Portal:Military history of Australia/Units/February

Units

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Please follow the unit sequence of Navy, Army, Airforce when creating Daily Unit pages

805 Squadron RAN is a Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm squadron. 805 is currently active as a helicopter squadron equipped with Kaman SH-2G(A) Super Seasprite helicopters. The squadron is based at HMAS Albatross (NAS Nowra) and primarily operates from the Navy's Anzac class frigates. 805 Squadron was first formed as a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm squadron in November 1940 at the RAF aerodrome at Abukir in Egypt. In August 1948, 805 Squadron was re-formed as an RAN FAA squadron operating Hawker Sea Fury Mk II aircraft. The squadron has been reactivated a total of four times, most recently on 28 February 2001.

The 10th Light Horse Regiment is a regiment of the Australian Army. Part of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps, the regiment is part of the army reserve. The regiment is one of the oldest in Australia, being formed in 1900 as the Western Australia Mounted Infantry. The regiment has seen action in the Second Boer War, World War I and World War II. Currently, the regiment is made up of a single squadron equipped with wheeled vehicle and serves with the 13th Brigade in the light cavalry role.

No. 450 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force was formed during World War II under the Empire Air Training Scheme, 450 Squadron came into existence at Williamtown in New South Wales on 16 February 1941. The squadron arrived in the Middle East in May 1941 and later deployed to the Western Desert and Italy. The squadron was disbanded on 20 August 1945 in Lavarino. The squadrons nickname the Desert Harassers was derived from the taunts of the German propaganda broadcaster Lord Haw Haw.

HMAS Nestor was an N-class destroyer of the Royal Australian Navy laid down by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, at Govan, Scotland on 26 July 1939, launched on 9 July 1940 and commissioned on 12 February 1941. She was manned by Australians and commissioned in the RAN but remained the property of the British Government. During her short life Nestor escorted North Atlantic convoys, took part in the pursuit and destruction of the battleship Bismarck and attacked and sank the submarine U-127 off Cape St. Vincent. Nestor was attacked and severely damaged off Crete by German land based aircraft while escorting a Malta bound convoy on 15 June 1942. She was taken in tow by HMS Javelin but was scuttled by depth charges at 05:30 on 17 June 1942.

The 1st Brigade is an Australian Army brigade. The brigade is headquartered at Robertson Barracks near Darwin, although significant elements are also based at RAAF Edinburgh in South Australia. A combined arms formation, the 1st Brigade consists of two infantry battalions – 5 RAR and 7 RAR – and an armoured cavalry regiment, the 1st Armoured Regiment. It also has other combat support and service support units including artillery, engineers, signals and various logistics elements.

No. 6 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force an electronic warfare squadron that currently operates the Boeing EA-18G Growler. The squadron was first formed in 1917 in Yatesbury, England where it served as a training squadron during the World War I. During World War II the squadron saw combat as a light bomber squadron. Until 2017, No. 6 Squadron served as an operational conversion unit providing training to aircrew before they were posted to No. 1 Squadron RAAF. After this, the squadron converted to the electronic warfare role. The squadron is currently based at RAAF Base Amberley.

HMAS Tarakan (L-3017) was a Tank Landing Ship which was originally built for the Royal Navy and launched on 28 November 1944 as LST 3017. The ship was loaned to the Royal Australian Navy and commissioned on 4 July 1946. She was named Tarakan on 16 December 1948, and served in Australian and New Guinea waters as a general purpose vessel, but was mainly used for dumping condemned ammunition at sea. On 25 January 1950 seven members of Tarakans crew were killed and the ship extensively damaged by an explosion which occurred while berthed alongside naval base HMAS Kuttabul in Sydney. Tarakan did not return to active service and was sold for breaking up on 12 March 1954.

The 5th Division of the First Australian Imperial Force was formed in February 1916 during the reorganization of Australian forces following the evacuation of Gallipoli. Commanded by Major General J.W. McCay, the 5th Division was the first Australian division to see battle on the Western Front during the ill-fated diversion at Fromelles on 19 July 1916. From January 1917 the 5th Division was commanded by Major General Talbot Hobbs and saw action at Bullecourt and Passchendaele in 1917 and fought in the German Spring Offensive and the Hundred Days Offensive of 1918.

No. 451 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force was formed during World War II, 451 Squadron came into existence at Bankstown on February 12, 1941. Raised under the Empire Air Training Scheme the squadron became operational in Egypt on 1 July 1941. The squadron at first flew Hawker Hurricanes and Westland Lysander utility aircraft and was employed in an army co-operation role. In February the squadron was relocated to Syria and was converted into a fighter squadron. In early 1944, 451 Squadron was re-equipped with Spitfires and moved to Corsica to assist operation in Southern Europe. The squadron moved to Great Britain in late 1944 and then onto Germany in 1945. On 21 January 1946 the squadron disbanded.

The first HMAS Norman was an N-class destroyer laid down by John I. Thornycroft and Company at Woolston in Southampton on 27 July 1939, launched on 30 October 1940 and commissioned on 29 September 1941. She was manned by Australians and commissioned in the Royal Australian Navy but remained the property of the British Government. As part of her Australian deployment, Norman served with the British Eastern Fleet from January 1942 to February 1945, after which she joined the British Pacific Fleet. Norman arrived at Cashmore's in Newport on 1 April 1958 where she was broken up.

The Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (AN&MEF) was a small volunteer force, approximately 2,000 men, raised in Australia shortly after the outbreak of the First World War. The AN&MEF was distinct from the more famous Australian Imperial Force and its purpose was to seize and destroy German wireless stations in the south-west Pacific to prevent their use by the German East Asia Squadron which threatened merchant shipping in the region. The first Australian to die in combat during the war was a seaman with the AN&MEF. Following the capture of German possessions in the region, the AN&MEF provided occupation forces for the duration of the war.

No. 452 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force was formed during World War II, raised under the Empire Air Training Scheme the squadron became operational on 22 May 1941 and was equipped with Supermarine Spitfires. 452 Squadron operated from an airfields in South Eastern Britain and primarily employed as bomber escorts and conducted sweeps to engage enemy aircraft. 452 Squadron withdrew from operations in Britain on 23 March 1942 and arrived in Melbourne on 13 August, the squadron returned to front-line service on 17 January 1943. 452 Squadron remained in the Pacific for the remainder of the war and was disbanded at Balikpapan on 17 November 1945.

HMAS Shoalhaven (K535/M535/F535), named for the Shoalhaven River in New South Wales, was a Bay class frigate laid down by Walkers Limited at Maryborough in Queensland on 18 December 1943, launched on 14 December 1944 by Senator Dorothy Tangney and commissioned at Urangan Jetty in Hervey Bay in Queensland on 2 May 1946. Shoalhaven was the first Australian asset offered for UN service during the Korean War. Shoalhaven paid off to reserve on 19 December 1955, and was sold in January 1962

105th Medium Battery is a unit of the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery that can trace its history back to March of 1916 when it was raised as 105th Howitzer Battery in Egypt. The battery has been raised three times in its history most recently on July 1, 1955 and is currently based at Gallipoli Barracks, Enoggera, Queensland, as a full-time, regular army unit and is one of three batteries that make up the 1st Field Regiment, part of 7 Brigade. The battery is equipped with the 155mm M198 Howitzers. The batteries nickname is the The Mighty Tigers

The Mesopotamian Half Flight was the first Australian Flying Corps (AFC) unit to see active service. Formed during the First World War, the Half Flight deployed to Basra in May 1915 and was initially equipped with three obsolete pusher biplanes, later receiving two Caudron G.3s. The Half Flight performed reconnaissance for the Indian Army during the Mesopotamian Campaign. Most of the Half Flight personnel were captured following the fall of Kut in April 1916 while the remainder merged with No. 1 Squadron AFC in Egypt.

HMAS Napier, named for Admiral Sir Charles Napier, was an N-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was laid down at Govan in Scotland on 26 July 1939, launched on 22 May 1940 and commissioned into the RAN on 11 December 1940 with an Australian crew, although she remained the property of the British Government. During her Australian service, Napier served with the British Eastern Fleet and was present in Tokyo Bay on Victory over Japan Day (2 September 1945), when the Japanese Instrument of Surrender was signed. Her Australian crew left on 25 October 1945 and she reverted to the Royal Navy. Napier was sold for scrap and arrived at Briton Ferry on 17 January 1956 where she was broken up.

The Australian Corps was a First World War army corps that contained all five Australian infantry divisions serving on the Western Front. It was the largest corps fielded by the British army in France during the war. Formed on 1 November 1917, the corps was originally commanded by General William Birdwood and from May 1918 by Australian general John Monash who led the corps during the Battle of Hamel and the concluding Hundred Days Offensive. For the Battle of the Hindenburg Line in September 1918, the Australian Corps also contained two American divisions; the 27th and 30th.

No. 2 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron. The Squadron was first formed in 1916 at Heliopolis, Egypt as 2 Squadron Australian Flying Corps. The Squadron heavily involved (as a fighter squadron) during the Battle of Cambrai in the First World War and as a bomber squadron in the Second World War and Vietnam War flying the Canberra Bomber. In the later years of the Canberra bomber's RAAF operations it was predominantly used for target towing and aerial mapping. The squadron is currently being re-formed to operate Boeing Wedgetail aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown and RAAF Base Tindal.

The first HMAS Townsville (J 205/M 205/A 124) was a Bathurst-class corvette built by Evans Deakin and Company at Brisbane. HMAS Townsville was launched on 13 May 1941 by Mrs. P. E. McNeil, wife of the Third Member of the Australian Naval Board, and commissioned on 19 December 1941. HMAS Townsville paid off to reserve on 5 August 1946 and was sold for scrap to the Hong Kong Delta Shipping Company on 8 August 1956. The ship's motto was Bold and Ready.

104 Field Battery was a former battery within the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery that was formed in the town of Moascar in Egypt during March 1916 as the 104th Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery. The battery was disbanded after World War I and has been re raised and disbanded multiple times since then. The battery served two tours of duty during the Vietnam War and also assisted in securing Bowral during the Hilton Bombing in 1978. 104 Field Battery was again disbanded on 1 July 2005 and does not currently feature on the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery order of battle.

No. 5 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force training, army co-operation and helicopter squadron. The Squadron was first formed at Shawbury in England on 1 September 1917. The Squadron provided training to the Australian Flying Corps in Britain during WWI. 5 Squadron was re-formed at RAAF Base Richmond on 20 April 1936 as a fleet co-operation squadron and operated from RAN cruisers and the seaplane tender HMAS Albatross. The squadron was redesignated No. 9 Squadron on 1 January 1939, 5 Squadron was reformed at RAAF Base Laverton on 9 January 1941. No. 5 Squadron also saw action as a helicopter squadron during the Malayan Emergency and was finally disbanded in December 1989.

The first HMAS Wollongong (J172) was a Bathurst-class corvette laid down by Cockatoo Docks and Engineering Co Ltd on the 29 January 1941, launched 5 July 1941, by Mrs Beasley, wife of the Minister for Supply and Shipping and commissioned on 23 October 1941. During World War II Wollongong served as part of the British Eastern Fleet. On 11 February 1946 Wollongong paid off at Sydney in preparation for transfer to the Royal Netherlands Navy. Wollongong was renamed HNLMS Banda and served with the Dutch Navy until April 1950. She was handed over to the Indonesian Navy and renamed Radjawali. She was scraped in April 1968.

The 2/18th Battalion was a battalion of the 22nd Brigade, Australian 8th Division part of the Second Australian Imperial Force. The battalion was raised from north western New South Wales and Sydney in June 1940. The battalion left Sydney on 5 February 1941 for Singapore on the RMS Queen Mary. The battalion saw action against Japanese forces in Southern Malaya and in the defence of Singapore in February 1942. Following the surrender of Singapore the surviving members of the battalion went into captivity at Changi Prison while some were sent on the Sandakan Death Marches and others to the Thai-Burma Railway.

No. 12 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force bomber and helicopter squadron. The Squadron was formed at RAAF Base Laverton on 6 February 1939. The squadron saw action during World War II as a bomber squadron and was the first RAAF unit to be permanently based in the Northern Territory. The Squadron continued in the heavy bomber role until 23 February 1948 when it was renumbered No. 1 Squadron. No.12 Squadron was re-formed at Amberley on 3 September 1973 to fly the RAAF's twelve new CH-47C Chinook helicopters. Due to the need to reduce defence expenditure No. 12 Squadron was disbanded on 25 August 1989.

The first HMAS Torrens was a River class torpedo boat destroyer laid down by the Cockatoo Docks and Engineering Company at Sydney in New South Wales on 25 January 1913, launched on 28 August 1915 and commissioned on 3 July 1916. Torrens paid off into reserve on 19 July 1920 and was based on Westernport for RAN Reserve Training from June 1924 to mid March 1925. During the general reduction in naval activity during the depression it was decided to scrap the entire class and she was towed to sea for use as a Fleet Gunnery Practice Target on 24 November 1930. She withstood considerable shelling before being sunk by a charge of gelignite.

The 34th Brigade was an Australian Army brigade which was active between 1945 and 1948. The 34th Brigade was formed in October 1945 at Morotai in the Netherlands East Indies as the Army's contribution to the British Commonwealth Occupation Force. After a lengthy period of training the Brigade arrived in Kure, Japan in late February 1946 and was assigned responsibility for providing security and enforcing the armistice conditions in Hiroshima Prefecture. The 34th Brigade was redesignated the 1st Brigade in 1948 and left for Japan for Australia later that year.

No. 14 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force maritime patrol squadron of World War II. The Squadron was formed at RAAF Base Pearce near Perth, Western Australia on 6 February 1939. During the war the squadron was tasked with the role of providing anti-submarine patrols along the West Australian coastline. No. 14 Squadron ceased flying anti-submarine patrols on 23 May 1945 and was disbanded on 10 December 1945 without firing a shot in anger. The Squadron was unique among RAAF Squadrons in that it was based at only a single air base, RAAF Pearce, during its existence.

HMAS Quadrant (G11/F01) was a Q class destroyer laid down by R and W Hawthorn at Hebburn, England on 24 September 1940, launched on 28 February 1942, commissioned in the Royal Navy on 26 November 1942, purchased by Australia and commissioned into the RAN on 18 October 1945, paid off into Reserve at Sydney on 20 June 1947, converted to a fast anti-submarine frigate at the Williamstown Naval Dockyard in Melbourne and recommissioned on 16 July 1953. Quadrant was paid off into Operational Reserve at Sydney on 16 August 1957 and was sold for scrap to the Japanese firm of Kinoshita and Company Limited on 15 February 1963.

The 1st Pioneer Battalion was an Australian infantry and light engineer unit raised for service during the First World War as part of the all volunteer Australian Imperial Force (AIF). Formed in Egypt in March 1916, the battalion subsequently served on the Western Front in France and Belgium. Assigned to the 1st Division, the 1st Pioneer Battalion fought in most of the major battles that the AIF participated in between mid-1916 and the end of the war in November 1918. It was subsequently disbanded in early 1919.