Australian 39th Battalion

Australian 39th Battalion
Unit name	39th Battalion
Dates	1916–1919, 1921–1930, 1941–1944
Country	Australia
Branch	Australian Army
Type	Infantry
Command structure	10th Brigade, 3rd Division (WWI), 30th Brigade, Militia (WWII)
Garrison	Bendigo, Victoria
Battles	World War I, World War II
Notable commanders	John Mitchell

Australian 39th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army that served in both World War I and World War II. Raised in Victoria, it first saw action on the Western Front during the First World War. In the Second World War, the battalion is most famously remembered for its tenacious defence during the Kokoda Track campaign in Papua.

History

The battalion was originally formed in early 1916 as part of the First Australian Imperial Force for service during World War I. After the war, it was re-raised as a part-time unit within the Citizens Military Force, based in the Bendigo region. This incarnation was disbanded in 1930 during the Great Depression but was mobilised again following the outbreak of World War II. The battalion was ultimately disbanded in 1944, with its personnel redistributed to other units fighting in the South West Pacific Theatre.

World War I

The 39th Battalion embarked from Melbourne in mid-1916, joining the 10th Brigade of the 3rd Division. After initial training in England, it deployed to the Western Front in late 1916. The battalion participated in several major battles, including the Battle of Messines and the Battle of Passchendaele. It also saw heavy fighting during the German spring offensive of 1918 and the subsequent Allied Hundred Days Offensive, including actions at Amiens and the Battle of the Hindenburg Line. The battalion was disbanded in 1919 after returning to Australia.

World War II

Following the outbreak of war with Japan, the 39th Battalion was mobilised in 1941 as part of the Militia. Initially deployed for garrison duty in Australia, it was sent to Port Moresby in early 1942. As part of Maroubra Force, the battalion, understrength and poorly equipped, played a crucial role in the Kokoda Track campaign, fighting a desperate delaying action against the advancing Imperial Japanese Army. Its stand at Isurava in August 1942, alongside the 2/14th Battalion, became legendary. After being relieved, the depleted battalion later saw further action in the Buna–Gona operations before returning to Australia in 1943.

Battle honours

The 39th Battalion was awarded the following battle honours for its service: For World War I: Somme, 1918, Amiens (1918), Hindenburg Line, and France and Flanders, 1916–18. For World War II: Kokoda Trail, Eora Creek–Templeton's Crossing II, and Buna–Gona. The unit's colours emblazon these honours, which are also perpetuated by successor units within the Royal Victoria Regiment.

Commanding officers

During World War I, the battalion was commanded by Lieutenant Colonels including John Mitchell, who led the unit through much of its service on the Western Front. In World War II, command fell to Lieutenant Colonels such as William T. Owen, who was killed in action at Kokoda, and later Ralph Honner, who took command during the critical stages of the Kokoda Track campaign and is widely credited with restoring the battalion's morale and fighting effectiveness.

Legacy

The 39th Battalion is remembered as one of Australia's most famous Militia units, primarily for its heroic actions on the Kokoda Track. Its story is central to the Anzac spirit narrative, symbolising courage against overwhelming odds. The battalion is commemorated at the Australian War Memorial and through memorials along the Kokoda Track itself. Its lineage and battle honours are maintained within the Australian Army Reserve by the 8th/7th Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment.

Category:Australian World War I battalions Category:Australian World War II battalions Category:Military units and formations established in 1916