37th Battalion (Australia)
Encyclopedia
The 37th Battalion was an infantry
battalion
of the Australian Army
. It was originally raised in 1916 for service during the World War I
and took part in the fighting in the trenches of the Western Front
in France and Belgium and was disbanded in 1918. In 1921, the battalion was re-raised as part of the part-time Citizens Forces
, although it was later amalgamated with the 52nd Battalion
in 1930 due to manpower shortages. In 1937 the battalion returned to the order of battle as the Australian military was expanded due to concerns of a future war in Europe. Following the outbreak of World War II
, the 37th Battalion served in a garrison role until 1942 when it was once again amalgamated with the 52nd Battalion.
, in February 1916 as part of an expansion of the Australian Imperial Force
(AIF) which took place following the end of the Gallipoli campaign. The unit was made up from personnel drawn from men originating from Victoria who were recruited from a number of areas including Melbourne
, Gippsland
and the north-eastern parts of the state. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Frederick George Woods, the battalion became part of the 10th Brigade
attached to the 3rd Australian Division.
Initial training took place in Australia, however, once this was complete the battalion was sent to Britain where they concentrated on Salisbury Plain
along with the rest of the 3rd Division to undertake more advanced training. The process took a considerable period of time and as such it was not until late in the year that the 3rd Division was declared ready to be deployed to the Western Front
. After the battalion arrived in France on 23 November 1916, it was first sent to the Armentieres
sector which was considered a "quiet" area where the newly arrived troops could gain their first experiences of trench warfare. While there, they undertook patrols into No Man's Land
and minor raids on the German trenches opposite them during the winter months.
After winter had subsided, in April 1917 the 3rd Division was moved to the Messines–Wytschaete Ridge section of the line in Belgium
, where they began to prepare to take part in their first major battle of the war. Between 7 and 9 June 1917, the battalion took part in the fighting at Messines
in Belgium. One of the battalion's officers, Captain Robert Grieve was later awarded the Victoria Cross
for the role he played in the battle. Following this, the 37th Battalion saw service at Broodseinde
on 4 October and then later at Passchendaele on 12 October.
In early 1918, the collapse of the Russian resistance on the Eastern Front
enabled the Germans to transfer a large number of troops to the west. As a result, in March, they launched an offensive along the Western Front
. The initial attack was quite successful and with the Germans making rapid gains, many Australian units, including the 37th Battalion, which was moved from Armentieres and to Ypres, were thrown into the line to blunt the attack. Finally the offensive stalled and, after a period, the Allies were able to launch their own offensive, known as the Hundred Days Offensive
, which ultimately brought about an end to the war.
Held in reserve initially, the 37th Battalion did not see action on the first or second days of the fighting. On 10 August, however, the battalion participated in a poorly planned attack on the village of Proyart, which ended in failure. After this, it took part in a number of actions, including those at Bray and Clery, as the 3rd Division advanced through the Somme Valley towards Buire. As a result of heavy casualties sustained by the AIF during 1918 and a lack of new recruits with which to make up these losses, in September the AIF was forced to disband a number of battalions in order to reinforce others. With orders to disband, the battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Story, was relieved of command for questioning and failing to follow the order. The men mutinied and, as a result, the order was rescinded, albeit on a temporary basis. On 29 September, the battalion took part in its final battle of the war when it was involved in the attack on the St Quentin Canal. After this, the battalion was finally disbanded on 12 October 1918, at which point it only had a frontage of 60 men.
During the fighting, it suffered lost 483 killed in action or died on active service and 1,485 wounded. Members of the battalion received the following decorations: one Victoria Cross
, two Distinguished Service Order
s (DSO), 15 Military Cross
es (MCs), 8 Distinguished Conduct Medal
s (DCMs), 67 Military Medal
s (MMs) with one Bar
, six Meritorious Service Medal
s (MSMs), 13 Mention in Despatches (MIDs) and two foreign awards.
in 1930 as the "37th/52nd Battalion, The Henty Regiment
", which was formed in the state of Victoria as part of a rationalisation of the Australia's part-time military forces that came about as a result of the combined effects of the suspension of compulsory service
by the newly elected Scullin
Labor
government and the Great Depression
. The battalion remained in existence until 1937 when, as part of an expansion of the Australian military due to concerns about the threat of war in Europe, the battalion was split to reform its predecessor units.
in September 1939, the 37th Battalion was headquartered around Sale
, in Victoria, where it formed part of the 10th Brigade. Due to the provisions of the Defence Act (1903), which precluded sending the Militia outside Australian territory, initially units such as the 37th Battalion were employed to provide training for personnel called up under the compulsory training scheme, which was reactivated in 1940. As a result, throughout 1940–41, as the Militia were called up to undertake periods of continuous training, the 37th Battalion undertook a number of training camps at Seymour. Following Japan's entry into the war in late 1941, they the units of the 3rd Division were mobilised for war service. In August 1942, however, having remained in Australia carrying out garrison duties and having not been deployed on active service overseas, the battalion was again amalgamated with the 52nd Battalion, this time in response to a manpower shortage in the Australian economy that had been brought about by an over mobilisation of Australia's military forces. At this point the battalion became known as the "37th/52nd Battalion" and initially, it was assigned to the 10th Brigade and attached to the 3rd Division, although it was later transferred to the 4th Brigade in September 1942 after the 10th Brigade was also disbanded. The 37th/52nd was disbanded after the war on 12 June 1946, having fought against the Japanese in the Huon Peninsula
and New Britain campaigns.
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...
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...
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...
. It was originally raised in 1916 for service during the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and took part in the fighting 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...
in France and Belgium and was disbanded in 1918. In 1921, the battalion was re-raised as part of the part-time Citizens Forces
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...
, although it was later amalgamated with the 52nd Battalion
52nd Battalion (Australia)
The 52nd Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was originally raised in 1916 for service during the World War I and took part in the fighting in the trenches of the Western Front in France and Belgium and was disbanded in 1918...
in 1930 due to manpower shortages. In 1937 the battalion returned to the order of battle as the Australian military was expanded due to concerns of a future war in Europe. Following the outbreak of 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...
, the 37th Battalion served in a garrison role until 1942 when it was once again amalgamated with the 52nd Battalion.
World War I
The 37th Battalion was originally raised in Seymour, VictoriaSeymour, Victoria
Seymour is a township in the Shire of Mitchell in the state of Victoria, Australia and is located north of Melbourne. At the 2006 census, Seymour had a population of 6,063...
, in February 1916 as part of an expansion 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...
(AIF) which took place following the end of the Gallipoli campaign. The unit was made up from personnel drawn from men originating from Victoria who were recruited from a number of areas including Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Gippsland
Gippsland
Gippsland is a large rural region in Victoria, Australia. It begins immediately east of the suburbs of Melbourne and stretches to the New South Wales border, lying between the Great Dividing Range to the north and Bass Strait to the south...
and the north-eastern parts of the state. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Frederick George Woods, the battalion became part of the 10th Brigade
10th Brigade (Australia)
The 10th Brigade was an infantry brigade of the Australian Army. It was raised in 1916 as part of the expansion of the Australian Imperial Force following the end of the Gallipoli campaign and subsequently saw service on the Western Front in France and Belgium during the First World War...
attached to the 3rd Australian Division.
Initial training took place in Australia, however, once this was complete the battalion was sent to Britain where they concentrated on Salisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain is a chalk plateau in central southern England covering . It is part of the Southern England Chalk Formation and largely lies within the county of Wiltshire, with a little in Hampshire. The plain is famous for its rich archaeology, including Stonehenge, one of England's best known...
along with the rest of the 3rd Division to undertake more advanced training. The process took a considerable period of time and as such it was not until late in the year that the 3rd Division was declared ready to be deployed 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...
. After the battalion arrived in France on 23 November 1916, it was first sent to the Armentieres
Armentières
Armentières is a commune in the Nord department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region in northern France. It is part of the Urban Community of Lille Métropole, and lies on the Belgian border, northwest of the city of Lille, on the right bank of the river Lys....
sector which was considered a "quiet" area where the newly arrived troops could gain their first experiences of trench warfare. While there, they undertook patrols into No Man's Land
No Man's Land
No man's land is an unoccupied area between two opposing positions.No Man's Land may also refer to:-Places:In the United Kingdom* No Man's Land, Cornwall, England* No Man's Land Fort, off the coast of England* Nomansland, Devon, England...
and minor raids on the German trenches opposite them during the winter months.
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 they began to prepare to take part in their first major battle of the war. Between 7 and 9 June 1917, the battalion took part in the fighting at Messines
Battle of Messines
The Battle of Messines was a battle of the Western front of the First World War. It began on 7 June 1917 when the British Second Army under the command of General Herbert Plumer launched an offensive near the village of Mesen in West Flanders, Belgium...
in Belgium. One of the battalion's officers, Captain Robert Grieve was later awarded 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....
for the role he played in the battle. Following this, the 37th Battalion saw service at Broodseinde
Battle of Broodseinde
The Battle of Broodseinde was the most successful attack of the Battle of Passchendaele. Using the "bite and hold" tactic , the Allied forces conducted an attack on well-entrenched German forces and showed that it was possible for the allies to overcome even the stoutest German...
on 4 October and then later at Passchendaele on 12 October.
In early 1918, the collapse of the Russian resistance on the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War I)
The Eastern Front was a theatre of war during World War I in Central and, primarily, Eastern Europe. The term is in contrast to the Western Front. Despite the geographical separation, the events in the two theatres strongly influenced each other...
enabled the Germans to transfer a large number of troops to the west. As a result, in March, they launched an offensive along the Western Front
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...
. The initial attack was quite successful and with the Germans making rapid gains, many Australian units, including the 37th Battalion, which was moved from Armentieres and to Ypres, were thrown into the line to blunt the attack. Finally the offensive stalled and, after a period, the Allies were able to launch their own offensive, known as 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...
, which ultimately brought about an end to the war.
Held in reserve initially, the 37th Battalion did not see action on the first or second days of the fighting. On 10 August, however, the battalion participated in a poorly planned attack on the village of Proyart, which ended in failure. After this, it took part in a number of actions, including those at Bray and Clery, as the 3rd Division advanced through the Somme Valley towards Buire. As a result of heavy casualties sustained by the AIF during 1918 and a lack of new recruits with which to make up these losses, in September the AIF was forced to disband a number of battalions in order to reinforce others. With orders to disband, the battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Story, was relieved of command for questioning and failing to follow the order. The men mutinied and, as a result, the order was rescinded, albeit on a temporary basis. On 29 September, the battalion took part in its final battle of the war when it was involved in the attack on the St Quentin Canal. After this, the battalion was finally disbanded on 12 October 1918, at which point it only had a frontage of 60 men.
During the fighting, it suffered lost 483 killed in action or died on active service and 1,485 wounded. Members of the battalion received the following decorations: one 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....
, two Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
s (DSO), 15 Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
es (MCs), 8 Distinguished Conduct Medal
Distinguished Conduct Medal
The Distinguished Conduct Medal was an extremely high level award for bravery. It was a second level military decoration awarded to other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to non-commissioned personnel of other Commonwealth countries.The medal was instituted in 1854, during the Crimean...
s (DCMs), 67 Military Medal
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
s (MMs) with one Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
, six Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (United Kingdom)
The Meritorious Service Medal is a silver medal for distinguished service, or for gallantry, principally by non-commissioned officers of all of the British armed forces and of Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service.-Summary:...
s (MSMs), 13 Mention in Despatches (MIDs) and two foreign awards.
Inter-war years
In 1921, Australia's part-time military forces were re-organised in order to perpetuate the numerical designations and formations of the AIF. As a result, the 37th Battalion was re-raised at this time and was assigned to the 10th Brigade, which was attached to the 3rd Division. In 1927, when territorial designations were adopted, the battalion became known as '"The Henty Regiment". The battalion was amalgamated with the 52nd Battalion52nd Battalion (Australia)
The 52nd Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was originally raised in 1916 for service during the World War I and took part in the fighting in the trenches of the Western Front in France and Belgium and was disbanded in 1918...
in 1930 as the "37th/52nd Battalion, The Henty Regiment
37th/52nd Battalion (Australia)
The 37th/52nd Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Formed in 1930 from two previously existing Militia battalions, the battalion remained on the Australian order of battle until 1937. During World War II it was revived in 1942 and subsequently saw active service with the 4th...
", which was formed in the state of Victoria as part of a rationalisation of the Australia's part-time military forces that came about as a result of the combined effects of the suspension of compulsory service
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...
by the newly elected Scullin
James Scullin
James Henry Scullin , Australian Labor politician and the ninth Prime Minister of Australia. Two days after he was sworn in as Prime Minister, the Wall Street Crash of 1929 occurred, marking the beginning of the Great Depression and subsequent Great Depression in Australia.-Early life:Scullin was...
Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
government and 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...
. The battalion remained in existence until 1937 when, as part of an expansion of the Australian military due to concerns about the threat of war in Europe, the battalion was split to reform its predecessor units.
World War II
At the outbreak of World War IIWorld 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...
in September 1939, the 37th Battalion was headquartered around Sale
Sale, Victoria
Sale is a city in the Gippsland region of the Australian state of Victoria. It is the seat of the Shire of Wellington as well as the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sale and the Anglican Diocese of Gippsland. It has a population of around 13,336, and is expected to reach a population of 14,000 soon...
, in Victoria, where it formed part of the 10th Brigade. Due to the provisions of the Defence Act (1903), which precluded sending the Militia outside Australian territory, initially units such as the 37th Battalion were employed to provide training for personnel called up under the compulsory training scheme, which was reactivated in 1940. As a result, throughout 1940–41, as the Militia were called up to undertake periods of continuous training, the 37th Battalion undertook a number of training camps at Seymour. Following Japan's entry into the war in late 1941, they the units of the 3rd Division were mobilised for war service. In August 1942, however, having remained in Australia carrying out garrison duties and having not been deployed on active service overseas, the battalion was again amalgamated with the 52nd Battalion, this time in response to a manpower shortage in the Australian economy that had been brought about by an over mobilisation of Australia's military forces. At this point the battalion became known as the "37th/52nd Battalion" and initially, it was assigned to the 10th Brigade and attached to the 3rd Division, although it was later transferred to the 4th Brigade in September 1942 after the 10th Brigade was also disbanded. The 37th/52nd was disbanded after the war on 12 June 1946, having fought against the Japanese in the Huon Peninsula
Huon Peninsula campaign
The Huon Peninsula campaign was a series of battles in the New Guinea campaign of the Second World War. Australian forces assaulted Japanese bases on the Huon Peninsula....
and New Britain campaigns.
Battle honours
- World War I: Messines 1917, Ypres 1917, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde, Poelcappelle, Passchendaele, Somme 1918, Ancre 1918, Amiens, Albert 1918, Mont St Quentin, Hidenburg Line 1917, Hidenburg Line 1918, St Quentin Canal, St Quentin Canal, France and Flanders 1916–1918.
- World War II: Capture of LaeLanding at LaeThe Landing at Lae was an amphibous landing, as part of ', to the east of Lae in the Salamaua-Lae campaign of World War II between 4–6 September 1943....
, South-West Pacific 1942–1945, Liberation of Australian New GuineaNew Guinea campaignThe 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:...
and Gusika–Fortification PointHuon Peninsula campaignThe Huon Peninsula campaign was a series of battles in the New Guinea campaign of the Second World War. Australian forces assaulted Japanese bases on the Huon Peninsula....
.