History

4th Australian Infantry Battalion – a brief history – by Graham R Walker and Herbert R Redman of A Coy.

 

On both the 1st October and the 5th November, 1941 two large draft intakes were sent to the Battalion stationed at Wallgrove Camp. There were rigorous training and marching around the countryside were the order of the day for the troops.

 

The 19th March, 1942 was the date on which the Battalion was moved principally per “Blitz Buggies”, from Wallgrove to the Newcastle area. This was a very cold, wet and unseasonable day for this time of year. Most of the Battalion was stationed in the Dudley, Belmont and Gateshead districts.

 

Approximately the 31st May, 1942, saw the movement of the Battalion from the Newcastle area to Greta staging camp. Most of the unit marched to Greta, about thirty five miles all told.

 

The Battalion remained at Greta until Embarkation Day on the 4th July 1942. Very few of the troops were aware of their destination. A vanguard of the unit departed prior to the 4th July 1942 for an undisclosed destination. The unit was transported per troop train to Darling Harbour, where it was embarked on the HMAS Westralia. The “beeper” soon went round that we were bound for Fremantle. The voyage was most unpleasant to say the least, and a lot of chaps were very sea sick. Cold, wintery weather and rough seas prevailed most of the time. The ship sailed around the south of Tasmania to avoid the mines in Bass Strait. No one was sorry to see land when we arrived in Fremantle. After disembarkation we were taken by train to Chidlow Wells, which is about thiry miles east of Perth on the 14th July. For security reasons it was considered essential that troops be stationed on the coast of Western Australia.

 

The usual infantry training was carried out at Chidlow, the unit remaining there until the 4th August, 1942. On that day we moved by transport to Gin Gin No. 1 camp. On the 1st September, 1942 we marched to No. 2 camp, and about the 29th September per transport to No. 3 camp. At the camps, vigorous P.T. training was meted out, interspersed with various long distance marches. During this time some of the Companies has a short spell at Watermans Bay on the north coast of Perth.

 

On the 2nd of November, 1942 the unit moved by transport to Redbank Camp near Midland Junction, and during our stay there, we spent a few days on the rifle range at Swanbourne, which is a suburb of Perth.

 

About the 21st November 1942 the majority of the Battalion travelled by troop train to Geraldton. Part of the unit at this time was stationed on Observation Posts, near Dongara, south of Geraldton. Most Companies of the Battalion were camped on a site about four miles north west of Geraldton past the “famous water tank” on the junction of the two roads. It was always hot and dry whilst in the Geraldton area, and the local hotels were well sought after on leave days. Whilst around Geraldton, the unit underwent a combined operations course on the waterfront behind the Geraldton breakwater.

 

The 24th February, 1943 was the day most of the Battalion was moved by cattle trucks to Moora, and thence by truck and footslogging to Dandaragan and Jurien Bay on the coast. We remained in these area, and also around Moora moving to several camps, for some months. Members of the unit would recall the unfortunate Mortar bomb incident which occurred on the 15th March 1943.

 

On the 27th July 1943 the Battalion moved by trucks to a camp some one hundred miles north of Moora to Mingenew. We were not here long as on approximately the 7th August, the unit moved to Collie in the south west of the state for jungle training. Thence we went to Swanbourne for further rifle range training. The Battalion evacuated the Perth area on the 6th September 1943 returning to Mingenew. This was but a short stay as on the 13th September, we moved by motor transport to Mullewa, where we were to join a troop train for Chidlow Wells to link up with the rest of the 8th Brigade.

 

The end in West Aussie was now in sight. We were told we were going back East, which of course meant home for most of us.

 

We sailed from Fremantle on the 22nd September 1943 aboard the S.S. Nieuw Amsterdam, a very fine ship of 36,000 tons this time north. The voyage was uneventful, and we disembarked at Melbourne on the 26th September, and then travelled by troop train to Rooty Hill and onto Wallgrove camp. From here we all went on 28 days leave, with the exception of a few.

 

When leave was over we were required to report back to Wallgrove. As can well can be imagined, A.W.L. was quite prevalent. Somehow or another, the unit was reassembled about 22nd October.

 

Another embarkation was about to take place – this time north, on the 16th November 1943 after spending two days on the S.S. Canberra at Darling Harbour we sailed for Townsville. No doubt some will recall the overnight stay at Bowen, where the ship was coaling. At Townsville we disembarked and travelled to Cairns and Atherton by troop train. Intensive jungle training and toughening up was the programme on the Atherton Tablelands at Tolga Camp.

 

After six weeks training we moved to Redlynch Staging Camp on the 7th January 1944 prior to sailing for New Guinea. The camp was on the Barron River about six miles from Cairns.

 

On the 10th January we embarked at Cairns on the “SS Van Heutsz”, sailing on the morning of the 11th. A very dirty Dutch vessel, the ship was manned by Dutch officers and a Javanese crew. Conditions on board were, to say the least, shocking, but we were able to adapt ourselves, as were all the troops able to do during war times. Six days later on Sunday, 16th January, we landed at Finschhafen. We were only here until the night of the 18th January when we were packed into barges like sardines. The following morning, we reached a point near Nambariwa, near Sio and disembarked.

 

The Battalion went into action on the 20th January 1944 at a point near Sio Mission and so began the advance to Weber Point. We had to contend with the usual mud slush and rain most of the way. At times the jungle was almost impenetrable and at other times the track led through tall Kunai grass.

 

After leaving Nambariwa, we passed Sio and then had to contend with the crossing of the fast flooding Kwama River. We then marched into Wasu Anchorage and the village of Malasanga 1 and Malasanga 2. The next obstacle was the Timbe River and then onto Nabu Village and Singorkai. We proceeded along the coast and reached Butubutu and then crossed the Urawa River to Gali Village.

 

Many of the troops became sick with dysentery, malaria and Dengue Fever, not forgetting skin rashes. We were a bedraggled lot when our operations ceased on 10th February 1944 to be relieved by 30th Battalion in the vicinity of Weber Point. Battle casualties throughout the operation were light.

 

On the 13th February 1944 some of the unit went by barges to Butubutu for a spell. The Battalion all consolidated on the 27th February near Kelanoa. We had a couple of weeks rest there before the march to Masewang River, which was reached on the 19th March. The camp was on the south bank of the river, quite close to the sea.

 

Water polo was a popular pastime. The Masewang Camp could perhaps be looked upon as one of the pleasant times in New Guinea. Recreation facilities were quite good here. We were all living a 6 bed tents for a change. every night films were screened in the open, under the stars.

 

Yet another embarkation was on the agenda – this time from Finschhafen on the 24th April 1944. We sailed on an American Liberty ship – the “David E. Hughes”. We were transported by trucks from the Masewang Camp, a distance of about 10 miles, to the ship. This was only a short voyage, as we disembarked at Saidor.

 

We were not long at Saidor with all the Yanks as on the 5th May 1944 we travelled by P.T. boats and barges for Madang and Alexishafen.

 

The Battalion spent many months on the aforementioned places, and also alternating between South Alexishafen and North Alexishafen. Patrols were at frequent intervals, sent north to Dugumur Bay and Hansa Bay. Also during our stay in these areas, various Companies spent a week or so at Aaron Mission which is between Madang and South Alex.

 

Life was not so arduous around Alex and Madang, and the troops were given plenty of entertainment, especially by the Yanks. Everyone will recall the concert at North Alex with Bob Hope and Frances Longford.

 

The unit spent this time around Madang and Alexishafen until the end of the war on the 15th August 1945, not forgetting extended periods of patrol duty which extended as far as the Sepik River, involving crossing the Ramu River in local dug-out canoes. B Coy was still operating there just prior to the end. C Coy was inland at Annenburg on the Ramu. 

 

Embarkation for part of the unit took place on the 10th October 2945 when we sailed on the New Britain and the Solomons S.S. Katoomba and George Peate (a former Hawkesbury River  NSW Vehicular Ferry) from Medang to Wewak, to join the rest of the Battalion. The voyage only took 24 hours. On arrival at Wewak we were camped on the coast near Cape Wom.

 

Gradually the Unit was broken up at Wewak. Depending on the number of “points” the troops were sent back to the Mainland for eventual discharge. Others not so fortunate were detailed across to New Britain and the Solomans. Some volunteered for occupational duties in Japan and other waited patiently at Wewak for transport home until February and March 1946. Those remaining at Wewak would recall the very sad death of R.S.M. Bill Bellamy.

 

That concludes a brief outline of the history of the 4th Australian Infantry Battalion from the 1st October 1941 until the disbanding of the Unit after the war.

 

Soldiering days over, it was back to ‘civvie’ life. For most of us, we remembered the good times only, whilst in the Army.