30th Battalion (Australia)
Encyclopedia
The 30th Battalion was an infantry
battalion
of the Australian Army
. It was originally formed in 1915 during the First World War and saw service on the Western Front
before being disbanded in 1919. It was re-raised in 1921 but was later amalgamated with the 51st Battalion in 1930. In 1935 the two battalions were delinked and the 30th re-raised in its own right. During the Second World War it undertook garrison duties in Australia before undertaking active service in New Guinea
in 1944–45. After the war, it was disbanded in early 1946. In 1948 the battalion was re-raised again and remained on the order of battle until 1960 when it was absorbed into the Royal New South Wales Regiment
.
unit during the First World War, as part of the 8th Brigade
, attached to the 5th Division. Formed in Egypt
in August 1915, most of its personnel came from New South Wales
although one company
was formed from Victorian men who had volunteered to transfer from the Royal Australian Navy
to serve in the infantry. The battalion was not formed in time to see action at Gallipoli and instead they remained in Egypt until June 1916 when the battalion was transferred to the European theatre along with the rest of the 5th Division. For the next two and half years they served in the trenches along the Western Front
in France
and Belgium
.
The battalion's first major action came at Fromelles
on 19 July 1916 where they were initially tasked to provide a supporting role but were later committed to the fighting. After the battle, they were employed in mainly defensive duties holding parts of the line for the rest of 1916. Throughout 1917 and early 1918 the battalion had a relatively "quiet time" but nevertheless took part in two main engagements—Bullecourt and Polygon Wood
—before being committed to the Allied Hundred Days Offensive
that was launched at Amiens on 8 August 1918. The 30th's final involvement in the fighting came in late September – early October 1918 when they took part in the Battle of St. Quentin Canal, which saw a joint Australian and American force breach the Hindenburg Line
. Following this, the units of the Australian Corps
, which had been severely depleted during the fighting in 1918, were withdrawn from the line for rest and re-organisation at the request of the Australian prime minister, Billy Hughes
. As a result, they were still out of the line when the Armistice was declared on 11 November 1918. Following this the demobilisation process began and slowly the battalion's numbers were reduced as men were repatriated back to Australia in drafts. Finally, in March 1919, the 30th Battalion was disbanded.
During the war the 30th Battalion’s casualties amounted to 458 men killed and 1,207 wounded. Members of the battalion received the following gallantry and distinguished service decorations: six Distinguished Service Order
s (DSOs), one Order of the British Empire
(OBE), 19 Military Cross
es (MCs), 15 Distinguished Conduct Medal
s (DCMs); 84 Military Medal
s (MMs) with three bars
, four Meritorious Service Medals
(MSMs); 30 Mentioned in Despatches (MIDs) and four foreign awards.
, based around Sydney, New South Wales as the Army undertook a reorganisation designed to perpetuate the battle honour
s and numerical designations of the AIF. At this time the 30th Battalion was reformed from elements drawn from two Citizens Forces battalions: the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment and the 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment. These units were able to trace their lineage back to the 25th Infantry Regiment and beyond that to the New South Wales Scottish Rifles, which had been formed in 1885 and had provided personnel to serve during the Boer War
, for which they had received the "South Africa 1899–1902" battle honour.
In 1927 territorial designations were introduced and the 30th Battalion adopted the title of the "City of Sydney Regiment". Two years later, in 1929–30, as a result of the economic hardships of the Great Depression
and the manpower shortage that resulted from the decision to suspend the compulsory training scheme
, the number of personnel available fell and it was decided to amalgamate a number of infantry battalions. As a result, in 1930 the 30th Battalion was amalgamated with the 51st Battalion to form the 30th/51st Battalion. In 1935 the two battalions were split once more and the 30th Battalion was re-raised.
In order to maintain the Scottish heritage of the battalion's predecessor units, the 30th Battalion adopted the designation of the "New South Wales Scottish Regiment" at this time. It was also issued with Scottish military equipment including kilt
s, and adopted the tartan
of the Black Watch
, a Scottish unit of the British Army
.
(2nd AIF), for service overseas. While the Militia would provide a core of experienced personnel from which to recruit this force, their main role was to improve the nation's level of military preparedness by managing and administering the training of conscripts following the re-introduction of the compulsory training scheme in January 1940. In order to meet this requirement, Militia units were progressively called up to undertake brief periods of continuous service throughout 1940 and 1941.
At this time, the 30th Battalion was again attached to the 8th Brigade and undertook garrison duties in New South Wales. Later the brigade was transferred to Western Australia
, where they remained until late 1943 when they were moved to Queensland to undertake training for possible deployment overseas. In early 1944, the units of the 8th Brigade were dispatched to New Guinea
in support of the 9th Division which was taking part in the Huon Peninsula campaign
. During this time, the 35th Battalion's most notable involvement came during the Battle of Sio
. Further operations saw the battalion advance along the coast and occupy Madang
and Alexishafen, before returning to garrison duties in the Madang–Hansa Bay
area following the completion of the campaign. Later, in June 1945, the 30th Battalion was moved to Wewak
where they provided a supporting role to the 6th Division’s campaign, conducting patrols around Mount Tazaki and Mount Shiburangu. During this time they were involved in a number of minor engagements with Japanese forces in the area, with the most notable coming in July when the battalion helped repel a Japanese attack on Australian positions around Mount Tazaki.
Following the end of hostilities, the battalion was disbanded at Chermside, Queensland
in March 1946. 21 men from the 30th Battalion were killed in action or died on active service during the war, while another 20 men were wounded. The following decorations were bestowed upon members of the 30th Battalion for their service during the war: one Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), one MC, one British Empire Medal
(BEM), three MMs and 14 MIDs.
, the 2nd AIF unit with which they were associated.
Initially service in the post-war CMF was on a voluntary basis. In 1951, however, the compulsory training scheme was reintroduced and as a result the size of many CMF units swelled; nevertheless, the scheme was suspended in 1959 and this led to a significant decrease in the strength of many units. The following year, the Army introduced the Pentropic divisional structure
and a wide-reaching re-organisation of the CMF structure was undertaken that saw a number of infantry battalions amalgamated or disbanded altogether as the regionally based single battalion regiments were replaced by six new multi-battalion State-based regiments. As part of this change, the 30th Battalion was reduced to a company-level organisation within the Pentropic 2nd Battalion, Royal New South Wales Regiment
, forming 'A' Company (The New South Wales Scottish Company).
In 1965, the Australian Army's experiment with the Pentropic structure was abandoned and the CMF was once again reorganised. This reorganisation saw many of the Pentropic battalions, including the 2nd Battalion, Royal New South Wales Regment, being once again split to form additional battalions. The 30th Battalion, however, was not re-raised at this time.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
of the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
. It was originally formed in 1915 during the First World War and saw service on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
before being disbanded in 1919. It was re-raised in 1921 but was later amalgamated with the 51st Battalion in 1930. In 1935 the two battalions were delinked and the 30th re-raised in its own right. During the Second World War it undertook garrison duties in Australia before undertaking active service in New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
in 1944–45. After the war, it was disbanded in early 1946. In 1948 the battalion was re-raised again and remained on the order of battle until 1960 when it was absorbed into the Royal New South Wales Regiment
Royal New South Wales Regiment
The Royal New South Wales Regiment is a reserve infantry regiment of the Australian Army based in the state of New South Wales. The regiment consists of four battalions:-Organisation:*1st/19th Battalion*2nd/17th Battalion*4th/3rd Battalion...
.
First World War
The 30th Battalion was originally raised for service as an Australian Imperial ForceAustralian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
unit during the First World War, as part of the 8th Brigade
8th Brigade (Australia)
8th Brigade is an Australian Army Reserve combined-arms formation stationed in New South Wales.The 8th Brigade is one of six brigades of the Australian Army's 2nd Division, and includes units and personnel from all Armoured, Infantry, Artillery, Engineers, Signals, Ordinance , Medical, Nursing,...
, attached to the 5th Division. Formed in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
in August 1915, most of its personnel came from New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
although one company
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
was formed from Victorian men who had volunteered to transfer from the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
to serve in the infantry. The battalion was not formed in time to see action at Gallipoli and instead they remained in Egypt until June 1916 when the battalion was transferred to the European theatre along with the rest of the 5th Division. For the next two and half years they served in the trenches along the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
The battalion's first major action came at Fromelles
Battle of Fromelles
The Battle of Fromelles, sometimes known as the Action at Fromelles or the Battle of Fleurbaix , occurred in France between 19 July and 20 July 1916, during World War I...
on 19 July 1916 where they were initially tasked to provide a supporting role but were later committed to the fighting. After the battle, they were employed in mainly defensive duties holding parts of the line for the rest of 1916. Throughout 1917 and early 1918 the battalion had a relatively "quiet time" but nevertheless took part in two main engagements—Bullecourt and Polygon Wood
Battle of Polygon Wood
The Battle of Polygon Wood took place during the second phase of the Battle of Passchendaele in World War I. The battle was fought near Ypres, Belgium, in an area named the Polygon Wood after the layout of the area...
—before being committed to the Allied Hundred Days Offensive
Hundred Days Offensive
The Hundred Days Offensive was the final period of the First World War, during which the Allies launched a series of offensives against the Central Powers on the Western Front from 8 August to 11 November 1918, beginning with the Battle of Amiens. The offensive forced the German armies to retreat...
that was launched at Amiens on 8 August 1918. The 30th's final involvement in the fighting came in late September – early October 1918 when they took part in the Battle of St. Quentin Canal, which saw a joint Australian and American force breach the Hindenburg Line
Hindenburg Line
The Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defences in northeastern France during World War I. It was constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916–17. The line stretched from Lens to beyond Verdun...
. Following this, the units of the Australian Corps
Australian Corps
The Australian Corps was a World War I army corps that contained all five Australian infantry divisions serving on the Western Front. It was the largest corps fielded by the British Empire army in France...
, which had been severely depleted during the fighting in 1918, were withdrawn from the line for rest and re-organisation at the request of the Australian prime minister, Billy Hughes
Billy Hughes
William Morris "Billy" Hughes, CH, KC, MHR , Australian politician, was the seventh Prime Minister of Australia from 1915 to 1923....
. As a result, they were still out of the line when the Armistice was declared on 11 November 1918. Following this the demobilisation process began and slowly the battalion's numbers were reduced as men were repatriated back to Australia in drafts. Finally, in March 1919, the 30th Battalion was disbanded.
During the war the 30th Battalion’s casualties amounted to 458 men killed and 1,207 wounded. Members of the battalion received the following gallantry and distinguished service decorations: six Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
s (DSOs), one Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(OBE), 19 Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
es (MCs), 15 Distinguished Conduct Medal
Distinguished Conduct Medal
The Distinguished Conduct Medal was an extremely high level award for bravery. It was a second level military decoration awarded to other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to non-commissioned personnel of other Commonwealth countries.The medal was instituted in 1854, during the Crimean...
s (DCMs); 84 Military Medal
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
s (MMs) with three bars
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
, four Meritorious Service Medals
Meritorious Service Medal (United Kingdom)
The Meritorious Service Medal is a silver medal for distinguished service, or for gallantry, principally by non-commissioned officers of all of the British armed forces and of Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service.-Summary:...
(MSMs); 30 Mentioned in Despatches (MIDs) and four foreign awards.
Inter war years
In 1921 the battalion was re-raised as part of the Citizens ForceAustralian Army Reserve
The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citizens Forces, the Citizen Military Forces, the Militia and, unofficially, the...
, based around Sydney, New South Wales as the Army undertook a reorganisation designed to perpetuate the battle honour
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 , uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible....
s and numerical designations of the AIF. At this time the 30th Battalion was reformed from elements drawn from two Citizens Forces battalions: the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment and the 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment. These units were able to trace their lineage back to the 25th Infantry Regiment and beyond that to the New South Wales Scottish Rifles, which had been formed in 1885 and had provided personnel to serve during the Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, for which they had received the "South Africa 1899–1902" battle honour.
In 1927 territorial designations were introduced and the 30th Battalion adopted the title of the "City of Sydney Regiment". Two years later, in 1929–30, as a result of the economic hardships of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and the manpower shortage that resulted from the decision to suspend the compulsory training scheme
Conscription in Australia
Conscription in Australia, or mandatory military service also known as National Service, has a controversial history dating back to the first years of nationhood...
, the number of personnel available fell and it was decided to amalgamate a number of infantry battalions. As a result, in 1930 the 30th Battalion was amalgamated with the 51st Battalion to form the 30th/51st Battalion. In 1935 the two battalions were split once more and the 30th Battalion was re-raised.
In order to maintain the Scottish heritage of the battalion's predecessor units, the 30th Battalion adopted the designation of the "New South Wales Scottish Regiment" at this time. It was also issued with Scottish military equipment including kilt
Kilt
The kilt is a knee-length garment with pleats at the rear, originating in the traditional dress of men and boys in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century. Since the 19th century it has become associated with the wider culture of Scotland in general, or with Celtic heritage even more broadly...
s, and adopted the tartan
Tartan
Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in many other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Scotland. Scottish kilts almost always have tartan patterns...
of the Black Watch
Black Watch
The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
, a Scottish unit of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
.
Second World War
Because the provisions of the Defence Act (1903) prohibited sending the Militia to fight outside of Australian territory, at the outset of the Second World War the Australian government decided to raise an all-volunteer force, known as the Second Australian Imperial ForceSecond Australian Imperial Force
The Second Australian Imperial Force was the name given to the volunteer personnel of the Australian Army in World War II. Under the Defence Act , neither the part-time Militia nor the full-time Permanent Military Force could serve outside Australia or its territories unless they volunteered to...
(2nd AIF), for service overseas. While the Militia would provide a core of experienced personnel from which to recruit this force, their main role was to improve the nation's level of military preparedness by managing and administering the training of conscripts following the re-introduction of the compulsory training scheme in January 1940. In order to meet this requirement, Militia units were progressively called up to undertake brief periods of continuous service throughout 1940 and 1941.
At this time, the 30th Battalion was again attached to the 8th Brigade and undertook garrison duties in New South Wales. Later the brigade was transferred to Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, where they remained until late 1943 when they were moved to Queensland to undertake training for possible deployment overseas. In early 1944, the units of the 8th Brigade were dispatched to New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
in support of the 9th Division which was taking part in the Huon Peninsula campaign
Huon Peninsula campaign
The Huon Peninsula campaign was a series of battles in the New Guinea campaign of the Second World War. Australian forces assaulted Japanese bases on the Huon Peninsula....
. During this time, the 35th Battalion's most notable involvement came during the Battle of Sio
Battle of Sio
The Battle of Sio, fought between December 1943 and March 1944, was the breakout and pursuit phase of General Douglas MacArthur's Huon Peninsula campaign, part of the New Guinea campaign of World War II....
. Further operations saw the battalion advance along the coast and occupy Madang
Madang
Madang is the capital of Madang Province and is a town with a population of 27,420 on the north coast of Papua New Guinea. It was first settled by the Germans in the 19th century....
and Alexishafen, before returning to garrison duties in the Madang–Hansa Bay
Hansa Bay
Hansa Bay is a bay located on the north coast of Papua New Guinea, in Madang Province, between Madang and Wewak, north east of Bogia.- World War II history :...
area following the completion of the campaign. Later, in June 1945, the 30th Battalion was moved to Wewak
Wewak
Wewak is the capital of the East Sepik province of Papua New Guinea. It is located on the northern coast of the island of New Guinea. It is the largest town between Madang and Jayapura. It is the see city of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wewak....
where they provided a supporting role to the 6th Division’s campaign, conducting patrols around Mount Tazaki and Mount Shiburangu. During this time they were involved in a number of minor engagements with Japanese forces in the area, with the most notable coming in July when the battalion helped repel a Japanese attack on Australian positions around Mount Tazaki.
Following the end of hostilities, the battalion was disbanded at Chermside, Queensland
Chermside, Queensland
Chermside is a suburb on the north side of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.Chermside is a key destination along Queensland Transport's future Northern Busway...
in March 1946. 21 men from the 30th Battalion were killed in action or died on active service during the war, while another 20 men were wounded. The following decorations were bestowed upon members of the 30th Battalion for their service during the war: one Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), one MC, one British Empire Medal
British Empire Medal
The Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Meritorious Service, usually known as the British Empire Medal , is a British medal awarded for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the Crown...
(BEM), three MMs and 14 MIDs.
Post war
By 1948 the demobilisation of Australia's wartime army had been completed. At this time the decision was made to re-raise the part-time military forces—this time under the guise of the Citizens Military Force (CMF)—and on a reduced establishment of just two complete divisions. The 30th Battalion was re-raised at this time, and was entrusted as custodian of the battle honours of the 2/30th Battalion2/30th Battalion (Australia)
The 2/30th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army that served during World War II. Formed on 22 November 1940 at Tamworth, New South Wales, the battalion was part of the 27th Brigade of the 8th Division. It fought in Malayan Campaign, participating in the battles at Gemencheh...
, the 2nd AIF unit with which they were associated.
Initially service in the post-war CMF was on a voluntary basis. In 1951, however, the compulsory training scheme was reintroduced and as a result the size of many CMF units swelled; nevertheless, the scheme was suspended in 1959 and this led to a significant decrease in the strength of many units. The following year, the Army introduced the Pentropic divisional structure
Pentropic organisation
The Pentropic organisation was a military organisation used by the Australian Army between 1960 and 1965. It was based on the United States Army's pentomic organisation and involved reorganising most of the Army's combat units into units based on five elements, rather than the previous three or...
and a wide-reaching re-organisation of the CMF structure was undertaken that saw a number of infantry battalions amalgamated or disbanded altogether as the regionally based single battalion regiments were replaced by six new multi-battalion State-based regiments. As part of this change, the 30th Battalion was reduced to a company-level organisation within the Pentropic 2nd Battalion, Royal New South Wales Regiment
Royal New South Wales Regiment
The Royal New South Wales Regiment is a reserve infantry regiment of the Australian Army based in the state of New South Wales. The regiment consists of four battalions:-Organisation:*1st/19th Battalion*2nd/17th Battalion*4th/3rd Battalion...
, forming 'A' Company (The New South Wales Scottish Company).
In 1965, the Australian Army's experiment with the Pentropic structure was abandoned and the CMF was once again reorganised. This reorganisation saw many of the Pentropic battalions, including the 2nd Battalion, Royal New South Wales Regment, being once again split to form additional battalions. The 30th Battalion, however, was not re-raised at this time.
Battle honours
The 30th Battalion received the following battle honours:- South Africa 1899–1902Second Boer WarThe Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
; - First World War: Egypt 1915–1917First Suez OffensiveThe First Suez Offensive took place between the Ottoman Empire and the British Empire in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I...
, Somme 1916Battle of the Somme (1916)The Battle of the Somme , also known as the Somme Offensive, took place during the First World War between 1 July and 14 November 1916 in the Somme department of France, on both banks of the river of the same name...
, Bapaume 1917, Bullecourt, Ypres 1917, Menin Road, Polygon WoodBattle of Polygon WoodThe Battle of Polygon Wood took place during the second phase of the Battle of Passchendaele in World War I. The battle was fought near Ypres, Belgium, in an area named the Polygon Wood after the layout of the area...
, PoelcappelleBattle of PoelcappelleThe Battle of Poelcappelle marked the end of highly successful British attacks during the Battle of Passchendaele. Pitting the attacking forces against relatively intact German defences in rain and muddy conditions like those in August, the main attack was a failure and only the diversionary attack...
, Passchendaele, Ancre 1918Battle of the AncreThe Battle of the Ancre was the final act of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. Launched on 13 November 1916 by the British Fifth Army of Lieutenant General Hubert Gough, the objective of the battle was as much political as military.-Prelude:The Allied commanders were due to meet at Chantilly on 15...
, Amiens, Albert 1918Battle of Albert (1918)Battle of Albert was the third battle by that name fought during World War I, following the First Battle of Albert, and the Second Battle of Albert, with each of the series of three being fought roughly two years apart...
, Mont St Quentin, Hindenburg LineHindenburg LineThe Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defences in northeastern France during World War I. It was constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916–17. The line stretched from Lens to beyond Verdun...
, Hindenburg LineHindenburg LineThe Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defences in northeastern France during World War I. It was constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916–17. The line stretched from Lens to beyond Verdun...
, St Quentin Canal, St Quentin Canal, and France and Flanders 1916–1918Western Front (World War I)Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
; - Second World War: MadangNew Guinea campaignThe New Guinea campaign was one of the major military campaigns of World War II.Before the war, the island of New Guinea was split between:...
, Sio–Sepik RiverBattle of SioThe Battle of Sio, fought between December 1943 and March 1944, was the breakout and pursuit phase of General Douglas MacArthur's Huon Peninsula campaign, part of the New Guinea campaign of World War II....
, South-West Pacific 1942–1945South West Pacific AreaSouth West Pacific Area was the name given to the Allied supreme military command in the South West Pacific Theatre of World War II. It was one of four major Allied commands in the Pacific theatres of World War II, during 1942–45...
, and Liberation of Australian New GuineaNew Guinea campaignThe New Guinea campaign was one of the major military campaigns of World War II.Before the war, the island of New Guinea was split between:...
.