Australian I Corps
Encyclopedia
I Corps of the Australian Army
was its main frontline corps
during World War II
. Various Australian and other Allied
divisions
came under its control at different times. In 1940–42, the corps was based in the Mediterranean Theatre
. In 1942–45, it oversaw Allied frontline units in the South West Pacific Area
.
The corps was established on 11 April 1940 in Melbourne to supervise the frontline divisions of the Second Australian Imperial Force
(2nd AIF). Lieutenant General Thomas Blamey
, the 2nd AIF commander, was appointed General Officer Commanding (GOC).
The corps took over control of Cyrenaica
in Libya
on 16 February 1941, replacing the British XIII Corps
.
I Corps HQ was transferred to Greece
for the campaign there in April 1941. The corps controlled the Australian 6th Division
, the New Zealand 2nd Division
, the Greek 12th Division and the British 1st Armoured Brigade
. On 12 April, it was officially renamed the Anzac Corps, a reference to the combined Australian-New Zealand formations of World War I
. (The Allied forces were quickly overcome by the German
advance and I Corps HQ left Greece on 23–24 April).
In June, as part of the initial plan for the invasion of Lebanon and Syria
, I Corps was to take command of operations after Commonwealth
forces reached the Beirut
-Damascus
road. However, on 18 June 1941, prior to that objective being reached, I Corps took charge, to improve command and control of the Allied forces. From this date all Allied troops in the theatre came under the command of Lieutenant-General John Lavarack
. They included: the Australian 7th Division
(less the 18th Infantry Brigade), the British 6th Infantry Division, the 1st (Free French) Light Division
and the 5th (Indian) Brigade Group. Following the hard-fought Allied victory, I Corps assumed responsibility for occupying all of Lebanon and Syria north of the Beirut-Damascus road, including the border with Turkey.
, the British government requested that two Australian divisions be sent to the Far East. The Australian government agreed to this request on 6 January, and ordered the redeployment of I Corps Headquarters, along with the 6th
and 7th
divisions. These formations had left Egypt for Java by the end of January.
Accompanying them were the two overseas regiments of 1 Australian Anti-Aircraft Brigade, namely the 1st Australian Light AA (Bofors) Regt and the 2nd Australian Heavy Anti-Aircraft (3.7") Regiment with their related Anti-Aircraft Signals Sections.
However, few Australian units had landed in the Netherlands East Indies before it had fallen to Japanese
forces. There was a dispute between Winston Churchill
and Australian Prime Minister John Curtin
over whether the main part of the force should be sent to southern Asia
or Australia. Nevertheless, I Corps HQ was relocated to Australia and the 6th Division (less the 19th Brigade) was detached to Ceylon, together with their complement of AA guns and Matador trucks.
of I Corps:
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...
was its main frontline corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Various Australian and other Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
divisions
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...
came under its control at different times. In 1940–42, the corps was based in the Mediterranean Theatre
Mediterranean Theatre of World War II
The African, Mediterranean and Middle East theatres encompassed the naval, land, and air campaigns fought between the Allied and Axis forces in the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and Africa...
. In 1942–45, it oversaw Allied frontline units in the South West Pacific Area
South West Pacific Area
South West Pacific Area was the name given to the Allied supreme military command in the South West Pacific Theatre of World War II. It was one of four major Allied commands in the Pacific theatres of World War II, during 1942–45...
.
The corps was established on 11 April 1940 in Melbourne to supervise the frontline divisions of the Second Australian Imperial Force
Second 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...
(2nd AIF). Lieutenant General Thomas Blamey
Thomas Blamey
Field Marshal Sir Thomas Albert Blamey GBE, KCB, CMG, DSO, ED was an Australian general of the First and Second World Wars, and the only Australian to date to attain the rank of field marshal....
, the 2nd AIF commander, was appointed General Officer Commanding (GOC).
Mediterranean Theatre
Blamey left Australia to set up his headquarters in Palestine on 10 June 1940.The corps took over control of Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica is the eastern coastal region of Libya.Also known as Pentapolis in antiquity, it was part of the Creta et Cyrenaica province during the Roman period, later divided in Libia Pentapolis and Libia Sicca...
in Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
on 16 February 1941, replacing the British XIII Corps
XIII Corps (United Kingdom)
XIII Corps was a British infantry corps during World War I and World War II.-World War I:XIII Corps was formed in France on 15 November 1915 under Lieutenant-General Walter Congreve to be part of Fourth Army. It was first seriously engaged during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. On the First day on...
.
I Corps HQ was transferred to Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
for the campaign there in April 1941. The corps controlled the Australian 6th Division
Australian 6th Division
The 6th Division of the Australian Army was a unit in the Second Australian Imperial Force during World War II. It served in the North African campaign, the Greek campaign and the New Guinea campaign, including the crucial battles of the Kokoda Track, among others...
, the New Zealand 2nd Division
New Zealand 2nd Division
The 2nd New Zealand Division was a formation of the New Zealand Military Forces during World War II. It was commanded for most of its existence by Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Freyberg, and fought in Greece, Crete, the Western Desert and Italy...
, the Greek 12th Division and the British 1st Armoured Brigade
British 1st Armoured Brigade
The 1st Armoured Brigade was a regular British Army unit formed from the redesignation of the 1st Light Armoured Brigade on 3 September 1939.-Second World War History:...
. On 12 April, it was officially renamed the Anzac Corps, a reference to the combined Australian-New Zealand formations of 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...
. (The Allied forces were quickly overcome by the German
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
advance and I Corps HQ left Greece on 23–24 April).
In June, as part of the initial plan for the invasion of Lebanon and Syria
Syria-Lebanon campaign
The Syria–Lebanon campaign, also known as Operation Exporter, was the Allied invasion of Vichy French-controlled Syria and Lebanon, in June–July 1941, during World War II. Time Magazine referred to the fighting as a "mixed show" while it was taking place and the campaign remains little known, even...
, I Corps was to take command of operations after Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces reached the Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
-Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
road. However, on 18 June 1941, prior to that objective being reached, I Corps took charge, to improve command and control of the Allied forces. From this date all Allied troops in the theatre came under the command of Lieutenant-General John Lavarack
John Lavarack
Lieutenant General Sir John Dudley Lavarack KCMG, KCVO, KBE, CB, DSO was an Australian soldier who was Governor of Queensland from 1 October 1946 to 4 December 1957, the first Australian-born governor of that state....
. They included: the Australian 7th Division
Australian 7th Division
The 7th Division was an infantry division of the Australian Army. It was formed in February 1940 to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force...
(less the 18th Infantry Brigade), the British 6th Infantry Division, the 1st (Free French) Light Division
1st Free French Division
The 1st Free French Division was one of the principal units of the Free French Forces during World War II, and the first Free French unit of divisional size.-World War II:...
and the 5th (Indian) Brigade Group. Following the hard-fought Allied victory, I Corps assumed responsibility for occupying all of Lebanon and Syria north of the Beirut-Damascus road, including the border with Turkey.
South West Pacific area
On 3 January 1942, following the outbreak of the Pacific WarPacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
, the British government requested that two Australian divisions be sent to the Far East. The Australian government agreed to this request on 6 January, and ordered the redeployment of I Corps Headquarters, along with the 6th
Australian 6th Division
The 6th Division of the Australian Army was a unit in the Second Australian Imperial Force during World War II. It served in the North African campaign, the Greek campaign and the New Guinea campaign, including the crucial battles of the Kokoda Track, among others...
and 7th
Australian 7th Division
The 7th Division was an infantry division of the Australian Army. It was formed in February 1940 to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force...
divisions. These formations had left Egypt for Java by the end of January.
Accompanying them were the two overseas regiments of 1 Australian Anti-Aircraft Brigade, namely the 1st Australian Light AA (Bofors) Regt and the 2nd Australian Heavy Anti-Aircraft (3.7") Regiment with their related Anti-Aircraft Signals Sections.
However, few Australian units had landed in the Netherlands East Indies before it had fallen to 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. There was a dispute between Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
and Australian Prime Minister John Curtin
John Curtin
John Joseph Curtin , Australian politician, served as the 14th Prime Minister of Australia. Labor under Curtin formed a minority government in 1941 after the crossbench consisting of two independent MPs crossed the floor in the House of Representatives, bringing down the Coalition minority...
over whether the main part of the force should be sent to southern Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
or Australia. Nevertheless, I Corps HQ was relocated to Australia and the 6th Division (less the 19th Brigade) was detached to Ceylon, together with their complement of AA guns and Matador trucks.
Subordinate units
In the final stages of World War II, I Corps consisted of the following units:- 6th Division;
- 7th Division;
- 9th Division.
Commanders
The following officers served as commanding officerCommanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of I Corps:
- 1940–41: Lt Gen Thomas BlameyThomas BlameyField Marshal Sir Thomas Albert Blamey GBE, KCB, CMG, DSO, ED was an Australian general of the First and Second World Wars, and the only Australian to date to attain the rank of field marshal....
- 1941–42: Lt Gen John LavarackJohn LavarackLieutenant General Sir John Dudley Lavarack KCMG, KCVO, KBE, CB, DSO was an Australian soldier who was Governor of Queensland from 1 October 1946 to 4 December 1957, the first Australian-born governor of that state....
- 1942: Lt Gen Sydney RowellSydney RowellLieutenant General Sir Sydney Fairbairn Rowell, KBE, CB was an Australian soldier who served as Chief of the General Staff from 17 April 1950 to 15 December 1954...
- 1942–44: Lt Gen Edmund HerringEdmund HerringLieutenant General Sir Edmund Francis Herring, KCMG, KBE, DSO, MC, KStJ, ED, QC was an Australian Army officer during the Second World War, Lieutenant Governor of Victoria, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria.A Rhodes scholar, Herring was at New College, Oxford, when the First World...
- 1944: Lt Gen Stanley SavigeStanley SavigeLieutenant General Sir Stanley George Savige, KBE, CB, DSO, MC, ED , was an Australian Army soldier and officer who served in World War I and World War II, rising to the rank of lieutenant general....
- 1944: Lt Gen Frank Berryman
- 1944–45: Lt Gen Leslie MorsheadLeslie MorsheadLieutenant General Sir Leslie James Morshead KCB, KBE, CMG, DSO, ED was an Australian soldier, teacher, businessman, and farmer, with a distinguished military career that spanned both world wars...