48th Battalion (Australia)
Encyclopedia
The 48th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army
. It was originally raised in 1916 for service during World War I
and took part in the fighting in the trenches of the Western Front in France and Belgium, before being disbanded in early 1919.
on 16 March 1916 as part of the reorganisation and expansion of the AIF following the Gallipoli campaign. This was achieved by transferring cadres of experienced personnel predominately from the 1st Division
to the newly formed battalions and combining them with recently recruited personnel who had been dispatched as reinforcements from Australia. The unit's first intake of personnel were drawn from men originating from South Australia
and Western Australia
, many of whom had already served with the 16th Battalion. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Hurcombe, the battalion became part of the 12th Brigade
attached to the 4th Australian Division.
After arriving in France in 1916, the battalion was committed to the fighting, taking part in the Battle of Pozières
during July and August, suffering 598 casualties. Following this, it saw service during the battles of Bullecourt
and the Passchendaele in 1917. In early 1918, it assisted in the repulse of the major German offensive on the Western Front following the collapse of Russia. The 48th Battalion was disbanded on 31 March 1919.
During the fighting, it suffered lost 843 killed in action or died on active service and 1,628 wounded.
and following the election of the Scullin
Labor
government and the subsequent suspension of the compulsory training scheme, the decision was made to amalgamate the battalion due to a decline in the numbers of volunteers. At this time it was merged with the 43rd Battalion, to become the 43rd/48th Battalion.
, providing one company: 'C' (The Mid North Company).
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 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 in France and Belgium, before being disbanded in early 1919.
World War I
The 48th Battalion was originally raised in EgyptEgypt
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...
on 16 March 1916 as part of the reorganisation and expansion of the AIF following the Gallipoli campaign. This was achieved by transferring cadres of experienced personnel predominately from 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...
to the newly formed battalions and combining them with recently recruited personnel who had been dispatched as reinforcements from Australia. The unit's first intake of personnel were drawn from men originating from 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...
, many of whom had already served with the 16th Battalion. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Hurcombe, the battalion became part of the 12th Brigade
12th Brigade (Australia)
The 12th Brigade was an infantry brigade of the Australian Army. It was initially raised in 1916 as part of the expansion of the First Australian Imperial Force, which was Australia's overseas volunteer force during World War I...
attached to the 4th Australian Division.
After arriving in France in 1916, the battalion was committed to the fighting, taking part in 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...
during July and August, suffering 598 casualties. Following this, it saw service during the battles of Bullecourt
Battle of Arras (1917)
The Battle of Arras was a British offensive during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British, Canadian, New Zealand, Newfoundland, and Australian troops attacked German trenches near the French city of Arras on the Western Front....
and the Passchendaele in 1917. In early 1918, it assisted in the repulse of the major German offensive on the Western Front following the collapse of Russia. The 48th Battalion was disbanded on 31 March 1919.
During the fighting, it suffered lost 843 killed in action or died on active service and 1,628 wounded.
Inter-war
The battalion appears to have been reformed in 1921 and was known as The Torrens Regiment. In 1930, amidst the austerity of the Great DepressionGreat 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...
and following the election of the 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 subsequent suspension of the compulsory training scheme, the decision was made to amalgamate the battalion due to a decline in the numbers of volunteers. At this time it was merged with the 43rd Battalion, to become the 43rd/48th Battalion.
World War II
These battalions remained linked until 27 August 1942, when the 43rd/48th Battalion was split. The battalion was then amalgamated with the 10th Battalion as the 10th/48th Battalion. The 10th/48th Battalion was disbanded on 8 August 1945.Post World War II
The battalion was apparently re-raised in 1948 as part of the Citizens Military Force (CMF) and was amalgamated with the 43rd Battalion again in August 1952 as the 43rd/48th Infantry Battalion (The Hindmarsh Regiment). On 1 July 1960, when a widespread re-organisation of the CMF saw the creation of six State-based multi-battalion regiments as the smaller, regional regiments of the past were consolidated. As a result, the 43rd/48th Battalion became subsumed into the Pentropic 1st Battalion, Royal South Australia RegimentRoyal South Australia Regiment
The Royal South Australia Regiment is a reserve regiment of the Australian Army consisting of a single battalion, the 10th/27th Battalion, part of the 9th Brigade. It was raised on 1 July 1960, as The South Australia Regiment.-History:...
, providing one company: 'C' (The Mid North Company).
Battle honours
- World War I: Somme 1916, Somme 1918, Pozières, Bullecourt, Messines 1917, Ypres 1917, Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Passchendaele, Ancre 1918, Hamel, Amiens, Albert 1918, Hindenburg Line 1917, Hindenburg Line 1918, France and Flanders 1916-1918, Egypt 1915-1917.