2 / 5th Battalion ( Australia ) The 2 / 5th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army that served during World War II . It was raised at Puckapunyal , Victoria on 18 October 1939 as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force , attached to the 17th Brigade of the 6th Division . The 2 / 5th were one only two Australian infantry battalions to fight against all of the major Axis powers during the war , seeing action against the Germans and Italians in Egypt , Libya and Greece and the Vichy French in Syria before returning to Australia in 1942 to fight the Japanese . The battalion took part in two campaigns in New Guinea , firstly in 1942 – 43 and then again in 1944 – 45 when they took part in the Aitape – Wewak campaign . Following the end of the war the battalion embarked to return to Australia on 1 December 1945 and disbanded at Puckapunyal in early February 1946 . Today its battle honours are maintained by the 5th / 6th Battalion , Royal Victoria Regiment . History . Formation . Following the outbreak of World War II on 3 September 1939 , the Australian government announced the decision to raise the Second Australian Imperial Force for service overseas . As part of the force , the 2 / 5th Battalion was raised in Melbourne , Victoria on 18 October 1939 and began to receive its first intake of men on 2 November 1939 when it moved to Puckapunyal . Many of the battalion ' s initial recruits came from the Victorian Scottish Regiment , a Militia unit associated with the 5th Battalion which had been raised as part of the First Australian Imperial Force during World War I . Along with the 2 / 6th , 2 / 7th and 2 / 8th Battalions it formed the 17th Brigade , attached to the 6th Division . Between November 1939 and April 1940 the battalion undertook basic training before departing for the Middle East on 14 April 1940 . North Africa 1941 . They arrived in Egypt on 18 May 1940 and undertook a further period of training there and in Palestine before taking part in the fighting against the Italians in Libya in January – February 1941 , during which time they were involved in attacks on Bardia and Tobruk . Greece 1941 . A few months later in April the 6th Division was sent to Greece in order to defend against a possible German invasion of that nation . The invasion subsequently took part as anticipated , although in the end the Australians were unable to stem the tide of the German onslaught . The 2 / 5th Battalion began the campaign at Kalabaka on 14 April , however , in a series of withdrawals made necessary by the lighting advance of German forces , they were pushed back all the way to the port of Kalamata from where it was evacuated just a couple of weeks later on 27 April 1941 . The battalion lost about 50 men as prisoners of war as a result of this campaign when a number of drivers were captured having been unable to make it out in time . A similar fate befell another group from the 2 / 5th Battalion that were sent to Crete as part of the 17th Brigade Composite Battalion . Syria 1941 – 42 . In June – July 1941 the 2 / 5th were deployed to Syria for the campaign against the Vichy French , during which time they took part in the Battle of Damour . Once the fighting had ended , the battalion remained in the Middle East , serving as an occupation force in Syria and Lebanon until January 1942 when they were ordered to return to Australia due to the entry of Japan into the war . New Guinea 1942 – 43 . The battle departed from the Middle East on 10 March 1942 , however , on the voyage back to Australia the 17th Brigade along with the 16th were disembarked in Ceylon . For nearly four months they were stationed on the island in order to defend it against a possible Japanese attack before they finally received orders to return to Australia in July . On 4 August 1942 they arrived back in Melbourne having been away for over two years . There was little time for rest and re - organisation , however , as the situation in Pacific had deteriorated dramatically , and the Australian forces holding out against the Japanese in New Guinea were hard - pressed and desperately in need of reinforcement . Thus in early October 1942 , not more than two months after arriving back in Australia , the 2 / 5th deployed to Milne Bay . They did not take part in any fighting , however , until a few months later when in January 1943 they took part in the defence of Wau , before taking part in the advance on Salamaua , where they were involved in heavy fighting in July and August around Goodview and Mount Tambu . The following month the battalion was withdrawn from the line and on 23 September 1943 they arrived back in Australia , landing at Cairns , Queensland . Aitape – Wewak campaign 1944 – 45 . The 2 / 5th Battalion spent the next year training in north Queensland along with the rest of the 6th Division , during which time they were reorganised and converted to the jungle establishment . On 29 November 1944 they arrived at Aitape in New Guinea , where the 6th Division took over from the American garrison and in December began offensive operations against the Japanese forces that were operating in the surrounding areas . For the next seven months until the war ended the 2 / 5th undertook a number of patrols through the Torricelli and Prince Alexander mountain ranges . It was an arduous and costly campaign and throughout its course the 2 / 5th suffered 146 casualties , including 8 officers killed or wounded . Disbandment . Following the end of the war the 2 / 5th remained in New Guinea until 1 December 1945 when they embarked on the voyage back to Australia . They were disbanded in early February 1946 while at Puckapunyal in Victoria . Legacy . In 1948 the Citizens Military Force was re - constituted and the 5th Battalion , Victorian Scottish Regiment was re - raised . At the time many of its members were drawn from the 2 / 5th Battalion and because of its territorial and personnel links it was decided that the Victorian Scottish Regiment would take custody of the 2 / 5th Battalion ' s World War II battle honours . Following the reorganisation of the Australian Army since the 1960s which saw the disbandment of the regionally - based single battalion regiments and the raising of new multi - battlaion state - based regiments these battle honours are now perpetuated by the 5th / 6th Battalion , Royal Victoria Regiment , an Australian Army Reserve battalion based around Melbourne , Australia .