| Australian 57th Battalion | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1916–1919 1921–1930 |
| Country | Australia |
| Branch | AIF (1916–1919) AMF (1921–1930) |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | ~800–1,000 men |
| Part of | 15th Brigade |
| Nickname | The Merri Regiment |
| Motto | Strike Hard |
| Colours | Black beside Red |
| Engagements | World War I |
| Insignia | |
| Unit Colour Patch | |
The 57th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was originally raised as a unit of the First Australian Imperial Force in Egypt on 18 February 1916 for service in World War I through the joining of half of the members of the 5th Battalion with fresh recruits raised in Australia from north-east Victoria.[1] Together with the 58th, 59th and 60th Battalions, the 57th formed part of the 15th Brigade, which was assigned to the 5th Australian Division.[2] The battalion was sent to France, arriving there in June 1916, and experienced its first taste of fighting on the Western Front in July when it was involved in the Battle of Fromelles. After that it spent the next two and a half years in the trenches in France and Belgium, seeing action in many of the major battles fought by the Australians during this time. After the war the battalion was disbanded in 1919, however, it was raised again as part of the Militia in 1921.[3] Headquartered at Preston, it drew its personnel from the 2nd Battalion, 57th Infantry Regiment.[4]
In 1927 territorial titles were introduced and the 57th Battalion adopted the title of "The Merri Regiment". At this time it also adopted the motto of "Strike Hard".[5] Due to the lack of numbers following the Great Depression the battalion was amalgamated with the 60th Battalion in 1930, to become the 57th/60th Battalion (Merri/Heidelberg Regiment).[3][6] They would remain linked for the next sixteen years, seeing action in World War II in the South-west Pacific in 1943–45. They were finally disbanded on 30 March 1946.[3]