page_title: 24th Brigade (Australia)
section_title: New Guinea
hierarchical_section_title: 24th Brigade (Australia) / History / New Guinea
caption_attribution_description: English: Troops from the Australian 24th Infantry Brigade, including the 2/43rd Infantry Battalion, embarking at Cairns, 8 August 1943, bound for New Guinea.
context_page_description: The 24th Brigade was a brigade-sized infantry unit of the Australian Army. Formed on 1 July 1940 as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force, the unit was raised for service during World War II. Originally formed as part of the 8th Australian Division the brigade was subsequently transferred to the newly created 9th Australian Division in December. The brigade served during the Western Desert Campaign, forming part of the Allied garrison during the Siege of Tobruk. Later, the brigade was withdrawn to Syria for occupation duties, but then later took part in the First and Second Battles of El Alamein. In early 1943, the brigade was returned to Australia to fight against the Japanese in the Pacific. In 1943–1944, the brigade fought in New Guinea, taking part in the landing at Lae and the Huon Peninsula campaign. Its final campaign came late in the war, when it took part in the Labuan landings and the Battle of North Borneo in mid-1945. After the war, the brigade was disbanded in early 1946.
context_section_description: A period of leave followed, after which the brigade's personnel concentrated around Kairi on the Atherton Tablelands in Queensland. Here they began reorganising for jungle warfare, in preparation for deployment to New Guinea. After amphibious warfare training  around Cairns, the brigade took part in the capture of Lae, which envisaged a two-pronged assault with the 7th Division advancing from Nadzab. Assigned as a follow on force, in early September 1943 the brigade staged out of Buna, and arrived at the landing beach 16 miles (26 km) east of Lae, several days after the initial landing by the 20th and 26th Brigades. The 26th Brigade had led the advance towards Lae, but was replaced by the 24th, which took over the advance along the coast at the Burep River, while the 26th Brigade pushed inland. Heavy rain flooded the Busu River, and held up the advance, however, with the support of US engineers from 2nd Engineer Special Brigade the 24th Brigade was able to force their way across and continue the advance towards Malahang airfield, where they defeated strong Japanese resistance on 15 September before linking up with the 25th Brigade, which had advanced from Nadzab. In the aftermath, the 2/32nd provided a detachment to secure the Tami Islands, where a radar station was built, while the rest of the brigade concentrated around the Burep River to prepare for future operations.
  After the capture of Lae, the Allies decided to follow up their success with another amphibious operation to secure Finschaffen, as part of plans to secure control of the Huon Peninsula and Vitiaz Strait. The initial Landing at Scarlet Beach was carried out by the 20th Brigade, although the 2/43rd Battalion was detached from the 24th Brigade in late September to help defend the beachhead. The 2/43rd subsequently took up a blocking posting around Jivevaneng, relieving the 2/17th Battalion, while the main elements of the 20th Brigade advanced south to capture of Finschhafen. Throughout early October, the 2/43rd came under consistent attack, and it became clear to the Australians that the Japanese were preparing to launch a counter-attack. As a result the 24th Brigade's other two battalions, as well as the 9th Division's headquarters were landed by 11 October. The counter-attack came on 16 October, around Jivevaneng and around the coast, and the 24th Brigade was heavily involved in the fighting, eventually repelling the Japanese attack. The 26th Brigade arrived on 20 October to reinforce the Australians and in mid-November they captured Sattelberg. In early November, Brigadier Selwyn Porter took over command of the brigade. As the Australians began the advance north from Sattelberg towards Wareo, the 24th Brigade advanced up the coast towards Gusika and the Lakes that sat astride the Gusika–Wareo track, while the 20th Brigade advanced on their left towards Nongora. In December, the 4th Brigade took over the advance along the coast towards Fortification Point, while the 9th Division units were rested. In January 1944, the 24th Brigade was withdrawn back to Finschhafen, and from there they embarked for Australia the following month.
caption: Troops from the 24th Brigade embark at Cairns, 8 August 1943, bound for New Guinea
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