Battle and theatre honours of the Australian Army

The Australian Army and its forerunners have been awarded 248 battle and theatre honours since its formation. The first honour given to an Australian unit came prior to Federation and was awarded to forces from the colony of New South Wales, which contributed a small contingent consisting of an infantry battalion, with artillery and support units to take part in the short-lived British campaign against the Dervish revolt in the eastern Sudan in 1885 following the death of General Charles Gordon at Khartoum.[1][2]

Colours of the 17th Battalion in 1918, listing its battle honours from the First World War.

The next conflict that saw Australian units receive battle or theatre honours was the Second Boer War. Between 1899 and 1901, forces from the six Australian colonies fought alongside each other before being replaced in 1901 by forces of the newly established Australian Army following Federation.[3] A total of five theatre honours were awarded for service in South Africa, being bestowed upon successor units in the form of honorary banners and distinctions presented in 1904, 1908 and 1911.[4][5] Since then, the Australian Army has received honours for fighting during the First World War, the Second World War, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, with the Royal Australian Regiment last being awarded a battle honour in 1994 for the First Battle of Maryang San in Korea.[6] In 2013, units of Special Operations Command were awarded the battle honour Eastern Shah Wali Kot for their actions in Afghanistan in May and June 2010.[7] A theatre honour for peacekeeping in East Timor in 1999–2003 was awarded to the Army on its 119th birthday in March 2020.[8]

Sudan (1885)

• Suakin 1885[9][10]

South Africa (1899–1902)

• South Africa 1899–1902
• South Africa 1899–1900
• South Africa 1900–1902
• South Africa 1901–1902
• South Africa 1902[9][11]

First World War (1914–18)

German New Guinea

• Herbertshöhe[12][13]

Gallipoli

Helles Krithia Anzac Landing at Anzac

Defence of Anzac Suvla Sari Bair – Lone Pine Gallipoli 1915[14][15]

Egypt

• Suez Canal
• Rumani
• Magdhaba – Rafah
• Egypt 1915–17[16][17]

Palestine

Gaza – Beersheba El Mughar Nebi Samwil Jerusalem Jaffa Jericho Jordan (Es Salt)

Jordan (Amman) Megiddo Sharon Nablus Damascus Palestine 1917–18[18][19]

Western Front

Somme 1916 Pozières Bapaume 1917 Arras 1917 Bullecourt Messines 1917 Ypres 1917 Menin Road Polygon Wood Broodseinde Poelcappelle Passchendaele Somme 1918 Arras 1918 Avre Ancre 1918

Villers-Bretonneux Lys Hazebrouck Kemmel Hamel Marne 1918 Tardenois Amiens[Note 1] Albert 1918 (Chuignes) Mont St Quentin Hindenburg Line Epehy St Quentin Canal Beaurevoir France and Flanders 1916–1918[21][22]

Second World War (1939–45)

North Africa

North Africa 1940–42 Bardia 1941 Capture of Tobruk Derna Giarabub Er Regima Defence of Tobruk El Adem Road The Salient 1941 Tobruk 1941

Belhamed Defence of Alamein Line Tel el Eisa Ruweisat Ridge Tell el Makh Khad Sanyet et Miteirya Qattara Track Alam el Halfa West Point 23 El Alamein[23][24]

Greece

Greece 1941 Mount Olympus Servia Pass Tempe Gorge

Veve Soter Brailos Pass[25][26]

Middle East

Middle East 1941 Crete Canea Heraklion

Retimo 42nd Street Withdrawal to Sphakia[27][28]

Syria

Syria 1941 Syrian Frontier The Litani Merjayun Adlun Sidon Jezzine Damascus (1941)

Wadi Zeini Dimas Chehim and Rharife Damour Mazraat ech Chouf Hill 1069 Badarene Jebel Mazar[29][30]

Malaya

Malaya 1941–42 Johore Gemas

The Muar Jemaluang Singapore Island[31][32]

South West Pacific

South West Pacific 1942 South West Pacific 1942–43 South West Pacific 1942–44 South West Pacific 1942–45 South West Pacific 1943 South West Pacific 1943–44 South West Pacific 1943–45 South West Pacific 1944–45 South West Pacific 1945 Koepang Ambon Laha Rabaul Java 1942 Kokoda Trail Kokoda – Deniki Isurava Eora Creek – Templeton's Crossing I Efogi – Menari Ioribaiwa Eora Creek – Templeton's Crossing II Oivi – Gorari Buna – Gona Gona Sanananda Road Amboga River Cape Endaiadere – Sinemi Creek Sanananda – Cape Killerton Milne Bay Goodenough Island Wau Mubo I Bobdubi I Lababia Ridge Bobdubi II Nassau Bay Mubo II Mount Tambu Tambu Bay Komiatum Lae – Nadzab Busu River Lae Road Finschhafen Scarlet Beach Bumi River Defence of Scarlet Beach Jivenaneng – Kumawa[Note 2][33]</ref> Siki Cove Sattelberg Pabu Gusika Wareo Nongora

Liberation of Australian New Guinea Ramu Valley Shaggy Ridge Finisterres Barum Bogadjim Madang Kalueng River Wareo – Lakona Gusika – Fortification Point Sio Sio – Sepik River Matapau Perembil Abau – Malin Nambut Ridge Balif Anumb River But – Dagua Maprik Hawain River Wewak Wirui Mission Mount Shiburangu – Mount Tazaki Yamil – Ulupu Kaboibus – Kiarivu Tsimba Ridge Bonis – Porton Artillery Hill Pearl Ridge Adele River Mawaraka Mosigetta Puriata River Darara Slater's Knoll Hongorai River Egan's Ridge–Hongorai Ford Commando Road Hari River Ogorata River Mobiai River Mivo River Mivo Ford Waitavolo Borneo Tarakan Brunei Labuan Beaufort Miri Balikpapan Milford Highway[34][35]

Korea (1950–53)

Sariwon Yongyu Chongju Pakchon Uijeongbu Chuam-ni

Maehwa-San Kapyong Kowang-San Maryang-San The Samichon Korea 1950–53[36]

Vietnam (1962–72)

Long Tan Bien Hoa Coral–Balmoral Hat Dich

Binh Ba Vietnam 1965–72 Vietnam 1968–72[37]

East Timor (1999–2003)

• East Timor 1999–2003[8]

Afghanistan (2001–)

• Eastern Shah Wali Kot[7]

Iraq (2003–11)

• Iraq[38]

See also

• Battle honours of the British and Imperial Armies

Notes

Footnotes

1. The 13th Light Horse Regiment was awarded the battle honour "Amiens 1918" in 1927. This appears to be unique, with all other British and Dominion units involved in the battle receiving the honour "Amiens".[20]
2. The correct spelling is "Jivevaneng"; however, when the battle honour was awarded in 1961 by the Australian Army it appears to have been misspelt as "Jivenaneng".<ref name='FOOTNOTE2/17 Battalion History Committee1998iii'>2/17 Battalion History Committee 1998, p. iii.

Citations

1. Grey 2008, pp. 48–49.
2. Wilcox 2009, p. 72.
3. Dennis et al 1995, p. 107.
4. Festberg 1972, p. 14.
5. Jobson 2009, pp. 58–59.
6. "Kowang-San". The Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 24 December 2009.
7. "Special Operations Units Awarded Battle Honour". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 26 March 2013. Archived from the original on 29 March 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
8. "East Timor Theatre Honour for Army on its 119th birthday". Minister of Defence. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
9. "Battle Honours of the Australian Army: First Sudan War, Second Boer War" (PDF). Australian Army. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
10. Rodger 2003, p. 62.
11. Rodger 2003, pp. 66–72.
12. "Battle Honours of the Australian Army: The Great War: Australasia" (PDF). Australian Army. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
13. Rodger 2003, p. 91.
14. "Battle Honours of the Australian Army: The Great War: The Dardanelles" (PDF). Australian Army. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
15. Rodger 2003, pp. 180–185.
16. "Battle Honours of the Australian Army: The Great War: Egypt" (PDF). Australian Army. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
17. Rodger 2003, pp. 185–186.
18. "Battle Honours of the Australian Army: The Great War: Palestine" (PDF). Australian Army. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
19. Rodger 2003, pp. 189–196.
20. Rodger 2003, pp. 154–156.
21. "Battle Honours of the Australian Army: The Great War: France and Belgium" (PDF). Australian Army. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
22. Rodger 2003, pp. 112–176.
23. "Battle Honours of the Australian Army: World War Two: North Africa" (PDF). Australian Army. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 March 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
24. Rodger 2003, pp. 274–296.
25. "Battle Honours of the Australian Army: World War Two: Greece" (PDF). Australian Army. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
26. Rodger 2003, pp. 334–335.
27. "Battle Honours of the Australian Army: World War Two: Middle East" (PDF). Australian Army. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
28. Rodger 2003, pp. 337–338.
29. "Battle Honours of the Australian Army: World War Two: Syria" (PDF). Australian Army. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 March 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
30. Rodger 2003, pp. 271–273.
31. "Battle Honours of the Australian Army: World War Two: Malaya" (PDF). Australian Army. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
32. Rodger 2003, pp. 340–341.
33. Rodger 2003, p. 361.
34. "Battle Honours of the Australian Army: World War Two: South West Pacific" (PDF). Australian Army. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 March 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
35. Rodger 2003, pp. 358–368.
36. Rodger 2003, pp. 372–374.
37. Rodger 2003, p. 394.
38. "Army's Birthday and New Banner Presentation". Australian Army. Retrieved 13 November 2020.

References

• 2/17 Battalion History Committee (1998) [1990]. What We Have We Hold: A History of the 2/17 Australian Infantry Battalion, 1940–1945 (Revised ed.). Loftus, New South Wales: Australian Military History Publications. ISBN 1-876439-36-X.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Dennis, Peter; Grey, Jeffrey; Morris, Ewan; Prior, Robin; Connor, John (1995). The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History (1st ed.). Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-553227-9.
• Festberg, Alfred (1972). The Lineage of the Australian Army. Melbourne, Victoria: Allara Publishing. ISBN 978-0-85887-024-6.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Grey, Jeffrey (2008). A Military History of Australia (3rd ed.). Port Melbourne, Victoria: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-69791-0.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Jobson, Christopher (2009). Looking Forward, Looking Back: Customs and Traditions of the Australian Army. Wavell Heights, Queensland: Big Sky Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9803251-6-4.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Rodger, Alexander (2003). Battle Honours of the British Empire and Commonwealth Land Forces 1662–1991. Marlborough, United Kingdom: The Crowood Press. ISBN 1861266375.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Wilcox, Craig (2009). Red Coat Dreaming: How Colonial Australia Embraced the British Army. Port Melbourne, Victoria: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-19360-3.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

Further reading

• Baker, Allan (1986). Battle Honours of the British and Commonwealth Armies. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0711016003.
• Maitland, Gordon (1999). The Second World War and its Australian Army Battle Honours. Roseville, New South Wales: Kangaroo Press. ISBN 0864179758.
• Pears, Maurie (2007). Battlefield Korea: The Korean Battle Honours of the Royal Australian Regiment, 1950–1953. Loftus, New South Wales: Australian Military History Publications. ISBN 9780980379600.

External links

• Australian Army Pre 1980 Battle Honours by conflict