page_title: 6th Battalion (Australia)
section_title: First World War
hierarchical_section_title: 6th Battalion (Australia) / History / First World War
caption_attribution_description: Studio portrait of Second Lieutenant (2nd Lt) Frederick Birks VC MM, 6th Battalion, AIF.
context_page_description: The 6th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Originally formed in 1914 for service during the First World War, the battalion fought at Gallipoli and on the Western Front. The battalion was disbanded in 1919 but was re-raised in 1921 as part of the Citizens Force, and adopted the title of "Royal Melbourne Regiment" in 1935. The battalion did not serve overseas during the Second World War and was eventually disbanded in 1944. It was re-raised in 1948 and remained in existence until 1960 when it was absorbed into the Royal Victoria Regiment. Today its honours and traditions are maintained by the 5th/6th Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment.
context_section_description: Following the outbreak of the First World War, the decision was made to raise an all volunteer force outside of the existing Citizens Force units for overseas service known as the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). The 6th Battalion was completely recruited from Victoria, drawing from Melbourne and the surrounding suburbs to the north where four Citizens Force battalions—the 55th, 56th, 63rd and 64th Infantry—were headquartered. Raising was complete within a fortnight of the outbreak of the war in August 1914 and less than two months later the battalion embarked for overseas on the troop transport Suffolk, forming part of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division.
  The battalion proceeded to Egypt, arriving on 2 December and after a period of training it took part in the Landing at Anzac Cove on 25 April 1915, where it went ashore as part of the second wave. Shortly after the landing the 2nd Brigade was transferred from Anzac Cove to Cape Helles to assist in the attack on Krithia. During the unsuccessful attack, the 6th Battalion suffered heavy casualties, losing 133 men killed or died of wounds. Afterwards, they returned to Anzac Cove, arriving there on 17 May, to take part in defending the beachhead that had been established. In August, when the Allies attempted a break out, the battalion took part in the attack on Lone Pine. In September they were withdrawn for a period of rest to Lemnos. They returned in November and resumed defensive duties. By that time, due to the failure of August Offensive, the campaign evolved into a stalemate. They remained in the line December, when the Allies carried out a successful evacuation. During the campaign they lost 22 officers and 398 other ranks killed.
  After the withdrawal from Gallipoli, the battalion returned to Egypt where they received reinforcements and carried out defensive duties. During this time the AIF was reorganised and expanded as fresh divisions were raised. In order to spread experience across the new units, the existing units were split up and the 6th Battalion provided half its experienced officers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs) to the 58th Battalion. In March 1916, it sailed to France and deployed to the Somme, where it was sent to a quiet sector near Fleurbaix. Its first combat came on 12 June when the battalion launched a trench raid on the Germans opposite their position. Their first major action in France came later, however, at Pozières in July 1916, during which time they lost 102 men killed. Later the battalion fought at Ypres, in Belgium, before returning to the Somme in winter, during which time they undertook defensive duties as well as patrols into no man's land. After this the battalion took part in the Second Battle of Bullecourt, before taking part in the Battle of Menin Road in September 1917, when Lieutenant Frederick Birks earned the 6th Battalion's only Victoria Cross.
  In March and April 1918, the battalion took part in the defensive actions in response to the German spring offensive, before subsequently taking part in the Allied Hundred Days Offensive, launched near Amiens on 8 August 1918. The 6th Battalion joined the advance the following day, striking out from Villers-Bretonneux and taking part in the capture of Lihons. The battalion continued operations to late September 1918, taking part in the advance towards Herleville, but was then withdrawn from the line for rest and reorganisation and did not see any further combat. In November, the members of the battalion began being repatriated back to Australia as the demobilisation process began. The process was undertaken gradually based upon length of service and as the battalion's numbers began to dwindle it was amalgamated with the 7th Battalion in March 1919. Later, this battalion was also amalgamated with the 5th and 8th Battalions, to form the 2nd Brigade Battalion.
  During the war the 6th Battalion lost 1,066 killed and 2,017 wounded. Members of the battalion received the following decorations: one Victoria Cross, one Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, five Distinguished Service O
caption: Frederick Birks, the 6th Battalion's sole Victoria Cross recipient, c. 1916
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