Australian 3rd Division (World War I)
Encyclopedia
The 3rd Division was an infantry
division of the Australian Army
. Existing during various periods between 1916 and 1991, it is considered the "longest serving Australian Army division". It was first formed during World War I
, as an infantry
division of the Australian Imperial Force
and saw service on the Western Front
in France
and Belgium
. During this time it fought major battles at Messines
, Broodseinde Ridge, Passchendaele, Amiens, and the St Quentin Canal.
After the war the division was demobilised in 1919 before being re-raised in 1921 as part of the Citizen Forces
, based in central Victoria
. Throughout the 1920s and 30s, the division's establishment fluctuated due to the effects of the Great Depression
and a general apathy towards military matters.
During World War II
, the division was mobilised for war in December 1941 and initially undertook defensive duties in Australia before being deployed to New Guinea
in 1943 where they took part in the Salamaua–Lae campaign
against the Japanese in 1943–1944, before returning to Australia for rest and reorganisation. In late 1944 they were sent to Bougainville
to take part in their final campaign of the war. There they undertook a series of advances across the island before the war came to an end in August 1945.
Following the end of hostilities the division was disbanded in December 1945 as part of the demobilisation process
, but was it later re-raised in 1948 as part of the Citizens Military Force. It subsequently served through the Cold War
as a reserve formation until 1991 when the division was disbanded for a final time as the Australian Army was restructured and the focus of Australian field force operations shifted from the divisional-level to brigade
s.
(AIF). At the time there were two divisions in Egypt
—the 1st
and 2nd—and of these, one of them (the 1st) was split up to provide a cadre
upon which to raise the 4th and 5th Divisions. Around this time the decision to raise a fifth division from fresh volunteers in Australia was also made and as a result the 3rd Division was officially raised on 2 February 1916.
Upon formation, the division drew its personnel from all Australian states and consisted of three four-battalion
infantry brigade
s—the 9th, 10th
and the 11th
—and a number of supporting elements including engineers, artillery and medical personnel. Only rudimentary initial training was undertaken before elements of the division began the embarkation process in May and June 1916 as they were moved to the United Kingdom
, where the individual sub units concentrated for the first time, received arms and other equipment and began the task of undertaking further training at Lark Hill, on Salisbury Plain
. In July the division's artillery component was formed, consisting of three batteries
of 18-pounders and one 4.5 inch howitzer
battery. The process of raising and training took some time and consequently the division was not transferred to France
until mid November 1916. Prior to this, however, the division endured proposals to break it up to provide reinforcements to the other four Australian divisions that were already in France. Although these threats passed, in early September 1916, following losses around Pozieres
, almost 3,000 men from the 3rd Division were transferred. Throughout October it seemed likely that further drafts would be siphoned away from the division, however, this did not occur and in early November two divisional exercises were undertaken. Finally, on 21 November 1916, the 3rd Division crossed the English Channel and arrived in France.
Under the command of Major General
John Monash
, the division was assigned to II ANZAC Corps
. For the next two years they would take part in most of the major battles that the Australians fought on the Western Front. Initially they were deployed around Armentieres
in a "quiet" sector of the line, where they gained their first experiences of trench warfare, conducting patrols into No Man's Land
and minor raids on the German trenches opposite them during the winter months.
, taking up a position on the extreme right of II ANZAC Corps, with the New Zealand Division
to its left. It was here, in early June 1917, that the division undertook its first major engagement of the war when it was committed to the fighting during the Battle of Messines
. Monash tasked the 9th and 10th Brigades to provide the assault force for the 3rd Division's part of the operation, while the 11th Brigade was to act as the divisional reserve.
As the division's assault units began their approach march towards the line of departure
late on the evening of 6 June, the German artillery opened up with a gas bombardment that severely hindered the march, breaking up the assaulting units as men became lost. Suffering over 2,000 casualties before the battle even began, many of the division's assault units reached their assembly points with less than 200 men, nevertheless they arrived on time and at the appointed hour, after a number of mines were exploded in front of their positions, the assault began. The exploding mines had destroyed a large part of the German line and as a result initial resistance was quickly overcome by the division's lead battalions—the 33rd
, 34th
, 38th and 39th—and by 5 am, the division had gained the crest of the Messines ridge and began digging in to defend against a possible counter-attack
. In the engagements that followed the division largely played only a supporting role.
Following this, the division's next major engagement came on 4 October 1917 when it took part in the Battle of Broodseinde Ridge. This time the 9th Brigade was held back in reserve, while the 10th and 11th Brigades led the division forward. Attacking on the left of the Australian 2nd Division and the right of the New Zealand Division, early on the morning of the scheduled start of the attack the German artillery opened up on the division's eight assaulting infantry battalions as they stood to in the open ready to step off. Conserving their artillery for the main attack, the supporting Allied artillery only provided limited counter-battery fire and the division suffered heavily as they were forced to endure an hour long barrage before zero hour came at 6 am. As the 37th
and 43rd Battalions led the advance towards the German lines, supported by small teams of mortarmen and machine gunners, the Germans launched their own attack, however, the Australian assault had taken them by surprise and after some initial resistance, the German assault troops began to fall back or surrender. As the follow-on battalions exploited the ground gained in the initial assault the advance continued and by 9:15 am the 3rd Division had carried the ridge and begun to dig in, having advanced 2000 yards (1,828.8 m). A counterattack late in the day on the 11th Brigade's position was turned back, sealing a stunning success for the 3rd Division. Nevertheless, the division's casualties were high, with over 1,800 men killed or wounded. For his actions during the attack, Walter Peeler
, a Lewis-gunner from the 3rd Pioneer Battalion who was attached to 37th Battalion for anti-aircraft duties received the Victoria Cross
after he personally led the assault on a number of German positions.
They held the line for a further three days before being withdrawn for rest and reorganisation. On 10 October 1917 the division returned to the front and began to make preparations to assault Passchendaele Ridge, an advance of over 3000 yards (2,743.2 m). Heavy rain, however, had turned the battlefield into a thick, muddy morass and as a result transportation and resupply efforts were hampered as were attempts to reposition the supporting artillery and as a consequence when the attack went in at 5:25 am on 12 October the 9th and 10th Brigades had only limited fire support. With only a fraction of the guns required and limited ammunition, the artillery that was supposed to provide a creeping barrage behind which the infantry were to advance could only provide a thin bombardment. Nevertheless, the mud was so thick that the infantry were unable to keep up with the barrage and, unable to maintain the required rate of advance, they eventually they fell behind the barrage and lost any cover that it might otherwise have provided.
Upon reaching the Bellevue Spur, the assaulting infantry, caught in the open upon the barbed wire in front of the German positions, suffered heavily at the hands of the German artillery that was able to fire without answer from the British batteries that had run out of ammunition. Nevertheless, the 10th Brigade managed to reach its first objective, as did the 9th which even pushed on to its second, however, as they began to receive enfilade fire from their left flank
where the New Zealand Division's attack had ground to a halt, the Germans began massing for a counterattack and the Australian positions quickly became untenable. On the division's right flank another gap had begun to develop as they lost contact with the Australian 4th Division and as a result the order to retire was passed. As they returned to the start line, the assault units were relieved by the 11th Brigade, which had formed the divisional reserve. By the end of the day, the division had lost almost 3,200 men killed or wounded. They played no further offensive role in the battle and were eventually removed from the line on 22 October as the Canadians took over from them.
The fighting around Passchendaele proved to be the division's last offensive actions for 1917 and they spent the winter months in the rear training, or undertaking defensive duties in reasonably quiet sectors of the line as they were reformed and brought back up to strength. Around this time also, the five Australian divisions on the Western Front were reorganised into a unified command structure under the Australian Corps
.
near Saint-Quentin
and as the Allied line collapsed, the German forces advanced swiftly into the Somme valley. Believing that another attack would be directed against the forces in the Flanders
sector, in an effort to reinforce the British forces there, the Allied commanders recalled the 3rd Division was recalled from its quiet sector around Armentieres and sent it to Ypres. The attack came, however, at the Somme and so on 24 March the division was transferred south to help stem the advance and defend the approaches towards the important railhead at Amiens
. Temporarily placed under the command of the British VII Corps, the division took up position to the east of Amiens in between the Ancre and Somme Rivers.
Lacking any reserves and possessing only limited artillery support, the division's engineers prepared the bridges over the rivers for detonation. From 27 March onwards minor actions were fought along the line as the German advance began to reach the Australians. On 30 March a serious attempt at penetrating the line around Sailly-Laurette was held and broken up by the 11th Brigade, with German losses being assessed at around one and a half brigades, or roughly between 3 to 4,000 men. On 6 April further attempts were made and in the confusion the charges that had been placed on the Bouzencourt Bridge were fired and it was dropped into the Somme Canal. Nevertheless the attempt was beaten off by the 10th Brigade. Following this the Australians were able to begin taking the initiative and throughout May they began to slowly recapture some of the ground that had been lost earlier as they undertook a serious of peaceful penetration
operations.
In June 1918, the 3rd Division's commander, Monash, was promoted to take over command of the Australian Corps and as a result Major General John Gellibrand
took over as divisional commander.
around Amiens and the 3rd Division was tasked with leading the Australian Corps part in the attack. By this stage, the divisional artillery consisted of three field brigades, and under the cover of a heavy artillery bombardment provided by nine field brigades that were organised in three supporting sub-groups, and supported by tanks and gas, the attack began at 4:20 am. The weight of the Allied fire support was intense as over 2,000 artillery pieces opened up on the German defences. The assaulting infantry battalions were each assigned a frontage of about 1000 yards (914.4 m) which they assaulted with two companies forward and two in support. Thick smoke meant that the attackers found it difficult to maintain their spacing and some of the supporting armour was also delayed. Nevertheless the attack proved successful, as the Australians overwhelmed the German defenders and by the end of the day the division had achieved all of its objectives.
Throughout the rest of August, they continued offensive operations, even launching daylight raids upon the German positions. On 22 August they attacked once more, advancing through the village of Bray, capturing a number of German prisoners. After a brief lull in the fighting, they continued the advance again on 25 August capturing Clery at the end of the week before taking Allaines on 2 September. Throughout September the Germans began to withdraw back towards the Hindenburg Line
and the 3rd Division took part in the operations undertaken to follow them up and harass the rearguard
. Casualties during this phase had been high, however, and as a result the division's pioneers
were used as infantry and even led the advance towards Buire on 6 September.
As operations continued throughout the month, casualties amongst the Australian Corps became critical and the decision was made to disband some of the 3rd Division's battalions and use them to reinforce the remaining units. This decision saw the reduction of the strength of division's infantry brigades from four battalions to three, bringing the Australians into line with the British, who had made a similar decision earlier in the war. Nevertheless, the decision was not popular amongst the soldiers and when the 42nd Battalion received the order to disband, the attempt was rejected by its personnel and the order disobeyed. As a result, the proposed reorganisation was postponed until after the division's final offensive actions were fought in early October 1918. These came around the St Quentin Canal when the division attacked the Beaurevior Line in concert with American troops from the US 27th Division, who would lead the assault in. The attack went awry, however, when the lead assault units failed to adequately clear the forward positions and subsequently when the 3rd Division was committed they came under fire almost immediately and instead of passing through the American positions, they had to complete the mopping up process before they could advance. Nevertheless by nightfall on 1 October, the division had captured the northern end of the tunnel that ran under the canal.
On 2 October the majority of the 3rd Division was removed from the line for rest and reorganisation, although a number of its artillery batteries would continue to support the operations of the II American Corps until they were withdrawn. Following this they continued to participate in the fighting in support of the British 6th Division. The 27th Battery fired the division's last shot of the war on 4 November at Wassigny. Nevertheless, the division was out of the line when news of the Armistice came on 11 November 1918. Following the end of hostilities the demobilisation process began and as men were repatriated back to Australia, the division was eventually disbanded on 28 May 1919.
. Between 1918 and 1921, as the demobilisation process was completed, this force existed in a state of flux, however, in 1921 planning for the post war Army was finally completed. On 1 May 1921 the 3rd Division was re-raised in Victoria
as part of the 3rd Military District. Upon formation it consisted of three four-battalion brigades—the 4th Brigade, 10th Brigade and 15th Brigade
—and various supporting units including artillery, engineers, signals, transport and medical.
At this time, the existing infantry battalions of the Citizens Force were redesignated to perpetuate the numerical designations of the AIF, and although an attempt was made to allocate these designations based on regional considerations, ultimately this was not always possible and ultimately when the 3rd Division was re-established, only two of its component battalions—the 37th and 39th Battalions—had previously been assigned to the division.
With a peacetime establishment of about 16,000 personnel (18,400 upon mobilisation), the division was brought up to strength through the compulsory training scheme
. Initially the system worked well and a number of the division's subunits reported being above establishment, however, this did not last long. In 1922, the Washington Naval Treaty
was signed and theoretically alleviated Australia's security concerns about Japanese expansion in the Pacific. As a result the Army's budget was halved and as the scope of the compulsory training scheme was scaled back, the authorised strength of each infantry battalion was reduced to just 409 men of all ranks. The division's artillery was also reduced, with one field battery in each artillery brigade being disbanded at this time. As a result of the subsequent reorganisation, the 3rd Division's artillery consisted of three artillery brigades, the 2nd, 4th and 8th.
In 1929 the compulsory training scheme was suspended following the election of the Scullin
Labor
government. In its place a new system was introduced whereby the Citizens Force would be maintained on a part-time, voluntary basis only. It was also renamed the "Militia" at this time. The decision to suspend compulsory training, coupled with the economic downturn of the Great Depression
meant that the manpower of many Militia units dropped considerably and as a result a number of units were amalgamated. As a part of this process, the division was reduced from 12 infantry battalions to nine as six battalions were merged to form new amalgamated units—29th/22nd, 37th/52nd
and 57th/60th Battalions
. To a large extent, however, these were hollow structures and by 1931 the 3rd Division's overall establishment was just 4,505 men all ranks.
Throughout the 1930s the number of active personnel remained low and out of necessity training opportunities were limited. After 1936, however, the Army attempted to improve the conditions of service for its members and to reinvigorate the training program, while individual units began to undertake their own recruiting campaigns. Nevertheless, it was not until 1938, as tensions grew in Europe and the prospect of war became more likely, that an attempt was made to expand the establishment of the Militia. At this time an effort was made to determine the readiness of the Militia to expand if mobilised. During the continuous training camps undertaken throughout 1938, each component unit was assessed with mixed results. The following year, 1939, saw further expansion and by the end of April of that year, the division's posted strength had grown to 9,589 personnel. As a part of this expansion, the divisional artillery was expanded by the re-raising of the batteries that had been disbanded in 1922.
, mobilisation began slowly as the government called up a force of about 8,000 Militia personnel to undertake security duties in the days following the declaration of war. A short time later, the decision was made to raise an all volunteer force for overseas service, known as the Second Australian Imperial Force
(2nd AIF). This was necessary due to the provisions of the Defence Act (1903) which precluded deploying the Militia outside of Australian territory, and as a result the government decided to use the Militia to provide a small cadre upon which the 2nd AIF would be raised, as well as to provide training to conscripts as part of the compulsory training scheme which was re-established in early 1940. Nevertheless, during this time large numbers of officers and senior non commissioned officers from the 3rd Division volunteered for service with the 2nd AIF and many units lost a large amount of their experienced personnel at this time.
Throughout 1940–41, the Militia were called up in cohorts for periods of continuous training, and the 3rd Division, still consisting of the 4th, 10th and 15th Brigades, undertook a series of training camps around Seymour, Victoria
. In March 1941, the division's artillery was reorganised to bring it in line with the British organisational system with each artillery brigade being converted to a field regiment. Numerical designations stayed the same, however, and by late 1941 the division had completed its transition. This saw its infantry brigades once again reduced from four battalions to three, while various supporting elements were inserted at brigade-level, however, training at this time was still rudimentary and limited mainly to individual skills, and the division's establishment was recorded as being only half of its authorised wartime establishment. There was also a shortage of modern equipment.
With Japan's entry into the war following the attacks on Pearl Harbor
and Malaya
, it became more likely that the division would be called upon to undertake active service overseas, and the division was mobilised for war. In early January 1942, Major General Stanley Savige
, an experienced officer who had commanded the 17th Brigade in combat against the Germans in the Middle East
earlier in the war, took over command of the division. Savige set about the task of preparing the division for combat and he began by removing officers that he did not think were physically fit enough or competent to lead in battle and replacing them with men who had gained experience in AIF units. A comprehensive training program was established and in April 1942 the division was assigned to the Australian I Corps, and in order to enable divisional exercises to begin, the 3rd Division moved to Bonegilla, Victoria
. In order to toughen the men up, Savige decided that they would march on foot to the new camp.
The following month they were relocated once more, this time to Queensland
where they undertook training exercises and defensive duties along the coast between Brisbane and Tweed Heads
on the New South Wales
border. At this time, the Army began to rectify the deficiencies in the division's equipment lists and battalions began receiving new machine guns, motor transport and Bren carriers
. As the situation in New Guinea
grew worse, the decision was made to reorganise the 3rd Division and throughout August, four battalions were amalgamated—the 37th, 52nd, 58th and 59th. In September, the 10th Brigade was disbanded and its battalions reallocated to the 4th and 15th Brigades. In October the 29th and 46th Battalions were also amalgamated, leaving the division with just six infantry battalions in two brigades.
and the 4th Brigade going to Milne Bay
. At this point the 4th Brigade was re-assigned to the 5th Division. It would later be replaced within the division by the 29th Brigade
. The division's stay in Port Moresby was brief and in April it began moving to Wau where they subsumed the units assigned to Kanga Force
, including the 17th Brigade, a 2nd AIF formation, and began operations as part of the Salamaua–Lae campaign
.
Initially operations were limited to the area immediately surrounding Bulolo, but as the division became established the headquarters was shifted to Tambu Bay and brigades were pushed out towards Mubo, and the Komiatum and Bobdui Ridges, while defensive patrols were undertaken through the Wampit Valley, around the Bulwa and Zenag airstrips and towards the Markham River. Stretched across a front of over 75 miles (120.7 km), in June the division was reinforced by the US 162nd Infantry Regiment
. Following this the division took on primary responsibility for Allied operations in New Guinea. Eventually Lae fell in September and soon afterwards, its elements were moved back to Port Moresby, before being sent to support the 7th Division's campaign in the Markham and Ramu Valleys
and the advance on Madang
.
In August 1944 the 3rd Division's brigades were withdrawn back to Australia for leave and reorganisation. After this, preparations began for the division's next campaign. Around this time, the 3rd Division adopted the jungle divisional establishment
, and was reorganised around three infantry brigades: the 7th, 15th and 29th Brigades. It was also assigned to the Australian II Corps.
, began to relieve the units of the US XIV Corps that were to be transferred elsewhere in the Pacific. Allied intelligence of Japanese strengths on the island varied at the time, although it was believed that there were around 17,500 Japanese on Bougainville. Although this was later proved to be grossly incorrect, nevertheless the Allies believed that the Japanese formations in the area, despite being under strength, were still capable of carrying out effective combat operations. As a result, it was decided that II Corps would go on the offensive in order to clear the Japanese from the island and a three pronged campaign was planned in the northern, central and southern sectors of the island.
The division was supported by a number of artillery units including the 2nd and 4th Field Regiments and the 2nd Mountain Battery, and various anti-aircraft units. Later, also 'U' Heavy Battery, with four 155 mm howitzers was transferred from Lae, as was the 2/11th Field Regiment. In order to provide organic fire support during the advance, the decision was made at this time to place the divisional artillery assets directly underneath the subunits they were supporting. At the outset, the division's allocation of engineers consisted of only two field companies, the 5th and 11th, however over the course of the campaign others arrived including the 10th, 15th and the 7th, which was the last to arrive in June 1945. Ultimately the division had almost 1,600 engineers across five field companies and various supporting plant, park and other units. This represented one of the largest engineer contingents within an Australian division during the war. Initially the division was deployed without armoured support, however, in December 1944, 'B' Squadron, 2/4th Armoured Regiment
, equipped with Matilda II tanks, arrived and subsequently took part in operations on the island attached to elements of the division.
The 7th Brigade, supported by the 2nd Field Regiment, was the first to commence operations, as the 9th Battalion launched a surprise attack in the central sector of the island upon a Japanese outpost at Little George Hill on 25 November. The following month the battalion seized control of Artillery Hill, while the 29th Brigade began patrolling operations in the southern sector.
Following the capture of Pearl Ridge
by the 25th Battalion, the focus of the 3rd Division's operations on Bougainville was shifted on the northern and southern sectors. The 11th Brigade, independent of the 3rd Division, assumed control of the drive to the north, while the 3rd Division concentrated on the drive south towards Buin
, where the main Japanese force was concentrated. Rotating his brigades, the division's commander, Major General William Bridgeford
, advanced south from Torokina towards the Puriata river. After crossing it, the Japanese launched a significant counterattack around Slater's Knoll
, which was eventually beaten off in early April.
In April 1945 the 15th Brigade took over from the 7th Brigade and resumed the advance on the Hongorai and Mivo rivers. In early July, the 29th Brigade relieved the 15th and continued the advance and as they attempted to cross the Mivo, the Japanese launched a ferocious counter-attack upon the 15th Battalion
which was turned back by desperate defence. Following this the advance came to a halt as torrential rain turned the axis of advance into "a sea of mud" and many of the bridges upon which the Australian supply system was dependent were washed away. As the situation became worse, briefly even patrolling operations had to be stopped. These patrols were resumed, however, in late July and into August, as isolated pockets of Japanese began to attack the 3rd Division's supply lines and support units. As preparations were made to resume the advance, the dropping of two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
and Japan's subsequent unconditional surrender
brought the fighting on Bougainville to an end and a cease fire came into affect.
Following the end of hostilities, the demobilisation process
began and eventually the 3rd Division was disbanded on 4 December 1945. During the division's campaign in Bougainville, one of its soldiers, Reg Rattey, earned the Victoria Cross for his actions during the fighting around Slater's Knoll.
and 9th Brigades—it was once again based in central Victoria, although subunits were also based in South Australia
and Tasmania
. Once again the division's component units bore little resemblance to those that had fought with it during the two World Wars. Service in the post war CMF was initially on a voluntary basis and recruitment remained poor until 1951 when conscription was introduced once again in an effort to improve the readiness of the Australian military during the Korean War
. The 3rd Division was not deployed during this time, however, and although national service was instituted, service in Korea was undertaken on a voluntary basis, and conscription was used only as a means to expand the CMF and provide a base upon which mobilisation could be achieved if it proved necessary.
Nevertheless, the resulting influx of manpower revitalised the CMF to the point that during the 1950s the division experienced a remarkable level of manning and resources that saw many units achieve full strength, with full equipment allocations. On 23 March 1958 a divisional parade was conducted at Puckapunyal
, bringing together all of the division's Victorian-based units in a concentration of force not seen in the division since 1916. The following year the division conducted a live-fire exercise at Puckapunyal based upon the 4th Brigade and involving over 3,500 men, tanks, artillery, aircraft, and various supporting arms. Despite the success demonstrated by the exercise, it would be the last time that the division mounted something similar the national service scheme was modified to limit the size of each yearly intake of trainees and the size of the CMF was reduced by over 30,000 men in an effort to free up Regular personnel to raise the 1st Brigade. The 1957 reforms, however, did not achieve the efficiencies required in order to free up Regular personnel to meet the strategic requirements to maintain a regular field force that was ready to respond to the exigencies of the Cold War
. As a result in 1959 the decision was made to suspend national service as it was realised that further changes were required to expand the size of the Regular army. Further changes came with the introduction of the Pentropic divisional establishment
into the Australian Army. This saw the reduction of the Army to just two divisions, the 1st and 3rd Divisions, and as a part of this the division was reorganised into five battalion-plus sized battle groups, and resulted in the removal of brigade-level formations and the disbandment and amalgamation of a number of smaller regionally-based infantry battalions, into larger units that were part of State-based regiments.
With an authorised peacetime establishment of 13,621 personnel, the 3rd Division included formations in five different military command districts including Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia as well as those in South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria. The main infantry components at this time were: 2nd Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment (RQR); 1st Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment (RVR); 2nd Battalion, RVR; 1st Battalion, Royal South Australia Regiment (RSAR); and 1st Battalion, Royal Western Australia Regiment.
The Australian Army's experiment with the Pentropic establishment did not last long, however, as it created a number of planning issues including lack of interoperability with other Western allies, none of whom used it. As a result, it was abandoned in late 1964 and into early 1965 and the 3rd Division was once again reorganised. The resulting changes saw the establishment of brigade-level formations, briefly known as "task forces", however, due to other planning considerations only one was raised for the 3rd Division at this time: the 4th Task Force, consisting of four infantry battalions: 1, 2, 5 and 6 RVR.
At the same time, the Australian government announced that the national service scheme would be implemented once again, however, instead of focusing upon expanding the CMF, the scheme was set up so that national servicemen would serve limited terms of service in Australian Regular Army (ARA) units with a view to service overseas in Vietnam
and Malaysia. This highlighted the changing focus of Australia's military planning towards Regular forces, however, it had a negative impact upon the division as essentially it was forced to compete with the ARA for manpower and although some gains were made from men that chose to serve longer national service terms in the CMF in order to defer their service in ARA units, these were negligible and arguably of limited quality. The government's decision not to deploy CMF units to these conflicts meant that many of the division's experienced personnel chose to transfer to ARA units in order to gain operational experience, although some attempts were made to rectify this situation by offering CMF officers the opportunity to undertake a short attachment to an ARA unit serving in Vietnam and a number of 3rd Division officers took up this opportunity, a few even saw combat.
When the national service scheme was ended following the election of the Whitlam Government
in late 1972, the 3rd Division lost a large number of personnel. At this time, the division's artillery assets included two artillery field regiments, a medium regiment, and a divisional locating battery, and although on paper the division was a large, combined arms formation, in reality many of its units were hollow and inadequately equipped, and in the decades following this the division, and indeed the CMF in general, underwent a period of uncertainty as the government attempted to solve the issues that the organisation faced, the most pressing of which was the question of its role and strategic relevance, as well as those concerning conditions of service, centralisation of training and access to equipment.
In 1976 the division's combat strength had dropped to the extent that it was really only a brigade-group formation, possessing only two infantry battalions: 1 and 2 RVR, as well as two field artillery regiments, a medium regiment and a locating battery. As a result, in February the division's headquarters were merged with the 4th Task Force's headquarters as the 3rd Division was redesignated as the "3rd Division Field Force Group". At the same time, the position of formation commander was downgraded to the rank of brigadier rather than major general. This remained the case until April 1984 when the divisional headquarters was re-established.
In the late 1980s the division was given the task of vital asset protection under the Defence of Australia doctrine
and the division undertook a number of exercises in the north of Australia, including "Kangaroo 89" in which more than 3,000 of its personnel took part. Nevertheless, in June 1991, following a force structure review, the 3rd Division was finally removed from the Australian Army's order of battle, and its remaining units were transferred to the command of the 4th Brigade.
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...
division 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...
. Existing during various periods between 1916 and 1991, it is considered the "longest serving Australian Army division". It was first formed 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 an infantry
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...
division of the 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...
and saw service 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...
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...
and 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...
. During this time it fought major battles at 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...
, Broodseinde Ridge, Passchendaele, Amiens, and the St Quentin Canal.
After the war the division was demobilised in 1919 before being re-raised in 1921 as part of the Citizen 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...
, based in central Victoria
Victoria (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....
. Throughout the 1920s and 30s, the division's establishment fluctuated due to the effects 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...
and a general apathy towards military matters.
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...
, the division was mobilised for war in December 1941 and initially undertook defensive duties in Australia before being deployed to New Guinea
New Guinea campaign
The New Guinea campaign was one of the major military campaigns of World War II.Before the war, the island of New Guinea was split between:...
in 1943 where they took part in the Salamaua–Lae campaign
Salamaua-Lae campaign
The Salamaua–Lae campaign was a series of actions in the New Guinea campaign of World War II. Australian and United States forces sought to capture two major Japanese bases, one in the town of Lae, and another one at Salamaua. The campaign to take the Salamaua and Lae area began with the Australian...
against the Japanese in 1943–1944, before returning to Australia for rest and reorganisation. In late 1944 they were sent to Bougainville
Bougainville Island
Bougainville Island is the main island of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville of Papua New Guinea. This region is also known as Bougainville Province or the North Solomons. The population of the province is 175,160 , which includes the adjacent island of Buka and assorted outlying islands...
to take part in their final campaign of the war. There they undertook a series of advances across the island before the war came to an end in August 1945.
Following the end of hostilities the division was disbanded in December 1945 as part of the demobilisation process
Demobilisation of the Australian military after World War II
The demobilisation of the Australian military after World War II involved discharging almost 600,000 men and women from the military, supporting their transition to civilian life and reducing the three armed services to peacetime strengths...
, but was it later re-raised in 1948 as part of the Citizens Military Force. It subsequently served through the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
as a reserve formation until 1991 when the division was disbanded for a final time as the Australian Army was restructured and the focus of Australian field force operations shifted from the divisional-level to 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.
Formation and training
In early 1916, following the unsuccessful Gallipoli campaign, the decision was made to expand the size of the Australian Imperial ForceAustralian 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). At the time there were two divisions in 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...
—the 1st
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...
and 2nd—and of these, one of them (the 1st) was split up to provide a cadre
En cadre
En cadre or cadre is a French expression originally denoting either the complement of commissioned officers of a regiment or the permanent skeleton establishment of a unit, around which the unit could be built if needed...
upon which to raise the 4th and 5th Divisions. Around this time the decision to raise a fifth division from fresh volunteers in Australia was also made and as a result the 3rd Division was officially raised on 2 February 1916.
Upon formation, the division drew its personnel from all Australian states and consisted of three four-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...
infantry 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—the 9th, 10th
10th Brigade (Australia)
The 10th Brigade was an infantry brigade of the Australian Army. It was raised in 1916 as part of the expansion of the Australian Imperial Force following the end of the Gallipoli campaign and subsequently saw service on the Western Front in France and Belgium during the First World War...
and the 11th
11th Brigade (Australia)
The Australian 11th Brigade is an Australian Army brigade which currently comprises most Australian Army Reserve units located in Queensland. The Brigade was first formed in early 1916 as part of the 3rd Division and saw action during World War I and World War II.-Brigade Structure:*Headquarters...
—and a number of supporting elements including engineers, artillery and medical personnel. Only rudimentary initial training was undertaken before elements of the division began the embarkation process in May and June 1916 as they were moved to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, where the individual sub units concentrated for the first time, received arms and other equipment and began the task of undertaking further training at Lark Hill, on Salisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain is a chalk plateau in central southern England covering . It is part of the Southern England Chalk Formation and largely lies within the county of Wiltshire, with a little in Hampshire. The plain is famous for its rich archaeology, including Stonehenge, one of England's best known...
. In July the division's artillery component was formed, consisting of three batteries
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
of 18-pounders and one 4.5 inch howitzer
Howitzer
A howitzer is a type of artillery piece characterized by a relatively short barrel and the use of comparatively small propellant charges to propel projectiles at relatively high trajectories, with a steep angle of descent...
battery. The process of raising and training took some time and consequently the division was not transferred 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...
until mid November 1916. Prior to this, however, the division endured proposals to break it up to provide reinforcements to the other four Australian divisions that were already in France. Although these threats passed, in early September 1916, following losses around 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...
, almost 3,000 men from the 3rd Division were transferred. Throughout October it seemed likely that further drafts would be siphoned away from the division, however, this did not occur and in early November two divisional exercises were undertaken. Finally, on 21 November 1916, the 3rd Division crossed the English Channel and arrived in France.
Under the command of Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
John Monash
John Monash
General Sir John Monash GCMG, KCB, VD was a civil engineer who became the Australian military commander in the First World War. He commanded the 13th Infantry Brigade before the War and then became commander of the 4th Brigade in Egypt shortly after the outbreak of the War with whom he took part...
, the division was assigned to II ANZAC Corps
II Anzac Corps
The II ANZAC Corps was an Australian and New Zealand First World War army corps formed in Egypt in February 1916 as part of the reorganization of the Australian Imperial Force following the evacuation of Gallipoli in November 1915, under the command of William Birdwood...
. For the next two years they would take part in most of the major battles that the Australians fought on the Western Front. Initially they were deployed around Armentieres
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 a "quiet" sector of the line, where they gained their first experiences of trench warfare, conducting patrols into No Man's Land
No Man's Land
No man's land is an unoccupied area between two opposing positions.No Man's Land may also refer to:-Places:In the United Kingdom* No Man's Land, Cornwall, England* No Man's Land Fort, off the coast of England* Nomansland, Devon, England...
and minor raids on the German trenches opposite them during the winter months.
Early engagements, 1917
By January 1917 the 3rd Division's artillery had been reorganised so that it consisted of two field artillery brigades, each of which consisted of three six-gun 18-pounder batteries and twelve 4.5 inch howitzers. These brigades were the 7th (consisting of the 25th, 26th, 27th and 107th Batteries) and the 8th (29th, 30th, 31st and 108th Batteries). In April 1917 the division was moved to the Messines–Wytschaete Ridge section of the line in BelgiumBelgium
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...
, taking up a position on the extreme right of II ANZAC Corps, with the New Zealand Division
New Zealand Division
The New Zealand Division was a World War I infantry division formed in Egypt in January 1916 following the evacuation of Gallipoli. At the outbreak of war the New Zealand Expeditionary Force contained a single infantry brigade which was combined with the unattached Australian 4th Infantry Brigade...
to its left. It was here, in early June 1917, that the division undertook its first major engagement of the war when it was committed to the fighting during the Battle of 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...
. Monash tasked the 9th and 10th Brigades to provide the assault force for the 3rd Division's part of the operation, while the 11th Brigade was to act as the divisional reserve.
As the division's assault units began their approach march towards the line of departure
Line of Departure
Line of Departure is a military term used to denote the starting position for an attack on enemy positions. During the Second World War, the term in use in the British, Canadian and American militaries was Start Line...
late on the evening of 6 June, the German artillery opened up with a gas bombardment that severely hindered the march, breaking up the assaulting units as men became lost. Suffering over 2,000 casualties before the battle even began, many of the division's assault units reached their assembly points with less than 200 men, nevertheless they arrived on time and at the appointed hour, after a number of mines were exploded in front of their positions, the assault began. The exploding mines had destroyed a large part of the German line and as a result initial resistance was quickly overcome by the division's lead battalions—the 33rd
33rd Battalion (Australia)
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...
, 34th
34th Battalion (Australia)
The 34th Battalion was a unit of 1st Australian Imperial Force, which was established in World War I. The battalion was formed in January 1916 as part of the 9th Brigade of the Australian 3rd Division. The bulk of the battalion’s recruits were drawn from the Maitland area and thus it was dubbed...
, 38th and 39th—and by 5 am, the division had gained the crest of the Messines ridge and began digging in to defend against a possible counter-attack
Counter-Attack
Counter-Attack is a 1945 war film starring Paul Muni and Marguerite Chapman as two Russians trapped in a collapsed building with seven enemy German soldiers during World War II...
. In the engagements that followed the division largely played only a supporting role.
Following this, the division's next major engagement came on 4 October 1917 when it took part in the Battle of Broodseinde Ridge. This time the 9th Brigade was held back in reserve, while the 10th and 11th Brigades led the division forward. Attacking on the left of the Australian 2nd Division and the right of the New Zealand Division, early on the morning of the scheduled start of the attack the German artillery opened up on the division's eight assaulting infantry battalions as they stood to in the open ready to step off. Conserving their artillery for the main attack, the supporting Allied artillery only provided limited counter-battery fire and the division suffered heavily as they were forced to endure an hour long barrage before zero hour came at 6 am. As the 37th
37th Battalion (Australia)
The 37th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was originally raised in 1916 for service during the World War I and took part in the fighting in the trenches of the Western Front in France and Belgium and was disbanded in 1918...
and 43rd Battalions led the advance towards the German lines, supported by small teams of mortarmen and machine gunners, the Germans launched their own attack, however, the Australian assault had taken them by surprise and after some initial resistance, the German assault troops began to fall back or surrender. As the follow-on battalions exploited the ground gained in the initial assault the advance continued and by 9:15 am the 3rd Division had carried the ridge and begun to dig in, having advanced 2000 yards (1,828.8 m). A counterattack late in the day on the 11th Brigade's position was turned back, sealing a stunning success for the 3rd Division. Nevertheless, the division's casualties were high, with over 1,800 men killed or wounded. For his actions during the attack, Walter Peeler
Walter Peeler
Walter "Wally" Peeler VC, BEM was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that can be awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces. He was decorated following his actions during the Battle of Broodseinde in...
, a Lewis-gunner from the 3rd Pioneer Battalion who was attached to 37th Battalion for anti-aircraft duties 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....
after he personally led the assault on a number of German positions.
They held the line for a further three days before being withdrawn for rest and reorganisation. On 10 October 1917 the division returned to the front and began to make preparations to assault Passchendaele Ridge, an advance of over 3000 yards (2,743.2 m). Heavy rain, however, had turned the battlefield into a thick, muddy morass and as a result transportation and resupply efforts were hampered as were attempts to reposition the supporting artillery and as a consequence when the attack went in at 5:25 am on 12 October the 9th and 10th Brigades had only limited fire support. With only a fraction of the guns required and limited ammunition, the artillery that was supposed to provide a creeping barrage behind which the infantry were to advance could only provide a thin bombardment. Nevertheless, the mud was so thick that the infantry were unable to keep up with the barrage and, unable to maintain the required rate of advance, they eventually they fell behind the barrage and lost any cover that it might otherwise have provided.
Upon reaching the Bellevue Spur, the assaulting infantry, caught in the open upon the barbed wire in front of the German positions, suffered heavily at the hands of the German artillery that was able to fire without answer from the British batteries that had run out of ammunition. Nevertheless, the 10th Brigade managed to reach its first objective, as did the 9th which even pushed on to its second, however, as they began to receive enfilade fire from their left flank
Flank
Flank may refer to:* Flank, the side of either a horse or a military unit*Flanking maneuver in military tactics* Flank , the waveform edge formed when a signal goes high or low...
where the New Zealand Division's attack had ground to a halt, the Germans began massing for a counterattack and the Australian positions quickly became untenable. On the division's right flank another gap had begun to develop as they lost contact with the Australian 4th Division and as a result the order to retire was passed. As they returned to the start line, the assault units were relieved by the 11th Brigade, which had formed the divisional reserve. By the end of the day, the division had lost almost 3,200 men killed or wounded. They played no further offensive role in the battle and were eventually removed from the line on 22 October as the Canadians took over from them.
The fighting around Passchendaele proved to be the division's last offensive actions for 1917 and they spent the winter months in the rear training, or undertaking defensive duties in reasonably quiet sectors of the line as they were reformed and brought back up to strength. Around this time also, the five Australian divisions on the Western Front were reorganised into a unified command structure under 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...
.
German Spring Offensive, 1918
In March 1918 the Germans launched their Spring OffensiveSpring 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...
near Saint-Quentin
Saint-Quentin, Aisne
Saint-Quentin is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France. It has been identified as the Augusta Veromanduorum of antiquity. It is named after Saint Quentin, who is said to have been martyred here in the 3rd century....
and as the Allied line collapsed, the German forces advanced swiftly into the Somme valley. Believing that another attack would be directed against the forces in the 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...
sector, in an effort to reinforce the British forces there, the Allied commanders recalled the 3rd Division was recalled from its quiet sector around Armentieres and sent it to Ypres. The attack came, however, at the Somme and so on 24 March the division was transferred south to help stem the advance and defend the approaches towards the important railhead at 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...
. Temporarily placed under the command of the British VII Corps, the division took up position to the east of Amiens in between the Ancre and Somme Rivers.
Lacking any reserves and possessing only limited artillery support, the division's engineers prepared the bridges over the rivers for detonation. From 27 March onwards minor actions were fought along the line as the German advance began to reach the Australians. On 30 March a serious attempt at penetrating the line around Sailly-Laurette was held and broken up by the 11th Brigade, with German losses being assessed at around one and a half brigades, or roughly between 3 to 4,000 men. On 6 April further attempts were made and in the confusion the charges that had been placed on the Bouzencourt Bridge were fired and it was dropped into the Somme Canal. Nevertheless the attempt was beaten off by the 10th Brigade. Following this the Australians were able to begin taking the initiative and throughout May they began to slowly recapture some of the ground that had been lost earlier as they undertook a serious of 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...
operations.
In June 1918, the 3rd Division's commander, Monash, was promoted to take over command of the Australian Corps and as a result Major General John Gellibrand
John Gellibrand
Major General Sir John Gellibrand KCB, DSO & Bar was an Australian Army Major General in World War I and member of the Australian House of Representatives, representing the Tasmanian Division of Denison as a Nationalist Party member from 1925 to 1928.-Early life and career:John "Jack" Gellibrand...
took over as divisional commander.
Battle of Amiens, 1918
On 8 August 1918, the Allies launched their Hundred Days OffensiveHundred 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...
around Amiens and the 3rd Division was tasked with leading the Australian Corps part in the attack. By this stage, the divisional artillery consisted of three field brigades, and under the cover of a heavy artillery bombardment provided by nine field brigades that were organised in three supporting sub-groups, and supported by tanks and gas, the attack began at 4:20 am. The weight of the Allied fire support was intense as over 2,000 artillery pieces opened up on the German defences. The assaulting infantry battalions were each assigned a frontage of about 1000 yards (914.4 m) which they assaulted with two companies forward and two in support. Thick smoke meant that the attackers found it difficult to maintain their spacing and some of the supporting armour was also delayed. Nevertheless the attack proved successful, as the Australians overwhelmed the German defenders and by the end of the day the division had achieved all of its objectives.
Throughout the rest of August, they continued offensive operations, even launching daylight raids upon the German positions. On 22 August they attacked once more, advancing through the village of Bray, capturing a number of German prisoners. After a brief lull in the fighting, they continued the advance again on 25 August capturing Clery at the end of the week before taking Allaines on 2 September. Throughout September the Germans began to withdraw back towards the 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...
and the 3rd Division took part in the operations undertaken to follow them up and harass the rearguard
Rearguard
Rearguard may refer to:* A military detachment protecting the rear of a larger military formation, especially when retreating from a pursuing enemy force. * Rear Guard , a computer game released in 1982...
. Casualties during this phase had been high, however, and as a result the division's pioneers
Assault Pioneer
An Assault Pioneer is an infantry soldier who is responsible for:* The construction of tools for infantry soldiers to cross natural and man-made obstacles as well as breaching of enemy fortifications;...
were used as infantry and even led the advance towards Buire on 6 September.
As operations continued throughout the month, casualties amongst the Australian Corps became critical and the decision was made to disband some of the 3rd Division's battalions and use them to reinforce the remaining units. This decision saw the reduction of the strength of division's infantry brigades from four battalions to three, bringing the Australians into line with the British, who had made a similar decision earlier in the war. Nevertheless, the decision was not popular amongst the soldiers and when the 42nd Battalion received the order to disband, the attempt was rejected by its personnel and the order disobeyed. As a result, the proposed reorganisation was postponed until after the division's final offensive actions were fought in early October 1918. These came around the St Quentin Canal when the division attacked the Beaurevior Line in concert with American troops from the US 27th Division, who would lead the assault in. The attack went awry, however, when the lead assault units failed to adequately clear the forward positions and subsequently when the 3rd Division was committed they came under fire almost immediately and instead of passing through the American positions, they had to complete the mopping up process before they could advance. Nevertheless by nightfall on 1 October, the division had captured the northern end of the tunnel that ran under the canal.
On 2 October the majority of the 3rd Division was removed from the line for rest and reorganisation, although a number of its artillery batteries would continue to support the operations of the II American Corps until they were withdrawn. Following this they continued to participate in the fighting in support of the British 6th Division. The 27th Battery fired the division's last shot of the war on 4 November at Wassigny. Nevertheless, the division was out of the line when news of the Armistice came on 11 November 1918. Following the end of hostilities the demobilisation process began and as men were repatriated back to Australia, the division was eventually disbanded on 28 May 1919.
Inter-war years
Following the end of the war, the AIF was disbanded and the focus of Australia's military forces was the units of the Citizens ForceAustralian 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...
. Between 1918 and 1921, as the demobilisation process was completed, this force existed in a state of flux, however, in 1921 planning for the post war Army was finally completed. On 1 May 1921 the 3rd Division was re-raised in Victoria
Victoria (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....
as part of the 3rd Military District. Upon formation it consisted of three four-battalion brigades—the 4th Brigade, 10th Brigade and 15th Brigade
15th Brigade (Australia)
The 15th Brigade was an infantry brigade of the Australian Army. Originally raised in 1916 for service during World War I, the brigade took part in the fighting on the Western Front in France and Belgium before being disbanded in 1919. After this it was re-raised as a part-time unit of the Citizens...
—and various supporting units including artillery, engineers, signals, transport and medical.
At this time, the existing infantry battalions of the Citizens Force were redesignated to perpetuate the numerical designations of the AIF, and although an attempt was made to allocate these designations based on regional considerations, ultimately this was not always possible and ultimately when the 3rd Division was re-established, only two of its component battalions—the 37th and 39th Battalions—had previously been assigned to the division.
With a peacetime establishment of about 16,000 personnel (18,400 upon mobilisation), the division was brought up to strength through 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...
. Initially the system worked well and a number of the division's subunits reported being above establishment, however, this did not last long. In 1922, the Washington Naval Treaty
Washington Naval Treaty
The Washington Naval Treaty, also known as the Five-Power Treaty, was an attempt to cap and limit, and "prevent 'further' costly escalation" of the naval arms race that had begun after World War I between various International powers, each of which had significant naval fleets. The treaty was...
was signed and theoretically alleviated Australia's security concerns about Japanese expansion in the Pacific. As a result the Army's budget was halved and as the scope of the compulsory training scheme was scaled back, the authorised strength of each infantry battalion was reduced to just 409 men of all ranks. The division's artillery was also reduced, with one field battery in each artillery brigade being disbanded at this time. As a result of the subsequent reorganisation, the 3rd Division's artillery consisted of three artillery brigades, the 2nd, 4th and 8th.
In 1929 the compulsory training scheme was suspended 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
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...
government. In its place a new system was introduced whereby the Citizens Force would be maintained on a part-time, voluntary basis only. It was also renamed the "Militia" at this time. The decision to suspend compulsory training, coupled with the economic downturn 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...
meant that the manpower of many Militia units dropped considerably and as a result a number of units were amalgamated. As a part of this process, the division was reduced from 12 infantry battalions to nine as six battalions were merged to form new amalgamated units—29th/22nd, 37th/52nd
37th/52nd Battalion (Australia)
The 37th/52nd Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Formed in 1930 from two previously existing Militia battalions, the battalion remained on the Australian order of battle until 1937. During World War II it was revived in 1942 and subsequently saw active service with the 4th...
and 57th/60th Battalions
57th/60th Battalion (Australia)
The 57th/60th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army which served during the Second World War. It was formed in 1930 as part of the Militia by the amalgamation of the 57th and 60th Battalions and was assigned to the 15th Brigade, 3rd Division in Victoria...
. To a large extent, however, these were hollow structures and by 1931 the 3rd Division's overall establishment was just 4,505 men all ranks.
Throughout the 1930s the number of active personnel remained low and out of necessity training opportunities were limited. After 1936, however, the Army attempted to improve the conditions of service for its members and to reinvigorate the training program, while individual units began to undertake their own recruiting campaigns. Nevertheless, it was not until 1938, as tensions grew in Europe and the prospect of war became more likely, that an attempt was made to expand the establishment of the Militia. At this time an effort was made to determine the readiness of the Militia to expand if mobilised. During the continuous training camps undertaken throughout 1938, each component unit was assessed with mixed results. The following year, 1939, saw further expansion and by the end of April of that year, the division's posted strength had grown to 9,589 personnel. As a part of this expansion, the divisional artillery was expanded by the re-raising of the batteries that had been disbanded in 1922.
Home duties
On 3 September 1939, Australia found itself once again at war, after attempts at finding a diplomatic solution to the German invasion of Poland had failed. Following 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...
, mobilisation began slowly as the government called up a force of about 8,000 Militia personnel to undertake security duties in the days following the declaration of war. A short time later, the decision was made to raise an all volunteer force for overseas service, 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...
(2nd AIF). This was necessary due to the provisions of the Defence Act (1903) which precluded deploying the Militia outside of Australian territory, and as a result the government decided to use the Militia to provide a small cadre upon which the 2nd AIF would be raised, as well as to provide training to conscripts as part of the compulsory training scheme which was re-established in early 1940. Nevertheless, during this time large numbers of officers and senior non commissioned officers from the 3rd Division volunteered for service with the 2nd AIF and many units lost a large amount of their experienced personnel at this time.
Throughout 1940–41, the Militia were called up in cohorts for periods of continuous training, and the 3rd Division, still consisting of the 4th, 10th and 15th Brigades, undertook a series of training camps around Seymour, Victoria
Seymour, Victoria
Seymour is a township in the Shire of Mitchell in the state of Victoria, Australia and is located north of Melbourne. At the 2006 census, Seymour had a population of 6,063...
. In March 1941, the division's artillery was reorganised to bring it in line with the British organisational system with each artillery brigade being converted to a field regiment. Numerical designations stayed the same, however, and by late 1941 the division had completed its transition. This saw its infantry brigades once again reduced from four battalions to three, while various supporting elements were inserted at brigade-level, however, training at this time was still rudimentary and limited mainly to individual skills, and the division's establishment was recorded as being only half of its authorised wartime establishment. There was also a shortage of modern equipment.
With Japan's entry into the war following the attacks on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
and Malaya
Battle of Malaya
The Malayan Campaign was a campaign fought by Allied and Japanese forces in Malaya, from 8 December 1941 – 31 January 1942 during the Second World War. The campaign was dominated by land battles between British Commonwealth army units, and the Imperial Japanese Army...
, it became more likely that the division would be called upon to undertake active service overseas, and the division was mobilised for war. In early January 1942, Major General Stanley Savige
Stanley Savige
Lieutenant General Sir Stanley George Savige, KBE, CB, DSO, MC, ED , was an Australian Army soldier and officer who served in World War I and World War II, rising to the rank of lieutenant general....
, an experienced officer who had commanded the 17th Brigade in combat against the Germans in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
earlier in the war, took over command of the division. Savige set about the task of preparing the division for combat and he began by removing officers that he did not think were physically fit enough or competent to lead in battle and replacing them with men who had gained experience in AIF units. A comprehensive training program was established and in April 1942 the division was assigned to the Australian I Corps, and in order to enable divisional exercises to begin, the 3rd Division moved to Bonegilla, Victoria
Bonegilla, Victoria
Bonegilla is a bounded rural locality of the City of Wodonga Local Government Area in northeast Victoria, Australia, located 10 kilometres east of Wodonga, and around 300km north-east of Melbourne. At the 2006 census, Bonegilla and surrounding area had a population of 773.- History :Bonegilla Post...
. In order to toughen the men up, Savige decided that they would march on foot to the new camp.
The following month they were relocated once more, this time to Queensland
Queensland
Queensland 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...
where they undertook training exercises and defensive duties along the coast between Brisbane and Tweed Heads
Tweed Heads, New South Wales
Tweed Heads is a town located on the Tweed River in north-eastern New South Wales, Australia in Tweed Shire. Tweed Heads is located next to the border with Queensland, adjacent to the "Twin Town" of Coolangatta, a suburb of the Gold Coast...
on the 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...
border. At this time, the Army began to rectify the deficiencies in the division's equipment lists and battalions began receiving new machine guns, motor transport and Bren carriers
Universal Carrier
The Universal Carrier, also known as the Bren Gun Carrier is a common name describing a family of light armoured tracked vehicles built by Vickers-Armstrong. Produced between 1934 and 1960, the vehicle was used widely by British Commonwealth forces during the Second World War...
. As the situation in New Guinea
New Guinea campaign
The New Guinea campaign was one of the major military campaigns of World War II.Before the war, the island of New Guinea was split between:...
grew worse, the decision was made to reorganise the 3rd Division and throughout August, four battalions were amalgamated—the 37th, 52nd, 58th and 59th. In September, the 10th Brigade was disbanded and its battalions reallocated to the 4th and 15th Brigades. In October the 29th and 46th Battalions were also amalgamated, leaving the division with just six infantry battalions in two brigades.
New Guinea, 1943–1944
In early 1943 the division was despatched to New Guinea, with the 15th Brigade being sent to Port MoresbyPort Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
and the 4th Brigade going to Milne Bay
Milne Bay
Milne Bay is a large bay in Milne Bay Province, southeastern Papua New Guinea. The bay is named after Sir Alexander Milne.The area was a site of the Battle of Milne Bay in 1942....
. At this point the 4th Brigade was re-assigned to the 5th Division. It would later be replaced within the division by the 29th Brigade
29th Brigade (Australia)
The 29th Brigade was an infantry brigade of the Australian Army. Raised on 20 December 1941 during World War II as part of the Militia. Initially tasked with defending Townsville against possible invasion from the Japanese...
. The division's stay in Port Moresby was brief and in April it began moving to Wau where they subsumed the units assigned to Kanga Force
Kanga Force
Kanga Force was the name given to a composite ad hoc formation of the Australian Army that served in New Guinea during World War II. Commanded by Major Norman Fleahy, it was formed on 23 April 1942...
, including the 17th Brigade, a 2nd AIF formation, and began operations as part of the Salamaua–Lae campaign
Salamaua-Lae campaign
The Salamaua–Lae campaign was a series of actions in the New Guinea campaign of World War II. Australian and United States forces sought to capture two major Japanese bases, one in the town of Lae, and another one at Salamaua. The campaign to take the Salamaua and Lae area began with the Australian...
.
Initially operations were limited to the area immediately surrounding Bulolo, but as the division became established the headquarters was shifted to Tambu Bay and brigades were pushed out towards Mubo, and the Komiatum and Bobdui Ridges, while defensive patrols were undertaken through the Wampit Valley, around the Bulwa and Zenag airstrips and towards the Markham River. Stretched across a front of over 75 miles (120.7 km), in June the division was reinforced by the US 162nd Infantry Regiment
162nd Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 162nd Infantry Regiment is a regiment of the Oregon Army National Guard with headquarters in Springfield, Oregon. In January, 2006 as part of the Army's transformation towards a modular force, the 1st Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment was inactivated...
. Following this the division took on primary responsibility for Allied operations in New Guinea. Eventually Lae fell in September and soon afterwards, its elements were moved back to Port Moresby, before being sent to support the 7th Division's campaign in the Markham and Ramu Valleys
Finisterre Range campaign
The Finisterre Range campaign, also known as the Ramu Valley–Finisterre Range campaign, was a series of actions in the New Guinea campaign of World War II...
and the advance on Madang
Madang
Madang is the capital of Madang Province and is a town with a population of 27,420 on the north coast of Papua New Guinea. It was first settled by the Germans in the 19th century....
.
In August 1944 the 3rd Division's brigades were withdrawn back to Australia for leave and reorganisation. After this, preparations began for the division's next campaign. Around this time, the 3rd Division adopted the jungle divisional establishment
Jungle Division
The Jungle Division was a military organisation adopted in 1943 by the Australian Army during the Second World War. This organisation was a much lighter version of the standard British-pattern infantry division used during previous campaigns in the deserts of North Africa and was optimised to meet...
, and was reorganised around three infantry brigades: the 7th, 15th and 29th Brigades. It was also assigned to the Australian II Corps.
Bougainville 1944–1945
In late 1944 it was decided that the Australians would take over responsibility for operations against the Japanese on Bougainville from the Americans. From November–December 1944, the 3rd Division, along with two independent brigades, the 11th and 23rd23rd Brigade (Australia)
The 23rd Brigade was a brigade of the Australian Army. Formed in 1940 for service during the Second World War, the brigade was initially a formation of the Second Australian Imperial Force assigned to the 8th Division, however, after its subunits were captured by the Japanese in 1942 it was...
, began to relieve the units of the US XIV Corps that were to be transferred elsewhere in the Pacific. Allied intelligence of Japanese strengths on the island varied at the time, although it was believed that there were around 17,500 Japanese on Bougainville. Although this was later proved to be grossly incorrect, nevertheless the Allies believed that the Japanese formations in the area, despite being under strength, were still capable of carrying out effective combat operations. As a result, it was decided that II Corps would go on the offensive in order to clear the Japanese from the island and a three pronged campaign was planned in the northern, central and southern sectors of the island.
The division was supported by a number of artillery units including the 2nd and 4th Field Regiments and the 2nd Mountain Battery, and various anti-aircraft units. Later, also 'U' Heavy Battery, with four 155 mm howitzers was transferred from Lae, as was the 2/11th Field Regiment. In order to provide organic fire support during the advance, the decision was made at this time to place the divisional artillery assets directly underneath the subunits they were supporting. At the outset, the division's allocation of engineers consisted of only two field companies, the 5th and 11th, however over the course of the campaign others arrived including the 10th, 15th and the 7th, which was the last to arrive in June 1945. Ultimately the division had almost 1,600 engineers across five field companies and various supporting plant, park and other units. This represented one of the largest engineer contingents within an Australian division during the war. Initially the division was deployed without armoured support, however, in December 1944, 'B' Squadron, 2/4th Armoured Regiment
2/4th Armoured Regiment (Australia)
The 2/4th Armoured Regiment was an armoured regiment of the Australian Army, which served during World War II. The regiment was formed in November 1942 as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force by amalgamating a number of previously existing armoured units and was disbanded in September 1946...
, equipped with Matilda II tanks, arrived and subsequently took part in operations on the island attached to elements of the division.
The 7th Brigade, supported by the 2nd Field Regiment, was the first to commence operations, as the 9th Battalion launched a surprise attack in the central sector of the island upon a Japanese outpost at Little George Hill on 25 November. The following month the battalion seized control of Artillery Hill, while the 29th Brigade began patrolling operations in the southern sector.
Following the capture of Pearl Ridge
Battle of Pearl Ridge
The Battle of Pearl Ridge was a battle of the Second World War fought between Australian and Japanese forces on Bougainville Island. Part of the wider Bougainville Campaign, the battle took place in the central sector of the island, shortly after the Australians had taken over responsibility from...
by the 25th Battalion, the focus of the 3rd Division's operations on Bougainville was shifted on the northern and southern sectors. The 11th Brigade, independent of the 3rd Division, assumed control of the drive to the north, while the 3rd Division concentrated on the drive south towards Buin
Buin, Papua New Guinea
Buin is a settlement at the southern end of the island of Bougainville, a part of the North Solomons Province, located in the northern Solomon Islands in the South Pacific Ocean.-History:...
, where the main Japanese force was concentrated. Rotating his brigades, the division's commander, Major General William Bridgeford
William Bridgeford
Lieutenant General Sir William Bridgeford KBE, CB, MC was a senior officer in the Australian Army. He began his military career in 1913 and fought on the Western Front during the First World War, before rising to command the 3rd Infantry Division during the Bougainville campaign in the Second...
, advanced south from Torokina towards the Puriata river. After crossing it, the Japanese launched a significant counterattack around Slater's Knoll
Battle of Slater's Knoll
The Battle of Slater's Knoll was a battle during the Second World War fought between Australian and Japanese forces on Bougainville Island...
, which was eventually beaten off in early April.
In April 1945 the 15th Brigade took over from the 7th Brigade and resumed the advance on the Hongorai and Mivo rivers. In early July, the 29th Brigade relieved the 15th and continued the advance and as they attempted to cross the Mivo, the Japanese launched a ferocious counter-attack upon the 15th Battalion
15th Battalion (Australia)
The 15th Battalion was raised from volunteers from Queensland and Tasmania in September 1914 during the First World War. It formed part of the 4th Brigade together with the 13th, 14th and 16th Battalions. The battalion served at Gallipoli and on the Western Front.-References:*...
which was turned back by desperate defence. Following this the advance came to a halt as torrential rain turned the axis of advance into "a sea of mud" and many of the bridges upon which the Australian supply system was dependent were washed away. As the situation became worse, briefly even patrolling operations had to be stopped. These patrols were resumed, however, in late July and into August, as isolated pockets of Japanese began to attack the 3rd Division's supply lines and support units. As preparations were made to resume the advance, the dropping of two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
During the final stages of World War II in 1945, the United States conducted two atomic bombings against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, the first on August 6, 1945, and the second on August 9, 1945. These two events are the only use of nuclear weapons in war to date.For six months...
and Japan's subsequent unconditional surrender
Surrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
brought the fighting on Bougainville to an end and a cease fire came into affect.
Following the end of hostilities, the demobilisation process
Demobilisation of the Australian military after World War II
The demobilisation of the Australian military after World War II involved discharging almost 600,000 men and women from the military, supporting their transition to civilian life and reducing the three armed services to peacetime strengths...
began and eventually the 3rd Division was disbanded on 4 December 1945. During the division's campaign in Bougainville, one of its soldiers, Reg Rattey, earned the Victoria Cross for his actions during the fighting around Slater's Knoll.
Cold War
In 1948, with demobilisation of Australia's wartime army complete, the decision was made to re-raise the part-time forces of the Militia, albeit with the new name of the Citizens Military Force (CMF), and on a reduced establishment of two infantry divisions, an armoured brigade and various corps-level support units. During this time the 3rd Division was re-raised and based around a nucleus of three infantry brigades—the 4th, 6th6th 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...
and 9th Brigades—it was once again based in central Victoria, although subunits were also based in South Australia
South Australia
South 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...
and Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania 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...
. Once again the division's component units bore little resemblance to those that had fought with it during the two World Wars. Service in the post war CMF was initially on a voluntary basis and recruitment remained poor until 1951 when conscription was introduced once again in an effort to improve the readiness of the Australian military during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. The 3rd Division was not deployed during this time, however, and although national service was instituted, service in Korea was undertaken on a voluntary basis, and conscription was used only as a means to expand the CMF and provide a base upon which mobilisation could be achieved if it proved necessary.
Nevertheless, the resulting influx of manpower revitalised the CMF to the point that during the 1950s the division experienced a remarkable level of manning and resources that saw many units achieve full strength, with full equipment allocations. On 23 March 1958 a divisional parade was conducted at Puckapunyal
Puckapunyal
Puckapunyal is an Australian Army training facility and base 10 km west of Seymour, in central Victoria, south-eastern Australia.-Description:Puckapunyal is a small restricted-access town inhabited mainly by about 280...
, bringing together all of the division's Victorian-based units in a concentration of force not seen in the division since 1916. The following year the division conducted a live-fire exercise at Puckapunyal based upon the 4th Brigade and involving over 3,500 men, tanks, artillery, aircraft, and various supporting arms. Despite the success demonstrated by the exercise, it would be the last time that the division mounted something similar the national service scheme was modified to limit the size of each yearly intake of trainees and the size of the CMF was reduced by over 30,000 men in an effort to free up Regular personnel to raise the 1st Brigade. The 1957 reforms, however, did not achieve the efficiencies required in order to free up Regular personnel to meet the strategic requirements to maintain a regular field force that was ready to respond to the exigencies of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. As a result in 1959 the decision was made to suspend national service as it was realised that further changes were required to expand the size of the Regular army. Further changes came with the introduction of the Pentropic divisional establishment
Pentropic organisation
The Pentropic organisation was a military organisation used by the Australian Army between 1960 and 1965. It was based on the United States Army's pentomic organisation and involved reorganising most of the Army's combat units into units based on five elements, rather than the previous three or...
into the Australian Army. This saw the reduction of the Army to just two divisions, the 1st and 3rd Divisions, and as a part of this the division was reorganised into five battalion-plus sized battle groups, and resulted in the removal of brigade-level formations and the disbandment and amalgamation of a number of smaller regionally-based infantry battalions, into larger units that were part of State-based regiments.
With an authorised peacetime establishment of 13,621 personnel, the 3rd Division included formations in five different military command districts including Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia as well as those in South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria. The main infantry components at this time were: 2nd Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment (RQR); 1st Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment (RVR); 2nd Battalion, RVR; 1st Battalion, Royal South Australia Regiment (RSAR); and 1st Battalion, Royal Western Australia Regiment.
The Australian Army's experiment with the Pentropic establishment did not last long, however, as it created a number of planning issues including lack of interoperability with other Western allies, none of whom used it. As a result, it was abandoned in late 1964 and into early 1965 and the 3rd Division was once again reorganised. The resulting changes saw the establishment of brigade-level formations, briefly known as "task forces", however, due to other planning considerations only one was raised for the 3rd Division at this time: the 4th Task Force, consisting of four infantry battalions: 1, 2, 5 and 6 RVR.
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
and Malaysia. This highlighted the changing focus of Australia's military planning towards Regular forces, however, it had a negative impact upon the division as essentially it was forced to compete with the ARA for manpower and although some gains were made from men that chose to serve longer national service terms in the CMF in order to defer their service in ARA units, these were negligible and arguably of limited quality. The government's decision not to deploy CMF units to these conflicts meant that many of the division's experienced personnel chose to transfer to ARA units in order to gain operational experience, although some attempts were made to rectify this situation by offering CMF officers the opportunity to undertake a short attachment to an ARA unit serving in Vietnam and a number of 3rd Division officers took up this opportunity, a few even saw combat.
When the national service scheme was ended following the election of the Whitlam Government
Whitlam Government
The Whitlam Government refers to the federal Executive Government of Australia led by Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. It was made up of members of the Australian Labor Party in the Australian Parliament from 1972 to 1975.-Background:...
in late 1972, the 3rd Division lost a large number of personnel. At this time, the division's artillery assets included two artillery field regiments, a medium regiment, and a divisional locating battery, and although on paper the division was a large, combined arms formation, in reality many of its units were hollow and inadequately equipped, and in the decades following this the division, and indeed the CMF in general, underwent a period of uncertainty as the government attempted to solve the issues that the organisation faced, the most pressing of which was the question of its role and strategic relevance, as well as those concerning conditions of service, centralisation of training and access to equipment.
In 1976 the division's combat strength had dropped to the extent that it was really only a brigade-group formation, possessing only two infantry battalions: 1 and 2 RVR, as well as two field artillery regiments, a medium regiment and a locating battery. As a result, in February the division's headquarters were merged with the 4th Task Force's headquarters as the 3rd Division was redesignated as the "3rd Division Field Force Group". At the same time, the position of formation commander was downgraded to the rank of brigadier rather than major general. This remained the case until April 1984 when the divisional headquarters was re-established.
In the late 1980s the division was given the task of vital asset protection under the Defence of Australia doctrine
Defence of Australia Policy
The Defence of Australia Policy was Australia's dominant defence policy between 1972 and 1997. The policy was focused on the defence of continental Australia against external attack...
and the division undertook a number of exercises in the north of Australia, including "Kangaroo 89" in which more than 3,000 of its personnel took part. Nevertheless, in June 1991, following a force structure review, the 3rd Division was finally removed from the Australian Army's order of battle, and its remaining units were transferred to the command of the 4th Brigade.
Commanding officers
The following is a list of the 3rd Division's commanding officers:| From | To | Rank | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1916 | 1918 | Major General Major General Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general... |
John Monash John Monash General Sir John Monash GCMG, KCB, VD was a civil engineer who became the Australian military commander in the First World War. He commanded the 13th Infantry Brigade before the War and then became commander of the 4th Brigade in Egypt shortly after the outbreak of the War with whom he took part... |
| 1918 | 1922 | Major General | John Gellibrand John Gellibrand Major General Sir John Gellibrand KCB, DSO & Bar was an Australian Army Major General in World War I and member of the Australian House of Representatives, representing the Tasmanian Division of Denison as a Nationalist Party member from 1925 to 1928.-Early life and career:John "Jack" Gellibrand... |
| 1922 | 1927 | Major General | George Johnston George Johnston (general) Major General George Jameson Johnston CB, CMG, VD was an Australian Army general in World War I.-Early life and career:... |
| 1927 | 1931 | Major General | Harold Elliott Harold Edward Elliott Major General Harold Edward "Pompey" Elliott CB, CMG, DSO, DCM, VD was a senior officer in the Australian Army during the First World War. Elliot also served as a Senator in the Australian parliament.-Early life:... |
| 1931 | 1937 | Major General | Thomas Blamey Thomas Blamey Field Marshal Sir Thomas Albert Blamey GBE, KCB, CMG, DSO, ED was an Australian general of the First and Second World Wars, and the only Australian to date to attain the rank of field marshal.... |
| 1937 | 1942 | Major General | Edmund Drake-Brockman |
| 1942 | 1944 | Major General | Stanley Savige Stanley Savige Lieutenant General Sir Stanley George Savige, KBE, CB, DSO, MC, ED , was an Australian Army soldier and officer who served in World War I and World War II, rising to the rank of lieutenant general.... |
| 1944 | 1947 | Major General | William Bridgeford William Bridgeford Lieutenant General Sir William Bridgeford KBE, CB, MC was a senior officer in the Australian Army. He began his military career in 1913 and fought on the Western Front during the First World War, before rising to command the 3rd Infantry Division during the Bougainville campaign in the Second... |
| 1947 | 1950 | Major General | George Wootten George Wootten Major General Sir George Frederick Wootten KBE, CB, DSO & Bar, ED , was an Australian soldier, public servant, right wing political activist and solicitor. He rose to the rank of temporary Major General during World War II.... |
| 1950 | 1953 | Major General | Selwyn Porter Selwyn Porter Major General Selwyn Havelock Watson Craig Porter CBE, DSO was an Australian Army officer and chief commissioner of Victoria Police.-Early life:... |
| 1953 | 1956 | Major General | Robert Risson |
| 1956 | 1959 | Major General | Heathcote Hammer Heathcote Howard Hammer Major General Heathcote Howard Hammer CBE, DSO & Bar was a senior officer in the Australian Army, seeing service during the Second World War. Born on 15 February 1905 in Southern Cross, Western Australia, he later lived in Bendigo, Victoria and married Mary Hammer... |
| 1959 | 1960 | Major General | Noel Simpson |
| 1960 | 1963 | Major General | R.R. Gordon |
| 1963 | 1966 | Major General | N.A. Vickery |
| 1966 | 1970 | Major General | S.M. McDonald |
| 1970 | 1973 | Major General | K.D. Green |
| 1973 | 1976 | Major General | J.M. McNeill |
| 1976 | 1977 | Brigadier Brigadier Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general.... |
W.H. Grant |
| 1977 | 1980 | Brigadier | J.E. Barry |
| 1980 | 1981 | Brigadier | N.E. Bavington |
| 1981 | 1985 | Major General | K.G. Cooke |
| 1985 | 1987 | Major General | J.E. Barry |
| 1987 | 1990 | Major General | B.N. Nunn |
| 1990 | 1991 | Major General | W.E. Glenny |
See also
- Military history of Australia during World War IMilitary history of Australia during World War IIn Australia, the outbreak of World War I was greeted with considerable enthusiasm. Even before Britain declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914, the nation pledged its support for the Empire alongside other Commonwealth nations and almost immediately began preparations to send forces overseas to...
- Military history of Australia during World War IIMilitary history of Australia during World War IIAustralia entered World War II shortly after the invasion of Poland, declaring war on Germany on 3 September 1939. By the end of the war, almost a million Australians had served in the armed forces, whose military units fought primarily in the European theatre, North African campaign, and...
