2/11th Battalion (Australia)

The 2/11th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army which saw service during World War II. Raised at Northam, Western Australia on 13 October 1939, it formed part of the 6th Australian Division of the Second Australian Imperial Force. The battalion saw action in Egypt, Libya, Greece and Crete in 1940–41, however, a large number of the battalion's personnel were killed or captured on Crete and as such it was rebuilt in Palestine at the end of 1941, before returning to Australia to fight the Japanese in 1942. For a time the battalion was assigned to the 2nd Brigade, a formation made up largely of soldiers from the Militia, carrying out defensive duties in Western Australia, however, it was later transferred to the 19th Brigade in Queensland and in 1944–45 it took part in the Aitape-Wewak campaign before being disbanded at Puckapunyal on 7 December 1945.

During the war the 2/11th Battalion suffered 489 casualties, of which 182 were killed. Its members received the following decorations: 2 DSOs, 1 OBE, 3 MBEs, 6 MCs, 4 DCMs, 20 MMs and 66 MIDs.

Battle honours

 * North Africa, Bardia 1941, Capture of Tobruk, Derna, Greece 1941, Brallos Pass, Middle East 1941–1944, Crete, Retimo, Matapau, Abau-Malin, Wewak, Wirui Mission, South-West Pacific 1942–1945, Liberation of Australian New Guinea.