HISTORY & CAMPAIGNS

2/1st Battalion's first campaign of World War II was the advance from Egypt into eastern Libya in January and February 1941. On 3 January 1941, 2/1st Battalion took part in the first Australian ground action of the war, spearheading the 6th Division's attack to capture the Italian held stronghold of Bardia.

Striking from the west, the 16th Brigade attacked just after dawn supported by artillery, armour and aircraft. Breaching the wire defences in front of the Italian positions the 2/1st Battalion quickly established a bridgehead for the remainder of 16th Brigade to exploit.

 Later in January 1941, the 2/1st Battalion was once again in the vanguard when the 16th Brigade led the 6th Division's assault on the Italian-held port of Tobruk. Following its capture, 2/1st Battalion was left to garrison Tobruk as the Allied advance continued.

The Battle of Bardia / Craig Stockings. Canberra: Australian War Memorial., 2011. Australian Army Campaign Series 9 AWM 004914.

Bardia : Myth, Reality and the Heirs of ANZAC / Craig Stockings. Sydney, UNSW, 2009.

  The 2/1st Battalion left Tobruk on 7 March 1941, ultimately bound for Greece with the rest of 6th Australian Division, amidst concerns of a German invasion.

2/1st Battalion arrived in Greece on 22 March 1941 and was quickly deployed to the north of the country to resist the anticipated German attack. The Battalion took up positions at Veria on 7 April but, the Allied forces were quickly overwhelmed and were forced to withdraw south on 12 April, eventually being evacuated by sea from Megara on 25 April.

  Brallos Pass, Greece by William Dargie depicts the rugged terrain in northern Greece at Brallos Pass where 2/1st Battalion was involved in a rear-guard action against German forces invading Greece. (Source: AWM ART26298)

In a letter to the Prime Minister of Australia (dated 23 August, 1947, Athens), the Prime Minister of Greece stated: “The Greek people will always remember with deep emotion the unparalleled heroism of the Australian soldiers, who, in the dark hours of our recent history, fought against the common enemy in Greece and Crete in comradeship with our soldiers. The Australian soldiers who are buried in Greece are the everlasting symbol of the friendship between our two countries and of the heroic contribution of Australia in the struggle for liberty and justice.”

   The 2/1st Battalion was landed on the island of Crete, arriving on the 26 April 1941 where with 2/11th Battalion it was tasked with the defence of the airfield at Retimo (Rethymnon). On 20 May, the Germans launched an air-borne invasion of Crete. Two Battalions of German parachute troops attacked the airfield and the 2/1st Battalion, now commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Ian Campbell, was heavily engaged as they put up a strong defence during the Battle of Retimo.

Against increasing and overwhelming German forces the Allied evacuation of Crete began on 28 May, but the message to withdraw did not get through to 2/1st and 2/11th Battalions holding the airfield, and they continued to hold until 30 May. At that point, though, they were overcome as the Germans, having been victorious elsewhere on the island, were able to bring in reinforcements – including armour and artillery – and concentrate their efforts against the two Australian Battalions holding Retimo. As food and ammunition ran out, the two Battalions were forced to surrender. Most of the survivors became prisoners of war.

The fighting on Crete cost 2/1st Battalion heavily, with 43 killed, 64 wounded and 511 captured.

The losses on Crete represented the vast majority of the Battalion's personnel, but by June there were about 70 men from the 2/1st in Palestine, some of whom had managed to escape after the fall of Crete and some who had been brought back there after the evacuation from Greece instead of landing on Crete.

Retimo (Sketch B) depicts the German aircraft paratroop carrier’s line of approach and departure to the airfield at Retimo on Crete. 2/1st Battalion was deployed to defend the aerodrome which was located approximately four miles to the east of the town of Retimo. The sketch noted as being (SKETCH B) was created by Sgt A. Walton from the original version by Lt Col. I.R. Campbell who was the CO of 2/1st Battalion at that time. (Source: AWM RCDIG1021839)

Diggers and Greeks : the Australian campaigns in Greece and Crete / Maria Hill.  Sydney: UNSW Press, 2010.

Battle of Crete / Albert Palazzo. Canberra: AWM, 2nd ed. 2011.

Greek-Australian Alliance 1899 - 2016 100th Anniversary Macedonian Front 75th Anniversary Battles of Greece and Crete. Edition September 2016. Nick Andriotakis, Secretary, The Joint Committee for the Commemoration of the Battle of Crete & The Greek Campaign.

Where the flaming hell are we : the story of young Australians and New Zealanders fighting the Nazis in Greece and Crete / Craig Collie. Crows Nest : Allen & Unwin, 2023.

The Flowers of Rethymnon : escape from Crete/ Lew Lind. Kenthurst :  Kangaroo Press, 1991 (originally published in 1944 as Escape From Crete) 

 Return to Australia

Japan's entry into the war in December 1941 resulted in plans to bring the 6th Division back to Australia to help bolster the country's defences and on 10 March 1942 2/1st Battalion embarked for home. During the voyage, the Battalion was diverted to Ceylon to defend it from a possible Japanese invasion. The invasion never came and the Battalion finally arrived in Melbourne on 7 August 1942.

Papua New Guinea

 After a period of home leave 2/1st Battalion was deployed to Port Moresby, Papua, arriving there in September 1942.

When the Japanese advance was halted at Imita Ridge the tide of the Kokoda Track campaign began to turn back in the favour of the Allies. 2/1st Battalion subsequently joined the Allied pursuit of the withdrawing Japanese north towards their beachheads around Buna–Gona, and during the counter-offensive the 2/1st Battalion were involved in the battles at Eora Creek, Gorari and Sanananda between October and late November 1942. Heavy casualties were suffered by the Battalion during the campaign, with over 60 percent being killed, wounded or evacuated sick.

Subsequent to the Kokoda campaign, the 2/1st Battalion returned to Australia to be reinforced, re-equipped and retrained. At this time they received a large batch of reinforcements from the 49th Battalion, a Militia Battalion that had fought around Sanananda before being disbanded. During this time of reorganisation the Battalion was reduced to the jungle warfare establishment, which saw its authorised strength fall from around 900 men to just over 800 

At the village of Soputa near the north coast of Papua New Guinea, in November 1942, 90 men under the command of Capt. Basil Catterns MC, launched a surprise attack on a Japanese defensive position, occupied by around 1700 enemy troops. The action lasted 24 hours, during which Catterns and his remaining men formed a small defensive perimeter around a large fig tree. The Japanese launched repeated attacks on Catterns and his small force, but were doggedly driven back each time. The Japanese, having suffered high losses at the hands of the Australians, eventually withdrew, paving the way for the final allied assault, and victory at the Battle of the Beachheads (Buna/Gona). After the Soputa action, of Catterns force of 90, only 24 came out (not killed or wounded). In total, this single action resulted in recommendations for the following awards for gallantry for members of 2/1st Battalion : Victoria Cross, 3 Military Crosses, 3 Distinguished Conduct Medals, and 7 Military Medals.

  In the words of CO Lt Col Paul Cullen  “The campaign had been a most exacting one, as casualties totaled 8 Officers and 93 Other Ranks killed in action, 9 Officers and 180 Other Ranks wounded and 8 missing. Over 250 had been evacuated sick with typhus and malaria, of which more than 15 died. However, the battalion never failed to carry out any of the tasks given to it and from that point of view was a success. The men of the battalion had proved that they were superior to the Japanese and were full of confidence.”

 Return to New Guinea

In December 1944, 16th Brigade including 2/1st Battalion was sent back to New Guinea to take part in operations against an estimated 35,000 Japanese in the Aitape-Wewak region. The campaign lasted until the war ended and saw the 2/1st Battalion join the Allied advance along the coast towards the main Japanese base at Wewak along with the rest of the 16th Brigade.

In January 1945, the 2/1st Battalion took over from the 2/11th Battalion, and on 29th January encountered Japanese at Nambut Hill the start of a fight which lasted 3 weeks. On 28th February the 2/2nd Battalion relieved the 2/1st as forward battalion. In this phase the 2/1st had lost 7 killed and 23 wounded. The 2/1st Battalion delivered a heavier blow to the Japanese round Nambut Hill than the Australians realised at the time. On 17th March orders were for the 2/1st Battalion to move forward and arrive at But to protect the beach, and that Colonel Cullen should take command of all troops in the beach area. The 2/1st conducted patrols to clear Japanese from the hills.

On 14th April the 2/1st Battalion (temporarily commanded by Major B. W. T. Catterns) moved from But to the Karawop–Wisling area. In June 1945, when relieving the 2/2nd Battatlion Colonel Cullen ordered each of three companies to establish patrol bases from which to control the areas: Captain J. C. Burrell at Yarabos, Captain Percival at Minga Gardens, Captain Givney at Dallman Harbour. 

  Aitape (New Guinea) -There is nothing like climbing 846 steps before breakfast to give you an appetite, but these lads were so tired that they did not have the energy to eat. They are shown resting half-way up the "Golden Stairway."-Australian official photo. The Central Queensland Herald, 22 March 1945, p.20. Front left, Norman Carter with Bren gun.

 On 15th August 1945 Acting CO Major Basil Catterns related the news of the Japanese surrender in the Order of the Day from General Sir Thomas Blamey.

During the Aitape-Wewak campaign, the 2/1st Battalion between 29 January and 17 July 1945 lost 38 men who are buried at Lae War Cemetery. 

The Battalion was finally disbanded in December 1945.

 We were ordered (16 Bde Brig Roy King) to press on and capture Wewak, which we did. Morale and discipline were fantastically high. Casualties every day but no complaints. Then came an extraordinary experience. We were the leading Bn. We succeeded in capturing the crossing at Nambut and also the high ground of the ridge – Mt SHIBURANGI – and drove the Japs back. Everyone very happy with the day’s successes, except the KIA. An order was received to retire BACK from the mountain and the river. So I retired from the mountain but was allowed to hold the river crossing. Next day I was ordered to retake the mountain – which the Japs had reoccupied!!! It took us a week – 2 officers and 16 men KIA and more wounded. We built 400 steps up the Golden Stairway. All journalists and visitors had to carry a box of ammo. or 5 gallons of water if they wanted to go to “the FRONT”!!!

Paul A. Cullen, Commanding Officer (The First Post, 2002)