26th Australian Infantry Training Battalion

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Brief History

The 26th Australian Infantry Training Battalion was formed at Beit Jirja in Palestine during April 1941. Its staff came from the units of the 26th Australian Infantry Brigade. In April they moved to Khassa in March, then to Hill 69 in April and Mughazi in May. Following the reorganisation of the AIF they came under the command of HQ 9th Australian Infantry Training Brigade in June 1941, supplying trained reinforcements to the units engaged in the siege of Tobruk.

In April 1942 they moved to Nuseirat near Gaza, but by June the flow of reinforcements from Australia was such that the unit was resized and renamed 26th Australian Infantry Training Company. However, in October 1941 a large enough body of reinforcements had arrived for it to revert to Battalion status. With the 9th Division's role at El Alamein conclded it prepared for a return to AUstralia, and so the 26th Australian Infantry Training Battalion drafted all its trainees to units and it was disbanded.

Trainees

• Ronald Gwynne 25 Jul - 11 Sep 1941

Notes

Content has come from The Unit Guide - Volume 6 - The Australian Army 1939-1945, page 6.247 - Graham R McKenzie-Smith - Big Sky Publishing - 2018