About This Unit
36 Infantry Battalion AMF
The 36th Infantry Battalion had its genesis in WW1, as a Battalion in the 9th Brigade. One of its prominent Commanding Officers had been LTCOL Leslie Moresehead, later to become famous in WW2 commading the defences in the Siege of Tobruk as the GOC 9th Australian Division. In the Interwar years, it was a militia Battalion based in Haberfield, Sydney, in NSW.
On the outbreak of World War II, the battalion was called up for a month of continuous service and recruitment was stepped up as national servicemen (all 'Eligible males' - the definition of which changed progressively as the threat level escalated) were drafted to fill the ranks.
During 1940–41, training camps were conducted around New South Wales at Rutherford, Greta, and Bathurst Camps. In March 1942, following the entry of Japan into the war, 36 Battalion was moved to Newcastle, along with the rest of 14 Brigade in order to defend against a possible invasion of the area.
In May 1942, as the Japanese began to threaten New Guinea, the Battalion returned to Greta Camp in preparation for transfer to Townsville, from where they would embark for Port Moresby. In Port Moresby, the battalion was initially employed in a garrison role, conducting long-range patrols in the Owen Stanley Range, however, as the Japanese moved further towards Port Moresby, the 36th Battalion was sent to Koitaki in September 1942 in anticipation of being committed to action on the Kokoda Track (/explore/campaigns/51).
When the Japanese reached Nauro the battalion was sent in as a blocking force, and they patrolled the area along the track that ran south to Subitana for about week before they were moved north to Uberi where they relieved the 2/14th and 2/16th Battalions, before returning to Port Moresby on 9 October 1942.
Although 36 Battalion was withdrawn back to Port Moresby as part of a rotation of units through the front line, the campaign continued, primarily by the 2nd AIF's 7th Division, as the Japanese withdrew to the north coast. Late in December, the 36th Battalion, now part of the 30th Brigade, was sent to Sanananda to take part in the "Battle of the Beachheads (/explore/campaigns/93)". This proved to be a very costly campaign and was part of the controversial decision-making of McArthur's Land Headquarters - in Brisbane.
The 16th Brigade had been unable to capture Sanananda initially and so between 19 December and 26 December 1942, the 30th Brigade launched further attacks against the Japanese defences at Sanananda. These too failed, however, and the 36th was withrdwn from action after being reduced in strength to just 16 officers and 272 men in a fortnight.
After only a brief respite, in January 1943 the battalion moved up to the Gona area to relieve 55/53 Battalion and to carry out patrols along the Amboga River. In March, 36 Battalion was withdrawn from the line and returned to Australia for rest reinforcement and training. By July 1943 they had returned to New Guinea, where for the next fifteen months they would be moved around the island, stationed in Port Moresby, Soputa, Buna–Oro Bay, Lae, Wau, and Bulolo, carrying out various garrison tasks once more.
In October 1944, 36 Battalion was placed under the command of the 6 Brigade and along with the 14/32 and 19 Battalions they moved by sea to the north coast of New Britain. Operating on the Gazelle Peninsula, the 36 Battalion took part in the Australian campaign of containment against the much larger Japanese forces that were in existence on the island at the time. In doing so, the battalion made a name for itself carrying out numerous long-range patrols and amphibious landings, becoming known as "Ike's Marines" (after their Commanding Officer at the time LTCOL Cedric "Ike" Isaachsen (/explore/people/606019)).
In June 1945, after seven months very active service on New Britain and Bougainville, 36 Battalion was relieved and brought back to Australia in June 1945. It was disbanded in August 1945.
Throughout its service during the war, the battalion lost 77 killed in action or died on active service, and 126 wounded. Members of 36 Battalion received the following decorations: 1 DSO and 14 MIDs.
Sources:
AWM52/8/3/75: 36 Battalion war diary
Brigg, Stan; Brigg, Les, The 36th Australian Infantry Battalion, 1939-1945 : the story of an Australian infantry battalion and its part in the war against Japan(Sydney : 36th Battalion (St. George's English Rifle Regt.) Association, 1967)