Second Division AIF
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Histories on site
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Campaigns
- Gallipoli:
- Egypt:
- Western Front:
- Pozieres,
- Advance to the Hindenburg Line,
- Bullecourt,
- Menin Road,
- Broodeseinde,
- Amiens,
- Mont St Quentin,
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Montebrehain
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| Mont St Quentin, Peronne,
France. c. 1925. A bronze plaque fitted to the base of the Memorial to
the men of the 2nd Australian Division. It reads: "Battle Honours
2nd Australian Division, August 8th 1918: Bullecourt, Menin Road ,
Broodseinde, Passchendaele, Ville sur Ancre, Morlancourt, Hamel, Villers
Bretonneux, Herleville, Herbecourt, Biache, Mont St Quentin, Beaurevoir
Line, Montbrehain". At left is the rising sun badge of the
Australian Army, containing the words "Australian Commonwealth
Military Forces" The monument was designed by Lieutenant Web
Gilbert. (Donor: E. Evans) |
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Today, the 2nd Division memorial is located at the side of
the Bapaume-Peronne road in the village of Mont St. Quentin.
The occupying German army removed the original memorial,
depicting a Digger about to bayonet a German eagle, in 1940.
Australia replaced it with a magnificent 2.5 metre tall
slouch-hatted Digger in battle dress. |
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Narrative
In June 1915, the General Officer Commanding the Australian Imperial
Force, Major General John Gordon Legge, put forward a proposal to form a
Second Division from units training in Egypt. This proposal was accepted
by the Australian government on 10 July 1915 and Legge designated
Brigadier General James W. McCay to command it. Unfortunately, McCay broke
his leg the next day. Legge then took on the job himself.
The Division was formed in Egypt July 1915 and moved to Gallipoli in
August, serving there until the withdrawal to Egypt in December 1915. In
March 1916 it was the first division to move to France, taking over part
of the "nursery" sector around Armentieres. On 27 July 1916, it
relieved the First Division at Pozieres and captured the Pozieres Heights
at great cost. Two more tours of the Somme followed in August and
November.
In March 1917 a flying column of the Second Division pursued the
Germans to the Hindenburg Line. At Lagnicourt on 15 April 1917, it struck
by a powerful German counterattack, which it repelled. On 3 May 1917 the
Division assaulted the Hindenburg Line in the Second Battle of Bullecourt,
holding the breach thus gained against furious counterattacks. During the
Third Battle of Ypres, it fought with great success at Menin Road in
September and Broodeseinde in October.
In March 1918 the Second Division helped halt the German offensive in
the Somme region and fought in the Battle of Hamel in July and the Battle
of Amiens in August.
In September 1918 it took Mont Saint Quentin by storm in one of the
finest feats of fighting of the war. It fought on to the Hindenburg Line
and beyond, becoming the last division to be withdrawn.
Commanders
- Major
General J. Gordon Legge 26 July 1915 to 28 December 1916
- Major General N. M. Smythe 28 December 1916 to 21 May 1918
- Major
General Charles Rosenthal 21 May 1918 to past November 1918
Campaigns
Gallipoli: Defence of Anzac, Egypt: Defence of Suez
Canal, Western Front: Pozieres, Advance to the Hindenburg Line,
Bullecourt, Menin Road, Broodeseinde, Amiens, Mont St Quentin,
Montebrehain
Casualties
- killed in action: 8,837
- died of wounds: 2,842
- other deaths: 936
- prisoners: 477
- wounded: 37,936
- total: 51,028
Memorial Mont Saint Quentin
Second
Division (Egypt and Gallipoli, 1915)
- 2nd Division Artillery
- 4th Field Artillery Brigade [12 x 18 pounders]
- 10th,11th,12th Field Artillery Batteries
- 4th Brigade Ammunition Column
- 5th Field Artillery Brigade [12 x 18 pounders]
- 13th, 14th, 15th Field Artillery Batteries
- 5th Brigade Ammunition Column
- 6th Field Artillery Brigade [12 x 18 pounders]
- 16th,17th,18th Field Artillery Batteries
- 6th Brigade Ammunition Column
- 2nd Division Engineers
- 4th,5th Field Companies (New South Wales; Victoria)
- 2nd Signal Company
- 5th Infantry Brigade
- 17th,18th,19th,20th Infantry Battalions (New South Wales)
- 6th Infantry Brigade
- 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th Infantry Battalions (Victoria)
- 7th Infantry Brigade
- 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th Infantry Battalions (Queensland;
Queensland and Tasmania; South Australia; Western Australia)
- 2nd Division Medical Services
- 5th, 6th, 7th Field Ambulances (New South Wales; Victoria; Outer
States)
- 13th Light Horse Regiment (Victoria)
- 2nd Divisional Train
- 15th, 16th, 17th, 20th Army Service Corps Companies
- 2nd Mobile Veterinary Section
Second
Division (France, April 1916)
- 2nd Division Artillery
- 4th Field Artillery Brigade [16 x 18 pounders]
- 10th, 11th, 12th,19th Field Artillery Batteries
- 4th Brigade Ammunition Column
- 5th Field Artillery Brigade [16 x 18 pounders]
- 13th, 14th,15th, 20th Field Artillery Batteries
- 5th Brigade Ammunition Column
- 6th Field Artillery Brigade [16 x 18 pounders]
- 16th,17th,18th, 21st Field Artillery Batteries
- 6th Brigade Ammunition Column
- 22nd Field Artillery (Howitzer) Brigade [12 x 4.5 inch
howitzers]
- 104th,105th,106th Field Artillery (Howitzer) Batteries
- 22nd Brigade Ammunition Column
- 2nd Division Ammunition Column
- 2nd Division Trench Mortars
- V2A Heavy Trench Mortar Battery [4 x 9.45 inch heavy trench
mortars]
- X2A,Y2A,Z2A Medium Trench Mortar Batteries [12 x 2 inch
medium trench mortars]
- 2nd Division Engineers
- 5th, 6th, 7th Field Companies (Victoria; Outer States; New South
Wales)
- 2nd Signal Company
- 5th Infantry Brigade
- 17th,18th,19th,20th Infantry Battalions (New South Wales)
- 5A/1,5A/2 Light Trench Mortar Batteries [8 x 2 inch, 4 inch
trench mortars]
- 5th Machinegun Company [16 x Vickers Machineguns]
- 6th Infantry Brigade
- 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th Infantry Battalions (Victoria)
- 6A/1, 6A/2 Light Trench Mortar Batteries [8 x 2 inch, 4 inch
trench mortars]
- 6th Machinegun Company [16 x Vickers Machineguns]
- 7th Infantry Brigade
- 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th Infantry Battalions (Queensland; Queensland
and Tasmania; South Australia; Western Australia)
- 7A/1, 7A/2 Light Trench Mortar Batteries [8 x 2 inch, 4 inch
trench mortars]
- 7th Machinegun Company [16 x Vickers Machineguns]
- 2nd Pioneer Battalion
- 2nd Division Medical Services
- 5th, 6th, 7th Field Ambulances (New South Wales; Victoria; Outer
States)
- 1st Sanitary Section
- A Squadron, 13th Light Horse Regiment (Victoria)
- 2nd Cyclist Company
- 2nd Divisional Train
- 15th, 16th, 17th, 20th Army Service Corps Companies
- 2nd Division Ammunition Sub Park
- 2nd Mobile Veterinary Section
Second
Division (France, July 1916)
- 2nd Division Artillery
- 4th Field Artillery Brigade [12 x 18 pounders, 4 x 4.5 inch
howitzers]
- 10th,11th,12th Field Artillery Batteries
- 104th Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery
- 5th Field Artillery Brigade [12 x 18 pounders, 4 x 4.5 inch
howitzers]
- 13th,14th,15th Field Artillery Batteries
- 105th Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery
- 6th Field Artillery Brigade [12 x 18 pounders, 4 x 4.5 inch
howitzers]
- 16th,17th,18th Field Artillery Batteries
- 106th Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery
- 22nd Field Artillery Brigade [12 x 18 pounders]
- 19th,20th,21st Field Artillery Batteries
- 2nd Division Ammunition Column
- 2nd Division Trench Mortars
- X2A,Y2A,Z2A Medium Trench Mortar Batteries [12 x 2 inch
medium trench mortars]
- V2A Heavy Trench Mortar Battery [4 x 9.45 inch heavy trench
mortars]
- 2nd Division Engineers
- 5th, 6th, 7th Field Companies (Victoria; Outer States; New South
Wales)
- 2nd Signal Company
- 5th Infantry Brigade
- 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th Infantry Battalions (New South Wales)
- 5th Light Trench Mortar Battery [8 x 3 inch Stokes Mortars]
- 5th Machinegun Company [16 x Vickers Machineguns]
- 6th Infantry Brigade
- 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th Infantry Battalions (Victoria)
- 6th Light Trench Mortar Battery [8 x 3 inch Stokes Mortars]
- 6th Machinegun Company [16 x Vickers Machineguns]
- 7th Infantry Brigade
- 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th Infantry Battalions (Queensland; Queensland
and Tasmania; South Australia; Western Australia)
- 7th Light Trench Mortar Battery [8 x 3 inch Stokes Mortars]
- 7th Machinegun Company [16 x Vickers Machineguns]
- 2nd Pioneer Battalion
- 2nd Divisional Medical Services
- 5th, 6th, 7th Field Ambulances (New South Wales; Victoria; Outer
States)
- 1st Sanitary Section
- 2nd Salvage Company
- 2nd Divisional Train
- 15th, 16th, 17th, 20th Australian Army Service Corps Companies
- 2nd Mobile Veterinary Section
Second
Division (France, August 1917)
- 2nd Division Artillery
- 4th Field Artillery Brigade [18 x 18 pounders, 6 x 4.5 inch
howitzers]
- 10th,11th,12th Field Artillery Batteries
- 104th (Howitzer) Field Artillery Battery
- 5th Field Artillery Brigade [18 x 18 pounders, 6 x 4.5 inch
howitzers]
- 13th,14th,15th Field Artillery Batteries
- 105th (Howitzer) Field Artillery Battery
- 2nd Division Ammunition Column
- 2nd Division Trench Mortars
- X2A,Y2A,Z2A Medium Trench Mortar Batteries [12 x 2 inch
medium trench mortars]
- V2A Heavy Trench Mortar Battery [4 x 9.45 inch heavy trench
mortars]
- 2nd Division Engineers
- 5th,6th,7th Field Companies (Victoria; Outer States; New South
Wales)
- 2nd Signal Company
- 5th Infantry Brigade
- 17th,18th,19th,20th Infantry Battalions (New South Wales)
- 5th Light Trench Mortar Battery [8 x 3 inch Stokes Mortars]
- 5th Machinegun Company [16 x Vickers Machineguns]
- 6th Infantry Brigade
- 21st,22nd,23rd,24th Infantry Battalions (Victoria)
- 6th Light Trench Mortar Battery [8 x 3 inch Stokes Mortars]
- 6th Machinegun Company [16 x Vickers Machineguns]
- 7th Infantry Brigade
- 25th,26th,27th,28th Infantry Battalions (Queensland; Queensland
and Tasmania; South Australia; Western Australia)
- 7th Light Trench Mortar Battery [8 x 3 inch Stokes Mortars]
- 7th Machinegun Company [16 x Vickers Machineguns]
- 22nd Machinegun Company [16 x Vickers machineguns]
- 2nd Pioneer Battalion
- 2nd Division Medical Services
- 5th,6th,7th Field Ambulances
- 1st Sanitary Section
- 2nd Salvage Company
- 2nd Divisional Train
- 15th,16th,17th,20th Army Service Corps Companies
- 2nd Mobile Veterinary Section
Second
Division (France, September 1918)
- 2nd Division Artillery
- 4th Field Artillery Brigade [18 x 18 pounders, 6 x 4.5 inch
howitzers]
- 10th,11th,12th Field Artillery Batteries
- 104th Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery
- 5th Field Artillery Brigade [18 x 18 pounders, 6 x 4.5 inch
howitzers]
- 13th,14th,15th Field Artillery Batteries
- 105th (Howitzer) Field Artillery Battery
- 2nd Division Ammunition Column
- 2nd Division Trench Mortars
- 3rd,4th Medium Trench Mortar Batteries [12 x 6 inch Newton
mortars]
- 2nd Division Engineers
- 5th,6th,7th Field Companies (Victoria; Outer States; New South
Wales)
- 2nd Signal Company
- 5th Infantry Brigade
- 17th,18th,19th,20th Infantry Battalions (New South Wales)
- 5th Light Trench Mortar Battery [8 x 3 inch Stokes mortars]
- 6th Infantry Brigade
- 21st,22nd,23rd,24th Infantry Battalions (Victoria)
- 6th Light Trench Mortar Battery [8 x 3 inch Stokes mortars]
- 7th Infantry Brigade
- 25th,26th,27th,28th Infantry Battalions (Queensland; Queensland
and Tasmania; South Australia; Western Australia)
- 7th Light Trench Mortar Battery [8 x 3 inch Stokes mortars]
- 2nd Machinegun Battalion [64 x Vickers machineguns]
- 5th,6th,7th,22nd Machinegun Companies
- 2nd Pioneer Battalion
- 2nd Division Medical Services
- 5th,6th,7th Field Ambulances
- 1st Sanitary Section
- 2nd Salvage Company
- 2nd Divisional Train
- 15th,16th,17th,20th Army Service Corps Companies
- 2nd Mobile Veterinary Section
This copy supplied in part by Ross Mallett
(ADFA) and in part by AWM and other sources. |
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