2/1st Anti-Tank Regiment | |
---|---|
Active | 1939–1945 |
Country | Australia |
Branch | Australian Army |
Type | Royal Australian Artillery |
Role | Tank attack |
Part of | 6th Division |
Engagements | World War II |
Insignia | |
Unit colour patch |
The 2/1st Anti-Tank Regiment was an Australian Army anti-tank artillery regiment that was raised for service during the Second World War as part of the all volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force. Formed in November 1939, it was sent to the United Kingdom in mid-1940, but was broken up and converted into infantry. In late 1940, the regiment was re-formed and deployed to the Middle East, joining the 6th Division. It took part in the Battle of Greece before being evacuated to Egypt. Later, the regiment took part in the Syria–Lebanon campaign. In early 1942, it was withdrawn back to Australia for service in the Pacific. En route the regiment was diverted to Ceylon for garrison duties. It served in New Guinea around Port Moresby and Milne Bay in 1942–1943 and then again in early 1945 during the Aitape–Wewak campaign, serving there until the end of the war.
The regiment was formed in the early part of the war, as part of the all-volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) that was raised for overseas service during World War II. [1] The regiment was initially formed in November 1939 in Queensland and Tasmania as the corps-assigned 2/5th Army Field Regiment; this unit was then redesignated as the 2/5th Anti-Tank Regiment in January 1940, and then renamed again to the 2/1st Anti-Tank Regiment the following month. [2] This process was completed in March, by which time the regiment consisted of four batteries. Authorised to receive forty-eight 2-pounder guns, the regiment had an official establishment of 556 men, including 30 officers. [3]
Initially assigned to the 6th Division, the regiment was dispatched to the Middle East, departing Sydney on 4 May as part of the third convoy carrying troops from the Second AIF. En route, the war situation in Europe grew worse for the Allies as the Germans invaded France. As a result, the convoy carrying the regiment was diverted to the United Kingdom. They arrived in Scotland on 17 June. [3] Arriving without guns, [4] amidst concerns of a possible invasion falling the Fall of France, the regiment was broken up and its headquarters was converted into an infantry unit as part of the 25th Infantry Brigade. [5] This unit was initially called the 70th Infantry Battalion, but was later re-designated as the 2/31st Infantry Battalion. [4] The regiment's two batteries – the 1st and 2nd Anti-Tank Batteries – remained, though, as independent sub-units assigned to the 18th and 25th Infantry Brigades. [6]
In September 1940, the regiment was re-raised under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Frances St John in preparation for its transfer to the Middle East where the AIF was preparing to go into combat for the first time during the war. [4] Consisting of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Batteries, the regiment was established at Tidworth, before moving to Colchester. [6] It began embarking in October and November from Liverpool, by which time it was almost at full strength and had received most of its guns and equipment. [4]
Arriving in the Middle East, the regiment rejoined the 6th Division at Ikingi Maryut in Egypt; however, it was not ready to join the division's first combat actions around Benghazi in January 1941 and it remained behind at Amiriya at this time. [6] In early April, the regiment was deployed to Greece, along with the rest of the 6th Division in anticipation of a German invasion. [6]
Following the opening of the campaign, the regiment deployed one battery in support of the 16th Infantry Brigade around the Veria Pass, while the remaining batteries were assigned to Mackay Force, supporting the 19th Infantry Brigade at Vevi, [6] where they were defend against a thrust through Yugoslavia through the Florina Valley. On 11–12 April, three batteries from the regiment took part in the Battle of Vevi. Positioned close to the infantry in the forward positions, the regiment’s guns were positioned on the forward slopes so that they could fire down the road from Vevi. [7] In the early stages of the battle, mobile German guns inflicted casualties on the anti-tank gunners who were exposed on the forward slopes, [8] and after the arrival of a large column of German troops heavy fighting followed. By the final stages, the gunners were engaging the advancing German infantrymen over open sights before withdrawing by battery. Due to its dispositions, the regiment lost 16 guns and 79 men captured. [9] [10] After falling back towards Servia, the regiment’s batteries became separated as they were hastily tasked with supporting Australian and New Zealand rearguard actions around Kalabaka, Bralos Pass and Erithrai while the Allied forces withdrew steadily. During this period, the regiment's 2-pounders proved ineffective against the German armour, although they had some success firing at the tracks. As the withdrawal continued, the decision was made to evacuate from several locations including Athens and Kalamata. The regiment's losses during the campaign amounted to 18 killed and 16 wounded, in addition those captured at Vevi. [11]
The main body was evacuated by sea back to Palestine, [6] although some personnel from the regiment also landed on Crete where they took part in the unsuccessful defence of the island during the Battle of Crete. [12] Meanwhile, the regiment was re-formed in May at Khassa. The respite was only brief, though, as in June the 4th Battery was detached for service with Habforce during the Syria–Lebanon campaign, supporting the British advance from Iraq into Syria, during which the battery lost two men killed and nine wounded. [6] [13] Meanwhile, in mid-July the remaining elements of the 2/1st were assigned to support the British 6th Infantry Division in the final stages of the campaign. After the armistice was signed by Vichy French forces, the regiment remained in Syria as occupation troops, serving around Baalbek until November 1941 when they were returned to the Australian 6th Division at Beit Jitra, before returning to Syria in December as the Australians took over responsibility for the occupation. [6]
Japan's entry into the war in December 1941, resulted in a request for Australian troops to return from the Middle East. As a result, in February 1942 the 2/1st Anti-Tank Regiment returned from Syria, embarking from Egypt in March. En route, part of the 6th Division was diverted to Ceylon, where it was believed a Japanese invasion might be imminent. While deployed to Ceylon, the regiment undertook defensive duties and deployed a battery to Honara with the 16th Infantry Brigade and to Akuressa with the 17th Infantry Brigade. They remained on the island until July. [14] [6]
Arriving in Australia in August, a period of leave followed before the regiment was reconstituted at Greta, New South Wales. [6] By August – September, the situation in the New Guinea campaign was critical for the Australians, as the Japanese were advancing along the Kokoda Track towards Port Moresby; [15] as a result, the newly returned 16th Brigade was hastily deployed to reinforce the Australian troops on the track, and the 1st Battery deployed in support. The 16th subsequently took part in the Australian counter offensive that pushed the Japanese back towards their beachheads on the northern coast in October and November. [16] Meanwhile, regimental headquarters was deployed to Port Moresby in November, and the 3rd Battery deployed to Milne Bay. The 2nd Battery remained at Greta, though, and the 4th Battery was subsequently disbanded at this time. To make up for its missing battery, the 8th Battery was temporarily attached to the regiment from the 2/2nd Anti-Tank Regiment, in Port Moresby at this time. [6]
During the Battle of Buna–Gona, the 2/1st Anti-Tank Regiment detached a 6-pounder from Port Moresby to reinforce elements of the 2/1st Field Regiment. This gun fired directly onto Japanese bunkers around Sanananda, which was subsequently secured by 22 January 1943. [17] Meanwhile, in February 1943 the 3rd Battery rejoined the regiment from Milne Bay, and the 8th Battery returned to the 2/2nd. The following month, the regiment was renamed the 2/1st Tank Attack Regiment. [6]
The regiment remained in New Guinea until October 1943, returning by sea to Cairns, Queensland. Throughout late 1943 and into 1944, the regiment remained in Australia as there was no real role for them in the offensives being fought by the Australians in New Guinea at this time to secure Salamaua–Lae, the Huon Peninsula and the Finisterre Ranges. Instead, they undertook training on the Atherton Tablelands, and for a period, the regiment detached one of its batteries to the School of Artillery at Holsworthy, New South Wales. Ultimately, the regiment did not see action until the final year of the war. [18] In late 1944, the Australian Army assumed responsibility for securing the area around Aitape and Wewak in northern New Guinea, taking over from US troops who were redirected to the Philippines. [19] The regiment deployed to Aitape in January 1945 to join the Aitape–Wewak campaign, [18] under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Rickard, [20]
Due to the tactical situation, the regiment was not employed in an anti-tank role during its final campaign. Instead, it operated several different types of artillery pieces in addition to the typical anti-tank guns; this included several 75 mm pack howitzer mountain guns. These were operated by one of the regiment's batteries, while another of the batteries also received 4.2-inch mortars. Further diversification in roles occurred when one of the regiment's batteries was re-trained as infantry and deployed to secure rear areas, including an airfield that was established in the mountains. During the final action to secure Wewak, the regiment's pack howitzers supported commandos assigned to Farida Force during an amphibious landing that was carried out around Dove Bay, to the east of Wewak. [21] Losses during the Aitape–Wewak campaign amounted to 33 killed or wounded. [22]
The Australian War Memorial lists 28 members of the regiment on the Roll of Honour as having lost their lives during the war. Twelve members were decorated as a result of their service in the regiment. [23]
The 6th Division was an infantry division of the Australian Army. It was raised briefly in 1917 during World War I, but was broken up to provide reinforcements before seeing action. It was not re-raised until the outbreak of World War II, when it was formed as a unit of the Second Australian Imperial Force. Throughout 1940–41 it served in the North African Campaign, the Greek campaign, on Crete and in Syria, fighting against the Germans, Italians and Vichy French. In 1942, the division left the Middle East and returned to Australia to meet the threat of Japan's entry into the war. Part of the division garrisoned Ceylon for a short period of time, before the division was committed to the New Guinea campaign. In New Guinea, its component brigades had a major role in the successful counter-offensive along the Kokoda Track, at Buna–Gona and around Salamaua–Lae in 1942–43. Throughout late 1943–44, the division was re-organised in Australia before being committed as a complete formation to one of the last Australian operations of the war around Aitape–Wewak in 1944–45.
The 16th Brigade was an infantry brigade in the Australian Army. First raised in 1912 as a Militia formation to provide training under the compulsory training scheme, the brigade was later re-raised as part of the First Australian Imperial Force during World War I. Its existence was short-lived, as it was disbanded after about six months, before it could be committed to the fighting on the Western Front. Raised again in 1939 for service during World War II, the brigade was deployed to the Middle East in early 1940 and subsequently saw action in the Western Desert and in Greece in 1941. In 1942, it returned to Australia in response to Japan's entry into the war, and later the brigade played a prominent role in the Kokoda Track campaign and at Buna–Gona in Papua. Withdrawn to Australia in early 1943, the 16th Brigade was re-organised and received many replacements from disbanding formations, but it was not recommitted to combat operations until late in the war. In 1944–1945, the brigade was committed to the Aitape–Wewak campaign in New Guinea. After the war, the brigade was disbanded in 1946. Today, its name is perpetuated by the 16th Aviation Brigade which was raised on 2 April 2002.
The Battle of Vevi, in Greece, also known as the Battle of the Klidi Pass, was part of the Greek campaign of World War II. It took place on 11–12 April 1941, north of the town of Amyntaion, close to the northwestern Greek border. Allied troops fought forces from Nazi Germany.
The 17th Brigade was an infantry brigade in the Australian Army. First raised in 1912 as a Militia formation to provide training under the compulsory training scheme, the brigade was later re-raised as part of the First Australian Imperial Force during World War I. Established in 1917 in the United Kingdom, it was broken up and disbanded without seeing action, and its personnel used as reinforcements for other formations. Reformed during World War II, it took part in fighting in Libya, Greece, Crete, Syria in 1941–1942. Following Japan's entry into the war, the Australian government pressed for the 6th Division's return, and the 17th Brigade was subsequently brought back from the Middle East, via Ceylon where they undertook defensive duties until July 1942. Following the brigade's return to Australia, it was deployed to New Guinea for two campaigns: the Salamaua–Lae campaign in 1943 and the Aitape–Wewak campaign in 1944–1945. After the war, the brigade was disbanded in January 1946. Today, its name is perpetuated by the 17th Sustainment Brigade, which was raised as a logistics formation in May 2006.
The 1st Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery is a close support regiment attached to the 7th Brigade at Enoggera Barracks in Queensland. The unit was formed in 1914 under the name 1st Australian Field Artillery Brigade, part of 1st Division Artillery during World War I and later served in World War II and the Vietnam War. It is currently re-equipping with M777A2 lightweight towed howitzers.
The 2/4th Armoured Regiment was an armoured regiment of the Australian Army, which served during World War II. The regiment was formed in November 1942 as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force by amalgamating a number of previously existing armoured units and was disbanded in September 1946 after seeing action in New Guinea and Bougainville Island, where it provided individual squadron-group sized elements which operated in support of infantry operations against the Japanese. During its service the regiment received 10 battle honours.
The 2/4th Field Regiment was an Australian Army artillery regiment formed on 2 May 1940, as part of the 7th Division during World War II. The regiment was involved in campaigns in North Africa, Syria–Lebanon, Salamaua–Lae, the Finisterre Ranges and Borneo. After training in Victoria, the regiment deployed to North Africa in late 1940. After being deployed in the defence of Mersa Matruh in Egypt in early 1941, the regiment took part in the fighting against the Vichy French in Syria and Lebanon, before undertaking garrison duties there. It returned to Australia in early 1942 following Japan's entry into the war, and in September 1943, a small group of artillerymen from the 2/4th parachuted with two short 25 Pounder guns in the airborne landing at Nadzab airstrip in New Guinea in support of the US Army's 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment. Later, the regiment took part in the 7th Division's advance through the Finisterre Range before returning to Australia in early 1944. Its final involvement in the war came around Balikpapan in 1945. After the war, the regiment was disbanded on 7 February 1946.
Farida Force was the name given to an ad hoc composite Australian Army unit formed during World War II. Largely consisting of Australian commandos, the force was established for the purpose for conducting an amphibious landing at Dove Bay, east of Wewak during the Aitape-Wewak campaign. Coming ashore in mid-May 1945, the force quickly established a beachhead and pushed inland, cutting the Wewak road. Afterwards, the commandos conducted patrolling operations before Farida Force was dissolved and its constituent units placed under the command of the 19th Brigade for further operations around Wewak.
The 2nd Armoured Brigade was a formation of the Australian Army during World War II. The brigade was formed in July 1941, at Puckapunyal, Victoria, from Second Australian Imperial Force volunteers. It was assigned to the 1st Armoured Division in July 1941, with the intention of deploying it to the Middle East. However, it was reassigned to home defence following Japan's entry into the war, and was then transferred to the 3rd Armoured Division in October 1942. The brigade remained in Australia, undertaking defensive duties in Victoria and Queensland before being disbanded in January 1944. While it did not see any active service as a formation, some of its constituent units eventually took part in the campaigns on Tarakan, Labuan, Bougainville and around Aitape–Wewak in 1944–1945 after transferring to other brigades.
The 2/5th Field Regiment was an Australian Army artillery regiment formed in May 1940 as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force for service during World War II. Assigned to the 7th Division, the regiment undertook defensive duties in Egypt during the North African campaign in early 1941, before taking part in the Syria–Lebanon campaign. Occupation duties followed before the regiment was brought back to Australia in early 1942, in response to Japan's entry into the war. The regiment subsequently fought two significant battles in New Guinea in 1942–1943 at Milne Bay and Buna before undertaking garrison duties around Port Moresby until early 1944. Withdrawn to Australia, the regiment's final campaign came late in the war when it was committed to the Borneo campaign, taking part landing at Balikpapan. The regiment was disbanded in early 1946.
The 19th Brigade was a formation of the Australian Army that was raised as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force for service during World War II. It was briefly raised in 1912 as a Militia formation providing training as part of the compulsory training scheme. Later, during World War II, the brigade was established in April 1940 in Palestine as a triangular formation, the brigade was created by transferring one infantry battalion from three other brigades. It was subsequently assigned to the 6th Division. Throughout 1941, the brigade fought in North Africa, Greece and on Crete, before undertaking garrison duties in Syria, remaining there until January 1942. Following the Japanese entry into the war, the 19th Brigade was withdrawn to Australia and subsequently undertook garrison duties in Darwin. It did not see combat again until late in the war, when it was committed to the Aitape–Wewak campaign in 1944–1945. The brigade was disbanded in December 1945 in Puckapunyal.
The 2/1st Field Regiment was an Australian Army artillery regiment raised as part of the all volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force during World War II. Formed in October 1939, the regiment was assigned to the 6th Division. Shortly after it was raised, the regiment was deployed to the Middle East, where it was briefly re-roled as an anti-aircraft regiment before returning to the field artillery role. In 1941, the regiment served in North Africa and in Greece, before being withdrawn back to Australian in early 1942, following Japan's entry into the war. In late 1942, and early 1943, the regiment took part in the defence of Port Moresby during the fighting along the Kokoda Track, before taking part in the Battle of Buna–Gona and the defence of Wau, remaining in New Guinea on garrison duties until August 1943. Withdrawn to Australia, a long period of training followed before the regiment took part in its final campaign of the war Aitape–Wewak campaign in 1945.
The 2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion was formed in June 1940 as part of the 7th Division and served in Egypt, Syria, the Netherlands East Indies and New Guinea during World War II. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Blackburn when it was raised, the battalion was primarily a South Australian unit, although it had sub-units formed in Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia. After completing training in Australia, in April 1941 the battalion embarked for the Middle East. In June/July 1941 it saw action against Vichy French forces during the Syria–Lebanon campaign, during which time the battalion was heavily involved in supporting various elements of the 7th Division.
The 2/3rd Field Regiment was an Australian Army field artillery regiment that was raised for service during the Second World War. Formed in 1939 and assigned to the 6th Division, the regiment was deployed to the United Kingdom to defend against a possible invasion in 1940 before being sent to North Africa, where it briefly saw action prior to being sent to Greece and Crete in 1941. In 1942, the regiment returned to Australia, after which it did not see action again until late in the war when it was committed to the Aitape–Wewak campaign in 1944–45. Following the end of the war, the regiment returned to Australia and was disbanded in January 1946.
The 2/2nd Field Regiment was an Australian Army field artillery regiment that was raised for service during the Second World War. Assigned to the 6th Division, the regiment was formed from Second Australian Imperial Force volunteers. Raised in October 1939, the regiment undertook basic training in Australia before departing for the Middle East in mid-1940. Further training was undertaken in Egypt, before the regiment saw action in the Western Desert in early 1941, and in Greece and on Crete in the middle of the year. Later, they provided a defensive garrison on Ceylon in mid-1942 before returning to Australia. It did not see further action until the final phase of the war, when it was deployed to Aitape–Wewak, fighting against the Japanese, in 1944–1945. It was disbanded in January 1946, after returning to Australia for demobilisation.
The 2/6th Field Regiment was an Australian Army artillery regiment formed as part of the 7th Division in May 1940 for operations during World War II. The regiment served in Egypt and Syria in 1941–1942 before returning to Australia after Japan's entry in the war. Throughout 1943 and 1944, the regiment served against the Japanese in New Guinea. The regiment's involvement in the fighting in New Guinea saw it committed to several campaigns, including those around Salamaua and on the Huon Peninsula. Its final campaign of the war was fought on Borneo in mid-1945. Shortly after the conclusion of hostilities, the regiment was disbanded in late 1945.
The 2/9th Field Regiment was an Australian Army artillery regiment formed as part of the all volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force in July 1940 for operations during World War II. Assigned to the 1st Australian Corps, the regiment was sent to the Middle East in mid-1941, and served in Palestine, Egypt, and Syria before returning to Australia in 1942. It undertook defensive duties in south-east Queensland before deploying north to Merauke, in Dutch New Guinea, and Cape York. It returned to Australia in October 1944 and sent to the Atherton Tablelands to carry out training as it waited for further deployment. This never came and the regiment was disbanded in late 1945.
The 2/2nd Anti-Tank Regiment was an Australian Army anti-tank artillery regiment that was raised for service during the Second World War. Formed in 1940 in Brisbane, Queensland, the regiment was assigned to the 7th Division and was deployed to North Africa in 1940, and subsequently undertook defensive duties in Egypt in 1941, before taking part in the Syria–Lebanon campaign. Garrison duties were undertaken in Syria, before the regiment was back to Australia in early 1942. It later fought against the Japanese in New Guinea and on Borneo before being disbanded in 1946.
The 2/4th Anti-Tank Regiment was an Australian Army anti-tank artillery regiment that was raised for service during the Second World War as part of the all volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force. It was formed in November 1940, and was assigned to the 8th Division. In early 1942, the regiment took part in the Malayan campaign and the Battle of Singapore before being captured when Singapore fell to the Japanese at which time most of its personnel became prisoners of war. Over 170 members of the regiment died in captivity before the end of the war in August 1945.
The 2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment was an Australian Army anti-tank artillery regiment that was raised for service during the Second World War as part of the all volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force. It was formed in July 1940, and was assigned to the 8th Division, but was later reassigned to the 9th Division. With this formation, the regiment took part in the Siege of Tobruk in 1941 and then the First and Second Battles of El Alamein in 1942. After returning to Australia in early 1943, the regiment became a corps-assigned unit, and its individual batteries served in New Guinea in 1943–1944, and then Borneo against the Japanese in 1945.