29th Brigade (Australia)
Encyclopedia
The 29th Brigade was an infantry
brigade
of the Australian Army
. Raised on 20 December 1941 during World War II
as part of the Militia
. Initially tasked with defending Townsville against possible invasion from the Japanese. In March 1942, the brigade's three infantry battalions—the 15th
, 42nd and 47th Battalions
—began concentrating in Townsville where they formed part of the 5th Division.
In January 1943 the brigade was deployed to New Guinea
, with the 42nd Battalion deployed to Milne Bay
to relieve the 7th Brigade's
, 61st Battalion
. Later, in early 1944, the 15th Brigade assisted the 7th Division's operations around Lae
, conducting patrols in the area until August 1944 when they were withdrawn to Australia for rest and re-organisation. The brigade was then subsequently assigned to the 3rd Division and took part in the Bougainville campaign.
of the 29th Brigade:
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...
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...
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...
. Raised on 20 December 1941 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 Militia
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...
. Initially tasked with defending Townsville against possible invasion from the Japanese. In March 1942, the brigade's three infantry battalions—the 15th
15th Battalion (Australia)
The 15th Battalion was raised from volunteers from Queensland and Tasmania in September 1914 during the First World War. It formed part of the 4th Brigade together with the 13th, 14th and 16th Battalions. The battalion served at Gallipoli and on the Western Front.-References:*...
, 42nd and 47th Battalions
47th Battalion (Australia)
The 47th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was originally raised in 1916 for service during the First World War and took part in the fighting in the trenches of the Western Front in France and Belgium before being disbanded in early 1918 to provide reinforcements for...
—began concentrating in Townsville where they formed part of the 5th Division.
In January 1943 the brigade was deployed to New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, with the 42nd Battalion deployed to Milne Bay
Milne Bay
Milne Bay is a large bay in Milne Bay Province, southeastern Papua New Guinea. The bay is named after Sir Alexander Milne.The area was a site of the Battle of Milne Bay in 1942....
to relieve the 7th Brigade's
Australian 7th Brigade
7th Brigade is a combined arms formation or brigade of the Australian Army. The Brigade was first raised in 1915 as part of the First Australian Imperial Force and saw action at Gallipoli and on the Western Front during World War I. Following the end of the war the brigade was disbanded before...
, 61st Battalion
61st Battalion (Australia)
The 61st Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was originally raised in 1917 during the First World War but was disbanded the same year without seeing active service. Later it was re-raised as a part of the Militia in 1938 in Brisbane, Queensland...
. Later, in early 1944, the 15th Brigade assisted the 7th Division's operations around 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...
, conducting patrols in the area until August 1944 when they were withdrawn to Australia for rest and re-organisation. The brigade was then subsequently assigned to the 3rd Division and took part in the Bougainville campaign.
Assigned units
The 29th Brigade typically consisted of:- Brigade Headquarters;
- 15th Battalion;
- 42nd Battalion;
- 47th Battalion;
- 11 Field Company RAE
- 7 Field Ambulance AAMC
- Supporting artillery, and other units.
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 29th Brigade:
- Brigadier Thomas Louch (1941–1942);
- Brigadier Raymond Monaghan (1942–1945).