23rd Battalion (Australia)
Encyclopedia
The 23rd Battalion was an infantry
battalion
of the Australian Army
. It was raised in 1915 as part of the Australian Imperial Force
for service during World War I
and formed part of the 6th Brigade
, attached to the 2nd Division. It fought during the Gallipoli campaign and on the Western Front
before being disbanded in 1919. In 1921 the battalion was re-raised as part of the Citizens Forces
in the state of Victoria, but was amalgamated with the 21st Battalion
in 1929 to form the 23rd/21st Battalion
.
in March 1915 as part of the formation of the 2nd Division of the Australian Imperial Force
(AIF). Its first commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel
George Morton. Together with the 21st
, 22nd and 24th Battalions
, it formed the 6th Brigade
under the command of Colonel
Richard Linton. After completing initial training at Broadmeadows
, in May 1915 they embarked upon the troopship Euripides bound for Egypt
. They arrived in Alexandria
on 11 June and after being moved by train to Cairo
they marched to a camp at Heliopolis where they undertook further training in preparation for deployment to Gallipoli, where the units of the 1st Division
had landed on 25 April 1915.
.
On 12 September, the 23rd, along with their sister battalion, the 24th, took over responsibility for the post from the 1st Division battalions that had held it previously. During the stalemate that followed, manning positions that, in some places, were only a few metres from the Turkish lines, the 23rd Battalion began countermining operations after Turkish mining operations were discovered. For the next three months, due to the intensity of the fighting in the sector, the battalion alternated their position with the 24th Battalion almost every day until the evacuation of Allied troops from the peninsula occurred, embarking with the last troops to leave on the night of 19/20 December 1915.
Following their withdrawal from Gallipoli, the 23rd Battalion was moved to Lemnos Island, where they remained until January 1916 when they were transferred back to Egypt. Here they conducted further training until receiving orders that they were to be transferred to Europe in March.
, the battalion moved to the Western Front
, occupying the forward positions around Armentières
in northern France on 10 April 1916. In mid-July, the battalion was transferred to the Somme
, where they subsequently took part in the battles of Pozières
and Mouquet Farm
, suffering almost 90 per cent casualties. After being reinforced, the battalion was committed to the fighting at the second battle of Bullecourt in May 1917 after the first attempt by the 4th Australian Division failed. Succeeding in capturing all its objectives, it was heavily counter-attacked by German forces, suffering a large number of casualties, including 100 men killed or died of wounds before being relieved by the 3rd Battalion. After this the battalion was withdrawn from the line until early September 1917 when they moved into positions around Ypres
, Belgium
, and participated in the battle of Broodseinde
on 4 October. During this battle, the 6th Brigade was positioned to the south of Zonnebeke Lake, and the 23rd Battalion lost three officers and 101 other ranks killed or wounded, some of whom were inflicted when an intense German mortar barrage
fell upon their form-up point prior to the attack. Nevertheless, the attack which followed, after overcoming an encounter with a German regiment, the 212th, in no man's land
, resulted in success as the Australians captured the ridge.
In early 1918, Russian resistance on the Eastern Front
collapsed in the wake of the October Revolution
and, as a result, the Germans were able to transfer a large number of troops to the Western Front. This greatly improved the German strength in the West and, as a result, in March, they launched their Spring Offensive
. With the Germans making rapid gains, many Australian units, including the 23rd Battalion, were thrown into the line to blunt the attack in early April, as the 6th Brigade relieved the 12th
around Dernancourt.
Following this, the 23rd participated in the fighting at Hamel
on 4 July, advancing as the right-hand battalion on the southern front behind a devastatingly accurate preparatory barrage. In August 1918, it joined the Allied Hundred Days Offensive
, which was launched at Amiens on 8 August 1918. Later, for his actions during the fighting at Mont St. Quentin
in early September, one of the battalion's soldiers, Private
Robert Mactier
, was awarded the Victoria Cross
posthumously. After participating in the Battle of Beaurevoir between 3 and 4 October, the battalion was sent to the rear for rest when the units of the Australian Corps
, severely depleted, were withdrawn from the line upon the insistence of the Australian prime minister, Billy Hughes
. As a result, it took no further part in the fighting before the armistice
was declared on 11 November.
s and traditions of the AIF by re-organising the units of the Citizens Forces
to adopt the numerical designations of the AIF units with which they were affiliated. As a result of this decision, the 23rd Battalion was re-raised, later adopting the title of the "23rd Battalion (The City of Geelong Regiment)" when territorial titles were introduced in 1927, and perpetuating the battle honours of its AIF predecessor. In 1928, the battalion was part of the 2nd Brigade
, within the 3rd Military District
.
In 1929, following the election of the Scullin
Labor government
, the compulsory training scheme
was abolished and this, coupled with the economic privations of the Great Depression
drastically reduced the number of recruits available. As a result the decision was made to amalgamate a number of units. The 23rd Battalion was one of those chosen and it was linked with the 21st Battalion
to become the 23rd/21st Battalion
, adopting the territorial designation of "The City of Geelong Regiment/The Victoria Rangers".
This battalion undertook garrison duties in the Northern Territory
during World War II
, before being disbanded in 1943 without having served overseas.
, Egypt 1915–1917
, Somme 1916
, Pozieres
, Bapaume 1917, Bullecourt, Ypres 1917, Menin Road, Polygon Wood
, Broodseinde, Poelcappelle, Passchendaele, Hamel
, Amiens, Albert 1918
, Mont St Quentin
, Hindenburg Line
, Beaurevoir, France and Flanders 1916–1918
.
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...
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...
of the Australian Army
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...
. It was raised in 1915 as part of the Australian Imperial Force
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
for service during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and formed part of the 6th Brigade
6th Brigade (Australia)
The 6th Brigade is an Australian Army brigade. First formed during the First World War as an infantry unit of the Australian Imperial Force, the brigade served at Gallipoli and in France and Belgium on the Western Front...
, attached to the 2nd Division. It fought during the Gallipoli campaign and 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...
before being disbanded in 1919. In 1921 the battalion was re-raised as part of the Citizens Forces
Australian Army Reserve
The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citizens Forces, the Citizen Military Forces, the Militia and, unofficially, the...
in the state of Victoria, but was amalgamated with the 21st Battalion
21st Battalion (Australia)
The 21st Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was raised in 1915 as part of the First Australian Imperial Force for service during World War I and formed part of the 6th Brigade, attached to the 2nd Division. It fought during the Gallipoli campaign and on the Western Front...
in 1929 to form the 23rd/21st Battalion
23rd/21st Battalion (Australia)
The 23rd/21st Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Part of the Citizen Military Force, it was formed in 1929 by the amalgamation of the 23rd and 21st Battalions due to lack of numbers in these two units. Upon formation they adopted the territorial title of the 23rd/21st...
.
Formation
The 23rd Battalion was raised in 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....
in March 1915 as part of the formation of the 2nd Division of the Australian Imperial Force
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
(AIF). Its first commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
George Morton. Together with the 21st
21st Battalion (Australia)
The 21st Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was raised in 1915 as part of the First Australian Imperial Force for service during World War I and formed part of the 6th Brigade, attached to the 2nd Division. It fought during the Gallipoli campaign and on the Western Front...
, 22nd and 24th Battalions
24th Battalion (Australia)
The 24th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Originally raised in 1915 for service during World War I as part of the 1st Australian Imperial Force, it was attached to the 6th Brigade, 2nd Division and served during the Gallipoli campaign and in the trenches of the Western...
, it formed the 6th Brigade
6th Brigade (Australia)
The 6th Brigade is an Australian Army brigade. First formed during the First World War as an infantry unit of the Australian Imperial Force, the brigade served at Gallipoli and in France and Belgium on the Western Front...
under the command of 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...
Richard Linton. After completing initial training at Broadmeadows
Broadmeadows, Victoria
Broadmeadows is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 16 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Hume...
, in May 1915 they embarked upon the troopship Euripides bound for Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. They arrived in Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
on 11 June and after being moved by train to Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
they marched to a camp at Heliopolis where they undertook further training in preparation for deployment to Gallipoli, where the units of the 1st Division
1st Division (Australia)
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...
had landed on 25 April 1915.
Gallipoli
While they were training, the Allies launched the August Offensive in an attempt to break the deadlock that had developed on the Gallipoli peninsula following the initial landing. The offensive largely failed and heavy casualties resulted. In order to replace the men that were lost and give the survivors a rest, the decision was made by Allied commanders to move the 2nd Division from Egypt. After being moved to Lemnos Island, the 23rd Battalion embarked for Gallipoli on 4 September, arriving there at 9:30 pm that evening. After spending a day to familiarise itself, the battalion took up positions at Lone PineBattle 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...
.
On 12 September, the 23rd, along with their sister battalion, the 24th, took over responsibility for the post from the 1st Division battalions that had held it previously. During the stalemate that followed, manning positions that, in some places, were only a few metres from the Turkish lines, the 23rd Battalion began countermining operations after Turkish mining operations were discovered. For the next three months, due to the intensity of the fighting in the sector, the battalion alternated their position with the 24th Battalion almost every day until the evacuation of Allied troops from the peninsula occurred, embarking with the last troops to leave on the night of 19/20 December 1915.
Following their withdrawal from Gallipoli, the 23rd Battalion was moved to Lemnos Island, where they remained until January 1916 when they were transferred back to Egypt. Here they conducted further training until receiving orders that they were to be transferred to Europe in March.
Western Front
After arriving in FranceFrance
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...
, the battalion moved 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...
, occupying the forward positions around 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....
in northern France on 10 April 1916. In mid-July, the battalion was transferred to 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....
, where they subsequently took part in the battles 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...
and 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:...
, suffering almost 90 per cent casualties. After being reinforced, the battalion was committed to the fighting at the second battle of Bullecourt in May 1917 after the first attempt by the 4th Australian Division failed. Succeeding in capturing all its objectives, it was heavily counter-attacked by German forces, suffering a large number of casualties, including 100 men killed or died of wounds before being relieved by the 3rd Battalion. After this the battalion was withdrawn from the line until early September 1917 when they moved into positions around 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...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, and participated in the 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...
on 4 October. During this battle, the 6th Brigade was positioned to the south of Zonnebeke Lake, and the 23rd Battalion lost three officers and 101 other ranks killed or wounded, some of whom were inflicted when an intense German mortar barrage
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
fell upon their form-up point prior to the attack. Nevertheless, the attack which followed, after overcoming an encounter with a German regiment, the 212th, in no man's land
No man's land
No man's land is a term for land that is unoccupied or is under dispute between parties that leave it unoccupied due to fear or uncertainty. The term was originally used to define a contested territory or a dumping ground for refuse between fiefdoms...
, resulted in success as the Australians captured the ridge.
Eastern Front (World War I)
The Eastern Front was a theatre of war during World War I in Central and, primarily, Eastern Europe. The term is in contrast to the Western Front. Despite the geographical separation, the events in the two theatres strongly influenced each other...
collapsed in the wake of the October Revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
and, as a result, the Germans were able to transfer a large number of troops to the Western Front. This greatly improved the German strength in the West and, as a result, in March, they launched their Spring Offensive
Spring Offensive
The 1918 Spring Offensive or Kaiserschlacht , also known as the Ludendorff Offensive, was a series of German attacks along the Western Front during World War I, beginning on 21 March 1918, which marked the deepest advances by either side since 1914...
. With the Germans making rapid gains, many Australian units, including the 23rd Battalion, were thrown into the line to blunt the attack in early April, as the 6th Brigade relieved the 12th
12th Brigade (Australia)
The 12th Brigade was an infantry brigade of the Australian Army. It was initially raised in 1916 as part of the expansion of the First Australian Imperial Force, which was Australia's overseas volunteer force during World War I...
around Dernancourt.
Following this, the 23rd participated in the fighting at Hamel
Battle of Hamel
The Battle of Hamel was a successful attack launched by the Australian Corps of the Australian Imperial Force and several American units against German positions in and around the town of Hamel in northern France during World War I....
on 4 July, advancing as the right-hand battalion on the southern front behind a devastatingly accurate preparatory barrage. In August 1918, it joined the Allied Hundred Days Offensive
Hundred Days Offensive
The Hundred Days Offensive was the final period of the First World War, during which the Allies launched a series of offensives against the Central Powers on the Western Front from 8 August to 11 November 1918, beginning with the Battle of Amiens. The offensive forced the German armies to retreat...
, which was launched at Amiens on 8 August 1918. Later, for his actions during the fighting at Mont St. Quentin
Battle of Mont St. Quentin
The Battle of Mont Saint-Quentin was a battle on the Western Front during World War I. As part of the Allied counteroffensives on the Western Front in the late summer of 1918, the Australian Corps crossed the Somme River on the night of August 31, and broke the German lines at Mont Saint-Quentin...
in early September, one of the battalion's soldiers, Private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
Robert Mactier
Robert MacTier
Mactier was buried nearby but was later reinterred in the Hem Farm cemetery. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia.-Honours & Awards:Mactier has been commemorated in numerous ways....
, was 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....
posthumously. After participating in the Battle of Beaurevoir between 3 and 4 October, the battalion was sent to the rear for rest when the units of 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...
, severely depleted, were withdrawn from the line upon the insistence of the Australian prime minister, Billy Hughes
Billy Hughes
William Morris "Billy" Hughes, CH, KC, MHR , Australian politician, was the seventh Prime Minister of Australia from 1915 to 1923....
. As a result, it took no further part in the fighting before the armistice
Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)
The armistice between the Allies and Germany was an agreement that ended the fighting in the First World War. It was signed in a railway carriage in Compiègne Forest on 11 November 1918 and marked a victory for the Allies and a complete defeat for Germany, although not technically a surrender...
was declared on 11 November.
Disbandment
Following the end of hostilities, the demobilisation process began and slowly the battalion's numbers began to dwindle. The 23rd Battalion was disbanded in Belgium on 30 April 1919. Throughout its service during the war, it suffered 686 killed and 2,317 wounded (including gassed).Re-raising and subsequent amalgamation
In 1921 the decision was made to perpetuate the battle honourBattle honour
A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags , uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible....
s and traditions of the AIF by re-organising the units of the Citizens Forces
Australian Army Reserve
The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citizens Forces, the Citizen Military Forces, the Militia and, unofficially, the...
to adopt the numerical designations of the AIF units with which they were affiliated. As a result of this decision, the 23rd Battalion was re-raised, later adopting the title of the "23rd Battalion (The City of Geelong Regiment)" when territorial titles were introduced in 1927, and perpetuating the battle honours of its AIF predecessor. In 1928, the battalion was part of the 2nd Brigade
2nd 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...
, within the 3rd Military District
3rd Military District (Australia)
The 3rd Military District was an administrative district of the Australian Army. During the Second World War, the 3rd Military District covered all of Victoria, with its headquarters based at Melbourne.-References:...
.
In 1929, following the election of the Scullin
James Scullin
James Henry Scullin , Australian Labor politician and the ninth Prime Minister of Australia. Two days after he was sworn in as Prime Minister, the Wall Street Crash of 1929 occurred, marking the beginning of the Great Depression and subsequent Great Depression in Australia.-Early life:Scullin was...
Labor government
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
, the compulsory training scheme
Conscription in Australia
Conscription in Australia, or mandatory military service also known as National Service, has a controversial history dating back to the first years of nationhood...
was abolished and this, coupled with the economic privations of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
drastically reduced the number of recruits available. As a result the decision was made to amalgamate a number of units. The 23rd Battalion was one of those chosen and it was linked with the 21st Battalion
21st Battalion (Australia)
The 21st Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was raised in 1915 as part of the First Australian Imperial Force for service during World War I and formed part of the 6th Brigade, attached to the 2nd Division. It fought during the Gallipoli campaign and on the Western Front...
to become the 23rd/21st Battalion
23rd/21st Battalion (Australia)
The 23rd/21st Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Part of the Citizen Military Force, it was formed in 1929 by the amalgamation of the 23rd and 21st Battalions due to lack of numbers in these two units. Upon formation they adopted the territorial title of the 23rd/21st...
, adopting the territorial designation of "The City of Geelong Regiment/The Victoria Rangers".
This battalion undertook garrison duties in the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
during World War II
World 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...
, before being disbanded in 1943 without having served overseas.
Commanding officers
During World War I, the following officers served as commanding officer of the 23rd Battalion:- George Frederick Morton;
- George Hodges Knox;
- Wilfred Kent Fethers;
- William Brazenor;
- William Joseph Bateman.
Battle honours
World War I: Suvla, Gallipoli 1915–1916Battle 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...
, Egypt 1915–1917
First Suez Offensive
The First Suez Offensive took place between the Ottoman Empire and the British Empire in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I...
, Somme 1916
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...
, 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...
, Bapaume 1917, Bullecourt, Ypres 1917, Menin Road, 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...
, Broodseinde, Poelcappelle, Passchendaele, Hamel
Battle of Hamel
The Battle of Hamel was a successful attack launched by the Australian Corps of the Australian Imperial Force and several American units against German positions in and around the town of Hamel in northern France during World War I....
, Amiens, Albert 1918
Battle of Albert (1918)
Battle of Albert was the third battle by that name fought during World War I, following the First Battle of Albert, and the Second Battle of Albert, with each of the series of three being fought roughly two years apart...
, Mont St Quentin
Battle of Mont St. Quentin
The Battle of Mont Saint-Quentin was a battle on the Western Front during World War I. As part of the Allied counteroffensives on the Western Front in the late summer of 1918, the Australian Corps crossed the Somme River on the night of August 31, and broke the German lines at Mont Saint-Quentin...
, Hindenburg Line
Hindenburg 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...
, Beaurevoir, France and Flanders 1916–1918
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...
.