2/8th Battalion (Australia)

2/8th Battalion
An Australian light machine gun team in action near Wewak in June 1945
Active	1940–1945
Country	Australia
Branch	Australian Army
Type	Infantry
Role	Line Infantry
Size	~800–900 men^{[Note 1]}
Part of	19th Brigade, 6th Division
Engagements	World War II North Africa campaign Greek campaign Aitape–Wewak campaign

The 2/8th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army that served during World War II. Raised as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force at Puckapunyal, Victoria on 15 April 1940, the 2/8th was initially attached to the 17th Brigade, 6th Division. It was later transferred to the 19th Brigade, however. The battalion saw action in Egypt, Libya and Greece before returning to Australia to fight the Japanese as part of the Aitape–Wewak campaign. The battalion was disbanded at Puckapunyal on 14 December 1945.^[1]

Notes

↑ At the start of World War the nominal establishment of an Australian infantry battalion was 910 men all ranks. Once the Jungle division establishment had been adopted it dropped to 803 men. See Palazzo 2003.

Ewer, Peter (2008). Forgotten Anzacs: The Campaign in Greece, 1941. Carlton North, Vic.: Scribe Publications. ISBN 978-1-921215-29-2. OCLC 457093199.
Palazzo, Albert (2003). "Organising for Jungle Warfare". In Dennis, Peter; Grey, Jeffrey. The Foundations of Victory: The Pacific War 1943–1944 (PDF). Canberra: Army History Unit. ISBN 978-0-646-43590-9.