2/4th Armoured Regiment (Australia)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2/4th Armoured Regiment
A 2/4th Armoured Regiment Matilda II advancing with Australian infantry on Bougainville in March 1945
Active	1942-1945
Country	Australia
Branch	Australian Army
Type	Armoured
Part of	3rd Armoured Division, 4th Armoured Brigade
Equipment	M3 Stuart, M3 Grant and Matilda II tanks
Engagements	Aitape-Wewak campaign, Bougainville Campaign

The 2/4th Armoured Regiment was an Australian Army armoured regiment of World War II. The Regiment was formed in October 1942 and was disbanded in September 1945 after seeing action in New Guinea and Bougainville Island.

[edit] History

The 2/4th Armoured Regiment was formed in October 1942 from elements of Australian armoured reconnaissance units, including 'D' Squadron of the 2/11th Armoured Car Regiment, and was concentrated at Wee Waa, New South Wales. The Regiment formed part of the 2nd Armoured Brigade of the 3rd Armoured Division and was equipped with M3 Grant medium tanks and M3 Stuart light tanks.

Following the 3rd Armoured Division's disbandment in October 1943 the 2/4th Armoured Regiment became part of the 4th Armoured Brigade and was reequipped with Matilda II tanks which were better suited for jungle warfare than the Grant and Stuart tanks. In August 1944 the Regiment was moved to Madang in New Guinea to support Australian Army infantry units. The first element of the Regiment to see action was the 'C' Squadron Group which supported the 6th Division during the Aitape-Wewak campaign from November 1944 until the end of the war.

In December 1944 the 'B' Squadron Group was sent to Bougainville Island to support the Australian II Corps. This Squadron first saw action on 31 March 1945 when it played an important role in supporting the 3rd Division. The Regimental Headquarters and 'A' Squadron Group were also sent to Bougainville in May 1945 and the Regiment continued to provide support to the Australian infantry until the Japanese surrender. Following the end of the war a detachment from the Regiment was deployed to Rabaul to assist with guarding the 100,000 Japanese troops in the region. The 2/4th Armoured Regiment was disbanded in September 1945.

[edit] References

• Paul Handel (2003). Dust, Sand & Jungle: A History of Australian Armour During Training and Operations, 1927-1948. RAAC Memorial and Army Tank Museum.
• Major General R.N. Hopkins (Retired) (1978). Australian Armour. A History of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps 1927-1972. Australian Government Publishing Service.
• Australian-armour.com 2nd/4th Australian Armoured Regiment. Accessed 6 April 2007.