On the Diggers and the British Infantry Battalion Organization

[Mark Gallear]

Australian organization

The representation of Australian armour is not that bad but I would like to see the M13/40 represented, it just needs a White Kangaroo adding!

From 73 Italian light and medium tanks captured at Sidi Barrani (December 12 1940) the 6th Australian Cavalary managed to put 16 medium tanks in working order. They equipped three squadrons; one of six tanks (1x M13/40 and 5 x M11/39) and two with two tanks supported by Bren carriers. The squadrons were named Ringo, Rabbit and Wobat respectively and the Italian vehicles had a large white Kangaroo painted on the sides, drivers plate, and turret sides and back for recogniation during the attack on Tobruk.

(Problems with diesel fuel and ammo probably meant they lasted in service a couple of months at most.)

I would like to see these tanks added to the list.

http://anzacsteel.hobbyvista.com/Military%20Models/m1340mt_1.htm

French Renault R-35 tanks (these are believed to be from the French 6e or 7e RCA. Who were known to have used R35 tanks in Syria) captured and used by the 6th Australian Division in Palestine. 6 of these R-35 tanks were used by the 6th Australian Division Cavalry Regiment, and operated in 2 squadrons of 3 R-35 tanks and a squadron of carriers. One of these tanks was put out of action and the remaining 5 were handed over to the 7th Australian Division when it arrived in Palestine in mid-August. They were then used for garrison duties. The campaign against the vichy French in Syria is not represented?

The 9th Australian Divisional Cavalry Regiment was equipped with Crusader MK II Cruiser Tanks and General Stuart Light Tanks during their fighting along the El Alamein position 8 July to 5 November 1942. This appears to be modelled correctly.

http://anzacsteel.hobbyvista.com/Armoured%20Vehicles/australianarmourinthemiddleeastph_1.htm

Infantry Organization

http://www.awm.gov.au/atwar/structure/army_detailed_structure.htm#Infantry

Usual very serious problems as per the British list.

Submachinegun was the Thompson not the Sten.

1941 Battalion

33 Offr, 759 ORBn HQ Regimental Aid Post

HQ Coy

Signals Pl

Anti-Aircraft Pl

Mortar Pl

Pioneer Pl

Admin Pl

Carrier P

l4 x rifle coy

Rifle Company:Coy HQ (2 Offr, 10 OR)3 x rifle pl

Rifle Platoon:Pl HQ (1 Offr, 5 OR, 1x AT Rifle, 1x 2" mortar)3 x rifle sect

Rifle Section:10 OR1 x Bren LMG1 x Thompson SMG

These notes are from the description of a British Battalion applied to the Australian.

Headquarters Company (8 Officers, 247 men) comprised of;

Company HQ (1 Officer, 7 men)

Signals Platoon (1 Officer, 35 men) - maintained radio, wire and telephone communication between the Battalion and higher and parallel formations.

Anti Aircraft Platoon (to 1942) (20 men) - refers to four mountings each holding a pair of Bren guns. The platoon also deployed four anti-tank rifles. By 1941 they were mounted on 2 seater cars, possibly 8cwt trucks, substituted for Jeeps in North Africa, with a couple of 15cwt trucks carrying supplies.

(20mm Posten AA guns were theoretically supposed to have been issued in 1944 to British Battalions but this never happened. The 20mm were limited to Light AA regiments. I am not even sure if any served in the Med!)

Mortar Platoon - the Mortar Platoon was perhaps the single most powerful element of the Battalion. It was equipped throughout with the 3 inch mortar, a sturdy if unremarkable weapon whose early range of 1600 yards was eventually increased to a respectable 2750 yards.

The platoon served six such 'tubes', each transported by a modified Universal Carrier; the crew had to dismount and assemble the weapon before they could begin operation. The six detachments were paired into three Sections, each provided with an ammunition truck to augment the carrier load. The truck also carried an infantry anti-tank weapon (Boys or PIAT) for defensive purposes. A seventh carrier and a motorcycle element provided platoon HQ.

Another point is that the Austalian Battalions suffred from a lack of mortars as did the British prior to November 1941, so that most Battalions were missing this asset in this early period.

Pioneer Platoon – (1 Officer, 21 men)

The Pioneer Platoon deployed two Assault Sections and one Pioneer Section under an Officer and Pioneer Sergeant . Each five strong Assault Section had its own jeep and trailer by 1943, while a 3 ton lorry carried the bulk of the Platoon stores. The Platoon commander had a motorcycle, also upgraded to a Jeep by 1943. The Assault Sections provided specialist men and equipment for the disposal of mines and breaching obstacles. The British Army was not really keen on flamethrowers, but if issued the Pioneers would no doubt have deployed them.

The Pioneer Section was comprised of Tradesmen, a mason, bricklayer and carpenters under the Pioneer Sergeant, necessary to turn burnt out buildings into bearable accommodation for the riflemen.

Administrative Platoon (2 Officers, 57 men) - provided the bulk of the Battalion motor pool, plus the various cooks, fitters and tradesmen required to keep the unit functioning.

Carrier Platoon (2 Officers, 62 men) - the Carrier Platoon offered a unique blend of mobility and firepower to the Battalion. It was based upon the early Bren Carrier, more correctly referred to as the Universal Carrier. The vehicle was an attempt to provide a fully tracked, lightly armoured vehicle which could transport a Bren gun across exposed ground and return fire.

The Platoon contained four Sections, each of three carriers, plus one at Platoon HQ for a total of thirteen. Each Carrier was crewed initially by three men, increased to four men by 1943, an NCO commanding a driver and one then two riflemen. Each Section was accompanied by a motorcycle orderly from 1943. Previously, there was a motorcycle 'section' of twenty men on eight solo and four combination machines, but it seems this was only intended for use in home based units.

Each Carrier mounted a Bren gun, which could be removed and fired from cover. Also each Section had initially a Boys Anti-tank Rifle, and later a Projector, Infantry, Anti-tank, plus a 2 inch mortar which could be fired in or out of the carrier. This collection gave the platoon a higher number of light support weapons than a Rifle Company, but its manpower was insufficient for it to hold ground indefinitely, and the profusion of German anti-tank weapons made for a hostile environment. Platoon HQ added one, later two trucks and further motorcycles to the Commander's Carrier.

Anti-tank Platoon

Like the British Battalions, the Australians at the start of the War had no integral anti-tank platoons.

Units were officially ordered to form them at the end of 1940 when the Brigade Anti-Tank companies were disbanded and absorbed into Divisional Anti-Tank Regiments. However it was not until 1941 British & Australian units started to form integral Anti-Tank units with 1-2pdr Portéé Stand.

From August 1942 (after the 1st Battle of El Alamein) some Commonwealth Battalions adopted unofficial TO&Es of two 2pdr Portéé Stands per battalion (8-10 actual weapons) - This was done in North Africa by Some Australian and South African Battalions (about 1 in 2), and by all New Zealand Battalions.

I have seen an Australian Battalion tow for March 1942 in the Middle East with two, “unofficial” MMG Platoons each of 4 Vickers and Platoon HQ and two Anti-tank platoons each with 4 2 pdrs. And 4 Brens, Plattoon HQ carried Portee by 4 truck and a lorry. The MMGs were officially kept in their own Support Battalion but as the war went on were farmed out to the Infantry Battalions

http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-battles/ww2/tobruk.htm

Describe the Australian battalion at Tobruk December 1941.

http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-battles/ww2/tobruk.htm

http://www.histofig.com/history/20/ww2/tobruk_01_en.html

As its New Years Day can we have a decent and historic British and Commonwealth (Empire) Infantry Battalion structure pretty please !

[ January 01, 2004, 04:23 PM: Message edited by: Mark Gallear ]