2nd Australian Division, Australian Imperial Force, World War I

Date: 1915 to 1919
Location: [unknown]

This page expands on a section of the The Australian Army page

The 2nd Australian Division was formed on 10th July 1915 from reinforcements who had arrived for the 1st Division and training in Egypt as part of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) to fight in The Great War. The division fought at Gallipoli during the latter stages of the campaign. It became a formation of I ANZAC Corps, together with 1st Division and the New Zealand Division (which was later swapped with 4th Division from II ANZAC), until absorbed into the Australian Corps in November 1917. On the Western Front, in France and Belgium, it saw action on the Somme (1916), the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line (1917), the Hindenburg Line (1917), Third Battle of Ypres (1917), German Spring Offensive (1918), 'peaceful penetration' operations (1918) and Hundred Days (1918).

Throughout the war, the division lost over 12,000 killed in action or died of wounds or other causes, and nearly 38,000 wounded; while 13 members of the division received the Victoria Cross.

The 2nd Division was commanded by the following general officers during The Great War:

• 1915-16 Major General (later Lieutenant General) Gordon Legge
• 1917-18 Major General (later Sir) Nevill Smyth VC
• 1918-19 Major General (later Sir) Charles Rosenthal

Wikipedia: 2nd Division (Australia).

Divisional units

• 2nd Division Artillery, commanded by Colonel (later Major General) George Johnston. As well as the Field Artillery units listed under the respective Brigades below, included V2A Heavy Mortar Battery and X2A, Y2A and Z2A Medium Trench Mortar Batteries.
• 2nd Division Ammunition Column
• 2nd Divisional Train
• 2nd Division Trench Mortars
• 2nd Divisional Engineers
• 2nd Machine Gun Battalion
• 2nd Pioneer Battalion
• 2nd Division Signals Company
• 2nd Auxiliary Division Mechanical Transport Company

Brigades

The 4th Infantry Brigade was a brigade of the New Zealand and Australian Division during the Gallipoli Campaign. Its brigade commander at Gallipoli was Brigadier General (later General Sir) John Monash. Back in Egypt in early 1916 the brigade was transferred to the 2nd Division.

• Headquarters 4th Infantry Brigade
  • 4th Field Artillery Brigade was comprised of the 10th, 11th and 12th Field Artillery Batteries and the 104th Howitzer Battery
  • 4th Light Trench Mortar Battery
  • 13th Infantry Battalion
  • 14th Infantry Battalion
  • 15th Infantry Battalion
  • 16th Infantry Battalion
  • 4th Machine Gun Company
  • 4th Field Company
  • 4th Field Ambulance

Australian War Memorial: 4th Infantry Brigade.

The 5th Infantry Brigade was a brigade of the 2nd Division, Australian Imperial Force, and saw action at Gallipoli and on the Western Front during The Great War. The Brigade comprised the 18th Battalion, 19th Battalion and 20th Battalion. The brigade was commanded by Brigadier General William Holmes, Brigadier General Robert Smith and Brigadier General Edward Martin.

• Headquarters 5th Infantry Brigade
  • 5th Field Artillery Brigade was comprised of the 13th, 14th and 15th Field Artillery Batteries and the 105th Howitzer Battery
  • 5th Light Trench Mortar Battery
  • 17th Infantry Battalion
  • 18th Infantry Battalion
  • 19th Infantry Battalion
  • 20th Infantry Battalion
  • 5th Machine Gun Company
  • 5th Field Company
  • 5th Field Ambulance

The 6th Infantry Brigade was a brigade of the 2nd Division during the First World War, both at Gallipoli and on the Western Front. The brigade commander was Brigadier General Raymond Ladais Sandover.

• Headquarters 6th Infantry Brigade
  • 6th Field Artillery Brigade was comprised of the 16th, 17th and 18th Field Artillery Batteries and the 106th Howitzer Battery. In January 1917, field artillery batteries were restructured, moving from four guns to six. As a result, one FAB was removed from each division's command and established as an Army Field Artillery Brigade. 6th FAB was the 2nd Division contribution.
  • 6th Light Trench Mortar Battery
  • 21st Infantry Battalion
  • 22nd Infantry Battalion
  • 23rd Infantry Battalion
  • 24th Infantry Battalion
  • 5th Machine Gun Company
  • 6th Field Company
  • 6th Field Ambulance

A short-lived 22nd Field Artillery Brigade was formed in early 1916 as part of the 2nd Division Field Artillery component, comprised of the 19th, 20th and 21st Field Artillery Batteries and the 117th Howitzer Battery. It was closed in January 1917 in the major re-structure of artillery at that time.