Formation and home duties The 2/8th Independent Company was formed at
Wilsons Promontory, in
Victoria in July 1942. Consisting of 17 officers and 256 other ranks, the company was organised into a headquarters, three infantry
platoons, with attached signals, medical and engineering
sections. During this time the company was stationed at
Yandina,
Queensland, and then later at the
Adelaide River, in the
Northern Territory. In 1943, as part of a re-organisation of the independent company concept, the 2/8th were renamed the 2/8th Cavalry (Commando) Squadron, which was later shortened to the
2/8th Commando Squadron. Despite this re-organisation, however, while other commando squadrons were amalgamated together into a regimental structure, the 2/8th remained independent and when they finally deployed overseas in mid-1944 to
New Guinea, they were sent as an independent unit attached to the
Australian II Corps.
New Britain campaign The squadron embarked from
Townsville, Queensland, on 22 July 1944 and sailed to
Lae, via
Milne Bay, on board the SS
Ormiston. While they were there they received an intake of 70 experienced men from some of the other commando squadrons as reinforcements. After a few months, in mid-September, a small detachment of the 2/8th participated in a small-scale reconnaissance operation at
Jacquinot Bay on the island of
New Britain, to collect intelligence in preparation for an assault by the
5th Division. As part of this operation, elements from 'C' Troop and a small detachment from 'B' Troop, from the 2/8th Commando Squadron, provided the protection force for the reconnaissance party that was put ashore from the corvette
HMAS Kiama,
Bougainville campaign photographed after returning from a patrol in June 1945 In October, the 2/8th was transported on the troopship
Aconagua to
Torokina, which was the main Australian base on
Bougainville, where it joined the rest of II Corps, who were concentrating in the area for the upcoming Bougainville campaign. As the campaign progressed the squadron conducted patrols from Torokina to
Kuraio Mission and
Amun in the northern sector on a weekly basis throughout November and into December, before handing over responsibility of the area to the
11th Brigade and being transferred to the southern sector. and the ranks of the squadron were slowly reduced as men who had earned enough points to do so were discharged, while others who did not were transferred to other units for further duties as part of the occupation forces that were being sent to Japan. By the time that the squadron returned to Australia in December 1945 with a very small frontage. Finally, on 10 January 1946, while at Liverpool, New South Wales, the 2/8th Commando Squadron was disbanded and removed from the Australian Order of Battle. During its service, the 2/8th lost seven men killed in action and 16 men wounded. Members of the squadron received the following decorations: one
Officer of the Order of the British Empire, two
Distinguished Conduct Medals, four
Military Medals and 12
Mentions in Despatches. ==Commanding officers==