and serving in Borneo. The battalion was disbanded on 26 January 1946...
, the 21st Brigade quickly reached their initial objectives and the following day began to advance towards the east, arriving at the airfield at Sepinggang before noon on 2 July. On the third day of the fighting, the 21st Brigade came up against determined Japanese resistance after crossing the Batakan Ketjil river but this was overcome in the afternoon following a naval barrage.
The next day they resumed their advance to the east but were subsequently engaged and held up by Japanese coastal defence artillery near the Manggar Besar river. Following this, as armoured support was brought up and naval and aerial bombardment was used to reduce the Japanese position, one of the guns was captured on 6 July. Over the course of the following three days the brigade turned back a number of Japanese counterattacks. By 9 July, following further bombardment, the Japanese resistance around the position was overcome and the brigade subsequently captured Sambodja, 18 miles (29 km) from Manggar, before sending out patrols in support of the 25th Brigade which was beginning the advance up the Milford Highway.
By the night of 21/22 July main combat operations around Balikpapan came to an end as organised Japanese resistance ceased. Patrol operations continued, however, and minor engagements were fought until the war ended in August. The brigade was disbanded during 1946.
Assigned units
The following infantry battalions were assigned to the 21st Brigade:- 2/14th Battalion2/14th Battalion (Australia)The 2/14th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army, which served during World War II. Part of the 21st Brigade, 7th Division, the battalion saw action against the Vichy French in Syria in 1941 before returning to Australia in early 1942. They subsequently fought against the...
; - 2/16th Battalion;
- 2/27th Battalion2/27th Battalion (Australia)The 2/27th Battalion was a infantry battalion of the Australian Army during the Second World War. Formed as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force at Woodside Camp, South Australia on 7 May 1940 as part of the 21st Brigade...
.
Commanding officers
The following officers served as commanding officerCommanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of the 21st Brigade:
- BrigadierBrigadierBrigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
Jack StevensJack StevensMajor General Sir Jack Edwin Stawell Stevens KBE, CB, DSO, ED was a senior officer in the Australian Army during the Second World War...
(1940–1942); - Brigadier Arthur PottsArthur PottsArthur Potts was an English footballer. His regular position was as a forward. He was born in Cannock Chase, Staffordshire. He played for Willenhall Swifts, Southport Central, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Manchester United....
(1942); - Brigadier Ivan DoughertyIvan DoughertyMajor General Sir Ivan Noel Dougherty CBE, DSO & Bar, ED was an Australian Army officer during World War II.-Education and early life:...
(1942–1945).