Difference between revisions of "2/24th Australian Infantry Battalion"

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Revision as of 23:24, 16 September 2020

Brief History

Battalion HWs of the 2/24th Australian Infantry Battalion was raised in Victoria Barracks, Melbourne in July 1940 as a part of the 26th Infantry Brigade in the 7th Infantry Division. In August they moved to Wangaratta where they took over three Victoria companies that had been formed at Rokeby. IN September they moved to Bonegilla before departing for the Middle East in November. On their arrival in December they were sent to Dimra in Palestine to train with other 7th Division units. However, in February 1941 along with the rest of the 26th Brigade, they were transferred to the 9th Infantry Division. With the 6th Division sent to Greece, the 9th Division was sent to take over their role in Cyrenaica, while completing their training.

In March 1941 they were sent to Baracca to hold the passes off the Benghazi Plain, However, when the German Afrika Korps led the Axis counter-attack ,the 9th Division fell back to Tobruk - colloquially referred to as the "Benghazi handicap". The 2/24th entered Tobruk on 10 April and helped defend the "fortress" for the next eight months. The 2/24th saw extensive service at Tobruk, manning the Red Line at a number of different locations and participating in the bitter fighting in the Salient, where German forces had the better of them. The battalion was evacuated from Tobruk in the evening of 20 October 1941, returning first to Julis in Palestine to rest and retrain, and then to the Tripoli area of Syria in January 1942. The 2/24th Battalion was located at Madjlaya, before moving to Bech Mezzine in April for training. In late June the rapid German advance in North Africa saw the 9th Division recalled to the Alamein

Battalion Personnel

David Deverell 7 May - 12 Jun 1945 WIA

Battle Honours

Defence of Tobruk
The Salient 1941
Tel el Eisa
Defence of Alamein Line
El Alamein
Busu River
Finschhafen
Sattelberg
Wareo
Wareo-Lakona
Tarakan
Borneo

Individual Honours

1 x Distinguished Service Order & Bar
3 x Distinguished Service Orders
2 x Officer of the Order of the British Empire
3 x Member of the Order of the British Empire
12 x Military Cross
8 x Distinguished Conduct Medal
21 x Military Medal
1 x British Empire Medal
35 x Mentioned in Despatches

Notes

External Links

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 ==Brief History==
+Battalion HWs of the 2/24th Australian Infantry Battalion was raised in Victoria Barracks, Melbourne in July 1940 as a part of the 26th Infantry Brigade in the 7th Infantry Division. In August they moved to Wangaratta where they took over three Victoria companies that had been formed at Rokeby. IN September they moved to Bonegilla before departing for the Middle East in November. On their arrival in December they were sent to Dimra in Palestine to train with other 7th Division units. However, in February 1941 along with the rest of the 26th Brigade, they were transferred to the 9th Infantry Division.  With the 6th Division sent to Greece, the 9th Division was sent to take over their role in Cyrenaica, while completing their training.
+In March 1941 they were sent to Baracca to hold the passes off the Benghazi Plain,  However, when the German Afrika Korps led the Axis counter-attack ,the 9th Division fell back to Tobruk - colloquially referred to as the "Benghazi handicap". The 2/24th entered Tobruk on 10 April and helped defend the "fortress" for the next eight months. The 2/24th saw extensive service at Tobruk, manning the Red Line at a number of different locations and participating in the bitter fighting in the Salient, where German forces had the better of them. The battalion was evacuated from Tobruk in the evening of 20 October 1941, returning first to Julis in Palestine to rest and retrain, and then to the Tripoli area of Syria in January 1942. The 2/24th Battalion was located at Madjlaya, before moving to Bech Mezzine in April for training. In late June the rapid German advance in North Africa saw the 9th Division recalled to the Alamein
+===Battalion Personnel===
+* [[ David Deverell]] 7 May - 12 Jun 1945 WIA
 ===Battle Honours===