Australian 5th Division (World War II)
Encyclopedia
The 5th Division was an infantry
division
of the Australian Army
which served during the First and Second World Wars. The Division was formed in February 1916 as part of the expansion of the Australian Imperial Force infantry brigades. In addition to the existing 8th Brigade
were added the new 14th
and 15th Brigades
, which had been raised from the battalions of the 1st and 2nd Brigades
respectively. From Egypt
the division was sent to France
, where they served in the trenches along the Western Front
.
After the war ended and the AIF was demobilised, the 5th Division name was revived in 1921 and assigned to an Australian Citizens Military Forces (reserve) unit. During the Second World War the division was mobilised for the defence of North Queensland
in 1942, when it was believed that the area was a prime site for an invasion by Japanese
forces. Most of the division was concentrated in the Townsville area, although the 11th Brigade Group
was detached for the defence of Cairns
and Mareeba. In 1943–45, the division took part in the New Guinea campaign
.
. When the more experienced I Anzac Corps
embarked for France at the end of the month, they took most of the available artillery
pieces and trained artillery personnel, leaving the II Anzac divisions to train new artillery batteries from scratch, a process that would take three months. Major-General the Honorable J.W. M'Cay, formerly commander of the Australian 2nd Infantry Brigade, assumed command of the division on 22 March 1916.
The first "test" for the division was a training march of 40 miles (64.4 km) from the Anzac camp at Tel el Kebir to the Suez Canal
defences which were being maintained in expectation of a Turkish
attack. M'Cay objected to the undertaking, but nevertheless imposed strict march discipline on his men. Taking three days over soft sand and in extreme heat, the men in the brigades suffered severely and the march was completed in disarray.
The 5th Division began arriving in France
in July 1916, the last of the four Australian divisions from Egypt to do so. At this time the Battle of the Somme
was underway and going badly for the British
. The three Australian divisions of I Anzac Corps, which had been acclimatising on the quiet sector near Armentières
, had been dispatched to the Somme as reinforcements and so the 5th Division took their place at Armentières on 12 July 1916.
The result of this move was that the 5th Division, the most inexperienced of the Australian divisions in France, would be the first to see major action in the Battle of Fromelles
, a week after going in to the trenches. As the German
s had been reinforcing their Somme front with troops from the north, the British planned a "demonstration" to try to pin these troops to the front.
The attack was masterminded by Lieutenant-General Richard Haking
, commander of the British XI Corps, which adjoined II Anzac Corps to the south. The aim was to reduce the slight German salient
known as the "Sugar Loaf", north west of the German-held town of Fromelles. The 5th Division happened to be the unit facing the northern flank of the salient.
By the time the attack was ready to be launched, its purpose as a preliminary diversion to the main action at the Somme had passed, yet Haking and his army commander, General Sir Charles Monro, were keen to go ahead. At 6pm on 19 July 1916, after 11 hours of preliminary bombardment, the 5th Division and British 61st Division
attacked. The Australian 8th and 14th Brigades, attacking north of the salient, occupied the German trenches but became isolated and out-flanked. They were forced to withdraw, through withering German enfilades, by morning. The 15th Brigade and the British 184th Brigade were cut to pieces while attempting to cross no man's land
. The 8th and 14th Brigades were forced to withdraw, through withering German enfilades, the following morning. The failure was compounded when the British 61st Division asked the Australian 15th Brigade to join in a renewed attempt at 9pm, but cancelled without informing the Australians. Consequently half of the Australian 58th Battalion made another futile, solo effort to capture the salient.
The battle was responsible for the greatest loss of Australian lives in one 24-hour period. The 5,533 Australian casualties, including 400 prisoners, were equivalent to the total Australian losses in the Boer War
, Korean War
and Vietnam War
combined. The 5th Division was effectively incapacitated for many months afterwards. Two battalion
s, the 60th and the 32nd, each suffered more than 700 casualties, or more than 90% of their fighting strength and had to be rebuilt: out of 887 personnel from the 60th Battalion, only one officer and 106 other ranks survived; the 32nd Battalion sustained 718 casualties. The attack had completely failed as a diversion when its limited nature became obvious to the German defenders. The perceived "failure" of the British 61st Division poisoned relations between the AIF
divisions and the British. In its communiqués, the British GHQ passed the Battle of Fromelles off as "some important raids".
The 5th Division was not ready for combat again until October 1916, when it joined the other Australian divisions on the Somme, in extreme winter conditions.
assumed command of the 5th Division. When the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line
began on 24 February 1917, the division joined the pursuit, skirmishing with the German screen covering the withdrawal. On 17 March 1917 the 30th Battalion
attacked towards Bapaume
, the objective of the previous year's Somme offensive, and found the town abandoned, a smoking ruin. The 15th Brigade advanced south of Bapaume until, having lost touch with the British Fourth Army
units on its flank, was ordered to halt. By 24 March 1917 the headlong advance had ended and a period of cautious approach to the Hindenburg defences began. On 2 April 1917 the 14th Brigade captured the villages of Doignies and Louverval before the 5th Division was relieved by the Australian 1st Division.
When General Allenby's British Third Army
launched the Battle of Arras
on 9 April 1917, the Australian divisions—part of General Gough's
British Fifth Army
since the Somme fighting—were called on to participate in an attempt to break the German flank on the Hindenburg Line at Bullecourt. The 5th Division at this time was part of I Anzac under General Birdwood. It avoided the first of the fighting but was thrown in to the closing stages of the Second Battle of Bullecourt which had begun on 3 May 1917. The division was mainly responsible for holding on against German counter-attacks.
After the Bullecourt fighting subsided on 17 May 1917, the 5th Division, along with the rest of I Anzac, was withdrawn for a long rest.
with two Australian divisions (4th and 5th) attacking in the centre of seven divisions.
The previous day (25 September) a German counter-attack had driven in the neighbouring brigade of the British X Corps
however the attack was ordered to proceed despite the Australian 15th Brigade's flank being exposed. Attacking with an open flank, the 15th Brigade, supported by two battalions of the 8th Brigade, reached its objectives, and captured some of X Corps' objectives as well. The 14th Brigade, attacking on the left, captured Polygon Wood. In keeping with current policy, the attacking divisions were immediately relieved and the 5th Division was spared involvement in most of the worst fighting that followed as the British line edged towards Passchendaele.
. On 4 April the 15th Brigade, which had been guarding crossings of the River Somme
, moved to hold Hill 104 north of the town of Villers-Bretonneux
, a place that was to become famous in Anzac legend. By mid-April a renewed German push for Amiens was evident and the entire 5th Division was put in to the line astride the Somme.
When the attack came on 24 April, the 15th Brigade was back in reserve west of Villers-Bretonneux, which was defended by the British III Corps. The German assault, for the first time spearheaded by tank
s, succeeded in capturing the town and neighbouring woods. III Corps was lent the 15th Brigade and the 13th Brigade (from the Australian 4th Division
) to mount a counter-attack. Attacking after 10pm that night, the two brigades encircled the town, the 15th from the north and the 13th from the south, and after dawn the town itself was recaptured. This victory marked the end of the German advance towards Amiens.
In the period leading up to the final Allied offensive, Australian divisions used Peaceful Penetration
to continual harass their German opposition. On the night of 29 July, units of the 5th Division raided the German defences near Morlancourt, capturing 128 prisoners, 36 machine guns and two trench systems.
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When the "Hundred Days" campaign began with the Battle of Amiens on 8 August 1918, the Australian Corps
attacked from between Villers-Bretonneux and Hamel. The 5th Division was to follow up the initial attack of the 2nd Division, passing through to take Harbonnieres, an advance of two miles. On the following day, the 5th Division, which had meant to be relieved by the 1st Division, continued the advance with the 15th Brigade supporting the neighbouring advance made by the Canadian Corps
and the 8th Brigade taking Vauvillers.
In late August 1918 the 5th Division followed the German retreat to the Somme near Pérrone
. On 31 August, while the 2nd Division attacked Mont St Quentin
, the 5th Division stood ready to exploit any opportunity to cross the Somme and take Pérrone. On 1 September 1918 the 14th Brigade captured the woods north and followed up by taking the main part of the town. The 15th Brigade captured the rest of the town the following day.
By the time the Australian Corps reached the Hindenburg Line on 19 September 1918, the 5th Division was one of only two Australian divisions fit for action, the other being the 3rd. The 15th Brigade's 60th Battalion had already been disbanded to keep other battalions up to strength. For the attack on the Hindenburg Line to be made on 29 September 1918, the corps was reinforced by the American
27th and 30th Divisions (from the U.S. II Corp). The 5th Division followed up the initial attack made by the American 30th Division and by 1 October 1918 the first two Hindenburg Line trench systems had been captured (see Battle of the Hindenburg Line
).
The 5th Division was relieved by the 2nd Division and, when on 5 October 1918 the Australian Corps handed over its line to the U.S. II Corps
, the division was withdrawn to the coast for a rest that would last until the end of the war.
8th Brigade :
14th Brigade (New South Wales)
:
15th Brigade (Victoria) :
5th Division Artillery
5th Division Field Ambulance
1917–19: Maj. Gen. J. J. T. Hobbs
, Brisbane
. (A plaque in the college commemorates its formation there. )
An advance party of 25 officers and 55 other ranks from the divisional headquarters arrived in Townsville on 30 April 1942, along with an advance party of 40 members of the 29th Infantry Brigade. They travelled by train and were initially accommodated at the Townsville Showgrounds Staging Camp.
The infantry and field regiments were distributed widely around the Townsville area including, Aitkenvale, Antill Plains, Castle Hill, Jimmy's Lookout, Belgian Gardens and Mount Louisa.
The Headquarters for the 5th Australian Division were located at Aitkenvale in Townsville in May 1942. In December 1942, the Headquarters was located in a reinforced concrete bunker at Roseneath
. 5 Div Signals were also located at Roseneath.
Maj Gen Edward Milford was appointed Commanding Officer of the 5th Division in mid-1942, under Lt Gen James Durrant, Commander in Chief Northern Command (Queensland). Durrant promoted the evacuation of non-essential civilians and a scorched earth
policy in the event of invasion, to the local town and shire councils and the Chamber of Commerce. They began plans for the demolition of airfields and other vital defence facilities in north Queensland such as the Townsville Harbour facilities and road a rail bridges.
If communications with Northern Command were severed, the 5th Australian Division commander was to assume command of all Allied forces services (except bomber aircraft). For this purpose an Operations Room was set up at HQ 5 Div.
In the event of an invasion, the 5th Division would have had the following responsibilities:
, to take over the Salamaua campaign
in its dying stages. The division occupied Salamaua
on 11 September.
During 1945, the division took part in the New Britain campaign.
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...
division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
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...
which served during the First and Second World Wars. The Division was formed in February 1916 as part of the expansion of the Australian Imperial Force infantry brigades. In addition to the existing 8th Brigade
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,...
were added the new 14th
14th Brigade (Australia)
The 14th Brigade was an infantry brigade of the Australian Army. Formed in 1916 as part of the expansion of the 1st AIF it served on the Western Front in France and Flanders during World War I. Between 1916–1918 it consisted of the 53rd, 54th, 55tth and 56th Battalions and was assigned to the 5th...
and 15th Brigades
15th Brigade (Australia)
The 15th Brigade was an infantry brigade of the Australian Army. Originally raised in 1916 for service during World War I, the brigade took part in the fighting on the Western Front in France and Belgium before being disbanded in 1919. After this it was re-raised as a part-time unit of the Citizens...
, which had been raised from the battalions of the 1st and 2nd Brigades
2nd Brigade (Australia)
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...
respectively. From 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 division was sent to 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...
, where they served in the trenches along 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 war ended and the AIF was demobilised, the 5th Division name was revived in 1921 and assigned to an Australian Citizens Military Forces (reserve) unit. During the Second World War the division was mobilised for the defence of North Queensland
North Queensland
North Queensland or the Northern Region is the northern part of the state of Queensland in Australia. Queensland is a massive state, larger than most countries, and the tropical northern part of it has been historically remote and undeveloped, resulting in a distinctive regional character and...
in 1942, when it was believed that the area was a prime site for an invasion by Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
forces. Most of the division was concentrated in the Townsville area, although the 11th Brigade Group
11th Brigade (Australia)
The Australian 11th Brigade is an Australian Army brigade which currently comprises most Australian Army Reserve units located in Queensland. The Brigade was first formed in early 1916 as part of the 3rd Division and saw action during World War I and World War II.-Brigade Structure:*Headquarters...
was detached for the defence of Cairns
Cairns, Queensland
Cairns is a regional city in Far North Queensland, Australia, founded 1876. The city was named after William Wellington Cairns, then-current Governor of Queensland. It was formed to serve miners heading for the Hodgkinson River goldfield, but experienced a decline when an easier route was...
and Mareeba. In 1943–45, the division took part in the New Guinea campaign
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:...
.
Egypt
On formation in February 1916, the 5th Division joined II Anzac CorpsII Anzac Corps
The II ANZAC Corps was an Australian and New Zealand First World War army corps formed in Egypt in February 1916 as part of the reorganization of the Australian Imperial Force following the evacuation of Gallipoli in November 1915, under the command of William Birdwood...
. When the more experienced I Anzac Corps
I Anzac Corps
The I ANZAC Corps was a combined Australian and New Zealand army corps that served during World War I.It was formed in Egypt in February 1916 as part of the reorganisation and expansion of the Australian Imperial Force and the New Zealand Expeditionary Force following the evacuation of Gallipoli...
embarked for France at the end of the month, they took most of the available artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
pieces and trained artillery personnel, leaving the II Anzac divisions to train new artillery batteries from scratch, a process that would take three months. Major-General the Honorable J.W. M'Cay, formerly commander of the Australian 2nd Infantry Brigade, assumed command of the division on 22 March 1916.
The first "test" for the division was a training march of 40 miles (64.4 km) from the Anzac camp at Tel el Kebir to 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...
defences which were being maintained in expectation of a Turkish
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
attack. M'Cay objected to the undertaking, but nevertheless imposed strict march discipline on his men. Taking three days over soft sand and in extreme heat, the men in the brigades suffered severely and the march was completed in disarray.
The 5th Division began arriving 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...
in July 1916, the last of the four Australian divisions from Egypt to do so. At this time the Battle of the Somme
Battle of the Somme (1916)
The Battle of the Somme , also known as the Somme Offensive, took place during the First World War between 1 July and 14 November 1916 in the Somme department of France, on both banks of the river of the same name...
was underway and going badly for the 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...
. The three Australian divisions of I Anzac Corps, which had been acclimatising on the quiet sector near Armentières
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....
, had been dispatched to the Somme as reinforcements and so the 5th Division took their place at Armentières on 12 July 1916.
Fromelles
Battle of Fromelles
The Battle of Fromelles, sometimes known as the Action at Fromelles or the Battle of Fleurbaix , occurred in France between 19 July and 20 July 1916, during World War I...
, a week after going in to the trenches. As the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
s had been reinforcing their Somme front with troops from the north, the British planned a "demonstration" to try to pin these troops to the front.
The attack was masterminded by Lieutenant-General Richard Haking
Richard Haking
General Sir Richard Cyril Byrne Haking, GBE, KCB, KCMG was a British general in the First World War. He is remembered chiefly for the high casualties suffered by his forces at the second Battle of Fromelles, although at least one British historian has sought to defend his reputation, regarding...
, commander of the British XI Corps, which adjoined II Anzac Corps to the south. The aim was to reduce the slight German salient
Salients, re-entrants and pockets
A salient is a battlefield feature that projects into enemy territory. The salient is surrounded by the enemy on three sides, making the troops occupying the salient vulnerable. The enemy's line facing a salient is referred to as a re-entrant...
known as the "Sugar Loaf", north west of the German-held town of Fromelles. The 5th Division happened to be the unit facing the northern flank of the salient.
By the time the attack was ready to be launched, its purpose as a preliminary diversion to the main action at the Somme had passed, yet Haking and his army commander, General Sir Charles Monro, were keen to go ahead. At 6pm on 19 July 1916, after 11 hours of preliminary bombardment, the 5th Division and British 61st Division
British 61st (2nd South Midland) Division
The British 61st Division was a second-line Territorial Force division raised in 1915 as a reserve for the first-line battalions of the 48th Division...
attacked. The Australian 8th and 14th Brigades, attacking north of the salient, occupied the German trenches but became isolated and out-flanked. They were forced to withdraw, through withering German enfilades, by morning. The 15th Brigade and the British 184th Brigade were cut to pieces while attempting to cross no man's land
No man's land
No man's land is a term for land that is unoccupied or is under dispute between parties that leave it unoccupied due to fear or uncertainty. The term was originally used to define a contested territory or a dumping ground for refuse between fiefdoms...
. The 8th and 14th Brigades were forced to withdraw, through withering German enfilades, the following morning. The failure was compounded when the British 61st Division asked the Australian 15th Brigade to join in a renewed attempt at 9pm, but cancelled without informing the Australians. Consequently half of the Australian 58th Battalion made another futile, solo effort to capture the salient.
The battle was responsible for the greatest loss of Australian lives in one 24-hour period. The 5,533 Australian casualties, including 400 prisoners, were equivalent to the total Australian losses in the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
, Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
and Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
combined. The 5th Division was effectively incapacitated for many months afterwards. Two 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 60th and the 32nd, each suffered more than 700 casualties, or more than 90% of their fighting strength and had to be rebuilt: out of 887 personnel from the 60th Battalion, only one officer and 106 other ranks survived; the 32nd Battalion sustained 718 casualties. The attack had completely failed as a diversion when its limited nature became obvious to the German defenders. The perceived "failure" of the British 61st Division poisoned relations between the AIF
First Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
divisions and the British. In its communiqués, the British GHQ passed the Battle of Fromelles off as "some important raids".
The 5th Division was not ready for combat again until October 1916, when it joined the other Australian divisions on the Somme, in extreme winter conditions.
Hindenburg Line, 1917
In January 1917, Major-General Talbot HobbsTalbot Hobbs
Lieutenant General Sir Joseph John Talbot Hobbs KCB, KCMG, VD was an Australian architect and First World War general.-Early life:...
assumed command of the 5th Division. When the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line
Hindenburg Line
The Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defences in northeastern France during World War I. It was constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916–17. The line stretched from Lens to beyond Verdun...
began on 24 February 1917, the division joined the pursuit, skirmishing with the German screen covering the withdrawal. On 17 March 1917 the 30th Battalion
30th Battalion (Australia)
The 30th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was originally formed in 1915 during the First World War and saw service on the Western Front before being disbanded in 1919. It was re-raised in 1921 but was later amalgamated with the 51st Battalion in 1930. In 1935 the two...
attacked towards Bapaume
Bapaume
Bapaume is a commune and the seat of a canton in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A farming and light industrial town located 10 miles south of Arras at the junction of the A1 autoroute and the N17 and N30 national roads its location is...
, the objective of the previous year's Somme offensive, and found the town abandoned, a smoking ruin. The 15th Brigade advanced south of Bapaume until, having lost touch with the British Fourth Army
British Fourth Army
The Fourth Army was a field army that formed part of the British Expeditionary Force during the First World War. The Fourth Army was formed on 5 February 1916 under the command of General Sir Henry Rawlinson to carry out the main British contribution to the Battle of the Somme.-History:The Fourth...
units on its flank, was ordered to halt. By 24 March 1917 the headlong advance had ended and a period of cautious approach to the Hindenburg defences began. On 2 April 1917 the 14th Brigade captured the villages of Doignies and Louverval before the 5th Division was relieved by the Australian 1st Division.
When General Allenby's British Third Army
British Third Army
-First World War :The Third Army was part of the British Army during World War I and was formed in France on 13 July 1915. The battles it took part in on the Western Front included:*Battle of the Somme*Battle of Cambrai*Second Battle of Arras...
launched the Battle of Arras
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....
on 9 April 1917, the Australian divisions—part of General Gough's
Hubert Gough
General Sir Hubert de la Poer Gough GCB, GCMG, KCVO was a senior officer in the British Army, who commanded the British Fifth Army from 1916 to 1918 during the First World War.-Family background:...
British Fifth Army
British Fifth Army
The Fifth Army was a field army of the British Army during World War I and part of the British Expeditionary Force during the First World War.-History:...
since the Somme fighting—were called on to participate in an attempt to break the German flank on the Hindenburg Line at Bullecourt. The 5th Division at this time was part of I Anzac under General Birdwood. It avoided the first of the fighting but was thrown in to the closing stages of the Second Battle of Bullecourt which had begun on 3 May 1917. The division was mainly responsible for holding on against German counter-attacks.
After the Bullecourt fighting subsided on 17 May 1917, the 5th Division, along with the rest of I Anzac, was withdrawn for a long rest.
Third Battle of Ypres
The 5th Division took over from the 1st Division following the Battle of Menin Road on 20 September, which was the start of a phase of "bite-and-hold" limited-objective attacks in the Third Battle of Ypres. The next step was taken on 26 September in the Battle of Polygon WoodBattle of Polygon Wood
The Battle of Polygon Wood took place during the second phase of the Battle of Passchendaele in World War I. The battle was fought near Ypres, Belgium, in an area named the Polygon Wood after the layout of the area...
with two Australian divisions (4th and 5th) attacking in the centre of seven divisions.
The previous day (25 September) a German counter-attack had driven in the neighbouring brigade of the British X Corps
X Corps (United Kingdom)
The X Corps was a British Army formation in the First World War and was later reformed in 1942 during the North African campaign of the Second World War as part of the Eighth Army.- First World War :...
however the attack was ordered to proceed despite the Australian 15th Brigade's flank being exposed. Attacking with an open flank, the 15th Brigade, supported by two battalions of the 8th Brigade, reached its objectives, and captured some of X Corps' objectives as well. The 14th Brigade, attacking on the left, captured Polygon Wood. In keeping with current policy, the attacking divisions were immediately relieved and the 5th Division was spared involvement in most of the worst fighting that followed as the British line edged towards Passchendaele.
German Spring Offensive, 1918
The 5th Division returned to action in late March as the German Spring offensive, launched on 21 March, began to threaten the vital rail hub of AmiensAmiens
Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...
. On 4 April the 15th Brigade, which had been guarding crossings of the River Somme
Somme
Somme is a department of France, located in the north of the country and named after the Somme river. It is part of the Picardy region of France....
, moved to hold Hill 104 north of the town of Villers-Bretonneux
Villers-Bretonneux
Villers-Bretonneux is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:Villers-Bretonneux is situated some 19 km due east of Amiens, on the D1029 road and the A29 motorway.-History - World War I:...
, a place that was to become famous in Anzac legend. By mid-April a renewed German push for Amiens was evident and the entire 5th Division was put in to the line astride the Somme.
When the attack came on 24 April, the 15th Brigade was back in reserve west of Villers-Bretonneux, which was defended by the British III Corps. The German assault, for the first time spearheaded by tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s, succeeded in capturing the town and neighbouring woods. III Corps was lent the 15th Brigade and the 13th Brigade (from the Australian 4th Division
Australian 4th Division (World War I)
The Australian 4th Division was formed in the First World War during the expansion of the Australian Imperial Force infantry brigades in February 1916. In addition to the experienced 4th Brigade were added the new 12th and 13th Brigades...
) to mount a counter-attack. Attacking after 10pm that night, the two brigades encircled the town, the 15th from the north and the 13th from the south, and after dawn the town itself was recaptured. This victory marked the end of the German advance towards Amiens.
In the period leading up to the final Allied offensive, Australian divisions used Peaceful Penetration
Peaceful Penetration
Peaceful Penetration was an Australian infantry tactic used during the First World War , which was a cross between trench raiding and patrolling...
to continual harass their German opposition. On the night of 29 July, units of the 5th Division raided the German defences near Morlancourt, capturing 128 prisoners, 36 machine guns and two trench systems.
Hundred Days, 1918
Australian Corps
The Australian Corps was a World War I army corps that contained all five Australian infantry divisions serving on the Western Front. It was the largest corps fielded by the British Empire army in France...
attacked from between Villers-Bretonneux and Hamel. The 5th Division was to follow up the initial attack of the 2nd Division, passing through to take Harbonnieres, an advance of two miles. On the following day, the 5th Division, which had meant to be relieved by the 1st Division, continued the advance with the 15th Brigade supporting the neighbouring advance made by the Canadian Corps
Canadian Corps
The Canadian Corps was a World War I corps formed from the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1915 after the arrival of the 2nd Canadian Division in France. The corps was expanded by the addition of the 3rd Canadian Division in December 1915 and the 4th Canadian Division in August 1916...
and the 8th Brigade taking Vauvillers.
In late August 1918 the 5th Division followed the German retreat to the Somme near Pérrone
Perrone
Perrone is an Italian surname, and may refer to:* Ciro Perrone* Diego Perrone* Elisabetta Perrone* Emanuel Perrone* Ettore Perrone di San Martino* Giovanni Perrone* Nico Perrone* Paul J. Perrone...
. On 31 August, while the 2nd Division attacked Mont St Quentin
Battle of Mont St. Quentin
The Battle of Mont Saint-Quentin was a battle on the Western Front during World War I. As part of the Allied counteroffensives on the Western Front in the late summer of 1918, the Australian Corps crossed the Somme River on the night of August 31, and broke the German lines at Mont Saint-Quentin...
, the 5th Division stood ready to exploit any opportunity to cross the Somme and take Pérrone. On 1 September 1918 the 14th Brigade captured the woods north and followed up by taking the main part of the town. The 15th Brigade captured the rest of the town the following day.
By the time the Australian Corps reached the Hindenburg Line on 19 September 1918, the 5th Division was one of only two Australian divisions fit for action, the other being the 3rd. The 15th Brigade's 60th Battalion had already been disbanded to keep other battalions up to strength. For the attack on the Hindenburg Line to be made on 29 September 1918, the corps was reinforced by the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
27th and 30th Divisions (from the U.S. II Corp). The 5th Division followed up the initial attack made by the American 30th Division and by 1 October 1918 the first two Hindenburg Line trench systems had been captured (see Battle of the Hindenburg Line
Battle of the Hindenburg Line
The Battle of St Quentin Canal was a pivotal battle of World War I that began on 29 September 1918 and involved British, Australian and American forces in the spearhead attack and as a single combined force against the German Siegfried Stellung of the Hindenburg Line...
).
The 5th Division was relieved by the 2nd Division and, when on 5 October 1918 the Australian Corps handed over its line to the U.S. II Corps
U.S. II Corps
The II Corps was a corps of the United States Army and the first US formation of any size to see combat in Europe or Africa during World War II.-World War I:...
, the division was withdrawn to the coast for a rest that would last until the end of the war.
Order of battle
Upon formation, the division consisted of the following infantry units:8th Brigade :
- 29th Battalion (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....
) (Disbanded in September 1918) - 30th Battalion (New South WalesNew South WalesNew South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
) - 31st Battalion (QueenslandQueenslandQueensland 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...
& Victoria) - 32nd Battalion32nd 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...
(Western AustraliaWestern AustraliaWestern 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...
& South AustraliaSouth AustraliaSouth 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...
)
14th Brigade (New South Wales)
14th Brigade (Australia)
The 14th Brigade was an infantry brigade of the Australian Army. Formed in 1916 as part of the expansion of the 1st AIF it served on the Western Front in France and Flanders during World War I. Between 1916–1918 it consisted of the 53rd, 54th, 55tth and 56th Battalions and was assigned to the 5th...
:
- 53rd Battalion53rd Battalion (Australia)The 53rd Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Raised in 1916 for service during World War I the battalion served on the Western Front until the end of the war, before being briefly amalgamated with the 55th Battalion and then eventually disbanded in 1919...
- 54th Battalion (Disbanded in September 1918)
- 55th Battalion
- 56th Battalion
15th Brigade (Victoria) :
- 57th Battalion (New South Wales)
- 58th Battalion
- 59th Battalion
- 60th Battalion (Disbanded in September 1918)
5th Division Artillery
5th Division Field Ambulance
Commanders
1916–17: Maj Gen. J. W. McCayJames Whiteside McCay
Lieutenant General Sir James Whiteside McCay KCMG, KBE, CB, VD was an Australian general and politician. A graduate of the University of Melbourne, where he earned Master of Arts and Master of Laws degrees, he established a successful legal practice, McCay & Thwaites...
1917–19: Maj. Gen. J. J. T. Hobbs
Talbot Hobbs
Lieutenant General Sir Joseph John Talbot Hobbs KCB, KCMG, VD was an Australian architect and First World War general.-Early life:...
1942
The division was formed in 1942 at Marist Brothers College, AshgroveAshgrove, Queensland
Ashgrove is an inner suburb of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia, located approximately 4 km north-west of the Brisbane CBD. Ashgrove is a leafy residential suburb, characterised by its hilly terrain and characteristic Ashgrovian houses built in the early 20th century...
, Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. (A plaque in the college commemorates its formation there. )
An advance party of 25 officers and 55 other ranks from the divisional headquarters arrived in Townsville on 30 April 1942, along with an advance party of 40 members of the 29th Infantry Brigade. They travelled by train and were initially accommodated at the Townsville Showgrounds Staging Camp.
The infantry and field regiments were distributed widely around the Townsville area including, Aitkenvale, Antill Plains, Castle Hill, Jimmy's Lookout, Belgian Gardens and Mount Louisa.
The Headquarters for the 5th Australian Division were located at Aitkenvale in Townsville in May 1942. In December 1942, the Headquarters was located in a reinforced concrete bunker at Roseneath
Roseneath
Roseneath is the name of several places:*Roseneath, an historical mis-spelling of name of the village of Rosneath, Argyll and Bute, Scotland and from which a number of other place-names derivein Australia*Roseneath, Victoria, in Australia...
. 5 Div Signals were also located at Roseneath.
Maj Gen Edward Milford was appointed Commanding Officer of the 5th Division in mid-1942, under Lt Gen James Durrant, Commander in Chief Northern Command (Queensland). Durrant promoted the evacuation of non-essential civilians and a scorched earth
Scorched earth
A scorched earth policy is a military strategy or operational method which involves destroying anything that might be useful to the enemy while advancing through or withdrawing from an area...
policy in the event of invasion, to the local town and shire councils and the Chamber of Commerce. They began plans for the demolition of airfields and other vital defence facilities in north Queensland such as the Townsville Harbour facilities and road a rail bridges.
If communications with Northern Command were severed, the 5th Australian Division commander was to assume command of all Allied forces services (except bomber aircraft). For this purpose an Operations Room was set up at HQ 5 Div.
In the event of an invasion, the 5th Division would have had the following responsibilities:
- attack any enemy force landing between RollingstoneRollingstone, QueenslandRollingstone is a semi-rural/residential suburb approximately 54 kilometres north of Townsville, Queensland, Australia, and 57 kilometres south of Ingham, Queensland...
and the Bohle RiverBohle RiverThe Bohle River is a short river north of Townsville in Queensland, Australia. The Bohle river catchment is approximately 355 km², draining most of the coastal plain west of Townsville.Tributaries include Middle Creek, Stony Creek, Stag Creek and Garner Creek...
and/or advancing from the north.
- creating a holding force in the Clevedon-Woodstock Hill area with the task of opposing an enemy landing in Bowling Green Bay, and halting any advance towards Townsville
- the blocking of roads connecting the coast and inland from InghamIngham, QueenslandIngham is a town in the Great Green Way region of North Queensland, Australia. The town was founded in 1864, gazetted a shire in 1879, and is the service centre for many sugarcane plantations, pioneered in the 1870s by William Ingham, for whom the town is named...
(through Mount Fox) and from Moongobulla (through Mount SpecPaluma Range National ParkPaluma Range is a national park located between Ingham and Townsville, in north Queensland, Australia. The park is 1188 km north of Brisbane. The park contains the Jourama Falls, Crystal Creek and Lake Paluma...
)
- demolitions in the Ingham area and, if necessary, the destruction of the Mount Spec and Mount Fox roads.
- the manning of beach defence guns for the defence of beaches between Bohle River and Rollingstone, and between Houghton River and Chunda Bay.
1943–45
On 23 August 1943, the division, under Milford moved to the north coast of New GuineaNew 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...
, to take over the Salamaua campaign
Salamaua-Lae campaign
The Salamaua–Lae campaign was a series of actions in the New Guinea campaign of World War II. Australian and United States forces sought to capture two major Japanese bases, one in the town of Lae, and another one at Salamaua. The campaign to take the Salamaua and Lae area began with the Australian...
in its dying stages. The division occupied Salamaua
Salamaua
Salamaua was a small town situated on the north-eastern coastline of Papua New Guinea part of Morobe province. The settlement was built on a minor isthmus between the coast with mountains on the inland side and a headland...
on 11 September.
During 1945, the division took part in the New Britain campaign.
Commanders
- Maj. Gen. Edward Milford
- Maj. Gen. Alan RamsayAlan RamsayMajor General Sir Alan Hollick Ramsay , CBE, CB, DSO, ED, was a soldier in the Australian Army, who served in the First World War and was a general during the Second World War. He was mentioned in dispatches three times....
- Maj. Gen. Horace RobertsonHorace RobertsonLieutenant General Sir Horace Clement Hugh Robertson KBE, DSO was a senior officer in the Australian Army who served in the First World War, the Second World War and the Korean War...
