Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

1st Armoured Division, Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC)

The 1st Armoured Division was raised as a tank-equipped armoured formation of the Australian Army, to supplement the 3 Infantry Divisions deployed to North Africa, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF) during World War II. Mobility firepower and protection emerged as essential attributes of forces deployed there and the 2nd AIF was sorely lacking in all three, save for a host of captured trucks.

However with the entry of Japan into the war and the return to Australia of the 6th and 7th Divisions, the 1st Armoured Division was retained in Australia. The 1st Armoured Division thus became a key component of Australia's defences against a feared Japanese invasion.  However as that threat dissipated during 1943, the Division was disbanded in Western Australia in September of that year.  Its subordinate Brigades continued as independent formations until late 1944.

Its inaugural Commander was Major General John Northcote.  He was succeeded by Major General Horace Robertson when Northcote was promoted to command III Corps of which the 1st Armoured Division was to become part.

Organisation

On formation it was comprised thus:

Divisional Headquarters
2/11 Armoured Car Regiment
   2/3 Field Squadron, Royal Australian Engineers (RAE)
   4 Field Squadron, RAE
   2/1 Field Park Squadron, RAE

1st Armoured Brigade
2/5th Armoured Regiment
2/6th Armoured Regiment
2/7th Armoured Regiment

2nd Armoured Brigade
2/8th Armoured Regiment
2/9th Armoured Regiment
2/10th Armoured Regiment

1st Support Group from February 1942
17th Motor Regiment
108th Anti Tank Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery
16th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery[6]
Divisional Administration Troops

Equipment.

Creating an Armoured Division from scratch was a huge challenge.  Equipment hadd to be sourced and training at all elevesl had to satart pretty much from a zero baseline.

On paper, each armoured regiment was to be equipped with 10 scout cars , 46 cruiser tanks (M3 Stuart Light tanks and (confusingly also designated M3) Grant Medium tanks), and six support tanks; while the motor regiment was to be established with 14 scout cars and 44 Universal Carriers, and the armoured car regiment 12 scout cars and 58 armoured cars (Staghounds).

In the event a wide variety of vehicles passed through the DIvision's elements from Bren Gun (Universal) Carriers to Stuart  Grant and Matilda tanks.

Locations.

Based initially in northern New South Wales near Narrabri, the Division reloacted to Western Australia near Geraldton, to become part of III Corps. 

Operational Service.

1st Armoured Division did not see sees service as a whole.  Some elements did, during the life of 1st Armoured Division and later.

2nd/6th Armoured Regiment, equipped with M3 Stuart light tanks, was deployed to New Guinea, and subsequently saw action during the Battle of Buna–Gona, where the tanks are famously depicted in photogaphs and war art of the time.

During 1944–1945, the 2nd/4th Armoured Regiment deployed squadron-sized elements to both the Bougainville campaign and Aitape–Wewak (New Guionea) campaigns, where they equipped with Matilda tanks.

2nd/9th Armoured Regiment, also using Matildas, served in the Borneo campaign, including the Australian amphibious landings at Tarakan, Sarawak, Brunei, Labuan and British Borneo in 1945.

Other armoured units, such as the 1st Armoured Regiment (as opposed to the 2nd/1st Armoured Regiment, which also took part in the Borneo campaign, were Militia units which had not formed part of the 1st Armoured Division.

Compiled by Steve Larkins Dec 2018

References

Hopkins, Ronald (1993) [1978]. Australian Armour: A History of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps 1927–1972. Puckapunyal, Victoria: Royal Australian Armoured Corps Tank Museum. ISBN 0-642-99414-5.

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.