2/12th Field Regiment (Australia)

Australian Army artillery regiment 2/12th Field Regiment AWM P01260 008 2-12 Field Regiment Tobruk 1941.jpg Gunner Keith Corby (pictured middle) from the 2/12th man a captured Italian gun at Tobruk, 1941 1940–46 Australia Regiment Artillery 3 batteries ~ 700 personnel 9th Division World War II North Africa campaign Syria–Lebanon Campaign New Guinea Campaign Borneo Campaign 120px Unit colour patch The 2/12th Field Regiment was an Australian Army artillery regiment formed as part of the all volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force for overseas during World War II. Recruited in the state of Victoria in early 1940, the 2/12th was initially formed as a medium artillery regiment, but was later converted to a field regiment due to a lack of medium guns. As a field regiment, the 2/12th deployed to the Middle East where they supported the 9th Division in several battles during the North African Campaign in 1941–42, and undertook garrison duty in Lebanon. In early 1943, the regiment returned to Australia and subsequently fought in New Guinea, seeing action against the Japanese during the Huon Peninsula Campaign in 1943–44 and then the Borneo Campaign in 1945. History Because of the Australian government's decision to raise a second infantry division – the 7th – as part of the all volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) there was a need to raise a corps headquarters element and supporting troops. Part of the corps' support requirements was a medium artillery unit and, as a result, in May 1940 the regiment was initially formed with the designation of the "2/2nd Medium Regiment".Parsons 1991 11 Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Shirley Goodwin,Horner 1995 230 the regiment was formed with a cadre of regular engineer and artillery personnel drawn from the coastal artillery units around Port Phillip Bay, as well as part-time artillerymen from the Victorian-based Militia 2nd Medium Brigade.Parsons 1991 11–13 It was intended that the regiment would be equipped with 60-pounder medium guns, and throughout their initial training the regiment's recruits were trained on weapons borrowed from Militia units; however, the weapons were scarce and in October 1940, because of the lack of appropriate guns, it was decided to convert the regiment into a field artillery unit. It was consequently redesignated as the "2/12th Field Regiment",Johnston 2002 9 and at the same time it was reallocated from I Australian Corps to the 9th Division,Parsons 1991 24–25 although it would not come under its control until it had moved to the Middle East in early 1941.Maughan 1966 8–9 Upon conversion to a field unit, the regiment's two batteries were redesignated: No. 3 became 23 Battery and No. 4 became 24 Battery.Parsons 1991 25 No guns were received following its conversion to the field artillery establishment, as the regiment was to be equipped upon its arrival overseas, so training was undertaken at Puckapunyal using 18-pounders borrowed from the 2/8th Field Regiment.Parsons 1991 25 After completing training at Puckapunyal in mid-November, the regiment embarked upon the transport Stratheden and deployed to the Middle East, with a war establishment of just over 700 personnel.Parsons 1991 27 They arrived in Palestine in December 1940 and until March 1941, they were based at Qastina.Parsons 1991 30 That month, the regiment was reorganised into three batteries, each of two troops. The third battery was initially designated as 'Z' Battery,Parsons 1991 34 but it later came to be redesignated as 62 Battery.Parsons 1991 194–195 The regiment subsequently undertook three major battles in the North African campaign, seeing action during the Siege of Tobruk and then the First and Second Battles of El Alamein. These were punctuated by a period of garrison duty in Lebanon between January and June 1942, where the regiment formed part of the occupation force established there after the defeat of Vichy French forces during the Syria-Lebanon Campaign,Parsons 1991 12 & 91 tasked with defending against a possible German attack over the Caucacus towards the strategically important Middle East oilfields. During the regiment's involvement in the fighting around Tobruk, it arrived at the port on Vampire D68 6 in mid-May without any guns,Maughan 1966 257 and was allocated to the western sector, where they took over an assortment of British and captured Italian guns.Maughan 1966 265 This included several 60-pounders and 4.5-inch howitzers.Horner 1995 270 According to The Mercury newspaper, during the siege the regiment "spent more days in action than any other Australian artillery unit".Honouring Tassie Rat of Tobruk The Mercury Hobart, Tasmania 24 May 2010 10 Staff When they were finally relieved and evacuated from the besieged port – around September as part of the 24th Infantry BrigadeWilmot 1993 284 – the regiment left its motley assortment of equipment to the British unit that replaced them – the 144th Field Regiment – and subsequently adopted the 144th's complete set of twenty-four 25-pounders and 36 tractors.Maughan 1966 375 In January 1943, the regiment returned to Australia aboard the transport Ile de France as part of the final of the transference of Australian ground troops from the Middle East to the Pacific. After leave, the 2/12th re-formed at Kairi, on the Atherton Tablelands in Queensland in April 1943.Parsons 1991 143–145 A period of reorganisation and training followed as the 2/12th was prepared for the rigours of jungle warfare. In late July, they embarked by detachments at Cairns upon several transports including Manoora F48 6, Van Heutz, W Ellery Channing, Henry T Allen APA-15 6 and the Van Der Lijn, bound for New Guinea where they were to join the fighting against the Japanese.Parsons 1991 151 After arriving at Milne Bay in August,Parsons 1991 151 they subsequently took part in landings around Lae and then Finschhafen in September, and saw action during the Huon Peninsula campaign. Supporting the 20th Infantry Brigade during the initial landing around Scarlet Beach,Dexter 1963 450 once Finschhafen was secured, the regiment's guns support the attack on Sattelberg from the coastal plain,Long 1963 648–649 before supporting further advances north as part of the drive towards Sio before returning to Australia in early 1944.Parsons 1991 12 & 209 After a year-long interlude training around Ravenshoe, Queensland, the regiment undertook its final campaign of the war in 1945, providing fire support during the Battle of North Borneo.Parsons 1991 12 Assigned to support the 24th Infantry Brigade,Long 1963 459 during the landing on Labuan two troops of the 2/12th came ashore alongside the assaulting infantry in LVTs,Horner 1995 415 something the Australian Army had not done before.Long 1963 465–466 Later, during June, 14 guns from the regiment were moved by barge to support operations around Weston and Beaufort.Long 1963 479 The swampy ground in the area posed problems for the gunners, who had to shore up the ground with coconut palms.Horner 1995 417 At the end of the war, the regiment was disbanded with its last war diary entry being made on 1 March 1946.Parsons 1991 256 Throughout its existence, the regiment used a variety of guns including captured Italian pieces as well as Allied equipment. The British and American guns used by the regiment were: 60-pounder medium guns, 18-pounder field guns, 4.5-inch howitzers, 4.2-inch mortars, 25-pounders, and 75mm pack howitzers.Parsons 1991 265–271 Over 2,000 personnel served in the regiment during the six years it existed.Parsons 1991 12 Of these, a total of 71 members of the regiment were killed in action or died on active service, either from wounds sustained or as the result of an accident.Parsons 1991 275–276 A further 138 wounded are recorded on the regiment's casualty list.Parsons 1991 279–282 Members of the regiment received the following decorations: three Distinguished Service Orders, four Members of the Order of the British Empire, six Military Crosses, six Military Medals, and 44 Mentions in Despatches.Parsons 1991 277–278 A plaque commemorating the regiment's personnel is included in Anzac Square in Brisbane.http://www.qldwarmemorials.com.au/memorial/?id=11 2/12 Field Regiment RAA Plaque Queensland War Memorial Register 14 September 2014 Commanding officers The following officers commanded the 2/12th Field Regiment:Parsons 1991 2 & 6 Lieutenant Colonel Shirley Thomas William Goodwin (1940–43); Lieutenant Colonel Geoffrey Dudderidge Houston (1943–45). References Citations 2 Bibliography Dexter David The New Guinea Offensives https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RCDIG1070205/ Australia in the War of 1939–1945 Series 1 – Army, Volume VI 1st 1963 Australian War Memorial Australian Capital Territory 246112612 Horner David David Horner The Gunners: A History of Australian Artillery 1995 Allen & Unwin Sydney, New South Wales 1-86373-917-3 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 Long Gavin 1963 The Final Campaigns https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RCDIG1070206/ Australia in the War of 1939–1945 Series 1 – Army, Volume VII 1st Australian War Memorial Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 494058950 Maughan Barton https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RCDIG1070202/ Tobruk and El Alamein Australia in the War of 1939–1945 Series 1 – Army, Volume III 1st 1966 Australian War Memorial Australian Capital Territory 60439166 Parsons Max Gunfire: A History of the 2/12th Australian Field Regiment 1940–1946 2/12th Australian Field Regiment Association 1991 0-646-05189-X Wilmot Chester Tobruk 1941 1944 1993 Penguin Books Australia Ringwood, Victoria 0-14-017584-9 June 2017 Category:Artillery regiments of Australia Category:Military units and formations established in 1940 Category:1940 establishments in Australia Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1946 Category:1946 disestablishments in Australia