31st Brigade (Australia)

31st Brigade
Active	January – September 1942
Country	Australia
Allegiance	Australian Crown
Branch	Australian Army
Type	Infantry
Size	Brigade
Part of	1st Division ; 2nd Division

Last updated November 10, 2019

The 31st Brigade was a formation of the Australian Army during World War II. Raised in January 1942, amidst concerns of a Japanese invasion of Australia, the brigade was tasked with defending the eastern New South Wales coast around Botany Bay and Cronulla. Initially consisting of just two infantry battalions, after several months a third battalion was assigned to bring it up to strength. The formation was only short-lived and was disbanded in September 1942, having never seen combat, with its battalions being reassigned to other formations.

Australian Army land warfare branch of Australias defence forces

The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. Formed in 1901 through the amalgamation of the Australian colonial forces following federation, it is part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) commands the ADF, the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (CA). The CA is therefore subordinate to the CDF, but is also directly responsible to the Minister for Defence. Although Australian soldiers have been involved in a number of minor and major conflicts throughout Australia's history, only in Second World War has Australian territory come under direct attack.

World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. The vast majority of the world's countries—including all the great powers—eventually formed two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. A state of total war emerged, directly involving more than 100 million people from more than 30 countries. The major participants threw their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, blurring the distinction between civilian and military resources. World War II was the deadliest conflict in human history, marked by 70 to 85 million fatalities, most of whom were civilians in the Soviet Union and China. It included massacres, the genocide of the Holocaust, strategic bombing, premeditated death from starvation and disease, and the only use of nuclear weapons in war.

New South Wales is a state on the east coast of Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria to the south, and South Australia to the west. Its coast borders the Coral and Tasman Seas to the east. The Australian Capital Territory is an enclave within the state. New South Wales' state capital is Sydney, which is also Australia's most populous city. In March 2019, the population of New South Wales was over 8 million, making it Australia's most populous state. Just under two-thirds of the state's population, 5.1 million, live in the Greater Sydney area. Inhabitants of New South Wales are referred to as New South Welshmen.

History

The 31st Brigade was formed shortly after Japan's entry into the war, when the Australian government was concerned about the possibility of a Japanese invasion. The brigade opened its headquarters at Burwood, New South Wales, in January 1942, although it moved to Blakehurst the following month.^[1] Upon formation, it was assigned to the 1st Division,^[2]^[3] a Militia formation. Initially consisting of just two infantry battalions, the brigade was tasked with defending the coastal region between Sydney Heads, Botany Bay and Cronulla, with the 1st and 45th Battalions, which had previously been assigned either directly to Headquarters 1st Division, or in the case of the 45th Battalion, to the 28th Brigade. Since the outbreak of the war, the two battalions had been engaged in constructing beach defences in their assigned areas with the 1st Battalion being based around Centennial Park, and the 45th around Loftus until February when the two battalions swapped locations. In March 1942, the brigade was relieved of its defensive duties and construction tasks by the 5th Brigade so that its units could undertake training.^[4]

Burwood is a suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is 10 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of Burwood Council.

Blakehurst is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia 18 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Georges River Council. It is part of the St George area.

The 1st Division is the main formation of the Australian Army and contains the majority of the Army's regular forces. Its headquarters is in Enoggera, a suburb of Brisbane. The division was first formed in 1914 for service during World War I as a part of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). It was initially part of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) and served with that formation during the Gallipoli campaign, before later serving on the Western Front. After the war, the division became a part-time unit based in New South Wales, and during World War II it undertook defensive duties in Australia before being disbanded in 1945.

Under the command of the 2nd Division, the brigade moved to Narellan to complete training, remaining there until June 1942, when they were rotated back to Blakehurst. At this time, the forward defensive positions along the beach had been taken over by the 18th Garrison Battalion, so the 31st Brigade's troops continued to carry out training, while tasked with mobile defence in the event of an invasion.^[5] In May 1942, the 48th Battalion was assigned to the brigade to bring it up to three infantry battalions.^[6] In June, the 48th was transferred again, firstly to the 5th Brigade and then later its personnel were used to form an anti-aircraft unit – the 108th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment – although its designation was used to form an amalgamated unit, designated the 10th/48th Battalion, which served in Darwin.^[7]^[8]

The 2nd Division of the Australian Army commands all the Reserve brigades in Australia. These are the 4th in Victoria, the 5th in New South Wales, the 9th in South Australia and Tasmania, the 11th in Queensland, the 13th in Western Australia, and the 8th spread across the country. The division is also responsible for the security of Australia's northern borders through its Regional Force Surveillance Units.

Narellan is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales. Narellan is located 60 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Camden Council and is part of the Macarthur region. Narellan is known for its modern shopping centre, Narellan Town Centre, historic St Thomas Chapel, Studley Park House and golf course.

The 48th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was originally raised in 1916 for service during World War I and took part in the fighting in the trenches of the Western Front in France and Belgium, before being disbanded in early 1919. After the war, the battalion was re-raised as a part-time unit based initially in Victoria and later in South Australia. In 1930 it was amalgamated with the 43rd Battalion and remained so until late 1939, subsequently being linked with the 10th Battalion in 1942. The battalion did not see combat during World War II, and after the war was re-raised as an amalgamated unit, again with the 43rd Battalion, in 1952. They remained linked until 1960 when the 43rd/48th Battalion was subsumed by the Royal South Australia Regiment.

By late 1942, the Australian government decided to disband or amalgamate a number of infantry battalions and other formations due to manpower shortages in the Australian economy and elsewhere in the Army. A total of eight infantry battalions were disbanded around this time;^[9] other formations such as the 10th Division and the 32nd Brigade were also disbanded around this time as the strategic situation in New Guinea eased.^[10] The 31st Brigade was disbanded in September 1942.^[11] The 1st and 45th Battalions were subsequently amalgamated, and transferred to the 9th Brigade.^[5] Although the headquarters of most brigades of the Army that were raised during the war were allocated a Unit Colour Patch, none was assigned to the 31st Brigade.^[12] The brigade's commander was Lieutenant Colonel Albert Arnold Brackpool, who assumed the appointment on 22 February 1942,^[13] and remained in command until the formation was disbanded. Brackpool was temporarily promoted to colonel in March 1942 and then brigadier in June 1942.^[14]

The 10th Division was a division of the Australian Army, which served briefly during World War II. It was initially formed on 15 April 1942 from the Militia units of the Newcastle Covering Force. However, personnel shortages led to the division being disbanded in August that year.

The 32nd Brigade was a formation of the Australian Army during World War II. A militia formation, the brigade was formed at Broadmeadow, New South Wales, in January 1942, as part of the Newcastle Covering Force and then the 10th Division. After carrying out defensive duties on the coast south of Newcastle at the height of invasion fears, as the threat subsided the brigade was disbanded in September 1942 and its constituent units reallocated to other formations or disbanded.

The 9th Brigade is a Reserve formation of the Australian Army headquartered at Keswick Barracks in Keswick, South Australia, with elements located in Tasmania, New South Wales and South Australia. The brigade was first raised in 1912 in New South Wales following the introduction of the compulsory training scheme. During World War I, the brigade was formed as part of the First Australian Imperial Force in 1916, with the majority of its recruits coming from New South Wales. It was assigned to the 3rd Division, and training was carried out in the United Kingdom before the brigade was committed to the fighting on the Western Front in November 1916. It fought in numerous battles in France and Belgium for the next two years. After the war, the brigade was disbanded, but was re-raised as a part-time formation in the Sydney area. During World War II, the brigade was mobilised for defensive duties, but did not see active service before it was disbanded in June 1944. In the post war period, the 9th Brigade was re-raised once again as a part-time formation, and forms part of the 2nd Division.

Units

The 31st Brigade consisted of the following units:^[6]^[15]

1st Battalion
45th Battalion (from 11 February 1942)
48th Battalion (8 May 1942 – 2 June 1942)

The 1st Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Although its numerical name was designated during the First World War, the 1st Battalion can trace its lineage back to 1854, when a unit of the Volunteer Rifles was raised in Sydney, New South Wales. This unit has since been redesignated a number of times, but through its links with the units of the colonial NSW defence force, the battalion's history includes services in Sudan and South Africa. During the First World War, the 1st Battalion was raised for overseas service in 1914 as part of the First Australian Imperial Force. Attached to the 1st Brigade, the battalion served in Egypt initially before taking part in the fighting in Gallipoli against the Turks. Later the battalion was sent to the Western Front where it fought in the trenches in France and Belgium as part of the Australian Corps. Following the end of the war the battalion was disbanded in 1919.

The 45th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Raised for service during World War I, the battalion served in the trenches on the Western Front in France and Belgium from mid-1916 until the end of hostilities in November 1918. Following this, it was disbanded in May 1919. Later, in 1921, the battalion was re-raised as a part-time unit of the Citizens Force, based in New South Wales. The battalion remained on the order of battle until 1942, when it was merged with the 1st Battalion as part of a force reduction that was undertaken at that time in response to an over mobilisation of the Australian military in the early part of World War II. In 1948, the battalion was re-raised again and remained on the order of battle until 1960 when it was absorbed into the Royal New South Wales Regiment.

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References

Citations

↑ McKenzie-Smith 2018, p. 2115.
↑ "31st Brigade: Superiors". Orders of Battle. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
↑ McKenzie-Smith 2018, p. 2030.
↑ McKenzie-Smith 2018, pp. 2115–2116.
1 2 McKenzie-Smith 2018, p. 2116.
1 2 "31st Brigade: Subordinates". Orders of Battle. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
↑ "48th Battalion: Superiors". Orders of Battle. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
↑ McKenzie-Smith 2018, p. 2249.
↑ Grey 2008, pp. 183–184.
↑ McKenzie-Smith 2018, pp. 2031, 2049–2050.
↑ McKenzie-Smith 2018, p. 2031.
↑ Harris, Ted. "Australian Infantry Unit Colour Patches". Digger History. Archived from the original on 12 July 2007. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
↑ "AWM52 1/5/3/2: February – March 1942: 2 Australian Division General Staff Branch (2 Aust Div GS Branch)". Unit war diaries, 1939–1945 war. Australian War Memorial. p. 4. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
↑ Australian Military Forces 1946, pp. 1366–1367.
↑ McKenzie-Smith 2018, pp. 2116 & 2249.

Bibliography

Australian Military Forces (1946). Gradation List of Officers of the Australian Military Forces. III. Melbourne: Commonwealth of Australia. OCLC 221429449.
Grey, Jeffrey (2008). A Military History of Australia (3rd ed.). Melbourne, Victoria: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-69791-0.
McKenzie-Smith, Graham (2018). The Unit Guide: The Australian Army 1939–1945, Volume 2. Warriewood, New South Wales: Big Sky Publishing. ISBN 978-1-925675-146.

External links

1st/45th Battalion war diary, Australian War Memorial

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[FOOTNOTEMcKenzie-Smith20182115-1] McKenzie-Smith 2018, p. 2115.

[2] "31st Brigade: Superiors". Orders of Battle. Retrieved 11 June 2018.

[FOOTNOTEMcKenzie-Smith20182030-3] McKenzie-Smith 2018, p. 2030.

[FOOTNOTEMcKenzie-Smith20182115–2116-4] McKenzie-Smith 2018, pp. 2115–2116.

[FOOTNOTEMcKenzie-Smith20182116-5] 1 2 McKenzie-Smith 2018, p. 2116.

[subordinates-6] 1 2 "31st Brigade: Subordinates". Orders of Battle. Retrieved 11 June 2018.

[7] "48th Battalion: Superiors". Orders of Battle. Retrieved 22 July 2018.

[FOOTNOTEMcKenzie-Smith20182249-8] McKenzie-Smith 2018, p. 2249.

[FOOTNOTEGrey2008183–184-9] Grey 2008, pp. 183–184.

[FOOTNOTEMcKenzie-Smith20182031,_2049–2050-10] McKenzie-Smith 2018, pp. 2031, 2049–2050.

[FOOTNOTEMcKenzie-Smith20182031-11] McKenzie-Smith 2018, p. 2031.

[12] Harris, Ted. "Australian Infantry Unit Colour Patches". Digger History. Archived from the original on 12 July 2007. Retrieved 18 March 2019.

[13] "AWM52 1/5/3/2: February – March 1942: 2 Australian Division General Staff Branch (2 Aust Div GS Branch)". Unit war diaries, 1939–1945 war. Australian War Memorial. p. 4. Retrieved 22 September 2019.

[FOOTNOTEAustralian_Military_Forces19461366–1367-14] Australian Military Forces 1946, pp. 1366–1367.

[FOOTNOTEMcKenzie-Smith20182116_&_2249-15] McKenzie-Smith 2018, pp. 2116 & 2249.