Australian 9th Division

From Academic Kids

"My God, I wish we had [the] 9th Australian Division with us this morning." Major-General Francis de Guingaund, Chief of Staff, Allied Land-force Headquarters Europe, D-Day, 1944.

The 9th Division of the Australian Army was formed to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force. The division was raised from regular army units and volunteer infantry brigades, from October 1940 onwards. In common with other Australian divisions, the 9th Division was one of only a few Allied army units to serve with distinction against both Nazi Germany (in North Africa) and the Empire of Japan (in New Guinea and Borneo).

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Structure

Infantry units (with state of origin, where applicable)

20th Australian Infantry Brigade � from 7th Division, 1941.
- 2/13th Australian Infantry Battalion, New South Wales (NSW)
- 2/15th Australian Infantry Battalion, Queensland (Qld)
- 2/17th Australian Infantry Battalion, NSW

24th Australian Infantry Brigade � from 8th Division, 1940
- 2/25th Australian Infantry Battalion, Qld (to 25th Infantry Brigade, 194?)
- 2/28th Australian Infantry Battalion, Western Australia (WA)
- 2/43rd Australian Infantry Battalion, South Australia (SA)

25th Australian Infantry Brigade - to 7th Div., 1941
- 2/31st Australian Infantry Battalion, Qld
- 2/32nd Australian Infantry Battalion, Victoria (Vic.) (to 24th Infantry Brigade, 194?)
- 2/33rd Australian Infantry Battalion, NSW

26th Australian Infantry Brigade
- 2/23rd Australian Infantry Battalion, Vic.
- 2/24th Australian Infantry Battalion, Vic.
- 2/48th Australian Infantry Battalion, SA

27th Australian Infantry Brigade � to 8th Div., 1941
- 2/26th Australian Infantry Battalion, Qld
- 2/29th Australian Infantry Battalion, Vic.
- 2/30th Australian Infantry Battalion, NSW

Artillery regiments
- 2/7th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery
- 2/8th Field Regiment, RAA
- 2/12th Field Regiment, RAA (ex 2/2nd Medium Reg., Corps Artillery)
- 2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment, RAA (from 8th Div., 194?)

Other units
- 2/3rd Australian Machine-Gun Regiment (Vic.)
- 2/4th Australian Pioneer Battalion
- 9th Australian Divisional Cavalry (from 8th Div., 1941)
- Engineer companies
  - 2/3rd Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers, Tasmania/WA/SA (from 6th Div., 194?)
  - 2/13th Field Company, RAE, Qld (ex 2/1st Field Park Company)
  - 2/7th Field Company, RAE, Qld (ex Corps Troops)
  - 2/4th Field Park Company, RAE, WA (ex 8th Division)

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Commanders

Major General Henry Wynter (October 1940 - February 1941)
Major General Leslie Morshead (February 1941 - March 1943)
Major General George Wootten (March 1943 - October 1945).

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