page_title: 2/1st Battalion (Australia)
section_title: New Guinea
hierarchical_section_title: 2/1st Battalion (Australia) / History / New Guinea
caption_attribution_description: English: Australian troops from the 2/1st, 2/2nd and 2/3rd Battalions, 16th Brigade, cross the Owen Stanley Ranges.
context_page_description: The 2/1st Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Formed as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force at the start of World War II, the battalion was deployed to the Middle East in early 1940 and subsequently took part in the early fighting in the North African campaign, taking part in battles around Bardia and Tobruk before later being sent to Greece in early 1941. A lightning German advance quickly pushed the Allies back and forced them to evacuate after a very short campaign and the 2/1st was landed on Crete where they subsequently fought unsuccessfully to repel a German invasion in May. The majority of the battalion was captured on Crete, but the 2/1st was subsequently re-built from survivors in Palestine and returned to Australia in early 1942 following Japan's entry into the war. They then fought two campaigns against the Japanese in New Guinea, fighting in the Kokoda Track campaign during 1942–43 and the Aitape–Wewak campaign in 1944–45. Following the war, the 2/1st was disbanded.
context_section_description: After only a short period of respite, the 2/1st deployed to New Guinea, arriving there in September 1942 just as the tide of the Kokoda Track campaign began to turn back in the favour of the Allies. The battalion subsequently joined the Allied pursuit of the withdrawing Japanese north towards their beachheads around Buna–Gona, and during the counter-offensive the 2/1st Battalion were involved in the major battles at Eora Creek and then at Gorari, followed by Sanananda between October and late November 1942. Heavy casualties were suffered by the battalion during the campaign, with over 60 percent being killed, wounded or evacuated sick. Subsequent to the Kokoda campaign, the 2/1st returned to Australia to rebuild. At this time they received a large batch of reinforcements from the 49th Battalion, a Militia battalion that had fought around Sanananda before being disbanded.
  After their return to Australia, a long period of reorganisation followed, during which the battalion was converted to the jungle warfare establishment, which saw its authorised strength fall from around 900 men to just over 800. Late in the war, in December 1944, they were then sent back to New Guinea to help round up an estimated 35,000 Japanese in the Aitape–Wewak region. The campaign lasted until the war ended and saw the 2/1st join the coastal advance towards the main Japanese base at Wewak along with the rest of the 16th Brigade.
  The battalion was finally disbanded in December 1945. During the war, a total of 3,491 men served with the battalion of whom 263 were killed and 418 wounded. Decorations awarded to members of the 2/1st included: three Distinguished Service Orders with one Bar, 15 Military Crosses, seven Distinguished Conduct Medals, 28 Military Medals and 68 Mentions in Despatches.
caption: Troops from the 16th Brigade, including some from the 2/1st Battalion, cross the Owen Stanleys in October 1942.
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