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Campaigns
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Messines,
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Broodseinde,
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Passchendaele,
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Amiens,
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Mont St Quentin,
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Hindenburg
Line
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Narrative
On 2 February 1916, the Australian government agreed to form another
Division. The Third Division was formed in Australia in March 1916 and it
moved to England to train in July 1916. Its commander for most of its war
service was the famous Major General John Monash. In December 1916 it moved to
France, becoming the last division to do so, taking over part of the
"nursery" sector near Armentieres.
In June 1917 it participated in the Battle of Messines. In October it fought
in the Battle of Broodseinde alongside the veteran First and Second Divisions.
On the 12th of October, the Third Division was repulsed at Passchendaele.
In March 1918 the Third Division was rushed to the Somme region to stem the
German Offensive there. It clashed repeatedly with the advancing Germans,
halting their advance at Morlancourt and Villers Bretonneux.
Holding the high ground north of the Somme River, the Third Division was
involved in a series of remarkable exploits of "peaceful penetration"
around Sailly-le-Sec.
Later the Third Division fought in the Battles of Hamel, Amiens, Mont Saint
Quentin and the Hindenburg Line.
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Commanders
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Campaigns
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Messines, Broodseinde, Passchendaele, Amiens, Mont St Quentin, Hindenburg
Line
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Casualties
- killed in action: 4,542
- died of wounds: 1,678
- other deaths: 554
- prisoners: 161
- wounded: 24,188
- total: 31,123
Third Division (France, December 1916)
- 3rd Division Artillery
- 7th Field Artillery Brigade [12 x 18
pounders, 4 x 4.5 inch
howitzers]
- 25th,26th,27th Field Artillery Batteries
- 107th Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery
- 8th Field Artillery Brigade [12 x 18
pounders, 4 x 4.5 inch
howitzers]
- 29th,30th,31st Field Artillery Batteries
- 108th Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery
- 9th Field Artillery Brigade [12 x 18
pounders, 4 x 4.5 inch
howitzers]
- 33rd,34th,35th Field Artillery Batteries
- 118th Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery
- 23rd Field Artillery Brigade [12 x 18
pounders, 4 x 4.5 inch
howitzers]
- 28th,32nd,36th Field Artillery Batteries
- 109th Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery
- 3rd Division Ammunition Column
- 3rd Division Trench Mortars
- X3A,Y3A,Z3A Medium Trench Mortar Batteries [12 x 2 inch medium trench
mortars]
- Z3A Heavy Trench Mortar Battery [4 x 9.45 inch heavy trench
mortars]
- 3rd Division Engineers
- 9th,10th,11th Field Companies (New South Wales; Victoria; Outer States)
- 3rd Signals Company
- 9th Infantry Brigade
- 33rd, 34th, 35th,36th Infantry Battalions (New South Wales)
- 9th Light Trench Mortar Battery [8 x 3 inch Stokes
mortars]
- 9th Machinegun Company [16 x Vickers
machineguns]
- 10th Infantry Brigade
- 37th,38th,39th,40th Infantry Battalions (Victoria; Victoria; Victoria;
Tasmania)
- 10th Light Trench Mortar Battery [8 x 3 inch Stokes
mortars]
- 10th Machinegun Company [16 x Vickers
machineguns]
- 11th Infantry Brigade
- 41st,42nd,43rd,44th Infantry
Battalions (Queensland; Queensland; South Australia; Western Australia)
- 11th Light Trench Mortar Battery [8 x 3 inch Stokes
mortars]
- 11th Machinegun Company [16 x Vickers
machineguns]
- 3rd Pioneer Battalion
- British 207th Machinegun Company
[16 x Vickers machineguns]
- 3rd Division Medical Services
- 9th,10th,11th Field Ambulances
- 3rd Sanitary Section
- 3rd Salvage Company
- 3rd Division Train
- 22nd,23rd,24th,25th Australian Army Service Corps Companies
- 3rd Division Supply Column
- 3rd Division Ammunition Sub Park
- 3rd Mobile Veterinary Section
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Memorial plaque at Melbourne's Shrine of
Remembrance. photo Kate
Blake |
Third Division (France, September 1918)
- 3rd Division Artillery
- 7th Field Artillery Brigade [18 x 18
pounders, 6 x
4.5 inch
howitzers]
- 25th,26th,27th Field Artillery Batteries
- 107th Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery
- 8th Field Artillery Brigade [12 x 18
pounders, 4 x 4.5 inch
howitzers]
- 29th,30th,31st Field Artillery Batteries
- 108th Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery
- 3rd Division Ammunition Column
- 3rd Division Trench Mortars
- 5th,6th Medium Trench Mortar Batteries [12 x 2 inch medium trench
mortars]
- 3rd Division Engineers
- 9th,10th,11th Field Companies (New South Wales; Victoria; Outer States)
- 3rd Signals Company
- 9th Infantry Brigade
- 33rd,34th,35th Infantry Battalions (New South Wales)
- 9th Light Trench Mortar Battery [8 x 3 inch Stokes
mortars]
- 10th Infantry Brigade
- 37th ,38th,39th,40th Infantry Battalions (Victoria; Victoria; Victoria;
Tasmania)
- 10th Light Trench Mortar Battery [8 x 3 inch Stokes
mortars]
- 11th Infantry Brigade
- 41st,42nd,43rd,44th Infantry
Battalions (Queensland; Queensland; South Australia; Western Australia)
- 11th Light Trench Mortar Battery [8 x 3 inch Stokes
mortars]
- 3rd Machinegun Battalion [64 x Vickers
machineguns]
- 9th,10th,11th,23rd Machinegun Companies
- 3rd Pioneer Battalion
- 3rd Division Medical Services
- 9th,10th,11th Field Ambulances
- 3rd Sanitary Section
- 3rd Salvage Company
- 3rd Division Train
- 22nd,23rd,24th,25th Australian Army Service Corps Companies
- 3rd Mobile Veterinary Section
this information from the site by Ross
Mallett
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