Australian 17th Battalion

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Australian 17th Battalion
Active	1915-1919
Country	Australia
Branch	Australian Army
Type	Infantry
Role	Line Infantry
Part of	Australian 5st Brigade
Colors	Black over Green
Battles/wars	World War I
Commanders
Notable commanders	Henry Arthur Goddard, Edward Fowell Martin

The 17th Battalion was raised in March 1915 in Liverpool, New South Wales as part of the new 5th Brigade, 2nd Division. The battalion left Australia in May and trained in Egypt from June until August. The 17th landed at Anzac Cove on 20 August 1916.

The Battalion took part in the attack on Battle of Hill 60. For the majority of time the battalion was stationed at Gallipoli it was deployed to the position of Quinn's Post. The Battalion remained at gallipoli until the evacuation in December 1915.

The battalion returned to Egypt for further training, the 17th Battalion then proceeded to France. It arrived there on 22 March 1916 and proceeded to a position near Pozieres. The battalion took part in the first major battle at Pozières. The Battalion served in the line twice during the battle. After a rest in a quieter sector in Belgium, the entire 2nd Division returned to the south again in October. The 17th Battalion.

In 1917 the 17th was involved in the attack on German forces after their retreat to the Hindenburg Line, and took part in a defence with 3 other battalion to defeat a counter-attack by a German force, almost four times as strong near Lagincourt. The battalion also took part in three other major battles in 1917, Second Bullecourt, Menin Road and Poelcappelle in Belgium.

In 1918 the 17th helped to repel the German Spring Offensive. The battalion was in training out of the line when the armistice was declared in November 1918, and was disbanded in April 1919.