Australian Reinforcement Training Battalion (Jungle Warfare)

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Brief History

Training Centre (Jungle Warfare) was established at Canungra in November 1942 to pass on lessons learnt during the Kokoda Campaign. The initial training unit was the Advanced Reinforcement Training Unit (Jungle Warfare) which trained reinforcements prior to their heading to the New Guinea theatre. In May 1943 the centre expanded when the original unit became known as 1st Reinforcement Training Battalion (Jungle Warfare) and the 2nd Reinforcement Training Battalion (Jungle Warfare) was formed in June. The 3rd Reinforcement Training Battalion (Jungle Warfare) was formed in November 1942, and the 4th Reinforcement Training Battalion (Jungle Warfare) in September 1943.

All troops proceeding overseas from late 1942 needed to pass through the centre before their training was complete. This was also true for the Malayan, North Borneo and Vietnam Campaigns.

Trainees

1st Battalion

2nd Battalion

• Albert Chamberlain 27 Mar - 18 Nov 1945 (had a break in training for medical reasons)

3rd Battalion

• Curnow Andrew Knuckey 10 - 24 Aug 1944
• Noel Aubrey Brown 2 Mar - 21 May 1945
• Wilfred Brettell Duke 15 Mar - 15 May 1945

4th Battalion

• Edward James (Jim) Lawrence 24 Jul - 10 Sep 1944

Battalion not identified

• Mervyn Roy Drummond 15 Jul - 23 Nov 1942 (Staff ??)
• Mervyn Eric Doherty Feb - Apr 1944
• Ernest Emanuel Mills 12 Jun - 29 Sep 1944
• Frederick Haughton Dawson 8 Dec 1944 - 3 Apr 1945
• Maxwell John Buckingham 21 Dec 1944 - 6 Aug 1945 (had a break in training for medical reasons)
• Victor Emanuel Valli 27 Jul - 2 Nov 1945

Notes

Content has come from The Unit Guide - Volume 6 - The Australian Army 1939-1945, page 6.252 - Graham R McKenzie-Smith - Big Sky Publishing - 2018