2/6th Cavalry Commando Regiment (Australia)

2/6th Cavalry Commando Regiment
Active 1939–1945
Country Australia
Branch Australian Army
Type Commando
Size ~800–900 personnel all ranks
Part of 6th Division
Engagements Second World War
Disbanded September 1945
Commanders
First Commander LTCOL M.A Ferguson
Last Commander LT COL E.C Hennessy
Insignia
Unit Colour Patch

The 2/6th Cavalry Commando Regiment was a cavalry regiment of the Australian Army that served during the Second World War and was later converted into to a commando unit. Initially formed at Ingleburn, New South Wales, on 3 November 1939 following the commencement of Australia's involvement in the war. Originally it was raised as an armoured reconnaissance regiment attached to the 6th Division and in this role it saw action in the North Africa campaign and in the Middle East during 1940–41, where they distinguished themselves at Bardia, Tobruk and in Syria. Later, following Japan's entry into the war, the 6th Division was brought back to Australia and following a re-organisation of the units of the Second AIF in order to convert them into units capable of fighting in the jungles of the South-West Pacific, the regiment was converted into a cavalry commando regiment, incorporating the independent companies that had been formed at the start of the war. Following a period of re-organisation and training in Australia, the 2/6th Cavalry Commando Regiment was deployed to New Guinea late in the war, where it participated in one of the final Australian campaigns of the war in the Aitape-Wewak area.

Contents

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History

Formation/Structure

The Regiment was the first armoured unit raised at Ingleburn, New South Wales, on 3 November 1939.[1] Over the course of its service, the regiment performed a number of roles and went through a number of name changes. Initially when it was raised, it was formed as the 6th Division Reconnaissance Regiment, however, on 8 June 1940, it was renamed the 6th Australian Division Cavalry Regiment. Later, upon the regiment's return to Australia, it was detached from the 6th Division and sent to form part of "Norforce"[Note 1](Northern Territory 1942–1943), and during this time it became the 2/6th Australian Cavalry Regiment. Finally, following the 1943 re-organisation of the Australian Army, it was renamed the 2/6th Cavalry (Commando) Regiment when it was re-roled as a commando unit.[2][3]

During its time as an armoured reconnaissance unit, the Regiment comprised the following sub units:

Later, as a commando unit, the regiment lost its armoured vehicles and became the administrative headquarters for three squadrons, the 2/7th, 2/9th and 2/10th Commando Squadrons.[4][5]

Middle East/North Africa 1940–42

The regiment had only been in existence for two months when it received orders to deploy overseas in January 1940. They would spend the best part of the next two years in the Middle East and would see action in Syria, Libya, Egypt and Lebanon against the Vichy French, Italian and German forces. Arriving in Egypt, they were initially sent to Palestine where they joined the rest of the 6th Division and began training on Bren carriers and six old Vickers light tanks.[4] This training continued for most of the year, before, in December 1940, the 6th Division moved into the Western Desert where they concentrated along with a large number of British troops in preparation for an offensive. Two days later, on 11 December 1940, they became the first unit of the Second AIF to see action in the war, when elements from B Squadron fought a brief but sharp encounter with the Italian garrisons at Garn el Grein and Fort Maddalina.[4][6]

70 men of the C squadron became known as the "Kelly Gang" when they fought during the Syrian campaign on horseback (the horses were captured from the French Cavalry).[7]

The regiment also had the distinction of being the first Australians to use tanks in battle. As no tank in the First World War had been crewed by Australians, it was not until 1941, in Libya, that Australians used tanks in action for the first time. They were captured Italian M11s, which were repainted with large kangaroos on the turrets in order to distinguish them from enemy tanks.[8] Later in the Syrian campaign, elements of the regiment would also use three captured French R35 Renault light tanks.[4]

Re-organisation 1942–1944

Following the completion of the Syrian campaign, the regiment remained in Syria for five months, being stationed in Lebanon as part of the Allied occupation force, before returning to Australia in March 1942. Initially it was sent to the Adelaide River, in the Northern Territory, as part of "Northern Territory Force" where it was stationed in anticipation of a possible Japanese advance on mainland Australia. It was later moved to Murgon, Queensland, where it was re-organised into a Cavalry Commando Regiment.[4]

This re-organisation was army-wide and was undertaken following a decision by the high command of the Australian Army to bring a large number of the Australian forces deployed in the Middle East back to Australia following Japan's entry into the war. At this time there was a concern regarding a Japanese invasion of the Australian mainland and although this later proved to be unjustified, it was decided that the Australian Army's main focus would be operations in the Pacific against the Japanese.[9] As a result of this, it was decided to convert three Second AIF divisions (the 6th, 7th and 9th) into light infantry Jungle Divisions, equipped and trained especially for combat in the South-West Pacific.[9]

As a result of this, it was found that the armoured reconnaissance units of these divisions were not suited to serving in the Pacific and as such it was decided to disband these units and use their headquarters units to amalgamate the independent companies of commandos that had been raised at the start of the war.[10] Thus in January 1944 the 6th Division Cavalry Regiment became the 2/6th Cavalry (Commando) Regiment, losing its vehicles and becoming the administrative headquarters for the 2/7th, 2/9th, and 2/10th Commando Squadrons.[4]

South West Pacific 1944–45

After undertaking jungle training during 1943 the 2/6th Cavalry (Commando) Regiment once again received orders for overseas, this time to New Guinea where the individual squadrons, some of them having earlier distinguished themselves during previous campaigns in the South West Pacific as independent units, fought against the Japanese until the end of the war.[2] During this time, the 2/6th Cavalry (Commando) Regiment was attached to the 6th Division once more, serving with it throughout the Aitape-Wewak campaign.[11]

Embarking in Brisbane, the regiment arrived at Aitape on 22 October 1944.[12] Almost immediately they began patrolling operations in the surrounding area and began the task of relieving the Americans as they awaited for the rest of the Division to arrive.[13] Once the 6th Division had concentrated in the area and completed the task of taking over from the American garrison, the regiment began reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering operations in the Torricelli Mountains throughout November in preparation for the coming offensive.[5] During this time the regiment had a number of contacts with the enemy, the most notable of which occurred on 30 November 1944, when for the loss of one Australian, seventy-three Japanese were killed and seven were captured.[5] The offensive began in December and as the Australians advanced eastwards over the course of the following months, elements from the 2/6th found themselves involved in a number of roles, patrolling ahead of the rest of the 6th Division and where necessary being used in a traditional infantry role to seize and hold ground.[Note 2] As the fighting began to draw to a close, the regiment was used mainly in "mopping up" operations in the Boiken area, where Japanese raiding parties continued to cause havoc amongst the Australian forces right up until the end of the war (and even after it in some cases).[14]

The regiment's casualties in this final campaign were high. There were 29 killed in action, nine died of wounds, four died of accident, and 99 wounded in action.[15] This is a total of 141 casualties. When this is compared with the overall total of 204 for the regiment for the entire war, it can be seen that the final campaign was the most costly.[16]

Following the cessation of hostilities in the Pacific, the regiment was disbanded in September 1945.[17] The individual squadrons were slowly depleted of their manpower, as they were deemed surplus to requirements, and used to fill gaps in other units that would be used later for occupation and garrison duties in Japan and elsewhere, before they were finally disbanded in early 1946.[18]

Commanding officers

The 2/6th Cavalry Commando Regiment's Commanding Officers were as follows:[19]

Decorations

Members of the regiment received the following decorations:[21]

Casualties

Throughout the entire war, out of a total of 2,051 personnel the 2/6th suffered a total of 204 casualties. These were:

Battle honours

The regiment received the following battle honours for their service during the Second World War:

The 2nd Cavalry Regiment was chosen by the past members of the 2/6th Cavalry Commando Regiment to hold and preserve these Battle Honours and on 9 October 1971 at a ceremonial parade the Regiment was presented with a scroll and bronze plaque affiliating the two Regiments.[1]

Notes

Footnotes
  1. ^ This force is distinct from the Australian Army force surveillance unit that currently bears this name.
  2. ^ For example the attack on Sauri villages by 2/7th Commando Squadron on 11 May 1945.
  3. ^ Fergusson later achieved the rank of general.
Citations
  1. ^ a b "Unit History - 2nd Cavalry Regiment". Department of Defence (Australia). http://www.army.gov.au/2cav/Unit_History.asp. Retrieved 20 February 2009. 
  2. ^ a b "ABC Anzac Day WA - 2/6th Division Cavalry Commando". 24 April 2003. http://www.abc.net.au/wa/anzac/land.htm#dcca. Retrieved 7 February 2007. 
  3. ^ Life on an Australian Farm "WESTGREYS" (blog) Dad's Army retrieved 2 February 2007. Archived 2009-10-22.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "6th Division Cavalry Regiment". Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original on 4 September 2009. http://www.awm.gov.au/units/unit_13634second_world_war.asp. Retrieved 24 August 2009. 
  5. ^ a b c Johnston 2008, p. 193.
  6. ^ "Traditions of Australian 2nd Cavalry Regiment". Department of Defence (Australia). Archived from the original on 27 May 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070527173040/http://www.defence.gov.au/ARMY/2cav/traditions.html. Retrieved 2 February 2007. 
  7. ^ "Australians at War - Australian Horsemen at home in the Kelly Gang". 1 August 2002. Archived from the original on 19 August 2006. http://web.archive.org/web/20060819232330/http://www.australiansatwar.gov.au/stories/stories.asp?war=W2&id=209. Retrieved 8 February 2007. 
  8. ^ Craven, David. "Snippets: The First Australian Tanks Leader in War". Royal New South Wales Lancers Lancer Barracks and Museum. http://www.lancers.org.au/site/Lancers_Despatch_Feb_2004.asp. Retrieved 2 February 2007. 
  9. ^ a b Palazzo 2003.
  10. ^ Horner 1989, p. 26.
  11. ^ Long 1963, pp. 271–387.
  12. ^ Long 1963, p. 274.
  13. ^ Long 1963, p. 276.
  14. ^ Long 1963, pp. 280–281.
  15. ^ Johnston 2008, p. 244.
  16. ^ See table below.
  17. ^ "2nd/6th Division Cavalry Regiment". Royal Australian Armoured Corps. http://www.australian-armour.com/2-6DivCav.html. Retrieved 18 July 2010. 
  18. ^ Trigellis-Smith 1992, p. 259.
  19. ^ Johnston 2008, p.6.
  20. ^ "Fergusson, Maurice Alfred". Generals.dk. http://www.generals.dk/general/Fergusson/Maurice_Alfred/Australia.html. Retrieved 2 February 2007. 
  21. ^ Johnston 2008, p. 247.
  22. ^ Johnston 2008, p. 242.
  23. ^ "Battle honours". Department of Defence (Australia). Archived from the original on 5 July 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070705155720/http://www.defence.gov.au/army/ahu/HISTORY/Battle+Honours/Battle_Honours_WWII_CavalryArmdRifles_Units.htm. Retrieved 2 February 2007. 
  24. ^ Maitland 1999, pp. 139–145.

References

  • Horner, David (1989). SAS: Phantoms of the Jungle — A History of the Australian Special Air Service (1st ed.). St Leonards: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86373-007-9. 
  • Johnston, Mark (2008). The Proud 6th: An Illustrated History of the 6th Australian Division 1939–46. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-51411-8. 
  • Long, Gavin (1963). The Final Campaigns. Australia in the War of 1939–1945 Official History Series. Series 1 – Army. Volume VII. Canberra: Australian War Memorial. OCLC 1297619. http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/chapter.asp?volume=23. 
  • Maitland, Gordon (1999). The Second World War and its Australian Army Battle Honours. East Roseville, NSW: Kangaroo Press. ISBN 0-86417-975-8. 
  • Palazzo, Albert (2003). "Organising for Jungle Warfare". In Dennis, Peter; Grey, Jeffrey. The Foundations of Victory: The Pacific War 1943–1944. Canberra: Army History Unit. ISBN 978-0-646-43590-9. http://www.defence.gov.au/Army/ahu/docs/The_Foundations_of_Victory_Palazzo.pdf. 
  • Trigellis-Smith, Syd (1992). Purple Devils: History of 2/6 Australian Commando Squadron. Melbourne: 2/6 Commando Squadron Association. ISBN 0-646-07125-4. 

Further reading

  • O'Leary, Shawn (1975). To the Green Fields Beyond: The Story of the 6th Division Cavalry Commandos. Sixth Division Cavalry Unit History Committee. ISBN 978-0-9598256-0-2. 

External links