About This Unit
HQ 8th Division Signals
Reference: McKenizie-Smith, Graham R, The Unit Guide - Australian Army 1939-45 Volume 4 (of 6). Big Sky Publications 2018, ISBN: 978-1-925675-14-6
HQ 8th Division Signals was raised at Liverpool NSW in June 1940 as part of the 8th Division, being raised at that time to expand 1 Australian Corps to three Divisions.
It comprised 3 Companies (abbr as 'COY' ) numbered sequentially, to service Divisional elements as follows;
1 COY - HQ and 8 Division Cavalry Regiment (8 Div Cav Regt),
2 COY - Artillery units, and
3 COY - the three Infantry Brigades (22nd, 23rd and 27th Infantry Brigades)
Elements were split off during a re-organisation following the creation of the 9th Division from Austral Force, comprised of units on board the 'Third Convoy' diverted to the UK to help defend the British Isles from what appeared to be imminent invasion. As 8th Division at that stage was to remain in Australia it gave up elements such as the 2nd/8th Field Artillery Regimen, and 8 Div Cav Regt which was re-designated '9 Div Cav Regt', and their supporting signals detachments.
Meanwhile tensions around Japan were rising in the Pacific / SE Asia area, and it was decided to send the 22nd Brigade of the 8th Division to Malaya with a Forward Div HQ. HQ 23rd Brigade was despatched to Darwin with its subordinate elements scattered from Rabaul to Timor (in what became the 'Bird' Forces. 27th Brigade was held in Reserve initially but ultimately went to Malaya forming part of 8 Div's defensive posture around Johore Baru. All remaining Signals elements were sent to Malaya less F Section which went to Darwin supporting the 2nd/14th Field Regiment.
The dispositions became this:
1 COY AIF (Malaya) Sigs was mobile supporting the Div HQ
2 COY AIF (Malaya) Sigs supported the artillery elements
3 COY AIF (Malaya) Sigs continued to support the two Infantry Brigades in Malaya
4 COY AIF (Malaya) Sigs comprising 3 Line Maint Sec, 6 Op Sec, 3 DR Sec 4 W/T Sec, and 2 Tech Maint Sec. By the end of the campaign they were fighting as ad hoc infantry in the 'Snake Gully Rifles'.
The Japanese landing at Kota Baru put little pressure on the Australians south initially, but that soon changed. As the Japanese advanced towards Johor Baru the Commonwealth defence crumbled. 8 Div elements mounted some effective local actions, but were obliged to conform to the contraction on to Singapore Island by the end of Jan 1942. Allied resistance collapsed, linked to the fact that Singapore's water supply was compromised, and no effective air defence remained. The Allies surrendered on 15 Feb 42 and most of the 8th Div bar a few opportunistic escapees, became PoW. The 'Bird Forces' were destroyed piecemeal; the inevitable fate of forces that are 'penny packeted' in groups too small, unsupported and with no withdrawal route. All that remained were the elements in and around Darwin, which were absorbed by other formations.
Compiled By Steve Larkins, Feb 26