33rd Battalion (Australia)
Encyclopedia
The 33rd Battalion was an infantry
battalion
of the Australian Army
. Raised for service during World War I
as part of the 1st Australian Imperial Force
, the battalion was formed in January 1916 as part of the 9th Brigade of the Australian 3rd Division during an expansion of the AIF. The majority of the battalion's personnel came from the New England
region of New South Wales
and as a result the 33rd Battalion came to be known unofficially as “New England’s Own”.
The battalion’s first commanding officer
was Lieutenant Colonel Leslie Morshead
. After undertaking initial training in Australia, the battalion sailed to the United Kingdom in May 1916 where they undertook further training. In November 1916 they arrived in France
where they served in the trenches along the Western Front
until the end of the war, taking part in a number of significant battles including Messines
, Passchendaele, Villers-Bretonneux
and the Hundred Days Offensive
. Following the end of hostilities, the battalion's numbers were slowly reduced as personnel were repatriated to Australia for demobilisation and finally, in May 1919, the battalion was disbanded.
During the course of the war, the 33rd Battalion lost 451 killed men and 2,052 wounded. Two members of the battalion received the Victoria Cross
: John Carroll
and George Cartwright
.
s:
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...
. Raised 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...
as part of the 1st 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...
, the battalion was formed in January 1916 as part of the 9th Brigade of the Australian 3rd Division during an expansion of the AIF. The majority of the battalion's personnel came from the New England
New England (Australia)
New England or New England North West is the name given to a generally undefined region about 60 kilometres inland, that includes the Northern Tablelands and the North West Slopes regions in the north of the state of New South Wales, Australia.-History:The region has been occupied by Indigenous...
region of New South Wales
New South Wales
New 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...
and as a result the 33rd Battalion came to be known unofficially as “New England’s Own”.
The battalion’s first commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
was Lieutenant Colonel Leslie Morshead
Leslie Morshead
Lieutenant General Sir Leslie James Morshead KCB, KBE, CMG, DSO, ED was an Australian soldier, teacher, businessman, and farmer, with a distinguished military career that spanned both world wars...
. After undertaking initial training in Australia, the battalion sailed to the United Kingdom in May 1916 where they undertook further training. In November 1916 they arrived in 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 they served in the trenches along 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...
until the end of the war, taking part in a number of significant battles including Messines
Battle of Messines
The Battle of Messines was a battle of the Western front of the First World War. It began on 7 June 1917 when the British Second Army under the command of General Herbert Plumer launched an offensive near the village of Mesen in West Flanders, Belgium...
, Passchendaele, Villers-Bretonneux
First Battle of Villers-Bretonneux
The First Battle of Villers-Bretonneux, , was part of the wider First Battle of the Somme . The capture of Villers-Bretonneux, being close to the strategic centre of Amiens, would have meant that the Germans could have used artillery there to shell the city.-Background:With the general position...
and the 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...
. Following the end of hostilities, the battalion's numbers were slowly reduced as personnel were repatriated to Australia for demobilisation and finally, in May 1919, the battalion was disbanded.
During the course of the war, the 33rd Battalion lost 451 killed men and 2,052 wounded. Two members of the battalion received 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....
: John Carroll
John Carroll (VC)
John Carroll 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....
and George Cartwright
George Cartwright
George Cartwright VC, ED was a British-born 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.-Early life:Cartwright was born in South Kensington, London, on 9 December...
.
Battle honours
For its service, the 33rd Battalion received the following 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:
- World War I: Messines 1917, Ypres 1917, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde, Poelcappelle, Passchendaele, Somme 1918, Villers-Bretonneux, Ancre 1918, Amiens, Albert 1918, Mont St Quentin, Hindenburg Line, St Quentin Canal, France and Flanders 1916–1918.
Further reading
- Edwards, John. (1996). Never a Backward Step: A History of First 33rd Battalion, AIF. Bettong Books: Grafton, NSW. ISBN 978-0-646-25830-0.