Australian 10th Battalion
Encyclopedia
The 10th Battalion was an infantry
battalion
of the Australian Army
, which served as part of the Australian Imperial Force
during World War I. The battalion was completely recruited from South Australia in August 1914 and together with the 9th, 11th and 12th Battalions, it formed part of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division. It served at Gallipoli
from April to December 1915, before being transferred to the Western Front
in France in March 1916 where it took part in bitter trench warfare until the Armistice in 1918
. The last detachment of men from the 10th Battalion returned to Australia in September 1919. Following the war, the battalion became a part time unit and despite being disbanded and merged on a number of occasions, remained on the order of battle until 1987 when it was amalgamated with the 27th Battalion
to form the 10th/27th Battalion, Royal South Australia Regiment
.
as part of the Australian Imperial Force
(AIF), which was an all volunteer force raised by Australia for overseas service. Drawing personnel from South Australia
, it came into being on 17 August 1914 at the Morphettville Racecourse
. Attached to the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division
, along with the 9th, 11th and 12th Battalions, it left Australia two months later. After briefly stopping in Albany
, where their convoy was delayed due to concerns over the presence of German warships en route, the battalion departed Australian waters in November and proceeded to Egypt
, arriving there on 2 December 1914.
After a period of training the 10th Battalion embarked for Gallipoli
and at around 4.30 am on 25 April 1915, they were one of the first units to come ashore at Anzac Cove
as part of the covering force – drawn from Colonel Ewen Sinclair-MacLagan's 3rd Brigade – for the main Anzac landing
. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Price Weir, troops from the battalion landed near the centre of the cove and, ascending the Ariburnu ridge, attempted to push inland towards the Sari Bair Range. They are believed to have penetrated further inland than any other Australian unit.
Following this, the battalion remained at Gallipoli until the evacuation in December, taking part in defending the beachhead before being withdrawn from the peninsula along with the rest of the Allied forces and returning to Egypt
. They remained in Egypt until early 1916 as the AIF was expanded and re-organised in preparation for its deployment to the European battlefield. As a part of this process, the 10th Battalion provided a cadre of experienced personnel to the newly raised 50th Battalion
, which was assigned to the 13th Brigade
, 4th Division, and was brought up to strength with fresh recruits from Australia.
In March 1916 the 10th Battalion sailed to France along with the rest of the 1st Division and deployed to the Somme
. The battalion's first major action on the Western Front came in July 1916 when they were involved in the Battle of Pozières
. For his actions during this battle Second Lieutenant Arthur Blackburn, an original member of the battalion who had served with it during the Gallipoli campaign, was awarded the Victoria Cross
. Later the 10th Battalion fought at Ypres
, in Belgium
, before returning to the Somme in the winter where they were deployed to defend the trenches. In 1917, the battalion returned to Belgium to take part in the Third Battle of Ypres. It was during this battle, at Polygon Wood
in September, that Private Roy Inwood
performed the deeds that resulted him receiving the Victoria Cross.
In March and April 1918, the 10th Battalion took part in defensive operations during the German spring offensive, before taking part in the preliminary operations leading up to the Allied Hundred Days Offensive
that ultimately brought about an end to the war. It was at this stage in the fighting, in June, while participating in an attack near Merris
in France, that Corporal Philip Davey
became the third member of the battalion to be awarded the Victoria Cross. On 8 August, when the Allies launched the final offensive of the war, the battalion took part in an attack on Amiens that has since been described as one of the most successful for the Allies on the Western Front and, in the words of Erich Ludendorff
, the "...blackest day for the German Army".
The battalion continued to conduct operations until late September 1918, when the Australian Corps
, having been severely depleted due to heavy casualties and the dwindling supply of reinforcements from Australia, was withdrawn from the line for rest and re-organisation. As a result, the battalion took no further part in the fighting and when the when Armistice was declared on 11 November 1918 it was still out of the line. During the course of the battalion's service during the war, they lost 1,015 men killed and 2,136 wounded.
Following the end of the war, the Australian government decided that it would not contribute to the Allied occupation force that was being set up and would begin the process of demoblisisation of the AIF as soon as possible. Due to the large number of soldiers deployed overseas, this process took some time and it was decided to progressively return men from each battalion, rather than send them home as a formed unit. As numbers dwindled, units were amalgamated for administrative purposes, as a consequence the 9th and 10th Battalions were merged on 5 February 1919; however, the final contingent of troops from the 10th Battalion did not return home until September 1919 when they disembarked in Adelaide from the transport Takada.
(later known as the Militia). This unit drew its lineage from the 78th Infantry Regiment, which could trace its lineage back to 1854 when two battalions of the Adelaide Rifles were formed. Later, in 1921, when the AIF was officially disbanded and the part time military forces were reorganised to perpetuate the AIF's numerical designations, the 10th Battalion was re-raised in its own right in Adelaide drawing personnel from the 2nd Battalions of the 10th, 32nd and 50th Infantry Regiments. At this time they were allocated to the 3rd Brigade, which was part of the 4th Military District
.
The battalion received a King's Colour in 1925 in recognition of its service during World War I. Two years later, in 1927, territorial titles were introduced and the battalion assumed the designation of "The Adelaide Rifles". The motto Pro Patria was adopted at this time. In 1930, amidst the austerity of the Great Depression
and following the election of the Scullin
Labor
government and the subsequent suspension of the compulsory training scheme, the decision was made to amalgamate the battalion due to a decline in the numbers of volunteers. At this time it was merged with the 50th Battalion, with whom they had a shared history, to become the 10th/50th Battalion. Again, they were assigned to the 3rd Brigade.
These battalions remained linked until 1936 when, in response to fears of a possible war in Europe following the reoccupation of the Rhineland
, it was decided to expand the size of the Militia. As a result, on 1 October 1936 the 10th/50th Battalion was split and the 10th Battalion was re-raised as a separate unit. At the outbreak of World War II
, the battalion was part of the 3rd Brigade and assigned to the 4th Military District. They were later mobilised and undertook garrison duties in Australia; after the 3rd Brigade was attached to the Northern Territory Force
, the 10th Battalion was sent to Darwin
to defend the port against a possible Japanese invasion. They remained there until 27 August 1942 when personnel shortages that had come about due to an overmobilisation of the Australian military resulted in the amalgamation of a number of Militia units. The 10th was subsequently joined with the 48th Battalion
to form the 10th/48th Battalion. This battalion was itself disbanded in August 1945.
until 1960 when a widespread re-organisation of the CMF saw the creation of six State-based multi-battalion regiments as the smaller, regional regiments of the past were consolidated. As a result, the 10th Battalion became subsumed into the Pentropic
1st Battalion, Royal South Australia Regiment
, providing two companies: 'D' (The Adelaide Company) and 'E' (The Port Adelaide Company).
In 1965, the Australian Army decided to end its brief experiment with the Pentropic divisional establishment and as a result, on 1 July 1965, the 10th Battalion, Royal South Australia Regiment, was re-raised as a unit in its own right. This battalion remained on the order of battle as a Reserve unit until 29 November 1987 when it was amalgamated with the 27th Battalion
, to form the 10th/27th Battalion, Royal South Australia Regiment (10/27 RSAR). This battalion has adopted the 10th Battalion's Unit Colour Patch
, carries the colours of both the 10th and 27th Battalions and perpetuates the battle honour
s of both of these units as well as a number of South Australian battalions of the Second Australian Imperial Force
that was raised for service during World War II.
s from its service in World War I:
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...
, which served as part of the Australian Imperial Force
First Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
during World War I. The battalion was completely recruited from South Australia in August 1914 and together with the 9th, 11th and 12th Battalions, it formed part of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division. It served at Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
from April to December 1915, before being transferred to 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 in March 1916 where it took part in bitter trench warfare until the Armistice in 1918
Armistice Day
Armistice Day is on 11 November and commemorates the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, France, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front of World War I, which took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning—the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day...
. The last detachment of men from the 10th Battalion returned to Australia in September 1919. Following the war, the battalion became a part time unit and despite being disbanded and merged on a number of occasions, remained on the order of battle until 1987 when it was amalgamated with the 27th Battalion
27th Battalion (Australia)
The 27th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was initially raised in 1915 as part of the First Australian Imperial Force for service during World War I. During the conflict, the battalion saw action briefly at Gallipoli before later fighting on the Western Front between...
to form the 10th/27th Battalion, Royal South Australia Regiment
Royal South Australia Regiment
The Royal South Australia Regiment is a reserve regiment of the Australian Army consisting of a single battalion, the 10th/27th Battalion, part of the 9th Brigade. It was raised on 1 July 1960, as The South Australia Regiment.-History:...
.
World War I
The 10th Battalion was raised shortly after the outbreak of World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
as part of the Australian Imperial Force
First Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
(AIF), which was an all volunteer force raised by Australia for overseas service. Drawing personnel from South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, it came into being on 17 August 1914 at the Morphettville Racecourse
Morphettville Racecourse
Morphettville Racecourse is the main horse racing track for South Australia. It is situated in the suburb of Morphettville in Adelaide, Australia, and is about 10km from the centre of the city....
. Attached to the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division
1st Division (Australia)
The 1st Division is the main formation of the Australian Army and contains the majority of the army's regular forces. Its headquarters is in Enoggera, a suburb of Brisbane...
, along with the 9th, 11th and 12th Battalions, it left Australia two months later. After briefly stopping in Albany
Albany, Western Australia
Albany is a port city in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, some 418 km SE of Perth, the state capital. As of 2009, Albany's population was estimated at 33,600, making it the 6th-largest city in the state....
, where their convoy was delayed due to concerns over the presence of German warships en route, the battalion departed Australian waters in November and proceeded to 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...
, arriving there on 2 December 1914.
After a period of training the 10th Battalion embarked for Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
and at around 4.30 am on 25 April 1915, they were one of the first units to come ashore at Anzac Cove
Anzac Cove
Anzac Cove is a small cove on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey. It became famous as the site of World War I landing of the ANZAC on April 25, 1915. The cove is a mere long, bounded by the headlands of Ari Burnu to the north and Little Ari Burnu, known as Hell Spit, to the south...
as part of the covering force – drawn from Colonel Ewen Sinclair-MacLagan's 3rd Brigade – for the main Anzac landing
Landing at Anzac Cove
The landing at Anzac Cove was part of the amphibious invasion of the Gallipoli Peninsula by Australian and New Zealand forces on 25 April 1915. The landing, north of Gaba Tepe on the Aegean coast of the Peninsula, was made by soldiers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and was the first...
. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Price Weir, troops from the battalion landed near the centre of the cove and, ascending the Ariburnu ridge, attempted to push inland towards the Sari Bair Range. They are believed to have penetrated further inland than any other Australian unit.
Following this, the battalion remained at Gallipoli until the evacuation in December, taking part in defending the beachhead before being withdrawn from the peninsula along with the rest of the Allied forces and returning to 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...
. They remained in Egypt until early 1916 as the AIF was expanded and re-organised in preparation for its deployment to the European battlefield. As a part of this process, the 10th Battalion provided a cadre of experienced personnel to the newly raised 50th Battalion
50th Battalion (Australia)
The 50th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was originally raised in 1916 for service during the World War I and took part in the fighting in the trenches of the Western Front in France and Belgium before being amalgamated with the 51st Battalion in early 1919 following...
, which was assigned to the 13th Brigade
13th Brigade (Australia)
The 13th Brigade is an Army Reserve formation of the Australian Army headquartered at Perth, Western Australia and its various units have depots in Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Albany and Katanning as well as Joondalup and Rockingham in the metro area. The 13th Brigade was first created in early 1916 and...
, 4th Division, and was brought up to strength with fresh recruits from Australia.
In March 1916 the 10th Battalion sailed to France along with the rest of the 1st Division and deployed to the Somme
Somme
Somme is a department of France, located in the north of the country and named after the Somme river. It is part of the Picardy region of France....
. The battalion's first major action on the Western Front came in July 1916 when they were involved in the Battle of Pozières
Battle of Pozières
The Battle of Pozières was a two week struggle for the French village of Pozières and the ridge on which it stands, during the middle stages of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. Though British divisions were involved in most phases of the fighting, Pozières is primarily remembered as an Australian battle...
. For his actions during this battle Second Lieutenant Arthur Blackburn, an original member of the battalion who had served with it during the Gallipoli campaign, was awarded the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
. Later the 10th Battalion fought at Ypres
Ypres
Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote...
, in 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...
, before returning to the Somme in the winter where they were deployed to defend the trenches. In 1917, the battalion returned to Belgium to take part in the Third Battle of Ypres. It was during this battle, at 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...
in September, that Private Roy Inwood
Reginald Roy Inwood
Reginald Roy Inwood VC was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
performed the deeds that resulted him receiving the Victoria Cross.
In March and April 1918, the 10th Battalion took part in defensive operations during the German spring offensive, before taking part in the preliminary operations leading up 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 ultimately brought about an end to the war. It was at this stage in the fighting, in June, while participating in an attack near Merris
Merris
-References:*...
in France, that Corporal Philip Davey
Philip Davey
Philip Davey VC MM was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
became the third member of the battalion to be awarded the Victoria Cross. On 8 August, when the Allies launched the final offensive of the war, the battalion took part in an attack on Amiens that has since been described as one of the most successful for the Allies on the Western Front and, in the words of Erich Ludendorff
Erich Ludendorff
Erich Friedrich Wilhelm Ludendorff was a German general, victor of Liège and of the Battle of Tannenberg...
, the "...blackest day for the German Army".
The battalion continued to conduct operations until late September 1918, when 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...
, having been severely depleted due to heavy casualties and the dwindling supply of reinforcements from Australia, was withdrawn from the line for rest and re-organisation. As a result, the battalion took no further part in the fighting and when the when Armistice was declared on 11 November 1918 it was still out of the line. During the course of the battalion's service during the war, they lost 1,015 men killed and 2,136 wounded.
Following the end of the war, the Australian government decided that it would not contribute to the Allied occupation force that was being set up and would begin the process of demoblisisation of the AIF as soon as possible. Due to the large number of soldiers deployed overseas, this process took some time and it was decided to progressively return men from each battalion, rather than send them home as a formed unit. As numbers dwindled, units were amalgamated for administrative purposes, as a consequence the 9th and 10th Battalions were merged on 5 February 1919; however, the final contingent of troops from the 10th Battalion did not return home until September 1919 when they disembarked in Adelaide from the transport Takada.
Inter war years and World War II
The battalion as disbanded shortly afterwards, although some of its personnel were used to raise the Adelaide-based 1st Battalion, 10th Infantry Regiment, which was a part time unit 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...
(later known as the Militia). This unit drew its lineage from the 78th Infantry Regiment, which could trace its lineage back to 1854 when two battalions of the Adelaide Rifles were formed. Later, in 1921, when the AIF was officially disbanded and the part time military forces were reorganised to perpetuate the AIF's numerical designations, the 10th Battalion was re-raised in its own right in Adelaide drawing personnel from the 2nd Battalions of the 10th, 32nd and 50th Infantry Regiments. At this time they were allocated to the 3rd Brigade, which was part of the 4th Military District
4th Military District (Australia)
The 4th Military District was an administrative district of the Australian Army. During the Second World War, the 4th Military District covered all of South Australia, with its headquarters based at Adelaide.-6th Cavalry Brigade:*Headquarters – Keswick...
.
The battalion received a King's Colour in 1925 in recognition of its service during World War I. Two years later, in 1927, territorial titles were introduced and the battalion assumed the designation of "The Adelaide Rifles". The motto Pro Patria was adopted at this time. In 1930, amidst the austerity 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 following the election of the Scullin
James Scullin
James Henry Scullin , Australian Labor politician and the ninth Prime Minister of Australia. Two days after he was sworn in as Prime Minister, the Wall Street Crash of 1929 occurred, marking the beginning of the Great Depression and subsequent Great Depression in Australia.-Early life:Scullin was...
Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
government and the subsequent suspension of the compulsory training scheme, the decision was made to amalgamate the battalion due to a decline in the numbers of volunteers. At this time it was merged with the 50th Battalion, with whom they had a shared history, to become the 10th/50th Battalion. Again, they were assigned to the 3rd Brigade.
These battalions remained linked until 1936 when, in response to fears of a possible war in Europe following the reoccupation of the Rhineland
Remilitarization of the Rhineland
The Remilitarization of the Rhineland by the German Army took place on 7 March 1936 when German military forces entered the Rhineland. This was significant because it violated the terms of the Locarno Treaties and was the first time since the end of World War I that German troops had been in this...
, it was decided to expand the size of the Militia. As a result, on 1 October 1936 the 10th/50th Battalion was split and the 10th Battalion was re-raised as a separate unit. At the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the battalion was part of the 3rd Brigade and assigned to the 4th Military District. They were later mobilised and undertook garrison duties in Australia; after the 3rd Brigade was attached to the Northern Territory Force
Northern Territory Force
Northern Territory Force was an Australian Army force responsible for protecting the Northern Territory during World War II. Most units assigned to the Northern Territory Force were based near Darwin and were responsible for defending the important naval and air bases in and around the town against...
, the 10th Battalion was sent to Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
to defend the port against a possible Japanese invasion. They remained there until 27 August 1942 when personnel shortages that had come about due to an overmobilisation of the Australian military resulted in the amalgamation of a number of Militia units. The 10th was subsequently joined with the 48th Battalion
48th Battalion (Australia)
The 48th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was originally raised in 1916 for service during World War I and took part in the fighting in the trenches of the Western Front in France and Belgium, before being disbanded in early 1919....
to form the 10th/48th Battalion. This battalion was itself disbanded in August 1945.
Post World War II
In 1948, when Australia's part time military force was re-raised as the Citizens Military Force (CMF), the 10th Battalion returned to the order of battle, readopting the designation of The Adelaide Rifles. Throughout the 1950s, as part of Central Command, the battalion provided training for national servicemenConscription 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...
until 1960 when a widespread re-organisation of the CMF saw the creation of six State-based multi-battalion regiments as the smaller, regional regiments of the past were consolidated. As a result, the 10th Battalion became subsumed into the Pentropic
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...
1st Battalion, Royal South Australia Regiment
Royal South Australia Regiment
The Royal South Australia Regiment is a reserve regiment of the Australian Army consisting of a single battalion, the 10th/27th Battalion, part of the 9th Brigade. It was raised on 1 July 1960, as The South Australia Regiment.-History:...
, providing two companies: 'D' (The Adelaide Company) and 'E' (The Port Adelaide Company).
In 1965, the Australian Army decided to end its brief experiment with the Pentropic divisional establishment and as a result, on 1 July 1965, the 10th Battalion, Royal South Australia Regiment, was re-raised as a unit in its own right. This battalion remained on the order of battle as a Reserve unit until 29 November 1987 when it was amalgamated with the 27th Battalion
27th Battalion (Australia)
The 27th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was initially raised in 1915 as part of the First Australian Imperial Force for service during World War I. During the conflict, the battalion saw action briefly at Gallipoli before later fighting on the Western Front between...
, to form the 10th/27th Battalion, Royal South Australia Regiment (10/27 RSAR). This battalion has adopted the 10th Battalion's Unit Colour Patch
Unit Colour Patch
Unit Colour Patches are worn on the Slouch Hat in the Australian Army to indicate which unit they are from....
, carries the colours of both the 10th and 27th Battalions and perpetuates 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 of both of these units as well as a number of South Australian battalions of the Second Australian Imperial Force
Second 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...
that was raised for service during World War II.
Battle honours
The 10th Battalion received the following battle honourBattle 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 from its service in World War I:
- Somme, Pozieres, Bullecourt, Ypres, Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde, Poelcappelle, Passchendaele, Lys, Hazebrouck, Kemmel, Amiens, Albert, Hindenburg Line, Epehy, France and Flanders 1916–1918, ANZAC, Landing at ANZAC, Defence at ANZAC, Suvla, Sari Bair, Gallipoli, Egypt.
Commanding officers
The 10th Battalion's commanding officers during World War I were as follows:- Lieutenant Colonel Stanley Price Weir;
- Major Frederick William Hurcombe;
- Major George Dorricutt Shaw;
- Lieutenant Colonel Miles Fitzroy Beevor;
- Lieutenant Colonel James Samuel Denton;
- Major Felix Gordon Giles;
- Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Anstice Rafferty;
- Lieutenant Colonel Ross Blyth Jacob;
- Major Alexander Steele;
- Captain Gordon Cathcart Campbell;
- Major Clarence Rumball;
- Lieutenant Colonel John Newman;
- Major William Francis James McCann.
External links
- AWM4: 23/27/1-23/27/41—10th Battalion, AIF, War Diary. Retrieved on 5 March 2009.