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Category: Army History/WW2

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Keeping track of WW1 Units was easy. In most cases they were assigned to a Brigade which was assigned to a Division and they stayed there for the duration. Not so in WW2. We virtually had two wars (Nth Africa and the Pacific) and we had two armies, the AIF and the CMF. Some of the CMF Units became AIF Units. All in all it made for a confusing mix. I have tried to make it as clear as possible, but it is important that you consider the date when researching any unit. A REALLY good way to track a 'fighting' unit is to go to Battle Honours, which allows you to see where and when units served or for all units, RAN, Army and RAAF go to Who Was There

WW2 MILITIA Infantry DIVISIONS 2nd AIF Infantry DIVISIONS
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 11th, 12th 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, (10th; never fully formed)
***********************
WW2 MILITIA Infantry Brigades 2nd AIF Infantry Brigades
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 28th, 29th 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th

MAKE UP OF THE AUSTRALIAN ARMY, SEPT 1939

First Army: (Lieut-General Lavarack) - Toowoomba, Queensland
4th Division (6th, 11th, 12th, 14th Brigades)
3rd Armoured Division (2nd Armoured and 1st Motor Brigades)
Torres Straight Force
II Corps: (Lieut-General Morshead) - Barrine, Queensland
6th Division (16th and 30th Brigades) A.I.F.
7th Division (18th, 21st and 25th Brigades) A.I.F.
9th Division (20th, 24th and 26th Brigades) A.I.F.
Second Army: (Lieut-General Mackay) - Parramatta, New South Wales
1st Division (1st, 9th and 28th Brigades)
3rd Army Tank Brigade
III Corps: (Lieut-General Bennett) - Mount Lawley, Western Australia
2nd Division (2nd, 5th and 8th Brigades)
1st Armoured Division (1st Armoured Brigade, 3rd Motor Brigade)

Northern Territory Force: (Major-General A.S. Allen) - Darwin
12th Division (13th, 19th and 23rd Brigades)
New Guinea Force: (Lieut-General Mackay *) - Port Moresby
3rd Division (17th Brigade)
5th Division (4th and 29th Brigades)
11th Division (7th and 15th Brigades)
L.H.Q Reserve
3rd Brigade - Adelaide
4th Armoured Brigade
- Singleton, New South Wales
* Lieut-General E.F. Herring was on leave and
Lieut-General Mackay was acting commander.

Second Australian Imperial Force 1939-40

The Australian Imperial Force (AIF) Divisions on Formation

6th Australian Infantry Division - Raised 28 September 1939
	2/1st Field Regiment, RAA (New South Wales)
	2/2nd Field Regiment, RAA (Victoria)
	2/3rd Field Regiment, RAA (South Australia, Western Australia, Darwin and NSW)
	2/5th Field Regiment, RAA (Queensland and Tasmania) - Converted to 2/1st Anti-Tank Regiment in 2/40
	2/1st Australian Machine-Gun Regiment
	2/1st Australian Pioneer Battalion
	6th Australian Divisional Cavalry
	2/1st Field Company, RAE - Sydney, New South Wales
	2/2nd Field Company, RAE - Melbourne, Victoria
	2/3rd Field Company, RAE - Tasmania/Western Australia/South Australia
	2/1st Field Park Company, RAE - Queensland

	16th Australian Infantry Brigade
		2/1st Australian Infantry Battalion (New South Wales)
		2/2nd Australian Infantry Battalion (New South Wales)
		2/3rd Australian Infantry Battalion (New South Wales)
		2/4th Australian Infantry Battalion (New South Wales)

	17th Australian Infantry Brigade
		2/5th Australian Infantry Battalion (Victoria)
		2/6th Australian Infantry Battalion (Victoria)
		2/7th Australian Infantry Battalion (Victoria)
		2/8th Australian Infantry Battalion (Victoria)

	18th Australian Infantry Brigade - To 7th Infantry Division after reorganization
		2/9th Australian Infantry Battalion (Queensland)
		2/10th Australian Infantry Battalion (South Australia)
		2/11th Australian Infantry Battalion (Western Australia)
		2/12th Australian Infantry Battalion (Queensland/Tasmania)

7th Australian Infantry Division - Raised April 1940
	2/4th Field Regiment, RAA
	2/5th Field Regiment, RAA
	2/6th Field Regiment, RAA
	2/2nd Anti-Tank Regiment, RAA
	2/2nd Australian Machine-Gun Regiment
	2/2nd Australian Pioneer Battalion (Victoria)
	7th Australian Divisional Cavalry
	2/4th Field Company, RAE - New South Wales
	2/5th Field Company, RAE - New South Wales
	2/6th Field Company, RAE - New South Wales
	2/2nd Field Park Company, RAE - Western Australia

	19th Australian Infantry Brigade - 
		Formed from three extra battalions of 16th, 17th, 18th Brigades. 
			Brigade to 6th Infantry Division after reorganization

		2/4th Australian Infantry Battalion (New South Wales
		2/8th Australian Infantry Battalion (Victoria)
		2/11th Australian Infantry Battalion (Western Australia)

	20th Australian Infantry Brigade - To 9th Infantry Division after reorganization
		2/13th Australian Infantry Battalion (New South Wales)
		2/15th Australian Infantry Battalion (Queensland)
		2/17th Australian Infantry Battalion (New South Wales)

	21st Australian Infantry Brigade
		2/14th Australian Infantry Battalion (Victoria)
		2/16th Australian Infantry Battalion (Western Australia)
		2/27th Australian Infantry Battalion (South Australia)

Corps Troops Artillery - Formed April 1940
	2/9th Army Field Regiment, RAA - Originally formed for 8th Division
	2/11th Army Field Regiment, RAA - Originally formed for 8th Division
	2/13th Army Field Regiment, RAA - Converted from 2/1st Medium Regiment in October 1940
	2/1st Survey Regiment, RAA

	1st Australian Anti-Aircraft Brigade
		2/1st Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RAA
		2/2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RAA
		2/3rd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RAA

Corps Troops Engineers - Formed April 1940
	2/7th Army Field Company, RAE - Ipswich, Queensland
	2/8th Army Field Company, RAE - Puckapunyal, Victoria
	2/9th Army Field Company, RAE - HQ & 1 Section - Tasmania; 2 Sections - Victoria
	2/3rd Corps Field Park Company, RAE - Woodside, South Australia

Base and Lines of Communications Units - Formed April 1940
	HQ Railway Group
		1st, 2nd, 3rd Railway Construction Companies, RAE
		1st Railway Survey Company, RAE
	HQ Forestry Group
		1st, 2nd, 3rd Forestry Companies, RAE

8th Australian Infantry Division - Formed May 1940
	2/10th Field Regiment, RAA
	2/14th Field Regiment, RAA - Formed to replace 2/9th Field Regiment, RAA
	2/15th Field Regiment, RAA - Formed to replace 2/11th Field Regiment, RAA
	2/4th Anti-Tank Regiment, RAA - Replaced 2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment, RAA
	2/4th Australian Machine-Gun Regiment (Western Australia)
	2/3rd Australian Pioneer Battalion
	8th Australian Divisional Cavalry - To 9th Infantry Division as 9th Divisional Cavalry in May 1941
	2/10th Field Company, RAE - Victoria
	2/11th Field Company, RAE - Queensland
	2/12th Field Company, RAE - New South Wales
	2/4th Field Park Company, RAE - Western Australia

	22nd Australian Infantry Brigade
		2/18th Australian Infantry Battalion (New South Wales)
		2/19th Australian Infantry Battalion (New South Wales)
		2/20th Australian Infantry Battalion (New South Wales)

	23rd Australian Infantry Brigade
		2/21st Australian Infantry Battalion (Victoria)
		2/22nd Australian Infantry Battalion (Victoria)
		2/40th Australian Infantry Battalion (Tasmania)

	24th Australian Infantry Brigade - To 9th Infantry Division
		2/25th Australian Infantry Battalion (Queensland) - To 25th Infantry Brigade
		2/28th Australian Infantry Battalion (Western Australia)
		2/43rd Australian Infantry Battalion (South Australia)

9th Australian Infantry Division - Raised May to October 1940
	2/7th Field Regiment, RAA - Originally formed as 2/7th Army Field Regiment
	2/8th Field Regiment, RAA - Originally formed as 2/8th Army Field Regiment
	2/12th Field Regiment, RAA - Converted from 2/2nd Medium Regiment of Corps Artillery
	2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment, RAA - Originally formed for 8th Division
	2/3rd Australian Machine-Gun Regiment (Victoria)
	2/4th Australian Pioneer Battalion
	9th Australian Divisional Cavalry - From 8th Infantry Division in May 1941
	2/3rd Field Company, RAE - Tasmania/Western Australia/South Australia - From 6th Infantry Division
	2/13th Field Company, RAE - Queensland - Ex 2/1st Field Park Company
	2/7th Field Company, RAE - Queensland - Ex Corps Troops
	2/4th Field Park Company, RAE - Western Australia - Ex 8th Infantry Division

	25th Australian Infantry Brigade - Formed in the United Kingdom - To 7th Division
		2/31st Australian Infantry Battalion (Queensland)
		2/32nd Australian Infantry Battalion (Victoria) - To 24th Infantry Brigade
		2/33rd Australian Infantry Battalion (New South Wales)

	26th Australian Infantry Brigade
		2/23rd Australian Infantry Battalion (Victoria)
		2/24th Australian Infantry Battalion (Victoria)
		2/48th Australian Infantry Battalion (South Australia)

	27th Australian Infantry Brigade - To 8th Infantry Division
		2/26th Australian Infantry Battalion (Queensland)
		2/29th Australian Infantry Battalion (Victoria)
		2/30th Australian Infantry Battalion (New South Wales)

1st Australian Armoured Division - On Formation 1 July 1941
	2/11th Armoured Car Regiment (New South Wales)
	16th Field Regiment, RAA
	108th Anti-Tank Regiment, RAA
	2/3rd Field Squadron, RAE
	4th Field Squadron, RAE
	2/1st Field Park Squadron, RAE

	1st Australian Armoured Brigade
		2/5th Armoured Regiment (Queensland)
		2/6th Armoured Regiment (New South Wales)
		2/7th Armoured Regiment (New South Wales)

	2nd Australian Armoured Brigade
		2/8th Armoured Regiment (Victoria)
		2/9th Armoured Regiment (South Australia/Tasmania)
		2/10th Armoured Regiment (Western Australia)

 


Australian Citizens Military Forces (Militia) on 7 December 1941

also shown as CMF OR ACMF

Outline Order of Battle - Main Units

Not including Army, Base and Corps units or Anti-Aircraft Units

  • Note that many Brigades served in more than one Division and that
    • After this date the 5th, 11th and 12th Divisions were mobilised and that
    • some battalions were transferred from one Brigade to another
Northern Command - HQ Brisbane, Queensland

	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 - 
		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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