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The Australian Army of 3rd September 1939 consisted of a small Permanent Force cadre mostly manning staff, Royal Australian Artillery fortress units and Royal Australian Engineer fortress units. The majority of the army formed part of the Citizen Military Force (CMF), which was also known as the militia. Unlike the United Kingdom, where both regular and Territorial Army units were integrated into a single force entitled the British Army, Australia maintained two distinct armies until the third year of the war. Many people have felt that this put Australia's security in jeopardy, especially during the dark days of 1942/3 when the Japanese threatened Australia with invasion. During September 1939 an all-volunteer force was raised for service world-wide. This force was entitled the Second Australian Imperial Force or 2nd AIF and was modelled after the First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) that was raised during the first world war. Units of the 2nd AIF had the prefix 2/ in front of the unit, hence the 2/4th Field Regiment. The divisions and brigades of the CMF or Militia constituted the part-time home defence army and held this role until the start of the war with Japan on December 7, 1941. The Militia was not mobilized until that date, but all units did a series of brigade camps beginning at the outbreak of war and ending with full-time service on mobilization. For example, the 5th Battalion (The Victoria Scottish Regiment) of South Melbourne, Victoria did a 90 day camp at Mt. Martha starting on January 3, 1940, another 90 day camp from September to December 1940 at Mt. Martha, and a third camp there from 1 May to 29 July 1941. At the end of the later camp, the battalion remained on full-time service. The 5th's experience was repeated by the other units of the militia. During September 1939 an all-volunteer force was raised for service world-wide. This force was entitled the Second Australian Imperial Force or 2nd AIF and was modelled after the First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) that was raised during the first world war. Units of the 2nd AIF had the prefix 2/ in front of the unit, hence the 2/4th Field Regiment. By 7 December 1941, the AIF had units in the Middle East, Malaya, Australia, the islands and the United Kingdom. The role of the militia changed on the 19th February 1943, when the Defence (Citizen Military Forces) Act was passed. Commonly known as the Militia Bill, it defied the area by which those units could be stationed. It also allowed for Militia units to pass to AIF control if more than 75% of the units strength or 65% of the authorized "war establishment", whichever was greater, had volunteered to join the AIF. By this time 15 AIF and 8 Militia Battalions had gained battle experience in New Guinea. The militia battalions belonged to the 7th Brigade (9th, 25th and 61st Battalions) in the successful defence of Milne Bay; the 30th Brigade (3rd, 39th and 55th/53rd Battalions) which had fought over the Kokoda Trail and the 14th Brigade (36th and 49th Battalions) which had joined the four AIF Brigades in the attack on Gona and Sanananda.
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| It was not possible to join the AIF until you were 20 years old but you could be conscripted at age 18. This led to much of the bitterness about the term "Chocko" with blokes that were labelled as 'not willing to fight in the AIF' but who could not legally join the AIF yet were in uniform, fighting, dying and getting wounded side by side with AIF blokes. It wasn't me that said Governments are smart. |
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The Australian Army (Militia) on 7 December 1941 Outline Order of Battle - Main UnitsNot including Army, Base and Corps units or Anti-Aircraft Units
2nd Reconnaissance Battalion 49th Infantry Battalion Details - Thursday Island Torres Strait Infantry Company - Thursday Island 101st Anti-Tank Regiment, RAA 55th Field Park Company, RAE 1st Motor Brigade 5th, 11th Motor Regiments 7th Infantry Brigade 9th, 15th, 25th, 47th, 61st Infantry Battalions 5th Field Regiment, RAA 7th Field Company, RAE 11th Infantry Brigade 26th, 31st, 42nd, 51st Infantry Battalions 11th Field Regiment, RAA 11th Field Company, RAE Eastern Command - HQ Sydney, New South Wales 53rd Infantry Battalion -Northern Command - HQ Brisbane, Queensland Located at Sydney preparing for embarkation to New Guinea 1st Cavalry Division 1st, 16th Machine-Gun Regiments 2nd Armoured Regiment 21st Field Regiment, RAA 102nd Anti-Tank Regiment, RAA 1st Field Squadron, RAE 2nd Cavalry Brigade 12th, 24th Light Horse Regiments 15th Motor Regiment 4th Cavalry Brigade 3rd Armoured Regiment 6th Motor Regiment 7th Light Horse Regiment 14th Machine-Gun Regiment 1st Infantry Division 1st, 9th Field Regiments, RAA 103rd Anti-Tank Regiment, RAA 1st, 9th Field Companies, RAE 51st Field Park Company, RAE 1st Infantry Brigade 2nd, 13th, 33rd, 41st Infantry Battalions 9th Infantry Brigade 1st, 17th, 18th, 45th Infantry Battalions The Sydney University Regiment 2nd Infantry Division 21st Reconnaissance Battalion 7th, 14th, 18th Field Regiments, RAA 104th Anti-Tank Regiment, RAA 5th, 8th, 14th Field Companies, RAE 52nd Field Park Company, RAE 5th Infantry Brigade 20th, 34th, 54th, 56th Infantry Battalions 8th Infantry Brigade 4th, 30th, 35th Infantry Battalions 14th Infantry Brigade 3rd, 36th, 55th Infantry Battalions Southern Command - HQ Melbourne, Victoria 39th Infantry Battalion - Located at Darly Camp preparing for New Guinea 22nd Motor Regiment - Brighton Camp, Tasmania - Attached 12th Infantry Brigade
2nd Cavalry Division - Victoria
4th Armoured Regiment
17th Machine-Gun Regiment
19th Machine-Gun Regiment - Left for Darwin from Melbourne 14/1/42.
13th Light Horse
22nd Field Regiment, RAA
105th Anti-Tank Regiment, RAA
2nd Field Squadron, RAE
3rd Motor Brigade
1st Armoured Car Regiment
4th Light Horse Regiment
20th Motor Regiment
26th Machine-Gun Regiment
3rd Infantry Division - Victoria
8th Reconnaissance Battalion
2nd, 4th, 8th Field Regiments, RAA
106th Anti-Tank Regiment, RAA
4th, 10th, 15th Field Companies, RAE
53rd Field Park Company, RAE
4th Infantry Brigade
22nd, 29th, 46th Infantry Battalions
10th Infantry Brigade
24th, 37th, 52nd Infantry Battalions
15th Infantry Brigade
57th/60th, 58th, 59th Infantry Battalions
4th Infantry Division - Victoria
10th, 15th Field Regiments, RAA
107th Anti-Tank Regiment, RAA
2nd, 6th Field Companies, RAE
54th Field Park Company, RAE
2nd Infantry Brigade
5th, 6th, 14th, 32nd Infantry Battalions
6th Infantry Brigade
7th, 8th, 23rd/21st, 38th Infantry Battalions
6th Cavalry Brigade - South Australia
3rd, 23rd Reconnaissance Companies
9th Motor Regiment
18th Machine-Gun Regiment
3rd Infantry Brigade - South Australia
(Later in December 1941, 27th and 43rd Battalions to Darwin)
10th, 27th, 43rd, 48th Infantry Battalions
13th Field Regiment, RAA
3rd Field Company, RAE
12th Infantry Brigade - Tasmania
12th/50th, 40th Infantry Battalions
110th Anti-Tank Regiment, RAA
6th Field Regiment, RAA
12th Field Company, RAE
Western Command - HQ Perth, Western Australia
10th Reconnaissance Battalion
25th Machine-Gun Regiment
44th Infantry Battalion
109th Anti-Tank Regiment, RAA
56th Field Park Company, RAE
13th Infantry Brigade
11th, 16th, 28th Infantry Battalions
3rd Field Regiment, RAA
13th Field Company, RAE
Military District #7 - Northern Territory
19th Infantry Battalion - Darwin
18th Field Battery, RAA - Darwin
Military District #8 - Rabaul, New Hebrides and New Guinea
49th Infantry Battalion - Port Moresby, Papua
Papuan Infantry Battalion - Port Moresby, Papua
The New Guinea Volunteer Rifles - Rabaul and New Guinea
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