1st Division (Australia)
Encyclopedia
The 1st Division is the main formation of the Australian Army
and contains the majority of the army's regular forces. Its headquarters is in Enoggera
, a suburb of Brisbane. At the request of HQJOC, First Division also has the role to stand up a Deployable Joint Force Headquarters (DJFHQ) for a Land based operation—this deployable HQ is a joint formation, comprising units of the RAN
and the RAAF, as well as the army.
The division was first formed in 1914 as a part of the First Australian Imperial Force
(1st AIF). It was part of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
(ANZAC) during the Gallipoli campaign
, and has existed in one form or another since.
as part of the Battle of Gallipoli. In 1916 the division was sent to France
where it served on the Western Front
for the remainder of the war.
1st Brigade
2nd Brigade
3rd Brigade
1st Division Artillery
The Australian 1st Division was raised during the initial formation of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in 1914, shortly after the outbreak of the First World War. The division comprised the first three infantry
brigade
s to be assembled and was commanded by the senior Australian general and head of the AIF, Major General
W.T. Bridges
.
As part of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, the 1st Division made the initial landing at Anzac Cove
on 25 April 1915 during the Allied invasion of the Gallipoli
peninsula. The 3rd Brigade formed the covering force which landed first, about 4.30 am, from battleship
tows and destroyer
s. The 1st and 2nd Brigades followed, landing from transports, and all were ashore by 9 am.
While the landing was lightly opposed on the beach by elements of a Turkish
battalion, the Australians were checked short of their objectives by mounting Turkish resistance. Critical fights developed on the left, over the hill known as Baby 700, and on the right on 400 Plateau. The firing line that was established on the first day would largely define the front line of the Anzac battlefield for the remaining eight months of the campaign.
On 15 May 1915 after General Bridges was mortally wounded an English
officer, Brigadier-General H.B. Walker
was given temporary command while a replacement was dispatched from Australia. This was Colonel
J.G. Legge
, the Australian Chief of the General Staff, who was not an immediately popular choice with either his corps commander, Lieutenant-General William Birdwood, or his subordinate brigade commanders. Legge replaced Walker on 24 June but when the command of the newly formed Australian 2nd Division became vacant, Birdwood took the opportunity to move Legge sideways and restore Walker, who was well regarded as a fighting commander and experienced with the Anzac conditions, to the command of the 1st Division.
The 1st Division's role in the August Offensive
was to hold the front line and conduct a diversion on 400 Plateau at Lone Pine on 6 August (the Battle of Lone Pine
). The resulting battle was the only occasion when a significant length of the Turkish trench line was captured. On 7 August, the 2nd Brigade made an unsuccessful attempt to capture German Officers' Trench as a preliminary operation to other assaults at Quinn's Post and the Nek
. Corporal Alexander Burton
was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross
during this action.
In October General Walker was severely wounded and replaced by the division's artillery
commander, Br.-Gen. Talbot Hobbs
who in turn fell ill and was replaced on 6 November by the commander of the Australian 1st Light Horse Brigade, Br.-Gen. H.G. Chauvel
. The 1st Division was evacuated from the peninsula in December, returning to Egypt, where it was brought back up to strength. On 14 March, Walker, having recovered from his wounds, resumed command of the division, now part of I Anzac Corps
.
to acclimatize to the Western Front
conditions. In mid-July, with the British offensive on the Somme
dragging on, I Anzac was sent to join the British Reserve Army
of Lt.-Gen. Hubert Gough
who intended to use the Australian divisions to take the village of Pozières. General Walker resisted Gough's efforts to throw the 1st Division into battle unprepared, insisting on careful preparation. When the 1st Division did attack (the Battle of Pozières
), shortly after midnight on 23 July, it succeeded in capturing half of the village but failed to make progress in the neighbouring German trench system. After enduring a heavy German bombardment, far surpassing anything yet experienced by an Australian unit, the 1st Division was withdrawn, having suffered 5,285 casualties, and was replaced by the Australian 2nd Division.
The division's respite was brief as in mid-August, with its battalion
s restored to about two-thirds strength, it returned to the line on Pozières ridge, relieving the Australian 4th Division
and continuing the painful progress towards Mouquet Farm (the Battle of Mouquet Farm
). On 22 August, having lost another 2,650 men, the division was one more relieved by the 2nd Division.
On 5 September, I Anzac was withdrawn from the Somme and sent to Ypres
for rest. The division anticipated spending winter quarters in Flanders
but was recalled to the Somme for the final stages of the British offensive. This time they joined the British Fourth Army
, holding a sector south of Pozières near the village of Flers
. The battlefield had been reduced to a slough of mud but the 1st Division was required to mount a number of attacks during the Battle of Le Transloy
; all ended in failure which was inevitable in the conditions.
. The division advanced against the German screen towards Bapaume
and, on the night of 26 February, the 3rd Brigade captured the villages of Le Barque and Ligny-Thilloy. On the morning of 2 March, they withstood a German attempt to retake the villages. The 1st Division was then withdrawn to rest, joining the 4th Division. I Anzac's pursuit was carried on by the 2nd and 5th divisions.
By April, the 1st Division (and I Anzac Corps) was once again part of General Gough's Fifth Army
(formerly the Reserve Army). On 9 April – the day the British launched the Battle of Arras
– the 1st Division captured the last three villages (Hermies
, Boursies
and Demicourt) used by the Germans as outposts of the Hindenburg Line, thereby bringing the British line in striking distance of the main Hindenburg defences. This action cost the division 649 casualties. For actions during the fighting at Boursies, Captain James Newland and Sergeant John Whittle, both of the 12th Battalion (3rd Brigade), were awarded the Victoria Cross
.
offensive. Once the first attempt on Bullecourt had failed, British attention concentrated on Arras and the Fifth Army's front was stretched thin with the 1st Division having to cover 13000 yards (11,887.2 m).
The Germans, well aware of the vulnerable state of the British defences, launched a counter-stroke on 15 April (the Battle of Lagnicourt). The Germans attacked with 23 battalions against four Australian battalions. The German plan was to drive back the advanced posts, destroy supplies and guns and then retire to the Hindenburg defences. However, despite their numerical superiority, the Germans were unable to penetrate the Australian line. The 1st Division's artillery batteries in front of Lagnicourt were overrun and the village was occupied for two hours but counter-attacks from the Australian 9th and 20th Battalions (the latter from the 2nd Division) drove the Germans out. In this action the Australians suffered 1,010 casualties, mainly in the 1st Division, against 2,313 German casualties. Only five artillery guns were damaged.
On 3 May the Second Battle of Bullecourt commenced with the 1st Division in reserve but it was drawn into the fighting on the second day. The Australians seized a foothold in the Hindenburg Line which over the following days was slowly expanded. The German attempts to drive the British from their gains finally ceased on 17 May and the 1st Division was withdrawn for an extended rest.
The 1st Division was relieved by the Australian 5th Division before the next assault, the Battle of Polygon Wood
(26 September), but in turn took up the advance for the following Battle of Broodseinde
(4 October), the third and final of the successful bite-and-hold attacks conceived by General Herbert Plumer of the British Second Army
. This battle marked the peak of British success during 3rd Ypres and apart from minor roles on the southern flank of the Canadian Corps
during the Battle of Poelcappelle, First Battle of Passchendaele
and the Second Battle of Passchendaele, it was the end of the 1st Division's involvement.
when the Germans launched their final offensive starting on the Somme
with Operation Michael
on 21 March 1918. In the first week of April, the 1st Division, along with the 2nd, began moving to the Somme when, on 9 April, the Germans launched Operation Georgette; an attack north and south of Armentières
followed by a swift drive towards the vital rail junction of Hazebrouck
.
The 1st Division, having reached Amiens
and about to join up with the Australian Corps
, was ordered to turn around and hurry back north. Hazebrouck was reached on 12 April, just in time to relieve the exhausted British divisions. Holding a line five miles (8 km) east of the town, the 1st Division helped halt the German advance on 13 April (the Battle of Hazebrouck) and then repulsed a renewed offensive on 17 April after which the Germans abandoned their push, concentrating instead on the high ground west of Messines.
The division remained active in Flanders from May to July, engaging in a process of informal but carefully planned raiding known as Peaceful Penetration
. Their greatest success came on 11 July when they took 1000 yards (914.4 m) of front, 120 prisoners and 11 machine guns from the German 13th Reserve Division
. This unrelenting pressure had a severe impact on German morale
.
On 23 August the 1st Division attacked south of the River Somme
towards Chuignes
with the British 32nd Division
on its southern flank attacking Herleville
. The Australians suffered 1,000 casualties but took 2,000 German prisoners out of a total of 8,000 captured by both the British Third and Fourth Armies on that day. The 1st also captured a German 14-in naval gun. On 18 September the 1st Division took part in the assault on the Hindenburg "Outpost" Line (the Battle of Épehy
).
The 1st Division was disbanded in 1919 following the secessions of hostilities. The division name assigned to an Australian Citizens Military Forces (reserve) continuing the divisions traditions.
The memorial lists the battle honors of the 1st Division as:
!Battle Honour!!Description
|-
|Poziere's
|Battle of Pozieres
|-
|Mouquet Farm
|Battle of Mouquet Farm
|-
|Le Barque
|rowspan=2|Fortified villages that were part of a German reserve line, and used by the Germans as a delaying position during the retreat to Hindenburg Line.
|-
|Thilloy
|-
|Boursies
|rowspan=3|Fortified villages that were part of the Outpost Line of the Hindenburg Line. They were captured to allow a direct attack on the Hindenburg Line (before the Hindenburg Line was further strengthened).
|-
|Demicourt
|-
|Hermies
|-
|Lagnicourt
|Battle of Lagnicourt
|-
|Bullecourt
|Second Battle of Bullecourt
|-
|3rd Battle of Ypres
|The 3rd Battle of Ypres, not including the Battles of Menin Road, Broodseinde Ridge, Poelcappelle and 2nd Passchendaele.
|-
|Menin Road
|Battle of Menin Road
|-
|Broodseinde Ridge
|Battle of Broodseinde
|-
|Passchendaele
|Battle of Poelcappelle
and Second Battle of Passchendaele
|-
|Battle of Lys
|Stopping the Georgette Offensive on 14 and 17 April (also known as the Battle of Hazebrouck).
|-
|2nd Battle of Somme
|The 2nd Battle of the Somme
, not including fighting in and around Lihon and Chuignolles.
|-
|Lihons
|Scene of intense fighting around, and eventual capture of, Lihons.
|-
|Chuignolles
|Scene of intense fighting around Chuignes Valley, culminating in the capture of Chuignolles.
|-
|Hindenburg Line
|Similar to Boursies/Demicourt/Hermies, fighting to capture the fortified Outpost Villages in the Battle of Épehy
, and reach the main Hindenburg Line.
|-
|}
s varied considerably within the army and as a result the 1st Division's composition was changed a number of times. The division was based mostly at Parramatta
and – for virtually all of its existence – was tasked with defence of the greater Sydney
area.
the 1st Division consisted of two infantry brigades—the 1st and 8th
—as well as two field artillery regiments, one medium artillery regiment and two engineer field companies. At this stage the division was partly mobilised, although as the provisions of the Defence Act (1903) precluded the deployment of the Militia to fight outside of Australian territory, it was decided to raise an all volunteer force for overseas service. This force was known as the Second Australian Imperial Force
, and initially about a quarter of its soldiers were drawn from the Citizens Military Forces. After fighting broke out in the Pacific
, however, in December 1941 members of the Militia were prevented from joining the AIF and were called up for full-time service to bolster defences in Australia in an effort to counter the possibility of attacks by Japanese
land forces against the Australian mainland. Later a number of Militia formations took part in the fighting against the Japanese in the Pacific, notably in New Guinea and Borneo, however, the 1st Division remained in Australia throughout the war.
During this time the division's composition changed numerous times as many of its subordinate units were transferred. Shortly after mobilisation the division lost its engineer field companies and in June 1940 the three artillery regiments assigned to the division were also transferred out, to be replaced by a light horse regiment which had been converted to the machine gun role although this too was later removed from the division's order of battle. As manpower restrictions in the Australian economy forced the early demobilisation of large numbers of men, the majority of which came from infantry units in Australia that were not involved in fighting overseas. The 1st Division was one of these units. By January 1945, when the 2nd Brigade was disbanded, it consisted of only one infantry brigade, the 1st.
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
and contains the majority of the army's regular forces. Its headquarters is in Enoggera
Enoggera, Queensland
Enoggera is a suburb of Brisbane, in Queensland, Australia. The suburb is located 6 km north-west of the Brisbane CBD.-History:In 1845 John Brennan purchased six hectares of land in Enoggera. Six years later, Thomas Hayes moved to the area and bought thirty-three acres of land...
, a suburb of Brisbane. At the request of HQJOC, First Division also has the role to stand up a Deployable Joint Force Headquarters (DJFHQ) for a Land based operation—this deployable HQ is a joint formation, comprising units of the RAN
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
and the RAAF, as well as the army.
The division was first formed in 1914 as a part of the First Australian Imperial Force
First Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
(1st AIF). It was part of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps was a First World War army corps of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force that was formed in Egypt in 1915 and operated during the Battle of Gallipoli. General William Birdwood commanded the corps, which comprised troops from the First Australian Imperial...
(ANZAC) during the Gallipoli campaign
Battle of Gallipoli
The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...
, and has existed in one form or another since.
World War I
The Australian 1st Division was formed in August 1914, at the outbreak of the First World War, as part of the Australian Imperial Force. It made the first landing at Anzac CoveLanding at Anzac Cove
The landing at Anzac Cove was part of the amphibious invasion of the Gallipoli Peninsula by Australian and New Zealand forces on 25 April 1915. The landing, north of Gaba Tepe on the Aegean coast of the Peninsula, was made by soldiers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and was the first...
as part of the Battle of Gallipoli. In 1916 the division was sent to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
where it served on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
for the remainder of the war.
1st BrigadeAustralian 1st Brigade1st Brigade is a formation of the Australian Army intended as its primary mechanised formation. Raised for service initially in 1914 for service during World War I, the brigade fought at Gallipoli and on the Western Front before being disbanded in mid-1919. In 1921, the 1st Brigade was re-raised as...
(New South WalesNew South WalesNew South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
)
- 1st BattalionAustralian 1st BattalionThe 1st Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Although its numerical name was designated during the First World War, the 1st Battalion can trace its lineage back to 1854, when a unit of the Volunteer Rifles was raised in Sydney, New South Wales...
- 2nd BattalionAustralian 2nd BattalionThe 2nd Battalion was raised for the First Australian Imperial Force during the First World War. Along with the 1st, 3rd and 4th Battalions it was recruited from New South Wales and formed the 1st Brigade....
- 3rd BattalionAustralian 3rd BattalionThe 3rd Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Originally raised as part of the First Australian Imperial Force for service during World War I, the battalion formed part of the 1st Brigade, attached to the 1st Division. It was formed shortly after the war broke out and was...
- 4th BattalionAustralian 4th BattalionThe 4th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Originally raised as part of the First Australian Imperial Force during the First World War, the battalion formed part of the 1st Brigade, attached to the 1st Division. During the war the battalion fought at Gallipoli and in the...
2nd Brigade2nd Brigade (Australia)The 2nd Brigade was a brigade-sized infantry unit of the Australian Army.Formed in 1903 as militia formation based in Victoria, the brigade later served during the First World War as part of the Australian Imperial Force, allocated to the 1st Division...
(VictoriaVictoria (Australia)Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
)
- 5th BattalionAustralian 5th BattalionThe 5th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Raised in Victoria as part of the First Australian Imperial Force for service during World War I, the battalion formed part of the 2nd Brigade, attached to the 1st Division...
- 6th Battalion
- 7th BattalionAustralian 7th BattalionThe 7th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Raised in 1914 as part of the Australian Imperial Force during the First World War, the battalion was completely recruited from Victoria and formed the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division. The battalion served during the Gallipoli campaign...
- 8th BattalionAustralian 8th BattalionThe 8th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Initially raised in 1914 for the First Australian Imperial Force during the First World War the battalion was completely recruited from Victoria and formed the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division. During the war it fought at Gallipoli and in...
3rd BrigadeAustralian 3rd BrigadeThe 3rd Brigade is a combined arms brigade of the Australian Army, based around the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment . It was originally formed in 1914 for service during World War I, taking part in the fighting at Gallipoli and on the Western Front in Europe...
- 9th Battalion (QueenslandQueenslandQueensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
) - 10th BattalionAustralian 10th BattalionThe 10th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army, which served as part of the Australian Imperial Force during World War I. The battalion was completely recruited from South Australia in August 1914 and together with the 9th, 11th and 12th Battalions, it formed part of the 3rd...
(South AustraliaSouth AustraliaSouth Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
) - 11th BattalionAustralian 11th BattalionThe Australian 11th Battalion was a World War I Australian Army unit. It was among the first infantry units raised for the 1st AIF during the First World War...
(Western AustraliaWestern AustraliaWestern Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
) - 12th BattalionAustralian 12th BattalionThe 12th Battalion was raised for the First Australian Imperial Force during the First World War. the battalion was recruited from South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia and formed part of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division....
(SA, WA, TasmaniaTasmaniaTasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
)
Artillery
1st Division Artillery
Medical Services
- 1st Field Ambulance
- 2nd Field Ambulance
- 3rd Field Ambulance
Gallipoli
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
s to be assembled and was commanded by the senior Australian general and head of the AIF, Major General
Major General (Australia)
Major General is a senior rank of the Australian Army, and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of Major General. It is the third-highest active rank of the Australian Army, and is considered to be equivalent to a two-star rank...
W.T. Bridges
William Throsby Bridges
Major General Sir William Throsby Bridges KCB, CMG served with Australian forces during World War I, and was the first Australian to reach general officer rank...
.
As part of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, the 1st Division made the initial landing at Anzac Cove
Landing at Anzac Cove
The landing at Anzac Cove was part of the amphibious invasion of the Gallipoli Peninsula by Australian and New Zealand forces on 25 April 1915. The landing, north of Gaba Tepe on the Aegean coast of the Peninsula, was made by soldiers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and was the first...
on 25 April 1915 during the Allied invasion of the Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
peninsula. The 3rd Brigade formed the covering force which landed first, about 4.30 am, from battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
tows and destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s. The 1st and 2nd Brigades followed, landing from transports, and all were ashore by 9 am.
While the landing was lightly opposed on the beach by elements of a Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
battalion, the Australians were checked short of their objectives by mounting Turkish resistance. Critical fights developed on the left, over the hill known as Baby 700, and on the right on 400 Plateau. The firing line that was established on the first day would largely define the front line of the Anzac battlefield for the remaining eight months of the campaign.
On 15 May 1915 after General Bridges was mortally wounded an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
officer, Brigadier-General H.B. Walker
Harold Bridgwood Walker
Lieutenant General Sir Harold Bridgwood Walker KCB, KCMG, DSO was an English general who led Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War...
was given temporary command while a replacement was dispatched from Australia. This was Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
J.G. Legge
James Gordon Legge
Lieutenant General James Gordon Legge CB, CMG was an Australian Army Lieutenant General who served in World War I. His son Stanley Ferguson Legge reached the rank of Major General.-Early life and career:...
, the Australian Chief of the General Staff, who was not an immediately popular choice with either his corps commander, Lieutenant-General William Birdwood, or his subordinate brigade commanders. Legge replaced Walker on 24 June but when the command of the newly formed Australian 2nd Division became vacant, Birdwood took the opportunity to move Legge sideways and restore Walker, who was well regarded as a fighting commander and experienced with the Anzac conditions, to the command of the 1st Division.
The 1st Division's role in the August Offensive
Battle of Sari Bair
The Battle of Sari Bair , also known as the August Offensive, was the final attempt made by the British in August 1915 to seize control of the Gallipoli peninsula from the Ottoman Empire during First World War.The Battle of Gallipoli had raged on two fronts, Anzac and Helles, for three months since...
was to hold the front line and conduct a diversion on 400 Plateau at Lone Pine on 6 August (the Battle of Lone Pine
Battle of Lone Pine
The Battle of Lone Pine was a battle between Australian and Turkish forces that took place during the Gallipoli campaign from 6–10 August 1915. It was part of a diversion to draw attention from the main assaults of 6 August against the Sari Bair peaks of Chunuk Bair and Hill 971, which became...
). The resulting battle was the only occasion when a significant length of the Turkish trench line was captured. On 7 August, the 2nd Brigade made an unsuccessful attempt to capture German Officers' Trench as a preliminary operation to other assaults at Quinn's Post and the Nek
Battle of the Nek
The Battle of the Nek was a small World War I battle fought as part of the Gallipoli campaign. "The Nek" was a narrow stretch of ridge in the Anzac battlefield on the Gallipoli peninsula. The name derives from the Afrikaans word for a "mountain pass" but the terrain itself was a perfect bottleneck...
. Corporal Alexander Burton
Alexander Burton
Alexander Stewart Burton VC was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
during this action.
In October General Walker was severely wounded and replaced by the division's artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
commander, Br.-Gen. Talbot Hobbs
Talbot Hobbs
Lieutenant General Sir Joseph John Talbot Hobbs KCB, KCMG, VD was an Australian architect and First World War general.-Early life:...
who in turn fell ill and was replaced on 6 November by the commander of the Australian 1st Light Horse Brigade, Br.-Gen. H.G. Chauvel
Henry George Chauvel
General Sir Harry Chauvel GCMG, KCB was a senior officer of the Australian Imperial Force who fought at Gallipoli and in the Middle Eastern theatre during the First World War. He was the first Australian to attain the rank of lieutenant general and later general, and the first to lead a corps...
. The 1st Division was evacuated from the peninsula in December, returning to Egypt, where it was brought back up to strength. On 14 March, Walker, having recovered from his wounds, resumed command of the division, now part of I Anzac Corps
I Anzac Corps
The I ANZAC Corps was a combined Australian and New Zealand army corps that served during World War I.It was formed in Egypt in February 1916 as part of the reorganisation and expansion of the Australian Imperial Force and the New Zealand Expeditionary Force following the evacuation of Gallipoli...
.
Somme, 1916
When the 1st Division arrived in France in April 1916, it was initially sent to a quiet sector south of ArmentièresArmentières
Armentières is a commune in the Nord department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region in northern France. It is part of the Urban Community of Lille Métropole, and lies on the Belgian border, northwest of the city of Lille, on the right bank of the river Lys....
to acclimatize to the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
conditions. In mid-July, with the British offensive on the Somme
Battle of the Somme (1916)
The Battle of the Somme , also known as the Somme Offensive, took place during the First World War between 1 July and 14 November 1916 in the Somme department of France, on both banks of the river of the same name...
dragging on, I Anzac was sent to join the British Reserve Army
British Reserve Army
The Reserve Army was a field army of the British Army during World War I and part of the British Expeditionary Force during the First World War...
of Lt.-Gen. Hubert Gough
Hubert Gough
General Sir Hubert de la Poer Gough GCB, GCMG, KCVO was a senior officer in the British Army, who commanded the British Fifth Army from 1916 to 1918 during the First World War.-Family background:...
who intended to use the Australian divisions to take the village of Pozières. General Walker resisted Gough's efforts to throw the 1st Division into battle unprepared, insisting on careful preparation. When the 1st Division did attack (the Battle of Pozières
Battle of Pozières
The Battle of Pozières was a two week struggle for the French village of Pozières and the ridge on which it stands, during the middle stages of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. Though British divisions were involved in most phases of the fighting, Pozières is primarily remembered as an Australian battle...
), shortly after midnight on 23 July, it succeeded in capturing half of the village but failed to make progress in the neighbouring German trench system. After enduring a heavy German bombardment, far surpassing anything yet experienced by an Australian unit, the 1st Division was withdrawn, having suffered 5,285 casualties, and was replaced by the Australian 2nd Division.
The division's respite was brief as in mid-August, with its battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
s restored to about two-thirds strength, it returned to the line on Pozières ridge, relieving the Australian 4th Division
Australian 4th Division (World War I)
The Australian 4th Division was formed in the First World War during the expansion of the Australian Imperial Force infantry brigades in February 1916. In addition to the experienced 4th Brigade were added the new 12th and 13th Brigades...
and continuing the painful progress towards Mouquet Farm (the Battle of Mouquet Farm
Battle of Mouquet Farm
The Battle of Mouquet Farm, which began on 5 August 1916, was part of the Battle of the Somme and followed the Battle of Pozières. The farm was eventually captured on 26 September by No. 16 Section of the 6th East Yorkshire Pioneers.-Battle:...
). On 22 August, having lost another 2,650 men, the division was one more relieved by the 2nd Division.
On 5 September, I Anzac was withdrawn from the Somme and sent to Ypres
Ypres
Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote...
for rest. The division anticipated spending winter quarters in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
but was recalled to the Somme for the final stages of the British offensive. This time they joined the British Fourth Army
British Fourth Army
The Fourth Army was a field army that formed part of the British Expeditionary Force during the First World War. The Fourth Army was formed on 5 February 1916 under the command of General Sir Henry Rawlinson to carry out the main British contribution to the Battle of the Somme.-History:The Fourth...
, holding a sector south of Pozières near the village of Flers
Flers, Somme
Flers is a commune near the northern edge of the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.It lies to the south of the D929 road, between Albert and Bapaume.-History:...
. The battlefield had been reduced to a slough of mud but the 1st Division was required to mount a number of attacks during the Battle of Le Transloy
Battle of Le Transloy
The Battle of Le Transloy was the final offensive mounted by the British Fourth Army during the 1916 Battle of the Somme.-Prelude:With the successful conclusion of the preceding Battle of Morval at the end of September, the Fourth Army of Lieutenant General Henry Rawlinson had finally captured the...
; all ended in failure which was inevitable in the conditions.
German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line, 1917
Starting on 24 February 1917, the 1st Division took part in the pursuit of the German forces as they retreated to their prepared fortifications in the Hindenburg LineHindenburg Line
The Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defences in northeastern France during World War I. It was constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916–17. The line stretched from Lens to beyond Verdun...
. The division advanced against the German screen towards Bapaume
Bapaume
Bapaume is a commune and the seat of a canton in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A farming and light industrial town located 10 miles south of Arras at the junction of the A1 autoroute and the N17 and N30 national roads its location is...
and, on the night of 26 February, the 3rd Brigade captured the villages of Le Barque and Ligny-Thilloy. On the morning of 2 March, they withstood a German attempt to retake the villages. The 1st Division was then withdrawn to rest, joining the 4th Division. I Anzac's pursuit was carried on by the 2nd and 5th divisions.
By April, the 1st Division (and I Anzac Corps) was once again part of General Gough's Fifth Army
British Fifth Army
The Fifth Army was a field army of the British Army during World War I and part of the British Expeditionary Force during the First World War.-History:...
(formerly the Reserve Army). On 9 April – the day the British launched the Battle of Arras
Battle of Arras (1917)
The Battle of Arras was a British offensive during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British, Canadian, New Zealand, Newfoundland, and Australian troops attacked German trenches near the French city of Arras on the Western Front....
– the 1st Division captured the last three villages (Hermies
Hermies
Hermies is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Hermies is a farming village situated southeast of Arras, at the junction of the D5 and the D19 roads.-Population:-References:*...
, Boursies
Boursies
Boursies is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
and Demicourt) used by the Germans as outposts of the Hindenburg Line, thereby bringing the British line in striking distance of the main Hindenburg defences. This action cost the division 649 casualties. For actions during the fighting at Boursies, Captain James Newland and Sergeant John Whittle, both of the 12th Battalion (3rd Brigade), were awarded the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
.
Hindenburg Line, 1917
The 1st Division was in support during the First Battle of Bullecourt which was the Fifth Army's main contribution to the ArrasBattle of Arras (1917)
The Battle of Arras was a British offensive during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British, Canadian, New Zealand, Newfoundland, and Australian troops attacked German trenches near the French city of Arras on the Western Front....
offensive. Once the first attempt on Bullecourt had failed, British attention concentrated on Arras and the Fifth Army's front was stretched thin with the 1st Division having to cover 13000 yards (11,887.2 m).
The Germans, well aware of the vulnerable state of the British defences, launched a counter-stroke on 15 April (the Battle of Lagnicourt). The Germans attacked with 23 battalions against four Australian battalions. The German plan was to drive back the advanced posts, destroy supplies and guns and then retire to the Hindenburg defences. However, despite their numerical superiority, the Germans were unable to penetrate the Australian line. The 1st Division's artillery batteries in front of Lagnicourt were overrun and the village was occupied for two hours but counter-attacks from the Australian 9th and 20th Battalions (the latter from the 2nd Division) drove the Germans out. In this action the Australians suffered 1,010 casualties, mainly in the 1st Division, against 2,313 German casualties. Only five artillery guns were damaged.
On 3 May the Second Battle of Bullecourt commenced with the 1st Division in reserve but it was drawn into the fighting on the second day. The Australians seized a foothold in the Hindenburg Line which over the following days was slowly expanded. The German attempts to drive the British from their gains finally ceased on 17 May and the 1st Division was withdrawn for an extended rest.
Third Battle of Ypres
The 1st Division's artillery was in action from the start of the Third Battle of Ypres on 31 July 1917 but the infantry were not called upon until the second phase of the battle commenced on 20 September with the Battle of Menin Road. Attacking along with ten other divisions, including the Australian 2nd Division on their left, the 1st Division captured Nonne Boschen and Glencourse Woods and gained a foothold in Polygon Wood. The Australian divisions suffered 5,000 casualties from the battle, mainly due to retaliatory shelling from heavy artillery after the advance had completed.The 1st Division was relieved by the Australian 5th Division before the next assault, the Battle of Polygon Wood
Battle of Polygon Wood
The Battle of Polygon Wood took place during the second phase of the Battle of Passchendaele in World War I. The battle was fought near Ypres, Belgium, in an area named the Polygon Wood after the layout of the area...
(26 September), but in turn took up the advance for the following Battle of Broodseinde
Battle of Broodseinde
The Battle of Broodseinde was the most successful attack of the Battle of Passchendaele. Using the "bite and hold" tactic , the Allied forces conducted an attack on well-entrenched German forces and showed that it was possible for the allies to overcome even the stoutest German...
(4 October), the third and final of the successful bite-and-hold attacks conceived by General Herbert Plumer of the British Second Army
British Second Army
The British Second Army was active during both the First and Second World Wars. During the First World War the army was active on the Western Front and in Italy...
. This battle marked the peak of British success during 3rd Ypres and apart from minor roles on the southern flank of the Canadian Corps
Canadian Corps
The Canadian Corps was a World War I corps formed from the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1915 after the arrival of the 2nd Canadian Division in France. The corps was expanded by the addition of the 3rd Canadian Division in December 1915 and the 4th Canadian Division in August 1916...
during the Battle of Poelcappelle, First Battle of Passchendaele
First Battle of Passchendaele
The First Battle of Passchendaele was a World War I battle that took place on 12 October 1917 in the Ypres Salient area of the Western Front, outside the Belgian village of Passchendaele, during the Third Battle of Ypres...
and the Second Battle of Passchendaele, it was the end of the 1st Division's involvement.
Hazebrouck
The Australians wintered in Flanders, engaging in vigorous patrolling and raiding. The 1st Division was still at MessinesMessines
Messines may refer to:* Mesen, a village in Belgium**Battle of Messines, World War I,* Messines, Quebec* HMCS Messines, one of twelve Battle class naval trawlers used by the Royal Canadian Navy* Messines, Queensland...
when the Germans launched their final offensive starting on the Somme
Somme
Somme is a department of France, located in the north of the country and named after the Somme river. It is part of the Picardy region of France....
with Operation Michael
Operation Michael
Operation Michael was a First World War German military operation that began the Spring Offensive on 21 March 1918. It was launched from the Hindenburg Line, in the vicinity of Saint-Quentin, France...
on 21 March 1918. In the first week of April, the 1st Division, along with the 2nd, began moving to the Somme when, on 9 April, the Germans launched Operation Georgette; an attack north and south of Armentières
Armentières
Armentières is a commune in the Nord department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region in northern France. It is part of the Urban Community of Lille Métropole, and lies on the Belgian border, northwest of the city of Lille, on the right bank of the river Lys....
followed by a swift drive towards the vital rail junction of Hazebrouck
Hazebrouck
-Communications:The town enjoys excellent rail connections, with frequent daily services to Lille and Paris, some by High Speed Line. There is a small international airport, concentrating on business flights, at Merville-Calonne just 12 kilometre / 8 miles away...
.
The 1st Division, having reached Amiens
Amiens
Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...
and about to join up with the Australian Corps
Australian Corps
The Australian Corps was a World War I army corps that contained all five Australian infantry divisions serving on the Western Front. It was the largest corps fielded by the British Empire army in France...
, was ordered to turn around and hurry back north. Hazebrouck was reached on 12 April, just in time to relieve the exhausted British divisions. Holding a line five miles (8 km) east of the town, the 1st Division helped halt the German advance on 13 April (the Battle of Hazebrouck) and then repulsed a renewed offensive on 17 April after which the Germans abandoned their push, concentrating instead on the high ground west of Messines.
The division remained active in Flanders from May to July, engaging in a process of informal but carefully planned raiding known as Peaceful Penetration
Peaceful Penetration
Peaceful Penetration was an Australian infantry tactic used during the First World War , which was a cross between trench raiding and patrolling...
. Their greatest success came on 11 July when they took 1000 yards (914.4 m) of front, 120 prisoners and 11 machine guns from the German 13th Reserve Division
13th Reserve Division (German Empire)
The 13th Reserve Division was a unit of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed on mobilization of the German Army in August 1914. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I...
. This unrelenting pressure had a severe impact on German morale
Morale
Morale, also known as esprit de corps when discussing the morale of a group, is an intangible term used to describe the capacity of people to maintain belief in an institution or a goal, or even in oneself and others...
.
Hundred Days, 1918
The 1st Division returned to the Australian Corps on 8 August 1918, the day on which the final British offensive commenced with the Battle of Amiens. The division was sent into action the following day, relieving the 5th Division, but was understandably late due to its rushed preparation. The 1st Division continued the attack for the next three days but progress was slow as the Australians moved beyond their supporting guns and tanks.On 23 August the 1st Division attacked south of the River Somme
Somme River
The Somme is a river in Picardy, northern France. The name Somme comes from a Celtic word meaning tranquility. The department Somme was named after this river....
towards Chuignes
Chuignes
Chuignes is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:chuignes is situated on the D143 and D71 crossroads, near the banks of the river Somme, some east of Amiens.-Population:-External links:*...
with the British 32nd Division
British 32nd Division
The British 32nd Division was a New Army division that was originally made up of battalions raised by public subscription or private patronage. The division was taken over by the British War Office in September 1915...
on its southern flank attacking Herleville
Herleville
Herleville is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:Herleville is situated on the D143 road, some east of Amiens.-Population:-External links:*...
. The Australians suffered 1,000 casualties but took 2,000 German prisoners out of a total of 8,000 captured by both the British Third and Fourth Armies on that day. The 1st also captured a German 14-in naval gun. On 18 September the 1st Division took part in the assault on the Hindenburg "Outpost" Line (the Battle of Épehy
Battle of Epéhy
The Battle of Épehy was a World War I battle fought on 18 September 1918, involving the British Fourth Army against German outpost positions in front of the Hindenburg Line.- Prelude :...
).
The 1st Division was disbanded in 1919 following the secessions of hostilities. The division name assigned to an Australian Citizens Military Forces (reserve) continuing the divisions traditions.
Memorial
Positioned at Pozieres (at the site of "K Trench" – 50°02′17.66"N 2°43′17.20"E), the 1st Division chose this location to build a monument (a stone obelisk) due to the 1st Division experiencing more casualties at the Battle of Pozieres (7654 casualties in 6 weeks) than in any other battle.The memorial lists the battle honors of the 1st Division as:
-
- {|class=wikitable style="text-align:center;"
!Battle Honour!!Description
|-
|Poziere's
|Battle of Pozieres
Battle of Pozières
The Battle of Pozières was a two week struggle for the French village of Pozières and the ridge on which it stands, during the middle stages of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. Though British divisions were involved in most phases of the fighting, Pozières is primarily remembered as an Australian battle...
|-
|Mouquet Farm
|Battle of Mouquet Farm
Battle of Mouquet Farm
The Battle of Mouquet Farm, which began on 5 August 1916, was part of the Battle of the Somme and followed the Battle of Pozières. The farm was eventually captured on 26 September by No. 16 Section of the 6th East Yorkshire Pioneers.-Battle:...
|-
|Le Barque
|rowspan=2|Fortified villages that were part of a German reserve line, and used by the Germans as a delaying position during the retreat to Hindenburg Line.
|-
|Thilloy
|-
|Boursies
|rowspan=3|Fortified villages that were part of the Outpost Line of the Hindenburg Line. They were captured to allow a direct attack on the Hindenburg Line (before the Hindenburg Line was further strengthened).
|-
|Demicourt
|-
|Hermies
|-
|Lagnicourt
|Battle of Lagnicourt
|-
|Bullecourt
|Second Battle of Bullecourt
|-
|3rd Battle of Ypres
|The 3rd Battle of Ypres, not including the Battles of Menin Road, Broodseinde Ridge, Poelcappelle and 2nd Passchendaele.
|-
|Menin Road
|Battle of Menin Road
|-
|Broodseinde Ridge
|Battle of Broodseinde
Battle of Broodseinde
The Battle of Broodseinde was the most successful attack of the Battle of Passchendaele. Using the "bite and hold" tactic , the Allied forces conducted an attack on well-entrenched German forces and showed that it was possible for the allies to overcome even the stoutest German...
|-
|Passchendaele
|Battle of Poelcappelle
Battle of Poelcappelle
The Battle of Poelcappelle marked the end of highly successful British attacks during the Battle of Passchendaele. Pitting the attacking forces against relatively intact German defences in rain and muddy conditions like those in August, the main attack was a failure and only the diversionary attack...
and Second Battle of Passchendaele
|-
|Battle of Lys
|Stopping the Georgette Offensive on 14 and 17 April (also known as the Battle of Hazebrouck).
|-
|2nd Battle of Somme
|The 2nd Battle of the Somme
Second Battle of the Somme (1918)
During the First World War, the Second Battle of the Somme of 1918 was fought on the Western Front from the end of the summer, in the basin of the Somme River...
, not including fighting in and around Lihon and Chuignolles.
|-
|Lihons
|Scene of intense fighting around, and eventual capture of, Lihons.
|-
|Chuignolles
|Scene of intense fighting around Chuignes Valley, culminating in the capture of Chuignolles.
|-
|Hindenburg Line
|Similar to Boursies/Demicourt/Hermies, fighting to capture the fortified Outpost Villages in the Battle of Épehy
Battle of Epéhy
The Battle of Épehy was a World War I battle fought on 18 September 1918, involving the British Fourth Army against German outpost positions in front of the Hindenburg Line.- Prelude :...
, and reach the main Hindenburg Line.
|-
|}
Inter war years
In 1921, after the AIF was disbanded, the Citizens Military Force was re-organised to adopt the numerical designations of the AIF. Thus the 1st Division was re-raised as a reserve formation, composed primarily of infantry units. During the inter-war years, the assignment of battalions to brigades and divisionDivision (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
s varied considerably within the army and as a result the 1st Division's composition was changed a number of times. The division was based mostly at Parramatta
Parramatta, New South Wales
Parramatta is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in Greater Western Sydney west of the Sydney central business district on the banks of the Parramatta River. Parramatta is the administrative seat of the Local Government Area of the City of Parramatta...
and – for virtually all of its existence – was tasked with defence of the greater Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
area.
World War II
Upon the outbreak of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the 1st Division consisted of two infantry brigades—the 1st and 8th
8th Brigade (Australia)
8th Brigade is an Australian Army Reserve combined-arms formation stationed in New South Wales.The 8th Brigade is one of six brigades of the Australian Army's 2nd Division, and includes units and personnel from all Armoured, Infantry, Artillery, Engineers, Signals, Ordinance , Medical, Nursing,...
—as well as two field artillery regiments, one medium artillery regiment and two engineer field companies. At this stage the division was partly mobilised, although as the provisions of the Defence Act (1903) precluded the deployment of the Militia to fight outside of Australian territory, it was decided to raise an all volunteer force for overseas service. This force was known as the Second Australian Imperial Force
Second Australian Imperial Force
The Second Australian Imperial Force was the name given to the volunteer personnel of the Australian Army in World War II. Under the Defence Act , neither the part-time Militia nor the full-time Permanent Military Force could serve outside Australia or its territories unless they volunteered to...
, and initially about a quarter of its soldiers were drawn from the Citizens Military Forces. After fighting broke out in the Pacific
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
, however, in December 1941 members of the Militia were prevented from joining the AIF and were called up for full-time service to bolster defences in Australia in an effort to counter the possibility of attacks by Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
land forces against the Australian mainland. Later a number of Militia formations took part in the fighting against the Japanese in the Pacific, notably in New Guinea and Borneo, however, the 1st Division remained in Australia throughout the war.
During this time the division's composition changed numerous times as many of its subordinate units were transferred. Shortly after mobilisation the division lost its engineer field companies and in June 1940 the three artillery regiments assigned to the division were also transferred out, to be replaced by a light horse regiment which had been converted to the machine gun role although this too was later removed from the division's order of battle. As manpower restrictions in the Australian economy forced the early demobilisation of large numbers of men, the majority of which came from infantry units in Australia that were not involved in fighting overseas. The 1st Division was one of these units. By January 1945, when the 2nd Brigade was disbanded, it consisted of only one infantry brigade, the 1st.
Present
The Headquarters 1st Division is currently responsible for high-level training activities and is capable of being deployed to command large scale ground operations. It does not have any combat units permanently assigned to it, though it commands units during training activites and the Land Combat Readiness Centre reports to the divisional headquarters.Commanding officers
| Date commenced | Date ended | Commander | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 October 1914 | 15 May 1915 | MAJGEN Sir William Bridges William Throsby Bridges Major General Sir William Throsby Bridges KCB, CMG served with Australian forces during World War I, and was the first Australian to reach general officer rank... , CMG |
Fatally wounded in action (Gallipoli), died 18 May 1915 |
| 15 May 1915 | 22 June 1915 | BRIG GEN Harold Walker Harold Bridgwood Walker Lieutenant General Sir Harold Bridgwood Walker KCB, KCMG, DSO was an English general who led Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War... |
Temporary command |
| 22 June 1915 | 26 July 1915 | MAJGEN James Legge James Gordon Legge Lieutenant General James Gordon Legge CB, CMG was an Australian Army Lieutenant General who served in World War I. His son Stanley Ferguson Legge reached the rank of Major General.-Early life and career:... |
Serving as Chief of the General Staff when appointed. Transferred to command 2nd Division. |
| 26 July 1915 | 13 October 1915 | BRIG GEN Harold Walker Harold Bridgwood Walker Lieutenant General Sir Harold Bridgwood Walker KCB, KCMG, DSO was an English general who led Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War... |
Wounded in action on 13 October 1915. |
| 13 October 1915 | 6 November 1915 | BRIG GEN Sir Talbot Hobbs Talbot Hobbs Lieutenant General Sir Joseph John Talbot Hobbs KCB, KCMG, VD was an Australian architect and First World War general.-Early life:... |
Evacuated with dysentery 6 November 1915. |
| 6 November 1915 | 14 March 1916 | MAJGEN Sir Harry Chauvel, CMG, CB | |
| 14 March 1916 | 31 May 1918 | MAJGEN Harold Walker Harold Bridgwood Walker Lieutenant General Sir Harold Bridgwood Walker KCB, KCMG, DSO was an English general who led Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War... |
Replaced when it was decreed only Australians were to serve in positions of higher command in Australian Corps. |
| 31 May 1918 | 1919? | MAJGEN Sir Thomas Glasgow Thomas William Glasgow Sir William Glasgow, KCB, CMG, DSO , was an Australian Army Major General in World War I and member of the Australian Senate, representing Queensland as a Nationalist Party member from 1919 - 1931.-Early life and career:... , KCB, CMG, DSO |
|
| - | |||
| 1939 | MAJGEN Robert Jackson | ||
| 1940 | 1941 | MAJGEN Albert Fewtrell | |
| 1942 | 1942 | MAJGEN Cyril Clowes Cyril Clowes Lieutenant General Cyril Albert Clowes CBE, DSO, MC was an Australian soldier. He won the first land victory against the Japanese in the Second World War, at the Battle of Milne Bay, New Guinea... , DSO, MC Military Cross The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.... |
|
| 1942 | 1943 | MAJGEN Francis Derham | |
| 1943 | 1946 | MAJGEN Herbert Lloyd, CB, CMG, CVO, DSO | |
| 1974 | 1976 | MAJGEN Ronald Lawrence Hughes Ronald Lawrence Hughes Major General Ronald Lawrence Hughes CBE, DSO was a senior infantry officer in the Australian Army, seeing service during the Second World War, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Joining the Australian Army in 1937, after graduating from the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1939 he served in... , DSO |
|
| 1977 | 1979 | MAJGEN Phillip Bennett Phillip Bennett General Sir Phillip Harvey Bennett AC, KBE, DSO is a retired senior officer of the Australian Army who served as Chief of the Australian Defence Force from 1984 to 1987, and later as Governor of Tasmania from 1987 to 1995.... , DSO |
|
| - | |||
| 1985 | 1990 | MAJGEN Michael Jeffery Michael Jeffery Major General Philip Michael Jeffery AC, CVO, MC was the 24th Governor-General of Australia , the first Australian career soldier to be appointed governor-general... , AO, MC |
|
| - | |||
| 1998 | 1999 | MAJGEN Peter Cosgrove Peter Cosgrove General Peter John Cosgrove AC, MC is a retired Australian Army officer. He was the Chief of the Defence Force from 3 July 2002 to 3 July 2005, when he retired from active service... , AM, MC |
|
| - | |||
| MAJGEN Jim Molan Jim Molan Major General Andrew James Molan AO, DSC is a retired senior officer in the Australian Army.-Education:"Jim" Molan joined the Australian Army following completion of his schooling in Victoria. On graduating from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, in 1971 he was allocated to the Royal Australian... , AO |
|||
| 2002 | 2004 | MAJGEN Mark Evans Mark Evans (general) Lieutenant General Mark Evans AO, DSC is a retired senior officer in the Australian Army. He served as Chief of Joint Operations from July 2008 until May 2011.-British Army:... , AM, DSC Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) The Distinguished Service Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force. It is awarded for distinguished command and leadership in action. The DSC was introduced in 1991 and is the highest distinguished service decoration in the Australian Honours System... |
|
| 2004 | 2005 | MAJGEN Mark Kelly, AM | |
| 2 July 2005 | 6 July 2007 | MAJGEN Ash Power Ash Power Lieutenant General Brian Ashley "Ash" Power AM, CSC is a senior officer in the Australian Army, currently serving as Chief of Joint Operations.-Service history:... , AM, CSC Conspicuous Service Cross (Australia) The Conspicuous Service Cross is a decoration of the Australian Honours System. The CSC is awarded only for outstanding devotion to duty, or outstanding achievement in the application of exceptional skills, judgment or dedication, in non-warlike situations... |
|
| 6 July 2007 | 2009 | MAJGEN Richard Wilson, AO | |
| 2009 | 22 February 2011 | MAJGEN Michael Slater, DSC, AM, CSC | |
| 22 February 2011 | Incumbent | MAJGEN Rick Burr Rick Burr Major General Richard 'Rick' Maxwell Burr, DSC, AM, MVO is a senior officer in the Australian Army and is currently serving as the Commander of the 1st Division-Service History:... , DSC, AM, MVO |
External links
- First AIF Order of Battle 1914-1918: First Division
- Photos of the 1st Division's Memorial
- Photos of the 1st Division's Memorial, including it while being constructed
- Photos of Australian memorials in France (including the 1st Division's Memorial)
- Photos of the all Australian Divisional memorials
- Australian 1st Division Vehicle Marking
