2/13th Battalion (Australia)

Infantry battalion of the Australian Army during World War II 13th Battalion (Australia) January 2017 January 2017 2/13th Battalion 9 Div Tobruk(AWM 020779).jpg Soldiers crouch behind a low berm amidst a rocky desert area A 2/13th patrol at Tobruk, September 1941 Australia Infantry Australian Army 1940–1946 20th Brigade, 7th Division20th Brigade, 9th Division ~800–900 personnelBy the start of World War II, the authorised strength of an Australian infantry battalion was 910 men all ranks, however, later in the war it fell to 803 when the Australian Army converted to the jungle divisional establishment.Palazzo 2004 94 Note "Devil's Own" 85px|alt=A rectangle inside a diamond, forming an organizational symbol Unit colour patch (1940–1942) 100px|alt=A T-shaped organizational symbol (1942–1946) World War II Siege of Tobruk First Battle of El Alamein Second Battle of El Alamein Huon Peninsula campaign Borneo Campaign The 2/13th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army, which served during World War II. Formed in April 1940 from volunteers drawn primarily from New South Wales, as part of the 20th Brigade of the 7th Division, the battalion served in North Africa in 1941–1942, after being reassigned to the 9th Division. While most of the 9th Division was withdrawn from Tobruk, during October 1942, the battalion remained and fought alongside the new garrison built around the British 70th Division. Following the lifting of the siege, the battalion returned to Australia during 1943. It later took part in campaigns against the Japanese in New Guinea in 1943–1944 and Borneo in 1945, before being disbanded in 1946. History Formation The 2/13th BattalionThe numerical designation of 2nd AIF units was prefixed by "2/", which was used to set them apart from Militia units with corresponding numerical designations.Long 1952 51 Note was established in April 1940, from Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) volunteers drawn primarily from the state of New South Wales, the 2/13th Battalion. Along with the 2/15th and 2/17th Battalions, it formed part of the 20th Brigade, which was assigned on formation to the 7th Division. With an authorised strength of around 900 personnel, like other Australian infantry battalions of the time, the 2/13th was formed around a nucleus of four rifle companies, each consisting of three platoons.Long 1952 52 Throughout the war, the 2/13th had six different unit colour patches (UCPs). The colours initially chosen for the battalion's UCP were the same as those of the 13th Battalion, a unit which had served during World War I before being raised as a Militia formation in 1921. These colours were light blue over dark blue, in a horizontal rectangle shape, with a border of gray in a diamond shape was later added to the UCP to distinguish the battalion from its Militia counterpart. Later, as the 7th Division was formed, it was decided that the division's colour patches would utilise a diamond shape to set them apart from the battalions of the 6th Division, so the battalion's colour patch was changed to a light blue over dark blue diamond. This was later changed to a black and red diamond inside a gray diamond border to conform with regulations that stipulated that the 20th Brigade's defining colour was to be red, although this did not last long, with the light blue over dark blue rectangle being restored shortly afterwards, being presented inside a gray diamond. A further change occurred when the battalion was transferred to the 9th Division, at which point it adopted a light blue over dark blue rectangle inside a gray circle.Fearnside 1993 39–40 This remained the battalion's UCP until after the fighting at Tobruk, when it adopted a T-shaped UCP.Long 1952 321–323 Individual training was undertaken at Ingleburn Army Camp, before the battalion marched in mid-August to Bathurst Army Camp where collective training was completed. By October the battalion was ready to deploy overseas and, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Burrows, previously commanding officer of the 36th BattalionFearnside 1993 1 embarked along with the rest of the brigade from Sydney, bound for the Middle East on board the Queen Mary.Fearnside 1993 21 While at sea, a reorganisation of the 7th and 9th Divisions resulted in several brigades being reallocated, and as a consequence the 2/13th, was reassigned to the 9th Division, along with the rest of the 20th Brigade.http://www.awm.gov.au/units/unit_11264.asp 2/13th Battalion Second World War, 1939–1945 units Australian War Memorial 11 July 2012 Middle East Sailing via Bombay, in India, where the battalion briefly camped at Deolali before transferring to the transport Christiaan Huygens on 12 November 1940. The battalion arrived in Egypt at the end of the month, disembarking at El Kantara on 26 November.Fearnside 1993 25–30 After moving into camp at Kilo 89, on Gaza Ridge,Fearnside 1993 31 they then spent several months completing further training in Palestine before the partially trained 9th Division was deployed to Cyrenaica in March 1941 following the departure of the 6th Division to Greece. Following the arrival of German forces in North Africa, the British were pushed onto the defensive and they were forced to withdraw from Benghazi to the strategic port of Tobruk, which subsequently fell under siege; the 2/13th formed part of the rearguard during the withdrawal during which it gained the distinction of being the first Australian Army unit to see action against the Germans,Wilmot 1993 71–72 fighting a short, but sharp delaying action at Er Regima on 4 April 1941 against a force three times their size. At the time, the 2/13th had not yet completed its training, and was hastily equipped with captured Italian heavy weapons, mortars and signals equipment as it was put into the line on the rocky high ground around the Benina airfield. With one company guarding prisoners around Barce, the remainder of the 2/13th first went into action in the afternoon of 4 April 1941, as German infantry and tanks attacked their position over several hours. With support from a British artillery regiment, the 2/13th held their ground until late in the evening, until captured Italian vehicles were brought up to withdraw the battalion. The fighting cost the 2/13th Battalion 98 casualties.Hill 2004 38–40 Following this, the 2/13th joined the Tobruk garrison, as the port was surrounded. During the siege, the battalion occupied the perimeter and undertook defensive duties, remaining there for eight months, with the distinction of being the only Australian infantry battalion to see out the length of the siege, remaining alongside the new garrison built around the British 70th Division. The other Australian units were withdrawn earlier by sea and the intention had been to do the same for the 2/13th in October 1941, but the convoy scheduled to take the 2/13th out of Tobruk had been repelled by an Axis air attack and the British later asked for the battalion, less its advanced party which had already been evacuated,Fearnside 1993 289 to remain for the subsequent break out attempt.Wilmot 1993 240 & 289 thumb|left|A patrol from the 2/13th around Tobruk In November, the British launched Operation Crusader, to relieve the garrison at Tobruk. As part of this effort, the 2/13th Battalion was tasked with recapturing El Duda in late November after a battalion of the Essex Regiment was forced off the position.Wilmot 1993 306 Supported by British armour and artillery, two companies totalling 160 men assaulted the position which was held by force of around 450 Germans. In the fighting that followed heavy casualties were inflicted on the defenders who were forced from the position, leaving 167 men who were taken prisoner.Fearnside 1993 151–152 Following the capture of El Duda, the 2/13th undertook patrol actions in their sector, and endured a heavy bombardment, which resulted in further casualties, including the commanding officer, Burrows, after which Major George Colvin temporarily assumed command of the battalion in the field.Fearnside 1993 154–155 & 289 After the relief of Tobruk, in December 1941, the battalion moved to Palestine where it rejoined the rest of the 9th Division and subsequently undertook garrison duty in Syria, as part of the Allied occupation force that had been established there following the conclusion of the fighting against the Vichy French forces in the Syria–Lebanon campaign. During this period, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Turner took over command of the battalion.Fearnside 1993 177 The 2/13th remained in Syria, based around Tripoli initially before moving to Aleppo,Fearnside 1993 186–192 until July 1942 when the situation in North Africa became critical and the 9th Division was hurriedly moved west to El Alamein as the German Afrika Korps and Italian forces advanced towards Egypt. For the next four months, the battalion defended the northern sector of the Allied line, occupying Tel el Eisa in August, and then taking part in the Second Battle of El Alamein in October and November 1942. During the height of the battle, Turner was mortally wounded and command of the 2/13th fell to Colvin once again; he was subsequently confirmed in the position in later October 1942 and would command the 2/13th for the remainder of the war.Fearnside 1993 289 Pacific The fighting around Tel el Eisa was the 2/13th's last involvement in the fighting in North Africa as the 9th Division was recalled to Australia in early 1943 to take part in the fighting against the Japanese in the Pacific, joining the other two 2nd AIF divisions – the 6th and 7th – which had been transported back the year before. Departing Egypt in January 1943 aboard the Acquitania,Fearnside 1993 313 the 2/13th reached Sydney the following month. The battalion's personnel were given a long period of leave, before it was reconstituted on the Atherton Tablelands, in Queensland, where it was re-organised for jungle warfare and undertook amphibious training.Fearnside 1993 328 Its next combat assignment came in early September 1943, when the 9th Division took part in a two-pronged assault on Lae, along with the 7th Division, with the 9th conducting an amphibious landing to the east of the town while the 7th advanced overland from Nadzab. After sailing from Cairns in late July, the battalion staged out of Milne Bay. During the landing, the 2/13th was tasked with coming ashore on "Yellow Beach", and then securing the beachhead for the follow on forces; it later sent out patrols to link up with the 2/15th Battalion and secure the right flank before the main advance west began.Keogh 1965 306–307 Lae fell more quickly than the Allies expected and as a result a follow-up operation was mounted to secure the Huon Peninsula later in the month.Keogh 1965 315 Landing at Scarlet Beach in the first wave, two companies from the 2/13th secured the main beachhead while two others were also landed around Siki Cove on the first day of the operation.Keogh 1965 317 By October, the battalion occupied a position north of Langemak Bay which stretched in a dog-leg from Simbang north to Tirimoro.Keogh 1965 Map p. 321 They were later involved in defending the beachhead against a Japanese counter-attack, and then the subsequent Australian advance inland as the Japanese withdrew towards Sio.Keogh 1965 332 thumb|right|A patrol from the 2/13th returns to the battalion's positions around Miri, August 1945 They were withdrawn from the front in March 1944, for rest and re-organisation, subsequently returning to the Atherton Tablelands to concentrate near Ravenshoe where a long period of training followed. The battalion's final involvement in the war came when they were committed to Operation Oboe, the Allied operation to re-capture Borneo. Embarking upon the transport Frederick Lykes,Fearnside 1993 383 the battalion concentrated on Morotai Island in April 1945, along with the rest of the 7th and 9th Divisions, the 2/13th Battalion was committed to the Battle of North Borneo on 20 June when it conducted an unopposed amphibious landing at Lutong on 20 June, before undertaking another landing and continuing their advance down the south-western coast, passing through Miri on 23 June, before continuing on to Seria on their way towards Kuching, securing several airfields and oilfields, and conducting patrols, as they went.Keogh 1965 453Coulthard-Clark 1998 252–253 The campaign ended with news of the Japanese surrender, following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, by which time the 2/13th had established itself around Lobang. Disbandment After the conclusion of hostilities, the 2/13th Battalion carried out various garrison duties such as guarding prisoners of war and maintaining internal security while the demobilisation process took place. Personnel were repatriated back to Australia or transferred to other units for further service; meanwhile, in November, the battalion was transferred to Luban, before finally being brought back to Australia in December 1945 for disbandment. During the course of the war, a total of 2,706 men served with the 2/13th Battalion of whom 245 were killed in action or died on active service, 87 were captured, and a further 630 wounded.Johnston 2002 247 Members of the battalion received the following decorations: three Distinguished Service Orders including one Bar, ten Military Crosses, one Member of the Order of the British Empire, six Distinguished Conduct Medals; 12 Military Medals including one Bar, one British Empire Medal, and 40 Mentions in Despatches. One former member of the battalion, Lieutenant Albert Chowne, who served with the 2/13th before being commissioned in 1944, was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions while serving with the 2/2nd Battalion during the Aitape–Wewak campaign in 1945.Barter 1993 424–425 Battle honours The 2/13th Battalion received the following battle honours: Defence of Tobruk, El Alamein, South-West Pacific 1943–45, Lae–Nadzab, Liberation of Australian New Guinea, Sio, Er Regima, El Adem Road, Tobruk 1941, Belhamed, Defence of Alamein Line, Finschhafen, Bumi River, Scarlet Beach, Defence of Scarlet Beach, Jivenaneng–Kumawa, Borneo, Brunei and Miri. Commanding officers The following officers served as commanding officer of the 2/13th:Johnston 2002 xv Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Alexander Burrows (1940–1941); Lieutenant Colonel Robert William Newton Turner (1941–1942); Lieutenant Colonel George Edward Colvin (1942–1945). Notes Footnotes Note Citations 2 References Barter Margaret Chowne, Albert Edward (1920–1945) Australian Dictionary of Biography 13 1993 Melbourne University Press 424–425 https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/chowne-albert-edward-9743 0522845126 Coulthard-Clark Chris Where Australians Fought: The Encyclopaedia of Australia's Battles 1998 Allen & Unwin St Leonards, New South Wales 1-86448-611-2 Fearnside G.H 1953 1993 2nd Bayonets Abroad: A History of the 2/13 Battalion, A.I.F. in the Second World War John Burridge Military Antiques Swanbourne, Western Australia 38342928 Hill Alec Alec Hill Er Regima – Baptism of Fire Wartime 26 April 2004 38–40 723983584 Johnston Mark Mark Johnston (historian) That Magnificent 9th: An Illustrated History of the 9th Australian Division 1940–46 2002 Allen & Unwin Sydney, New South Wales 1-86508-654-1 Keogh Eustace Eustace Graham Keogh South West Pacific 1941–45 1965 Grayflower Publications Melbourne, Victoria 7185705 Long Gavin Gavin Long To Benghazi 1952 Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 1 – Army I 1st Australian War Memorial Canberra, Australian Capital Territory https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RCDIG1070200/ 18400892 Palazzo Albert Organising for Jungle Warfare The Foundations of Victory: The Pacific War 1943–1944 2004 Dennis, Peter Grey, Jeffrey Jeffrey Grey Army History Unit Canberra, Australian Capital Territory https://www.army.gov.au/sites/g/files/net1846/f/2003-the_pacific_war_1943-1944_part_1_0.pdf 86–101 978-0-646-43590-9 20 July 2017 14 April 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180414083928/https://www.army.gov.au/sites/g/files/net1846/f/2003-the_pacific_war_1943-1944_part_1_0.pdf dead Wilmot Chester Chester Wilmot Tobruk 1941 1944 1993 Penguin Books Australia Ringwood, Victoria 0-14-017584-9 Further reading Gillan Hugh We Had Some Bother: Tales From the Infantry 1985 Hale & Iremonger Sydney, New South Wales 978-0-9595540-1-4 Watch (Director) John Jackson (Producer) Dean Fogarty Bill Bayonets Abroad, 2/13th Infantry Battalion At War http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/31986095?q=bayonets+abroad&c=music&versionId=38836726 Videotape c. 2001 2/13th Battalion Association Sydney, New South Wales 223765090 collapsed 13 13 13 Category:1940 establishments in Australia Category:1946 disestablishments in Australia