2 / 12th Battalion ( Australia ) The 2 / 12th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army which served during World War II . Raised in late 1939 as part of the all volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force , the battalion served throughout the course of the war in the United Kingdom , North Africa , New Guinea and on Borneo , undertaking operations against both German and Japan ese troops . It was disbanded in January 1946 . History . The battalion was formed on 13 October 1939 as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force ( 2nd AIF ) and was attached to the 18th Brigade , which was variously assigned throughout the course of the war to three of the four 2nd AIF divisions — the 6th , 9th and finally , the 7th . Over half of the battalion ' s personnel were drawn from volunteers from north Queensland , while the rest came from Tasmania and as a result initial training was undertaken separately at Brighton , Tasmania , and Redbank , Queensland , before the battalion concentrated at Rutherford , New South Wales , in December 1939 . Upon establishment , the battalion ' s commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel John Field . The following month the battalion moved to Ingleburn , New South Wales . On 5 May 1940 the 2 / 12th embarked for the Middle East , along with the rest of the 18th Brigade , where they were to join the 6th Division ; however , due to concerns about a possible invasion of the United Kingdom following the Fall of France , the 18th Brigade , including the 2 / 12th Battalion , was re - routed and subsequently arrived at Gourock , Scotland , on 17 June 1940 . Later , they were moved to Salisbury Plain , being stationed around Lopcombe Corner , where they undertook defensive duties . In September the battalion was re - allocated to the 9th Division and the following month it was moved to Colchester , Essex . In December 1940 , after the threat of invasion of the United Kingdom had diminished , the decision was made to transfer the Australian units based there to the Middle East and subsequently the battalion was dispatched to Egypt . It subsequently saw action at Tobruk between May and August along with the rest of the 18th Brigade , before undertaking further training in Palestine . Following the completion of the Syria - Lebanon campaign in September , the battalion was assigned to Syria to undertake garrison duties there , being based around Aleppo , near the Turkish border . In early 1942 the battalion returned to Palestine where they were subsequently re - assigned to the 7th Division . With the strategic situation in the Pacific worsening for the Australians after the entry of Japan into the war following the attack on Pearl Harbor and the invasion of Malaya , the decision was made by the Australian government to bring some of the 2nd AIF troops back to Australia at this time . As a result , the 2 / 12th embarked from Suez in February 1942 ; they subsequently arrived at Adelaide , South Australia , in late March . In August 1942 the 2 / 12th Battalion was deployed to Milne Bay in New Guinea , where they took part in the Australian counterattack , which resulted in the first major defeat of the Japanese of the war . In October , under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Arnold , the battalion was selected to invade Goodenough Island and after securing the island , they remained there until December . In late December , they were re - committed to the fighting , as the understrength 18th Brigade was sent to Buna , where the 2 / 12th successfully attacked Giropa Point on New Years Day 1943 , despite losing 63 men killed and 122 wounded . After this , the battalion took part in further actions around Sanananda , where they suffered a further 61 men killed in action . The battalion ' s involvement lasted until March 1943 when it was returned to Australia . Following a period of rest and re - organisation , in August 1943 the 2 / 12th were sent to Port Moresby , where the 18th Brigade was being held in divisional reserve , while the rest of the 7th Division defended the approaches to Lae as part of the Finisterre Range campaign . On the last day of the year , the battalion was committed to the fighting in Finisterre Mountains . They were subsequently joined by the rest of the brigade on 4 January when it was airlifted to Dumpu to relieve the 21st Brigade . Throughout early 1944 , the 2 / 12th was involved in the fighting around Shaggy Ridge , where they undertook several attacks to the north of the ridge , around the Protheroe I and II features between 21 and 24 January . Between February and April , they continued operations in the Ramu Valley , undertaking patrols before returning to Australia in May 1944 . A period of training followed before they were dispatched along with the rest of the 7th Division to take part in the landing on Balikpapan in July 1945 , under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Bourne . Its involvement in the fighting on Borneo was only brief , however . Despite being landed in the wrong position on 1 July , the 2 / 12th secured its objectives with very few casualties — losing three killed and 13 wounded and inflicting 103 killed on the opposing Japanese forces on the first day — helping the 18th Brigade secure the high ground overlooking the landing beach at Klandasan before continuing on towards their main objectives . By 3 July Balikpapan had fallen , and two days later the battalion ceased active operations . They remained on Borneo until the end of the war . When the demobilisation process began , members of the battalion were progressively returned to Australia for discharge , or were transferred elsewhere for further service . Those that were not , remained with the battalion undertaking garrison duties until the 2 / 12th was finally disbanded on 1 January 1946 . During the course of the war , the 2 / 12th lost 292 killed in action or died on active service , while a further 590 were wounded . Its members received the following decorations : three Distinguished Service Order s , two Officers of the Order of the British Empire , seven Military Cross es , three Distinguished Conduct Medal s , 18 Military Medal s and 50 Mentions in Despatches . Battle honours . The 2 / 12th received the following battle honour s : Commanding officers . The following officers served as commanding officer of the 2 / 12th Battalion :