58/32 Infantry
Battalion Association Incorporated.
Battalion Explanations Photos
THE BATTALION IN WW1 – A PRIMER
Article contributed by Andrew Guest Vice President 58/32 IBA
During a gathering of friends and relatives on Christmas Day we were talking about the 58th Battalion and the 32nd Battalion, and this prompted one of the guests to say “I keep hearing about this battalion and that battalion, but I have no idea what a battalion is”.
Most people without a military background or an interest in military history would know that a battalion is a large body of infantry, but would probably have little idea of what size it was or how it related to other formations such as platoons, companies, brigades and divisions.
Bear in mind that during the course of the war the structure of the army and the numbers of men in each formation constantly changed. The following explanation is simply to give the uninitiated a very basic understanding of how the army was structured. It says nothing about the many and various specialised formations such as machine gun companies, artillery, engineers and many others.
Most people without a military background or an interest in military history would know that a battalion is a large body of infantry, but would probably have little idea of what size it was or how it related to other formations such as platoons, companies, brigades and divisions.
Bear in mind that during the course of the war the structure of the army and the numbers of men in each formation constantly changed. The following explanation is simply to give the uninitiated a very basic understanding of how the army was structured. It says nothing about the many and various specialised formations such as machine gun companies, artillery, engineers and many others.
Fighting Units
In WW1 an Australian infantry battalion was comprised of about 1,000 men and it was commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel. Battalions were initially raised entirely geographically on a state by state basis. After the Australians were evacuated from Gallipoli, and the fighting was moving to France, the Australian Army was greatly expanded. New units were formed in Egypt and England from units that served in Gallipoli by splitting them into two Battalions and topping up the numbers with reinforcements sent from Australia. Where possible battalions were raised from within particular regions all over Australia and given a number.
For example, the 32nd Battalion AIF was made up of volunteers from South Australia and Western Australia. Similarly, the 58th Battalion AIF was raised in Egypt in 1916 as part of the expansion of the AIF. Roughly half of its recruits were Gallipoli veterans from the 6th Battalion, and the other half were fresh reinforcements from Australia. Reflecting the composition of the 6th, the 58th was predominantly composed of men from Victoria.The fact that battalions were raised from within particular areas meant that the soldiers in each battalion were closely bonded geographically, and it also meant that the battalion enjoyed strong local community support. These two factors meant that soldiers usually identified more strongly with their battalions than with other formations they were part of.
For example, the 32nd Battalion AIF was made up of volunteers from South Australia and Western Australia. Similarly, the 58th Battalion AIF was raised in Egypt in 1916 as part of the expansion of the AIF. Roughly half of its recruits were Gallipoli veterans from the 6th Battalion, and the other half were fresh reinforcements from Australia. Reflecting the composition of the 6th, the 58th was predominantly composed of men from Victoria.The fact that battalions were raised from within particular areas meant that the soldiers in each battalion were closely bonded geographically, and it also meant that the battalion enjoyed strong local community support. These two factors meant that soldiers usually identified more strongly with their battalions than with other formations they were part of.
The smallest formation commanded by an officer was the platoon, which in WW1 was comprised of about 40 men. It was usually commanded by a Lieutenant or a Second Lieutenant. There were 4 platoons in a company, and it was commanded by a Major or a Captain. Four companies made up a battalion, commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel. Four battalions (reduced to three in 1918) made up a brigade, commanded by a Brigadier General. Three brigades made up a division, commanded by a Major General. After the evacuation from Gallipoli the 1st AIF (Australian Imperial Force) was made up of five divisions, and this remained the case for the duration of the war. Bear in mind that whilst the sizes of fighting units were as shown, when a battalion, company, platoon and section went to fight it could be under-strength due to men killed or wounded in a previous action. Whilst casualties were being evacuated from the battlefield, there were men returning from hospitals and fresh reinforcements being sent forward and merged back into their fighting units. In some battles a unit might be down to half-strength!
Colours
The colours of a battalion bear the battle honours and badges granted to that battalion from when it was first raised. In times past they were carried into battle to serve as a rallying point, but by the time of WW1 they were (and still are) displayed on ceremonial occasions. When a battalion was disbanded the colours were laid up in an important local place such as a church, which again highlighted the association between the battalion and the community it was drawn from.
Each member of a battalion had a colour patch that was worn on the upper sleeves of the soldier’s tunic. The colour patch was a combination of shapes and colours that identified the battalion (and the brigade and division that the battalion was part of). The colour patch of the 58th Battalion was a vertical rectangle divided vertically into two narrower rectangles, with the left side being purple and the right side being red. The colour patch of the 32nd Battalion was also a vertical rectangle divided vertically with the left side being white and the right side being yellow.
Banners are created and displayed by organisations that are not military but which exist to perpetuate the memory of battalions and to commemorate their deeds and honour their heroes. They often include representations of a battalion’s colour patch and symbols associated with the battalion.
Each member of a battalion had a colour patch that was worn on the upper sleeves of the soldier’s tunic. The colour patch was a combination of shapes and colours that identified the battalion (and the brigade and division that the battalion was part of). The colour patch of the 58th Battalion was a vertical rectangle divided vertically into two narrower rectangles, with the left side being purple and the right side being red. The colour patch of the 32nd Battalion was also a vertical rectangle divided vertically with the left side being white and the right side being yellow.
Banners are created and displayed by organisations that are not military but which exist to perpetuate the memory of battalions and to commemorate their deeds and honour their heroes. They often include representations of a battalion’s colour patch and symbols associated with the battalion.
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(Above) The Queens Colour and Regimental Colour of the 1st Battalion The Royal Victoria Regiment now laid up in the Moonee Valley City Council Chambers
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Banners: Army 1st World War Association Banners paraded in Melbourne on ANZAC DAY
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Sergeant Simon Fraser of the 57th Battalion AIF with a wounded man of the 60th Battalion on his shoulders depicted on the Cobbers Statue at Australian Memorial Park, Fromelles, France. Simon Fraser, promoted to Lieutenant in 58th Battalion AIF was killed in action at Bullecourt on 11 May 1917.