57th Battalion

57th Battalion

Shoulder patch

10th Reinforcement draft. AWM photo

Brief History

Raised in Egypt on 18 Feb 1916 with a cadre of experienced troops coming from the 5th Battalion, and the remainder from new men from north east Victoria. With the 58th 59th and 60th Battalions it was a part of the 15th Brigade in the 5th Division.

Following intensive training in Egypt, in mid 1916 they were transferred to France. Initially committed to the line in what was thought to be a nursery section, they participated in the Battle of Fromelles, a disaster for the Australians who lost over 5,000 casualties in 24 hours. Given that their role was as the reserve, they took fewer casualties than other units in the 5th Division and so were to spend additional time in the front line allowing the others to withdraw.

They participated in the small advances in 1917 as the Germans withdrew to their heavily fortified Hindenburg Line, especially around the 2nd Battle of Bullecourt. later in 1917 they moved north again and participated in the battle at Polygon Wood in September.

The following year first saw them in action as part of the defensive line around Corbie. With the Germans stopped short of Amiens, the 57th participated in the counter attack to reclaim Villers-Bretonneux. In August they joined in the Hundred Days Offensive, with its final battle he action around the St Quentin Canal.

The battalion was disbanded in March 1919. During the war it had suffered losing 505 killed, and 1,253 wounded.

Battalion Personnel

• Harry Douglas Butcher 24 Jul 1918 - 30 May 1919
• William George Russell 11 Nov - 13 Nov 1916

Battle Honours

• Egypt 1916
• Somme 1916–18
• Bullecourt
• Ypres 1917
• Menin Road
• Polygon Wood
• Poelcappelle
• Passchendaele
• Ancre 1918
• Villers-Bretonneux
• Amiens
• Albert 1918
• Mont St Quentin
• Hindenburg Line,
• St Quentin Canal
• France and Flanders 1916–18

Individual Honours

• 2 Distinguished Service Order, and 1 bar
• 17 Military Crosses, 1 bar
• 12 Distinguished Conduct Medal
• 63 MM, 2 bars
• 7 Meritorious Service Medal
• 21 Mentioned In Despatches
• 6 foreign awards

Notes

Content for the history and honours sections has come from a combination of Wikipedia and the Australian War Memorial websites.