The 59th Battalion was an
infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...
battalion
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions a ...
of the
Australian Army
The Australian Army is the principal land warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (CA), wh ...
. Initially raised for service during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, the battalion fought on the
Western Front in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
and
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
between 1916 and 1918, before being disbanded in 1919. In 1921, it was re-raised as a part-time unit of the
Militia
A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
in
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
. They remained in existence until 1942 when, due to a manpower shortage in the Australian economy, the decision was made to amalgamate the battalion with the
58th Battalion to form the
58th/59th Battalion. Together they remained linked throughout
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, serving in
New Guinea
New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; id, Papua, or , historically ) is the world's second-largest island with an area of . Located in Oceania in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is separated from Australia by the wide Torr ...
and
Bougainville in 1943–1945. In 1952, the 59th Battalion was re-raised and subsequently was absorbed into the
Royal Victoria Regiment
The Royal Victoria Regiment is an Infantry Regiment of the Australian Army, consisting of two battalions, the 5th/6th Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment, 5th/6th Battalion and the 8th/7th Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment, 8th/7th Battalion.
Hist ...
in 1960.
History
World War I
The 59th Battalion was originally raised as a unit of the
First Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during the First World War. It was formed as the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) following Britain's declaration of war on Germany on 15 Au ...
(AIF) in
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...
on 21 February 1916 for service in
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
as part of an expansion of the AIF that took place following the end of the
Gallipoli campaign. The battalion was formed through the joining of half of the members of the
7th Battalion with fresh recruits raised in Australia from rural Victoria. Together with the
57th,
58th and
60th Battalions, the 59th formed part of the
15th Brigade, attached to the
5th Australian Division.
![John Joseph Scanlan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/John_Joseph_Scanlan.jpg)
After completing its formation, the 5th Division was transferred to the
Western Front. Arriving in France on 23 June, the battalion experienced its first taste of fighting on the Western Front in July when it was involved in the
Battle of Fromelles, suffering heavy casualties to machine gun fire when it attacked in the first wave. During early 1917, in an effort to shorten their lines of communication, the Germans withdrew to prepared positions of the
Hindenburg Line
The Hindenburg Line (German: , Siegfried Position) was a German defensive position built during the winter of 1916–1917 on the Western Front during the First World War. The line ran from Arras to Laffaux, near Soissons on the Aisne. In 1916 ...
; a brief advance followed as the Allies followed them up. During this phase of the war the 59th Battalion was not committed to any major attacks, but it did play a defensive role at the end of the
Second Battle of Bullecourt
The Battle of Arras (also known as the Second Battle of Arras) was a British offensive on the Western Front during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British troops attacked German defences near the French city of Arras on the Wes ...
in May, holding the ground that the Australians had gained earlier in the fighting. Later in the year, the Australians were transferred to Belgium where, in late September, the 59th took part in the
Battle of Polygon Wood
The Battle of Polygon Wood took place from 26 September to 3 October 1917, during the second phase of the Third Battle of Ypres in the First World War. The battle was fought near Ypres in Belgium, in the area from the Menin road to Polygon Woo ...
.
[
The following year, the collapse of Tsarist Russia allowed the Germans to launch a large-scale offensive on the Western Front known as the Spring Offensive, which initially forced the Allies back towards Paris. In late March, the Australian divisions were moved south to help shore up the line, and the 5th Division took up a position around Corbie. In the fighting that followed, the 59th Battalion took part in a counter-attack at ]Villers-Bretonneux
Villers-Bretonneux () is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France.
Geography
Villers-Bretonneux is situated some 19 km due east of Amiens, on the D1029 road and the A29 motorway.
Villers-Bretonneux bord ...
on 25 April 1918. After the German offensive was halted, a brief period of lull followed during which the Allies sought to regain the initiative, and in early July, the 59th took part in a diversionary attack on the Ancre River during the Battle of Hamel. Later in the year, the Allies launched their own offensive, the Hundred Days Offensive, and the battalion took part in the fighting at Amiens
Amiens (English: or ; ; pcd, Anmien, or ) is a city and commune in northern France, located north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in the region of Hauts-de-France. In 2021, the population of ...
on 8 August. A series of advances followed, resulting in further battles: the Battle of Mont St Quentin and Péronne on 31 August and lastly the Battle of St. Quentin Canal on 29 September. In early October, the battalion was withdrawn from the line for rest and reorganisation, having suffered heavily during the earlier fighting. They remained out of the line until the war ended and subsequently the battalion saw no further action, and it was disbanded on 24 March 1919.
During its war service, the 59th lost 795 men killed and 1,619 wounded. Members of the battalion received the following decorations: two Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, ty ...
s with one Bar, 17 Military Cross
The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries.
The MC ...
es, 14 Distinguished Conduct Medal
The Distinguished Conduct Medal was a decoration established in 1854 by Queen Victoria for gallantry in the field by other ranks of the British Army. It is the oldest British award for gallantry and was a second level military decoration, ranki ...
s with one Bar, 51 Military Medal
The Military Medal (MM) was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other arms of the armed forces, and to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land. The award ...
s with four Bars, eight Meritorious Service Medal A Meritorious Service Medal is an award presented to denote acts of meritorious service, and sometimes gallantry, that are worthy of recognition. Notable medals with similar names include:
* Meritorious Civilian Service Award
*Meritorious Service Me ...
s, 24 Mentions in Despatches, and eight foreign awards.[ A total of 16 ]battle honour
A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible.
In European military t ...
s were awarded to the 59th Battalion in 1927.[
]
Inter-war years and later
After the AIF was demobilised in 1921, Australia's part-time military force, the Citizen Force, was reorganised to replicate the formations of the AIF. As a result, the previously existing Citizen Force infantry regiments were redesignated to perpetuate the numbers of the AIF battalions. As a result, the 59th Battalion was raised again, drawing personnel mainly from the 2nd and 5th Battalions of the 59th Infantry Regiment, as well as part of the 60th Infantry and 29th Light Horse.[Festberg 1972, p. 115.] When territorial designations were adopted in 1927, the battalion became known as the "59th Battalion (The Coburg-Brunswick Regiment)"; its motto – ''Fidelis Et Audax'' – was also approved at this time.[Festberg 1972, p. 116.] Upon re-formation, the 59th was once again assigned to the 15th Brigade, which was then under the command of the 3rd Division. Due to the lack of numbers and funding following the Great Depression and the suspension of the compulsory training scheme, the battalion's authorised strength was greatly reduced during the inter-war years and it suffered from a lack of recruits and training opportunities during this time. An alliance with the East Lancashire Regiment
The East Lancashire Regiment was, from 1881 to 1958, a line infantry regiment of the British Army. The regiment was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot and 59th (2nd Nottingh ...
began in 1926.[
In 1939, the battalion underwent a name change, adopting the territorial title of the "Hume Regiment", when its recruitment territory was re-adjusted with the 59th Battalion. From 1938 to 1940, the 59th was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Ernest Purnell Hill.] In 1940, Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Whalley took over the role of commander, filling the post until 1942. On 27 August 1942, as a result of a governmental decision to reduce the size of the Militia and return some of its personnel to civilian industry, the 59th Battalion amalgamated with the 58th Battalion becoming the 58th/59th Battalion. The 58/59th Battalion would go on to see action in World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
in the South-West Pacific
Oceania (, , ) is a region, geographical region that includes Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Spanning the Eastern Hemisphere, Eastern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres, Oceania is estimated to have a land area of ...
during the New Guinea
New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; id, Papua, or , historically ) is the world's second-largest island with an area of . Located in Oceania in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is separated from Australia by the wide Torr ...
and Bougainville campaign
The Bougainville campaign was a series of land and naval battles of the Pacific campaign of World War II between Allied forces and the Empire of Japan, named after the island of Bougainville. It was part of Operation Cartwheel, the Allie ...
s in 1943–1945. It was disbanded on 23 February 1946.[
Following the end of the war, Australia's part-time military force was re-raised in 1948 under the guise of the Citizens Military Force. The 59th Battalion was not re-formed at this time, however. In 1952,] the battalion was raised again as the "59th Battalion (Hume Regiment)" and assigned to the 6th Brigade. ''Marine Artillery'' was approved as the regimental march in 1953.[ On 23 March 1958, the battalion became the first infantry battalion in Australia to be granted the Freedom of Entry to a city when it was afforded the honour by the city of ]Shepparton, Victoria
Shepparton () ( Yortayorta: ''Kanny-goopna'') is a city located on the floodplain of the Goulburn River in northern Victoria, Australia, approximately north-northeast of Melbourne. As of the 2021 census, the estimated population of Shepparton, ...
.[ After the Pentropic re-organisation of the Australian Army in 1960, the battalion was absorbed into the 2nd Battalion, ]Royal Victoria Regiment
The Royal Victoria Regiment is an Infantry Regiment of the Australian Army, consisting of two battalions, the 5th/6th Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment, 5th/6th Battalion and the 8th/7th Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment, 8th/7th Battalion.
Hist ...
, forming a company-sized element of that unit. The following year, even though it was no longer on the Army's order of battle, the 59th was awarded 12 battle honours, which it bore for the 58th/59th Battalion.[ Later, 2 RVR was redesignated as the ]8th/7th Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment
The 8th/7th Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment (8/7 RVR) is an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It is one of two battalions that make up the Royal Victoria Regiment (RVR), with its sister unit being 5th/6th Battalion, Royal Victoria R ...
, and this unit now maintains the honours and traditions of the 59th Battalion.[Shaw 2010, p. 11.]
Australian novelist David Denholm, who wrote about World War II, served with the 58th/59th Battalion in New Guinea and on Bougainville.
Battle honours
The 59th Battalion was awarded the following battle honours:[
* World War I: Somme 1916– 18, Bullecourt, ]Ypres 1917
Ypres ( , ; nl, Ieper ; vls, Yper; german: Ypern ) is a Belgian city and municipality in the province of West Flanders. Though
the Dutch name is the official one, the city's French name is most commonly used in English. The municipality co ...
, Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Poelcappelle, Passchendaele, Ancre 1918, Villers-Bretonneux
Villers-Bretonneux () is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France.
Geography
Villers-Bretonneux is situated some 19 km due east of Amiens, on the D1029 road and the A29 motorway.
Villers-Bretonneux bord ...
, Amiens
Amiens (English: or ; ; pcd, Anmien, or ) is a city and commune in northern France, located north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in the region of Hauts-de-France. In 2021, the population of ...
, Albert 1918, Mont St Quentin, Hindenburg Line
The Hindenburg Line (German: , Siegfried Position) was a German defensive position built during the winter of 1916–1917 on the Western Front during the First World War. The line ran from Arras to Laffaux, near Soissons on the Aisne. In 1916 ...
, St Quentin Canal
The Canal de Saint-Quentin () is a canal in northern France connecting the canalised river Escaut in Cambrai to the Canal latéral à l'Oise and Canal de l'Oise à l'Aisne in Chauny.
History
The canal was built in two phases, the second much long ...
, France and Flanders 1916–18, and Egypt 1916.[
* World War II: South-West Pacific 1943–45, Bobdubi II, Komiatum, Liberation of Australian New Guinea, Finisterres, Barum, ]Hongorai River
The Hongorai River is a river on the southern coast of Bougainville Island.
It is located within the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, in northeastern Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Pa ...
, Egans Ridge–Hongorai Ford, Hari River, Ogorata River, Mobiai River and Mivo River.[
]
Commanders
The following officers commanded the 59th Battalion:[
;World War I
*Ernest Albert Harris;
*Herbert Thomas Christoph Layh;
*Charles Conway Mason;
*]John Joseph Scanlan
John Joseph Scanlan (May 24, 1906 – January 31, 1997) was an American Prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the second bishop of the Diocese of Honolulu in Hawaii from 1968 to 1981. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop ...
;World War II
*Ernest Purnell Hill;
*Rupert Whalley.
The following officers commanded the 58th/59th Battalion:[
*Rupert Whalley;
*Arthur Palmer;
*Patrick Starr;
*]George Warfe
Colonel George Radford Warfe, (27 July 1912 – 5 November 1975) was an Australian Army officer who commanded several Australian commando and infantry units during the Second World War. He later served in staff and training roles in the post wa ...
;
*Hyde Sweet;
*William Mayberry.
Notes
;Footnotes
;Citations
References
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{{Infantry formations of the First Australian Imperial Force , state=collapsed
59
59
Military units and formations established in 1916
Military units and formations disestablished in 1919
1916 establishments in Australia
Military units and formations established in 1921
Military units and formations disestablished in 1942
Military units and formations established in 1952
Military units and formations disestablished in 1960