23rd Brigade (Australia)

The 23rd Brigade was a brigade of the Australian Army. Formed in 1940 for service during the Second World War, the brigade was initially a formation of the Second Australian Imperial Force assigned to the 8th Division, however, after its subunits were captured by the Japanese in 1942 it was reformed with Militia battalions and was mainly used in a garrison role until late in the war when it was committed to the fighting on Bougainville. It was disbanded in 1946.

History
Formed in July 1940 at Victoria Barracks in Melbourne, Victoria for service during the Second World War, it was initially raised as a unit of the Second Australian Imperial Force, attached to the 8th Division. Upon formation it consisted of three infantry battalions&mdash;the 2/21st, 2/22nd and 2/40th Battalions&mdash;although later both a pioneer and a machine gun battalion were added to its establishment.

When the 8th Division was sent to Malaya in early 1941, the 23rd Brigade remained in Australia where it deployed to Darwin to while Japanese intentions became clearer. Nevertheless, ultimately its subunits experienced the same fate that befell the rest of the division. Broken up and sent piecemeal to reinforce the garrisons at Rabaul, Ambon and on Timor, the 2/21st, 2/22nd and 2/40th Battalions were all eventually destroyed or captured by the Japanese.

After this, it was decided to reform the brigade with three Militia battalions&mdash;the 7th, 8th and 27th Battalions. Reassigned to the 12th Division, the brigade was once again sent to garrison Darwin, however, in March 1943 it was relieved and sent to the Atherton Tablelands in Queensland to undertake training prior to deployment overseas.

In 1944–45, under the command of Brigadier Arnold Potts, and reassigned to the 3rd Division, the brigade took part in the Bougainville campaign. Initially they were used in a static role, garrisoning the Outer Islands, however, in 1945 the brigade was committed to the fighting on Bougainvile Island, where they took over responsibility for the central and northern sectors, engaging the Japanese in direct combat for the first time, carrying out patrolling operations and a number of small attacks. During one of these attacks, north of Ratsua, one of the 8th Battalion's members, Private Frank Partridge, performed the deeds that led to him being awarded the Victoria Cross.

Following the end of hostilities, the brigade remained on Bougainville guarding Japanese prisoners as the demobilisation process began. Finally, in 1946 all its subordinate units were disbanded.