Northern Territory Force was an 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...

 force responsible for protecting the Northern Territory

Northern Territory

The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...

 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...

. Most units assigned to the Northern Territory Force were based near Darwin

Darwin, Northern Territory

Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...

 and were responsible for defending the important naval and air bases in and around the town against a feared Japanese invasion. Northern Territory Force was disbanded at the end of the war.

Northern Territory Force was established on 25 April 1942 from the headquarters of the 6th Division and 7th Military District. Australian Army units were rotated through northern Australia during the war, and six infantry brigades served as part of Northern Territory Force at different times between 1942 and 1945. Northern Territory Force was redesignated to 12th Division on 31 December 1942, however it was redesignated again back to Northern Territory Force on 15 January 1943.

During the fifteen days that the formation was designated 12th Division, it comprised the 3rd Brigade, 19th Brigade

19th Brigade (Australia)

The 19th Brigade was a formation of the Australian Army during World War II as part of the 6th Division. Formed in April 1940 as a result of the reorganisation of the Second Australian Imperial Force when the infantry brigades composition was reduced from four to three battalions. The fourth...

, 23rd Brigade

23rd Brigade (Australia)

The 23rd Brigade was a brigade of the Australian Army. Formed in 1940 for service during the Second World War, the brigade was initially a formation of the Second Australian Imperial Force assigned to the 8th Division, however, after its subunits were captured by the Japanese in 1942 it was...

, 2/4th Pioneer Battalion and 2/6th Cavalry Regiment.

The main units deployed to protect Darwin during the war were:

• 2nd Brigade
  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...
  
   (September 1943 – September 1944)
• 3rd Brigade (March 1942 – March 1943)
• 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...
  
   (July 1943 – end of war)
• 13th Brigade
  13th Brigade (Australia)
  The 13th Brigade is an Army Reserve formation of the Australian Army headquartered at Perth, Western Australia and its various units have depots in Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Albany and Katanning as well as Joondalup and Rockingham in the metro area. The 13th Brigade was first created in early 1916 and...
  
   (March 1943 – November 1944)
• 19th Brigade
  19th Brigade (Australia)
  The 19th Brigade was a formation of the Australian Army during World War II as part of the 6th Division. Formed in April 1940 as a result of the reorganisation of the Second Australian Imperial Force when the infantry brigades composition was reduced from four to three battalions. The fourth...
  
   (March 1942 – June 1943)
• 23rd Brigade
  23rd Brigade (Australia)
  The 23rd Brigade was a brigade of the Australian Army. Formed in 1940 for service during the Second World War, the brigade was initially a formation of the Second Australian Imperial Force assigned to the 8th Division, however, after its subunits were captured by the Japanese in 1942 it was...
  
   (March 1941 – September 1943)
• Darwin Fortress (December 1941 – December 1944)
• 2/4th Pioneer Battalion (15 December 1942 – 15 October 1944)
• 2/6th Cavalry Regiment (15 December 1942 – 15 December 1943)

Commanding officers

• Major General
  Major General
  Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
  
   Edmund Herring
  Edmund Herring
  Lieutenant 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...
  
   (April – August 1942)
• Major General Jack Stevens
  Jack Stevens
  Major General Sir Jack Edwin Stawell Stevens KBE, CB, DSO, ED was a senior officer in the Australian Army during the Second World War...
  
  (August 1942 – March 1943)