Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The 1st Brigade was raised in Sydney, New South Wales, shortly after the start of World War I in August 1914 for service overseas as part of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). Upon formation it consisted of four infantry battalions—the 1st (/explore/units/320), 2nd (/explore/units/289), 3rd (/explore/units/333) and 4th (/explore/units/88) which drew their men from all over NSW.

After Gallipoli, the 1st Australian Machine Gun Company (/explore/units/194) (until early 1918 when the other MG Companies were amalgamated as the 1st Machine Gun Battalion under Division control) and 1st Australian Trench Mortar Battery (/explore/units/513) (from April 1916) were added to its establishement.

During the war, the 1st Brigade took part in the fighting at Gallipoli and on the Western Front in France and Belgium^.

It was disbanded in April 1919, but the Brigade's identity has persisted to the present day as part of the Australian Regular Army

Key campaign  in which the brigade was engaged include: ANZAC, Lone Pine, Pozieres, Bullecourt, Passchendaele, Hazebrouck, Amiens and the Hindenburg Line.

Five soldiers from 1st Brigade units received the Victoria Cross, Australia's highest military decoration, for their actions during the war.

PTE (later LT) John Hamilton (2nd Bn),

CPL George Howell (1st Bn),

PTE (later CPL) Thomas Kenny (3rd Bn),

PTE (later LT) Leonard Keysor (1st Bn) and

CAPT Alfred Shout *(1st Bn)

 We would particularly like to encourage individual historians researchers or members of unit associations to contribute to the development of a more detailed history and photographs pertaining to this unit and its members.

Please contact  [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) for details on how to contribute.