5th Australian Division, Australian Imperial Force, World War I

Date: 1916 to 1919
Location: [unknown]

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

The 5th Australian Division was an infantry division which was formed in February 1916 as part of the expansion of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). In addition to the existing 8th Brigade were added the new 14th and 15th Brigades, which had been raised from the battalions of the 1st and 2nd Brigades respectively. From Egypt the division was sent to France and then Belgium, where they served in the trenches along the Western Front until the end of the war in November 1918. Together with the 4th Division, it was a formation of II ANZAC Corps until transferred to the newly-formed Australian Corps in 1917 (other than a brief period in which it was 'lent' to the British XI Corps for the Battle of Fromelles). After the war ended, the division was demobilised in 1919. During the First World War, the following officers commanded the division:

• 1916 Major General (later Lieutenant General Sir) James McCay
• 1916-19 Major General (later Lieutenant General Sir) Talbot Hobbs

Wikipedia: 5th Division (Australia).

Divisional units

• 5th Division Artillery, commanded by Colonel Oliver Tunbridge. As well as the Field Artillery units listed under the respective Brigades below, included V5A Heavy Mortar Battery and X5A, Y5A and Z5A Medium Trench Mortar Batteries.
• 5th Division Ammunition Column
• 5th Divisional Train
• 5th Division Trench Mortars
• 5th Divisional Engineers
• 5th Machine Gun Battalion
• 5th Pioneer Battalion
• 5th Division Signals Company

Brigades

The 13th Infantry Brigade was a brigade of the 5th Division on the Western Front during the First World War.

• Headquarters 13th Infantry Brigade
  • 13th Field Artillery Brigade was comprised of the 49th, 50th and 51st Field Artillery Batteries and the 113th Howitzer Battery
  • 13th Light Trench Mortar Battery
  • 49th Infantry Battalion
  • 50th Infantry Battalion
  • 51st Infantry Battalion
  • 52nd Infantry Battalion
  • 13th Machine Gun Company
  • 13th Field Company
  • 13th Field Ambulance

Australian War Memorial: 13th Infantry Brigade.

The 14th Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the Australian Imperial Force. Originally raised in 1912 as a Militia formation, it was later re-raised in mid 1916 in Egypt as part of the expansion of the Australian Imperial Force for service during The Great War. For most of the war, the brigade was commanded by Brigadier General Clarence John Hobkirk, a British officer originally from the Essex Regiment. Towards the end of the war the brigade was commanded by Brigadier General Cam Stewart.

• Headquarters 14th Infantry Brigade
  • 14th Field Artillery Brigade was comprised of the 53rd, 54th and 55th Field Artillery Batteries and the 114th Howitzer Battery
  • 14th Light Trench Mortar Battery
  • 53rd Infantry Battalion
  • 54th Infantry Battalion
  • 55th Infantry Battalion
  • 56th Infantry Battalion
  • 14th Machine Gun Company
  • 14th Field Company
  • 14th Field Ambulance

Wikipedia: 14th Brigade (Australia)

The 15th Infantry Brigade was a brigade formed late in the First World War as a unit of the 5th Division. The brigade was commanded by (later Major General) Harold 'Pompey' Elliott.

• Headquarters 15th Infantry Brigade
  • 15th Field Artillery Brigade was comprised of the 57th, 58th and 59th Field Artillery Batteries and the 120th 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. 15th FAB was the 5th Division contribution.
  • 15th Light Trench Mortar Battery
  • 57th Infantry Battalion
  • 58th Infantry Battalion
  • 59th Infantry Battalion
  • 60th Infantry Battalion
  • 15th Machine Gun Company
  • 15th Field Company
  • 15th Field Ambulance

Australian War Memorial: 15th Infantry Brigade.

A short-lived 25th Field Artillery Brigade was formed in early 1916 as part of the 5th Division Field Artillery component, comprised of the 52nd, 56th and 60th Field Artillery Batteries and the 115th Howitzer Battery. It was closed in January 1917 in the major re-structure of artillery at that time.