2/5th Battalion (Australia)

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For other uses, see 5th Battalion (Australia) and 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment.
2/5th Battalion
250px
2/5th Battalion being addressed by Major General E.F Herring in Syria, November 1941
Active 1939–46
Country Australia
Branch Australian Army
Type Infantry
Size ~800–900 men[Note 1]
Part of 17th Brigade, 6th Division
Colours Black over Red
Engagements World War II
Insignia
Unit Colour Patch 90px

The 2/5th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army that served during World War II. It was raised at Melbourne, Victoria, on 18 October 1939 as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force, attached to the 17th Brigade of the 6th Division. The 2/5th was one of only two Australian infantry battalions to fight against all of the major Axis powers during the war, seeing action against the Germans and Italians in Egypt, Libya and Greece and the Vichy French in Syria before returning to Australia in 1942 to fight the Japanese. The battalion took part in two campaigns in New Guinea, firstly in 1942–43 when they were involved in the defence of Wau and the Salamaua–Lae campaign, and then again in 1944–45 when they took part in the Aitape–Wewak campaign. Following the end of the war the battalion embarked to return to Australia on 1 December 1945 and disbanded at Puckapunyal in early February 1946. Its battle honours are maintained by the 5th/6th Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment.

History

Formation and training 1940–41

Following the outbreak of World War II on 3 September 1939, due to the provisions of the Defence Act which precluded sending Australia's part-time military forces overseas, the Australian government announced the decision to raise the all volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force for service overseas.[2] As part of the force, the 2/5th Battalion[Note 2] was raised in Melbourne, Victoria, on 18 October 1939 and began to receive its first intake of men on 2 November 1939 when it moved to Puckapunyal.[4] Many of the battalion's initial recruits came from the Victorian Scottish Regiment, a Militia unit associated with the 5th Battalion, which had been raised as part of the First Australian Imperial Force during World War I.[5] The battalion's first commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Cook,[6] although he was replaced as commander by Major Hugh Wrigley before the battalion went into battle, as Cook was considered too old to lead troops in battle.[7]

Along with the 2/6th, 2/7th and 2/8th Battalions it formed the 17th Brigade, and was assigned to the 6th Division,[4] the first infantry division formed as part of the 2nd AIF. The colours chosen for the battalion's Unit Colour Patch (UCP) were the same as those of the 5th Battalion. These colours were black over red, in a horizontal rectangular shape, although a border of gray was added to the UCP to distinguish the battalion from its Militia counterpart.[8] With an authorised strength of around 900 personnel,[1] like other Australian infantry battalions of the time, the battalion was formed around a nucleus of four rifle companies – designated 'A' through to 'D' – each consisting of three platoons.[9] After the battalion's personnel had concentrated, between November 1939 and April 1940 the battalion undertook basic training in Australia before departing for the Middle East on 14 April 1940.[4]

North Africa, Greece and Syria 1941–42

The battalion arrived in Egypt on 18 May 1940,[4] and joined the 17th Brigade's other two infantry battalions in camp at Beit Jirja.[10] A further period of training in Palestine followed before the battalion took part in the fighting against the Italians in Libya in January–February 1941, during which the 2/5th was involved in attacks on Bardia and Tobruk, as the Australians went into battle for the first time.[4] During the fighting around Bardia, the battalion's commander, Wrigley, was seriously wounded in an artillery bombardment, and was temporarily replaced by Major George Sell, as the battalion was committed to the fighting in the second phase of the assault, advancing through the bridgehead that had been established towards the switchline.[11] Later, during the assault on Tobruk, the 2/5th was tasked with conducting a diversionary attack to the east of the Italian perimeter.[12]

File:2-5th Battalion troops in action around Khalde (AWM photo 042172).jpg
2/5th Battalion troops in action around Khalde, July 1941

A few months later in April the 6th Division was sent to Greece in order to defend against a possible German invasion of that nation. The invasion subsequently took place as anticipated, although in the end the Australians were unable to stem the tide of the German onslaught. The 2/5th Battalion began the campaign at Kalambaka on 14 April, however, in a series of withdrawals made necessary by the lighting advance of German forces, they were pushed back all the way to the port of Kalamata from where it was evacuated just a couple of weeks later on 27 April 1941. The battalion lost 21 men killed, 26 wounded and 47 as prisoners of war;[13] the majority of the prisoners were drivers who were captured having been unable to make it out in time.[4] The majority of the battalion, consisting of 560 personnel, was evacuated to Alexandria, and from there concentrated in Palestine; however, a small number – about 70 men[14] – in the confusion of the evacuation, were landed on Crete, where they formed a composite battalion along with other 17th Brigade units and personnel, including about 260 personnel from the 2/6th Battalion.[15] These personnel were assigned to Cremor Force in the Suda Sector, and occupied a position around Kalami.[16] They subsequently took part in the Battle of Crete following the German invasion on 20 May, during which the majority of the 2/5th personnel assigned to the composite battalion were captured.[4]

In June–July 1941, the Australians were deployed to Syria and Lebanon for the campaign against the Vichy French, which was launched by the British in order to prevent the French-held colonies from being controlled by the Germans; the majority of the Australian forces were drawn from the 7th Division, although the 17th Brigade was called upon to provide reinforcements, providing the 2/3rd and 2/5th Battalions.[17][18] The 2/5th Battalion's initial involvement in the campaign came in mid-June during the French counterattack, when one of its companies went into action around Merdjayuon.[19] After this, the battalion's main involvement came in early July, when it took part in the Battle of Damour,[4] which proved to be the final battle of the campaign. After a preliminary move across the Damour River,[20] during the final assault on Damour, the 2/5th Battalion, in concert with the 2/3rd, advanced from El Boum, moving through the 21st Brigade's position, to cut the road to the north of the Damour, while other forces advanced from the east.[21] In the days following the capture of Damour, the 2/5th had continued the advance north towards Khalde on the coastal road to Beirut;[22] meanwhile, the Vichy commanders sought an armistice, bringing the campaign to an end on 12 July.[23] The 2/5th's casualties during the brief campaign amounted to 41 men killed or wounded.[24] In the aftermath, the battalion remained in the Middle East, serving as an occupation force in Syria and Lebanon until January 1942. Due to the entry of Japan into the war, the battalion was subsequently ordered to return to Australia following a request by the Australian government for the return of their troops, which were needed for the fighting in New Guinea.[4]

New Guinea 1942–45

File:2 5th Bn AIF gun pits in New Guinea August 1943.jpg
Members of the 2/5th Battalion man defensive positions in New Guinea, August 1943

The battalion departed from the Middle East on 10 March 1942, however, on the voyage back to Australia the 17th Brigade along with the 16th were disembarked in Ceylon, due to fears of a Japanese attack.[4] For nearly four months they were stationed on the island before they finally received orders to return to Australia in July, as the threat passed. On 4 August 1942, the battalion arrived back in Melbourne having been away for over two years.[4]

There was little time for rest and re-organisation, however, as the situation in Pacific had deteriorated dramatically, and the Australian forces holding out against the Japanese in New Guinea were hard-pressed and desperately in need of reinforcement. Thus in early October 1942, not more than two months after arriving back in Australia, the 2/5th deployed to Milne Bay,[4] which had only recently been held in the face of a Japanese landing.[25] The battalion did not take part in any fighting, though, until a few months later when in January 1943 they took part in the defence of Wau after the 17th Brigade was despatched to relieve Kanga Force.[26] Sailing to Port Moresby from Milne Bay on the MV Duntroon, an advance party of two companies from the battalion was flown into Wau on 24 January to hastily reinforce the small force around Ballams, with the remainder – totaling only about 450 men – arriving on 29 January, and subsequently securing the airfield, which was now under direct Japanese fire, as the two companies that had arrived earlier were pulled back from Ballams.[27][28] In early February, as the Australians gained the initiative, the battalion was relieved from holding the airfield, and went onto the offensive, attacking alongside the 2/7th Battalion, in an effort to push the Japanese away from their positions on the bank of the Bulolo River, around Crystal Creek, to the south-west of Wau. The fighting was intense, and over the course of three days, the battalion lost 27 killed and 31 wounded.[29]

After Wau was secured, the battalion undertook patrolling operations around Mubo, along with the rest of Kanga Force,[30] before joining the advance on Salamaua in support of the 3rd Division,[31] with a view to drawing Japanese reinforcements away from Lae, where a landing was planned for September.[32] The Japanese put up a strong resistance and the battalion was subsequently involved in heavy fighting in July and August around Goodview Junction and Mount Tambu as part of actions to secure Komiatum;[4][33] casualties for the battalion between April and September amounted to 34 killed and 95 wounded.[34] As the 5th Division arrived to take over from the 3rd following the capture of Mount Tambu and the link up with US forces,[35] the 2/5th Battalion was subsequently withdrawn from the line, concentrating around Nassau Bay in late August as the 17th Brigade was relieved by the 29th,[36] and on 23 September 1943 they arrived back in Australia, landing at Cairns, Queensland.[4]

The 2/5th Battalion spent the next year training on the Atherton Tablelands in north Queensland along with the rest of the 6th Division, during which time they were re-organised and converted to the jungle establishment; as part of this process, the battalion's authorised strength was reduced to around 800 personnel of all ranks.[37] On 29 November 1944, the battalion arrived at Aitape in New Guinea, where the 6th Division took over from the American garrison in order to free up the US troops for further fighting in the Philippines. In December, the Australians began offensive operations against the Japanese forces that were operating in the surrounding areas.[38] For the next seven months until the war ended the 2/5th undertook a number of patrols through the Torricelli and Prince Alexander mountain ranges,[4] as the 17th Brigade worked to initially establish and hold the Australian base around Aitape, before moving inland towards Maprik and then on to Kiarivu. Although only intended as a mopping up campaign, it was an arduous and costly period. Consisting primarily of small unit actions which inflicted proportionately heavily casualties, throughout the course of the campaign the 2/5th suffered 146 casualties, including eight officers killed or wounded.[39][40]

Disbandment and legacy

Following the end of the war the 2/5th remained in New Guinea until 1 December 1945 when they embarked on the voyage back to Australia. They were disbanded in early February 1946 while at Puckapunyal in Victoria.[4] Throughout its involvement in the war, a total of 2,967 men served with the 2/5th Battalion[41] of whom 216 were killed, and 390 wounded.[4] Members of the battalion received two Distinguished Service Orders, 14 Military Crosses, six Distinguished Conduct Medals, 20 Military Medals, and 56 Mentions in Despatches; in addition one member of the battalion was appointed as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire and three were appointed Members of the Order of the British Empire.[42] Alongside the 2/3rd Battalion,[43] the 2/5th was the only other Australian infantry battalion to fight against all the major Axis powers during the war.[4]

In 1948, the Citizens Military Force was re-constituted and the 5th Battalion, Victorian Scottish Regiment was re-raised.[5] At the time many of its members were drawn from the 2/5th Battalion and because of its territorial and personnel links it was decided that the Victorian Scottish Regiment would take custody of the 2/5th Battalion's World War II battle honours. As a result of the reorganisation of the Australian Army in the 1960s, which saw the disbandment of the regionally-based single battalion regiments and the raising of new multi-battalion state-based regiments[44] these battle honours are maintained by the 5th/6th Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment, an Australian Army Reserve battalion based around Melbourne.[45]

Battle honours

The 2/5th Battalion received the following battle honours for its service during World War II:[4]

  • North Africa, Bardia 1941, Capture of Tobruk, Syria 1941, Merjayun, Damour, Greece 1941, South-West Pacific 1942–1945, Wau, Bobdubi II, Mubo II, Mount Tambu, Komiatum, Liberation of Australian New Guinea, Perimbil, Balif, Yamil–Ulupu, Kaboibus–Kiarivu.

In 1961–62, these battle honours were entrusted to the 5th Battalion, and through this link are maintained by the Royal Victoria Regiment.[46]

Commanding officers

The following officers commanded the 2/5th Battalion during the war:[4][6]

  • Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Page Cook (1939–40);
  • Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Wrigley (1940–41);
  • Lieutenant Colonel Roy King (1941);
  • Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Daniel Sarsfield Starr (1942–43);
  • Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Mayo Conroy (1943–44);
  • Lieutenant Colonel Alfred William Buttrose (1944–45).

See also

Notes

Footnotes
  1. ↑ By the start of World War II, the authorised strength of an Australian infantry battalion was 910 men all ranks; however, later in the war it fell to 803 after the Army adopted the jungle divisional establishment.[1]
  2. ↑ The numerical designation of 2nd AIF units was prefixed by "2/", which was used to set them apart from Militia units with corresponding numerical designations.[3]
Citations
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Palazzo 2004, p. 94.
  2. ↑ Grey 2008, p. 146.
  3. ↑ Long 1952, p. 51.
  4. ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Johnston 2008, p. 5.
  7. ↑ Thompson 2010, p. 81.
  8. ↑ Long 1952, pp. 321–323.
  9. ↑ Long 1952, p. 52.
  10. ↑ Thompson 2010, p. 30.
  11. ↑ Thompson 2010, pp. 77–82.
  12. ↑ Thompson 2010, p. 93.
  13. ↑ Long 1953, p. 183.
  14. ↑ Long 1953, p. 336.
  15. ↑ Thompson 2010, p. 216.
  16. ↑ Long 1953, pp. 218–219.
  17. ↑ Long 1953, pp. 335–336.
  18. ↑ Coulthard-Clark 1998, pp. 190 & 193.
  19. ↑ Long 1953, pp. 396–400.
  20. ↑ Long 1953, p. 491.
  21. ↑ Coulthard-Clark 1998, pp.193–194.
  22. ↑ Long 1953, p. 503.
  23. ↑ Coulthard-Clark 1998, p. 194.
  24. ↑ Long 1953, p. 526.
  25. ↑ Keogh 1965, pp. 185–202.
  26. ↑ Coulthard-Clark 1998, p. 237.
  27. ↑ Bradley 2008, pp. 127 & 172.
  28. ↑ Keogh 1965, pp. 283–284.
  29. ↑ Bradley 2008, pp. 223–226.
  30. ↑ Dexter 1961, pp. 18 & 24.
  31. ↑ Dexter 1961, p. 16.
  32. ↑ Keogh 1965, pp. 298 & 304.
  33. ↑ Dexter 1961, p. 198.
  34. ↑ Dexter 1961, p. 324.
  35. ↑ Dexter 1961, pp. 199–200.
  36. ↑ Dexter 1961, p. 286.
  37. ↑ Palazzo 2004, pp. 86–101.
  38. ↑ Long 1963, pp. 271–281.
  39. ↑ Long 1963, p. 385.
  40. ↑ Keogh 1965, pp. 400–408.
  41. ↑ Johnston 2008, p. 242.
  42. ↑ Johnston 2008, p. 247.
  43. ↑ Pearson 1998, p. 7.
  44. ↑ Grey 2008, p. 228.
  45. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  46. ↑ Festberg 1972, pp. 30 & 63.

References

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Further reading

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