2/20th Battalion (Australia)

The 2/20th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Raised for service during Second World War as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force, it was formed on 15 July 1940 at Walgrove in Sydney under the command of Lieutenant Colonel William Jeater and was attached to the 22nd Brigade, 8th Division. Its recruits were mainly drawn from Sydney, Newcastle and the New South Wales north coast. Embarking for Singapore on 2 February 1941, the battalion subsequently took up positions in south-west Malaya where it conducted further training around Port Dickson. In early August Lieutenant Colonel Charles Assheton took over as commanding officer, and the battalion was redeployed to Mersing, constructing defences there.

The battalion was subsequently involved in fighting against the Japanese as part of the Malayan campaign following the landings on 8 December 1941. On 7 January 1942 C Company was later detached to form part of a special unit to delay the Japanese advance at Endau on the north coast, clashing with the Japanese on a number of occasions before withdrawing to the battalion main defensive position at Mersing on 26 January. Meanwhile, the remainder of the battalion at Mersing also clashed with the Japanese on a number of occasions, and was heavily bombed. After being rejoined by C Company, the 2/20th Battalion withdrew to Singapore Island on 31 January, where it took up positions on the northern flank of the brigade sector.

However, with the battalion required to adopt a wide frontage its position was dispersed and was infiltrated by the Japanese as they assaulted the island on 8 February 1942. After initially inflicting heavy casualties on the Japanese the battalion was forced to withdraw to a new position along Lim Chu Road. Although still intact, it was apparent that this position would shortly be overwhelmed and the battalion was again ordered to move south, during which it became scattered. Assheton was killed in action on 9 February. Separated, the individual elements of the battalion continued to conduct a fighting withdrawal but were subsequently captured on the outskirts of Singapore city on the night of 15 February 1942, along with the bulk of British Commonwealth forces. The men were initially imprisoned at Changi; however, many were later sent to work on Thai-Burma Railway, while others were sent to prison camps in Borneo, Japan, French Indochina, Java, Sumatra, and Malaya, where they endured considerable hardship with many men dying in captivity. Following the surrender of Japan the survivors were liberated in August 1945. The battalion was disbanded later in 1945; having lost 561 men dead and 122 wounded.