page_title: 8th Brigade (Australia)
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: 8th Brigade (Australia) / History
caption_attribution_description: English: An Australian soldier from the 35th Battalion on patrol around Alexishafen in New Guinea, May 1944.
context_page_description: 8th Brigade is an Australian Army Reserve training formation. It is headquartered in Sydney, and has subordinate units in various locations around New South Wales and the rest of Australia. These units are tasked with delivering basic and initial employment training to Reserve soldiers.
  The brigade was first formed in 1912, before being re-raised in Egypt as part of the First Australian Imperial Force in early 1916, for service during World War I. As part of the 5th Division, the brigade subsequently fought in numerous battles on the Western Front in France and Belgium between 1916 and 1918. During the interwar years, the brigade was re-raised within the part-time Militia, headquartered in Sydney. Later, during World War II, the brigade undertook garrison duties in Australia during 1942–1944, before taking part in the Huon Peninsula campaign, during which they helped to capture Madang.
  In the post-war period, the brigade was re-formed as a combined arms formation as part of the 2nd Division until it was converted into a training brigade in 2017–2018.
context_section_description: The 8th Brigade traces its origins to 1912, when it was formed as a Militia brigade as part of the introduction of the compulsory training scheme, assigned to the 2nd Military District. At this time, the brigade's constituent units were located around Glebe, Forest Lodge, East Balmain, Rozelle, Annandale, Leichhardt, Haberfield and Drummoyne. Just prior to the outbreak of the war, the brigade consisted of the 25th, 26th, 29th and 31st Infantry Battalions. During World War I, the brigade was re-raised as part of the First Australian Imperial Force, being formed in 1916, when the AIF was being expanded in Egypt prior to its deployment to the Western Front. Assigned to the 5th Division, the brigade was formed from unassigned personnel that had arrived in Egypt as reinforcements following the Gallipoli Campaign. During this time, the brigade consisted of  four infantry battalions: the 29th, 30th, 31st and 32nd. It was an all-states brigade with the 29th being recruited mainly from Victoria, the 30th being drawn from New South Wales, the 31st from Queensland and 32nd from South Australia and Western Australia. Fire support was provided by the 8th Machine Gun Company (which later formed part of the 5th Machine Gun Battalion), the 8th Light Trench Mortar Battery, and the 8th Field Ambulance.
  Under the command of Brigadier General Edwin Tivey for most of the war, the brigade took part in numerous battles including: the Battle of Fromelles, the First Battle of Bullecourt, the Third Battle of Ypres, the Spring Offensive, the Battle of Amiens and the Hundred Days Offensive. In the final stages of the war, due to heavy casualties, one of the brigade's infantry battalions – the 29th – was disbanded to provide reinforcements for the other three infantry battalions. Following the conclusion of hostilities, the brigade's constituent units were demobilised in early 1919 and the soldiers repatriated to Australia, although the AIF would not be formally disbanded until 1921.
  During the interwar years, the brigade was re-raised as Militia formation in 1921, headquartered in North Sydney and assigned to the 1st Division. The brigade's role at this time was to defend the Newcastle area. In 1922, the brigade  consisted of five infantry battalions: the 2nd, 17th, 18th, 30th, and 51st. By 1928, the 51st Battalion had been removed from the brigade's order of battle. The Sydney Scouts (later Sydney University Regiment) was also assigned to the brigade around this time.
  In World War II, the 8th Brigade was employed in defence of the Australian mainland for the majority of the war. After being called up for full time service in December 1941, the brigade concentrated at Wallgrove and began training. In March 1942, the 8th Brigade relieved the 9th Brigade, which was defending the northern beaches area around Sydney. In July 1942, however, the brigade was transferred to Western Australia. Initially, the 8th Brigade was based around Gingin, to defend the coastline between Lancelin and Trigg, but later they were redeployed to Geraldton. Throughout 1943, the brigade moved several times, firstly to Moora and then Dandaragan and then to Mingenew. Jungle training was undertaken a Collie, before the brigade returned to Wallgrove in September 1943.  In October 1942, the brigade took part in the largest anti-invasion exercise undertaken by the Army during the war, playing the role of a Japanese division that landed around Dongara, in Western Australia. A period of leave followed, after which the brigade concentrated on the Atherton Tablelands prior to its assignment to the 3rd Division with which it would be committed to the fighting in the New Guinea in January 1944.
  Under the command of Brigadier Claude Cameron, the brigade landed at Finschhafen and then helped to secure the Huon Peninsula, during which time it was involved in the Battle of Sio and the capture Madang in 1944–1945. During this time, the brigade contained three infantry battalions: the 4th, 30th and 35th, all from New South Wales. Following the capture of Madang, the 8th Brigade carried out pat
caption: A soldier from the 35th Battalion on patrol around Alexishafen, May 1944
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