2nd Brigade (Australia)
Encyclopedia
The 2nd Brigade was a brigade
-sized infantry
unit of the Australian Army
.
Formed in 1903 as militia
formation based in Victoria
, the brigade later served during the First World War as part of the Australian Imperial Force
, allocated to the 1st Division
. During the war, the 2nd Brigade took part in the fighting at Gallipoli, including the Battle of Krithia
where it lost almost a third of its strength. Later they took part in the Battle of Lone Pine
before being withdrawn back to Egypt
in December 1915. Following this the brigade was transferred to the Western Front
in France
and Belgium
where between March 1916 and the end of the war in November 1918 they took part in most of the major Allied
operations.
In the 1920s the brigade reverted to a part-time Militia formation, once again based in Victoria, forming part of the 4th Division.
During the Second World War, the brigade remained a part of 4th Division until 1943, when it was reallocated to the 2nd Division based in Western Australia
where they were tasked with carrying out garrison duties before being redeployed to Darwin at the end of the year as the threat of invasion by the Japan
ese decreased. It was eventually disbanded in early 1945.
and consisted of four battalion
-sized units—5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Australian Infantry Regiments. In 1908 the units were retitled so that they became the 1st Battalions of their regimental designations.
, as part of the 1st Division
. Made up of four battalions that were raised from volunteers for overseas service from Victoria, each consisting of 1,023 men—5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Battalions—and initially under the command of Colonel James Whiteside McCay, and was among the first Australian formations to be sent overseas. As part of the 1st Division
, after initial training, it was sent to Egypt
, where they took part in the defence of the Suez Canal
in the wake of the First Suez Offensive
before taking part in the Gallipoli campaign, landing at Anzac Cove
on 25 April 1915, coming ashore in the second wave.
Early in May the battalions of the 2nd Brigade moved from the beachhead at Anzac Cove to the British and French lodgement at Cape Helles
where on 8 May they were involved in the Second Battle of Krithia
, carrying out the first brigade-level attack by Australian infantry against an entrenched enemy force and during which they suffered losses equal to roughly a third of its strength in what was a largely unsuccessful attack. After this the 2nd Brigade returned to Anzac Cove on 16 May. During the August Offensive they took part in the Battle of Lone Pine
during the August Offensive. Following this the brigade was involved in largely defensive duties until they were withdrawn as part of the general evacuation of Allied troops from the peninsula in December 1915.
Following this the brigade returned to Egypt where they once again took part in the defence of the Suez Canal before embarking for France
in March 1916. Arriving shortly after this, they took up positions in the trenches of the Western Front
. Their first significant involvement in combat in Europe came in July 1916 during the Battle of Pozières
and after this, over the course of the next two and a half years, they took part in most of the major Allled
operations against the German Army
. Other notable engagements that the brigade took part in included the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917, the Spring Offensive
and the Hundred Days Offensive
in 1918.
During the war, the units of the 2nd Brigade suffered 7,988 casualties of which 3,958 were killed. Eight men from these units also received the Victoria Cross
.
. Initially it consisted of six battalion-sized units: the 2nd and 5th Battalions, 9th Infantry Regiment; the 2nd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment; the 2nd Battalion, 25th Infantry Regiment; the 2nd Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment and the 2nd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment. The following year, it was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division in Victoria and in 1921 when the AIF was finally officially disbanded, the citizen force infantry regiments were reorganised to perpetuate the numerical designations and battle honours of the AIF.
In 1924 the brigade was part of the 3rd Military District in Victoria, consisting of the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Battalions. Over the course of the inter war years, the brigade's component units changed a number of times as the economic pressures of the Great Depression
lead to a reduction in the size of the Militia and the amalgamation of a number of battalions. In 1928, just before the end of compulsory military training, the brigade consisted of the 5th, 6th, 23rd
and 32nd Battalion
s. Later, in 1934, it was made up of the 5th, 6th, 8th and 14th Battalion
s. These units remained in the brigade until 1939.
. Although conscription
was reintroduced in early 1940, the provisions of the Defence Act (1903) prevented the dispatch of conscripts to fight except within the boundaries of Australia and its external territories. As a result, as the units of the newly-raised 2nd AIF were sent overseas to North Africa
, the Militia were called up progressively for three months continuous training in order to improve the overall readiness of Australia's defences.
Initially, the brigade was composed of four infantry battalions—the 5th Battalion (Victorian Scottish Regiment)
, the 6th Battalion, the 14th Battalion (Prahan Regiment)
, the 32nd Battalion (Footscray Regiment)
and the Melbourne University Rifles
. However, in early 1940, the Australian Army’s brigade establishment was reduced from to three battalions in order to fall in line with standard British doctrine.
Following the entry of Japan
into the war in December 1941, and their subsequent advance through Malaya and New Guinea
, units of the Militia were called upon to carry out garrison and defensive duties around Australia in response to the perceived threat of invasion. Following this the 14th and 32nd Battalions were merged and later transferred to the 6th Brigade
. In February 1942 the Melbourne University Rifles were also removed from the brigade’s order of battle.
In May 1942 the 2nd Brigade, as part of the 4th Division moved from Victoria to Western Australia
and at this time the brigade gained the 2/11th Battalion, a Western Australian AIF unit that had fought in North Africa, Greece
and Crete
, before being virtually destroyed and brought back to Australia. In October 1942, along with the rest of the 4th Division and units from the 2nd Division they took part in a corps-level exercise in Geraldton, Western Australia
.
In early 1943, the 2nd Brigade was transferred to the 2nd Division, based in the Mount Lawley area, where they carried out garrison duties along with the 5th
and 8th Brigades
. In July the 2/11th Battalion were transferred to the 19th Brigade
in Queensland. Later, in August 1943, however, the brigade was moved to Darwin
, when it became part of the LHQ Reserve. In September 1943 the 5th and 6th Battalions were joined by the 19th Machine Gun Battalion, and then in December by the 10th/48th Battalion.
By late 1944, however, the threat of invasion no longer existed and the division along with many of its component units were disbanded in order to ease some of the labour shortages being experienced in the Australian economy. Between August and November 1944 most of its component units were transferred out and disbanded and as its strength diminished, the 2nd Brigade was finally disbanded on 8 January 1945 while at Wallgrove, New South Wales.
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 1903 as militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
formation based in 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....
, the brigade later served during the First World War as part of the Australian Imperial Force
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
, allocated to the 1st Division
1st Division (Australia)
The 1st Division is the main formation of the Australian Army and contains the majority of the army's regular forces. Its headquarters is in Enoggera, a suburb of Brisbane...
. During the war, the 2nd Brigade took part in the fighting at Gallipoli, including the Battle of Krithia
Battle of Krithia
During the Gallipoli campaign in 1915, several battles were fought near the village of Krithia. The village was an objective of the first day of the landing, 25 April 1915. Over the following months, invading British Empire and French troops, who had landed near Cape Helles at the end of the...
where it lost almost a third of its strength. Later they took part in the Battle of Lone Pine
Battle of Lone Pine
The Battle of Lone Pine was a battle between Australian and Turkish forces that took place during the Gallipoli campaign from 6–10 August 1915. It was part of a diversion to draw attention from the main assaults of 6 August against the Sari Bair peaks of Chunuk Bair and Hill 971, which became...
before being withdrawn back to 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...
in December 1915. Following this the brigade was transferred to the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
where between March 1916 and the end of the war in November 1918 they took part in most of the major Allied
Allies of World War I
The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915...
operations.
In the 1920s the brigade reverted to a part-time Militia formation, once again based in Victoria, forming part of the 4th Division.
During the Second World War, the brigade remained a part of 4th Division until 1943, when it was reallocated to the 2nd Division based in 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...
where they were tasked with carrying out garrison duties before being redeployed to Darwin at the end of the year as the threat of invasion by the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese decreased. It was eventually disbanded in early 1945.
Formation
Originally formed in 1903 as a Militia unit of the Commonwealth Military Forces, it was established in VictoriaVictoria (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....
and consisted of four 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...
-sized units—5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Australian Infantry Regiments. In 1908 the units were retitled so that they became the 1st Battalions of their regimental designations.
First World War
During the First World War, the brigade was re-constituted as part of the Australian Imperial ForceAustralian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
, as part of the 1st Division
1st Division (Australia)
The 1st Division is the main formation of the Australian Army and contains the majority of the army's regular forces. Its headquarters is in Enoggera, a suburb of Brisbane...
. Made up of four battalions that were raised from volunteers for overseas service from Victoria, each consisting of 1,023 men—5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Battalions—and initially under the command of Colonel James Whiteside McCay, and was among the first Australian formations to be sent overseas. As part of the 1st Division
1st Division (Australia)
The 1st Division is the main formation of the Australian Army and contains the majority of the army's regular forces. Its headquarters is in Enoggera, a suburb of Brisbane...
, after initial training, it was sent to 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...
, where they took part in the defence of the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
in the wake of the First Suez Offensive
First Suez Offensive
The First Suez Offensive took place between the Ottoman Empire and the British Empire in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I...
before taking part in the Gallipoli campaign, landing at Anzac Cove
Landing at Anzac Cove
The landing at Anzac Cove was part of the amphibious invasion of the Gallipoli Peninsula by Australian and New Zealand forces on 25 April 1915. The landing, north of Gaba Tepe on the Aegean coast of the Peninsula, was made by soldiers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and was the first...
on 25 April 1915, coming ashore in the second wave.
Early in May the battalions of the 2nd Brigade moved from the beachhead at Anzac Cove to the British and French lodgement at Cape Helles
Landing at Cape Helles
The landing at Cape Helles was part of the amphibious invasion of the Gallipoli peninsula by British and French forces on April 25, 1915 during the First World War. Helles, at the foot of the peninsula, was the main landing area. With the support of the guns of the Royal Navy, a British division...
where on 8 May they were involved in the Second Battle of Krithia
Second Battle of Krithia
The Second Battle of Krithia continued the Allies' attempts to advance on the Helles battlefield during the Battle of Gallipoli of the First World War. The village of Krithia and neighbouring hill of Achi Baba had to be captured in order for the British to advance up the Gallipoli peninsula to the...
, carrying out the first brigade-level attack by Australian infantry against an entrenched enemy force and during which they suffered losses equal to roughly a third of its strength in what was a largely unsuccessful attack. After this the 2nd Brigade returned to Anzac Cove on 16 May. During the August Offensive they took part in the Battle of Lone Pine
Battle of Lone Pine
The Battle of Lone Pine was a battle between Australian and Turkish forces that took place during the Gallipoli campaign from 6–10 August 1915. It was part of a diversion to draw attention from the main assaults of 6 August against the Sari Bair peaks of Chunuk Bair and Hill 971, which became...
during the August Offensive. Following this the brigade was involved in largely defensive duties until they were withdrawn as part of the general evacuation of Allied troops from the peninsula in December 1915.
Following this the brigade returned to Egypt where they once again took part in the defence of the Suez Canal before embarking for France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in March 1916. Arriving shortly after this, they took up positions in the trenches of the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
. Their first significant involvement in combat in Europe came in July 1916 during the Battle of Pozières
Battle of Pozières
The Battle of Pozières was a two week struggle for the French village of Pozières and the ridge on which it stands, during the middle stages of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. Though British divisions were involved in most phases of the fighting, Pozières is primarily remembered as an Australian battle...
and after this, over the course of the next two and a half years, they took part in most of the major Allled
Allies of World War I
The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915...
operations against the German Army
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
. Other notable engagements that the brigade took part in included the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917, the Spring Offensive
Spring Offensive
The 1918 Spring Offensive or Kaiserschlacht , also known as the Ludendorff Offensive, was a series of German attacks along the Western Front during World War I, beginning on 21 March 1918, which marked the deepest advances by either side since 1914...
and the Hundred Days Offensive
Hundred Days Offensive
The Hundred Days Offensive was the final period of the First World War, during which the Allies launched a series of offensives against the Central Powers on the Western Front from 8 August to 11 November 1918, beginning with the Battle of Amiens. The offensive forced the German armies to retreat...
in 1918.
During the war, the units of the 2nd Brigade suffered 7,988 casualties of which 3,958 were killed. Eight men from these units also received the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
.
Inter war years
In 1919, the 2nd Brigade, was reformed as part of the Militia, in the 1st Military District in QueenslandQueensland
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...
. Initially it consisted of six battalion-sized units: the 2nd and 5th Battalions, 9th Infantry Regiment; the 2nd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment; the 2nd Battalion, 25th Infantry Regiment; the 2nd Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment and the 2nd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment. The following year, it was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division in Victoria and in 1921 when the AIF was finally officially disbanded, the citizen force infantry regiments were reorganised to perpetuate the numerical designations and battle honours of the AIF.
In 1924 the brigade was part of the 3rd Military District in Victoria, consisting of the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Battalions. Over the course of the inter war years, the brigade's component units changed a number of times as the economic pressures of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
lead to a reduction in the size of the Militia and the amalgamation of a number of battalions. In 1928, just before the end of compulsory military training, the brigade consisted of the 5th, 6th, 23rd
23rd Battalion (Australia)
The 23rd Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was raised in 1915 as part of the Australian Imperial Force for service during World War I and formed part of the 6th Brigade, attached to the 2nd Division. It fought during the Gallipoli campaign and on the Western Front...
and 32nd Battalion
32nd Battalion (Australia)
The 32nd Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was first raised in 1915 as part of the First Australian Imperial Force and was initially made up of personnel from South Australia and Western Australia...
s. Later, in 1934, it was made up of the 5th, 6th, 8th and 14th Battalion
14th Battalion (Australia)
The 14th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Originally raised in 1914 as part of the Australian Imperial Force for service in World War I, the battalion served at Gallipoli initially before being sent to France where it served in the trenches along the Western Front until...
s. These units remained in the brigade until 1939.
Second World War
Following the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 the Australian government decided to raise an all-volunteer force for overseas service. This force was known as 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...
. Although conscription
Conscription in Australia
Conscription in Australia, or mandatory military service also known as National Service, has a controversial history dating back to the first years of nationhood...
was reintroduced in early 1940, the provisions of the Defence Act (1903) prevented the dispatch of conscripts to fight except within the boundaries of Australia and its external territories. As a result, as the units of the newly-raised 2nd AIF were sent overseas to North Africa
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
, the Militia were called up progressively for three months continuous training in order to improve the overall readiness of Australia's defences.
Initially, the brigade was composed of four infantry battalions—the 5th Battalion (Victorian Scottish Regiment)
Victorian Scottish Regiment
The Victorian Scottish Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Australian Army. Formed in 1898 as a volunteer unit of the colonial Victorian Military Forces, the unit went through a number of changes in name over the course of its 62 year history. During World War I many of its members...
, the 6th Battalion, the 14th Battalion (Prahan Regiment)
14th Battalion (Australia)
The 14th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Originally raised in 1914 as part of the Australian Imperial Force for service in World War I, the battalion served at Gallipoli initially before being sent to France where it served in the trenches along the Western Front until...
, the 32nd Battalion (Footscray Regiment)
32nd Battalion (Australia)
The 32nd Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was first raised in 1915 as part of the First Australian Imperial Force and was initially made up of personnel from South Australia and Western Australia...
and the Melbourne University Rifles
Melbourne University Regiment
The Melbourne University Regiment is an officer training unit in the Australian Army Reserve. It has a depot at Grattan Street, Carlton, Melbourne, Australia....
. However, in early 1940, the Australian Army’s brigade establishment was reduced from to three battalions in order to fall in line with standard British doctrine.
Following the entry of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
into the war in December 1941, and their subsequent advance through Malaya and New Guinea
New Guinea campaign
The New Guinea campaign was one of the major military campaigns of World War II.Before the war, the island of New Guinea was split between:...
, units of the Militia were called upon to carry out garrison and defensive duties around Australia in response to the perceived threat of invasion. Following this the 14th and 32nd Battalions were merged and later transferred to the 6th Brigade
6th Brigade (Australia)
The 6th Brigade is an Australian Army brigade. First formed during the First World War as an infantry unit of the Australian Imperial Force, the brigade served at Gallipoli and in France and Belgium on the Western Front...
. In February 1942 the Melbourne University Rifles were also removed from the brigade’s order of battle.
In May 1942 the 2nd Brigade, as part of the 4th Division moved from Victoria to 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...
and at this time the brigade gained the 2/11th Battalion, a Western Australian AIF unit that had fought in North Africa, Greece
Battle of Greece
The Battle of Greece is the common name for the invasion and conquest of Greece by Nazi Germany in April 1941. Greece was supported by British Commonwealth forces, while the Germans' Axis allies Italy and Bulgaria played secondary roles...
and Crete
Battle of Crete
The Battle of Crete was a battle during World War II on the Greek island of Crete. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur...
, before being virtually destroyed and brought back to Australia. In October 1942, along with the rest of the 4th Division and units from the 2nd Division they took part in a corps-level exercise in Geraldton, Western Australia
Geraldton, Western Australia
Geraldton is a city and port in Western Australia located north of Perth in the Mid West region. Geraldton has an estimated population at June 2010 of 36,958...
.
In early 1943, the 2nd Brigade was transferred to the 2nd Division, based in the Mount Lawley area, where they carried out garrison duties along with the 5th
5th Brigade (Australia)
5th Brigade is a brigade of the Australian Army. It is a Reserve combined arms formation based in New South Wales and forms part of the 2nd Division.-History:...
and 8th Brigades
8th Brigade (Australia)
8th Brigade is an Australian Army Reserve combined-arms formation stationed in New South Wales.The 8th Brigade is one of six brigades of the Australian Army's 2nd Division, and includes units and personnel from all Armoured, Infantry, Artillery, Engineers, Signals, Ordinance , Medical, Nursing,...
. In July the 2/11th Battalion were transferred to the 19th Brigade
19th Brigade (Australia)
The 19th Brigade was a formation of the Australian Army during World War II as part of the 6th Division. Formed in April 1940 as a result of the reorganisation of the Second Australian Imperial Force when the infantry brigades composition was reduced from four to three battalions. The fourth...
in Queensland. Later, in August 1943, however, the brigade was moved to Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
, when it became part of the LHQ Reserve. In September 1943 the 5th and 6th Battalions were joined by the 19th Machine Gun Battalion, and then in December by the 10th/48th Battalion.
By late 1944, however, the threat of invasion no longer existed and the division along with many of its component units were disbanded in order to ease some of the labour shortages being experienced in the Australian economy. Between August and November 1944 most of its component units were transferred out and disbanded and as its strength diminished, the 2nd Brigade was finally disbanded on 8 January 1945 while at Wallgrove, New South Wales.