Formation Formed in March 1901, following federation, the Australian Army initially consisted of the six, disbanded and separate, colonial military forces' land components. Due to the Army being continuation of the colonial armies, it became immediately embroiled in conflict as contingents had been committed to fight for the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in the
Second Boer War. The Army gained command of these contingents and even supplied federal units to reinforce their commitment at the request of the British government. The
Defence Act 1903, established the operation and command structure of the Australian Army. In 1911, the
Universal Service Scheme was implemented, introducing
conscription for the first time in Australia, with males aged 14–26 assigned into cadet and CMF units; though the scheme did not prescribe or allow overseas service outside the
states and territories of Australia. This restriction would be primarily, and continually, bypassed through the process of raising separate volunteer forces until the mid-20th century; this solution was not without its drawbacks, as it caused logistical dilemmas.
World War I After the declaration of war on the
Central Powers, the Australian Army raised the all volunteer First Australian Imperial Force (AIF) which had an initial recruitment of 52,561 out of a promised 20,000 men. A smaller expeditionary force, the
Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (ANMEF), dealt with the issue of the German Pacific holdings. ANMEF recruitment began on 10 August 1914, and operations started 10 days later. On 11 September, the ANMEF landed at
Rabaul to secure
German New Guinea, with no German outposts in the Pacific left by November 1914. During the AIF's preparations to depart Australia, the
Ottoman Empire joined the Central Powers; thereby receiving declarations of war from the
Allies of World War I in early November 1914. After initial recruitment and training, the AIF departed for Egypt where they underwent further preparations, and where the
Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) was formed. Their presence in Egypt was due to the planned
Gallipoli campaign, an invasion of the Ottoman Empire via
Gallipoli. On 25 April, the AIF landed at
ANZAC Cove, which signaled the start of Australia's contribution to the campaign. Following little initial success, fighting quickly devolved into trench warfare, which precipitated a stalemate. On 15 December 1915, after eight months of fighting, the evacuation of Gallipoli commenced; it was completed 5 days later with no casualties recorded. After regrouping in Egypt, the AIF was split into two groups and further expanded with reinforcements. This division would see a majority of the
Australian Light Horse fight the Ottomans in
Arabia and the
Levant, whereas the rest of the AIF would go to the
Western Front.
Western Front The AIF arrived in
France with the
1st,
2nd,
4th and
5th Divisions; which comprised, in part,
I ANZAC Corps and, in full,
II ANZAC Corps. The
3rd Division would not arrive until November 1916, as it underwent training in
England after its transfer from Australia. In July 1916, the AIF commenced operations with the
Battle of the Somme, and more specifically with the
Attack at Fromelles. Soon after, the 1st, 2nd and 4th Divisions became tied down in actions at the
Battle of Pozières and
Mouquet Farm. In around six weeks, the operations caused 28,000 Australian casualties. Due to these losses and pressure from the United Kingdom to maintain the AIF's manpower,
Prime Minister Billy Hughes introduced the
first conscription plebiscite. It was defeated by a narrow margin and created a bitter divide on the issue of conscription throughout the 20th century. Following the German withdrawal to the
Hindenburg Line in March 1917, which was better defended and eased manpower restraints, the first Australian assault on the Hindenburg Line occurred on 11 April 1917 with the
First Battle of Bullecourt. On 20 September, the Australian contingent joined the
Third Battle of Ypres with the
Battle of Menin Road, and continued on to fight in the
Battle of Polygon Wood, which lasted until 3 October; in total, these tow operations cost roughly 11,000 in Australian casualties. Until 15 November 1917, multiple attacks at the
Battle of Broodseinde Ridge and the
Battle of Passchendaele occurred, but, failed to take their objectives following the start of the rain and subsequent muddying of the fields. On 21 March 1918, the Germans attempted a breakout through the
Michael Offensive, which was part of the much larger
German spring offensive; the AIF suffered 15,000 casualties due to this effort. During this operation, Australian troops conducted a series of local defences and offensives to
hold and
retake Villers–Brettoneux over the period 4 to 25 April 1918. After the cessation of offensives by the
German Army, the
Australian Corps began participating in "
Peaceful penetration" operations, which were localised raids designed to harass and gain small tracts of territory; these proved so effective that several major operational objectives were captured. On 4 July 1918, the
Battle of Hamel saw the first successful use of tanks alongside Australians, with the battleplan of
John Monash completed three minutes over the planned 90 minute operation. Following this success, the
Battle of Amiens was launched on 8 August 1918, in conjunction with the
Canadian Corps and the British
III Corps, and concluded on 12 August 1918; General
Erich Ludendorff described it as "the black day of the German Army". On 29 August 1918, following territorial advances and pursuits, the AIF attacked Pèronne and subsequently initiated the
Battle of Mont St Quentin. Another
operation around Épehy was planned for 18 September 1918, which aimed to retake the British trenches and, potentially, capture their most ambitious objective of the Hindenburg's outpost line – which they achieved. Following news of a three-month furlough for certain soldiers, seven AIF battalions were disbanded; consequently, members of these battalions mutinied. Soon after the penetration of the Hindenburg Line, plans for the breakthrough of the main trench, with the Australian Corps as the vanguard, were completed. However, due to manpower issues, only the 3rd and 5th Divisions participated, with the
American Expeditionary Forces'
27th and
30th Divisions given as reinforcements. On 29 September, following a three day long bombardment, the
Battle of the Hindenburg Line commenced, wherein the corps attacked and captured more of the line. On 5 October 1918, after furious fighting, the Australian Corps was withdrawn from the front, as the entire corps had been operating continuously since 8 August 1918. They would not return to the battlefield, as Germany signed the
Armistice of 11 November 1918 that ultimately ended the war on the Western Front.
Middle East The Australian mounted units, composed of the
ANZAC Mounted Division and eventually the
Australian Mounted Division, participated in the
Sinai and Palestine campaign. They were originally stationed there to protect the
Suez Canal from the Turks, and following the threat of its capture passing, they started offensive operations and helped in the re-conquest of the
Sinai Desert. This was followed by the Battles of Gaza, wherein on the 31 October 1917 the
4th and
12th Light Horse took
Beersheba through the last charge of the Light Horse. They continued on to capture
Jerusalem on 10 December 1917 and then eventually
Damascus on 1 October 1918 whereby, a few days later on 10 October 1918, the Ottoman Empire surrendered. the Australian Army raised the Second Australian Imperial Force, a 20,000-strong volunteer expeditionary force, which initially consisted of the
6th Division; later increased to include the
7th and
9th Divisions, alongside the
8th Division which was sent to
Singapore. In October 1939, compulsory military training recommenced for unmarried men aged 21, who had to complete three months of training. This was followed by supplying Australian units to defend against the Axis in the
Battle of Greece. After the evacuation of Greece, Australian troops took part in the
Battle of Crete which, though more successful, still failed and another withdrawal was ordered. During the Greek Campaign, the Allies were pushed back to Egypt and the
Siege of Tobruk began. Tobruk's primary defence personnel were Australians of the 9th Division; the so-called 'Rats of Tobruk'. Additionally, the AIF participated in the
Syria–Lebanon campaign. The 9th Division fought in the
First and
Second Battle of El Alamein before also being shipped home to fight the Japanese.
Pacific In December 1941, following the
Bombing of Pearl Harbor, Australia declared war on
Japan. Consequently, the AIF was requested to return home, as the subsequent rapid
conquest of
Southeast Asia extremely concerned Australian policymakers, and the militia was mobilised. After the
Fall of Singapore, and the consequent capture of the entire 8th Division as
POWs, this concern only grew. These events hastened the relief of the Rats of Tobruk, while the other divisions were immediately recalled to reinforce New Guinea. The
Imperial Japanese Navy's failure in the
Battle of the Coral Sea, was the impetus for the
Imperial Japanese Army to try to capture
Port Moresby via the
Owen Stanley Range. On 21 July 1942, the Japanese began the
Kokoda Campaign after landing at Gona; attempts to defeat them by Australian battalions were met with eventual success. Resultant offensive operations concluded with the Japanese being driven out of New Guinea entirely. In parallel with these defences, the
Battle of Milne Bay was waged, and when the Japanese were repulsed, it was considered their first significant reversal for the war. In November 1942, the campaign ended after the Japanese withdrawal, with Australian advances leading to the
Battle of Buna–Gona. in September 1942 In early 1943, the
Salamaua–Lae campaign began, with operations against the entrenched Japanese aimed towards recapturing the eponymous towns. This culminated in the capture of Lae, held by the 7th Division in early September 1943, from a successful combined amphibious
landing at Lae and an airborne
landing at Nadzab. The seaborne assault was notable as it was the first large–scale amphibious operation since Gallipoli. Subsequently, Salamaua was taken days later on 11 September 1943, by a separate joint Australia–US attack. The Battle of Lae was additionally part of the wider
Huon Peninsula campaign. Following Lae's capture, the
Battle of Finschhafen commenced with a relatively swift control of objectives, with subsequent Japanese counterattacks beaten off. On 17 November 1943, a major offensive that began with the
Battle of Sattelberg, continued with the
Battle of Wareo, and concluded with the
Battle of Sio on 15 January 1944, was unleashed. The momentum of this advance was continued by the
8th Brigade, as they pursued the enemy in retreat, which culminated with the
Battle of Madang. In mid-1944, Australian forces took over the garrisoning of
Torokina from the US with this changeover giving Australian command responsibility over the
Bougainville campaign. Soon after arriving in November of the same year, the commander of
II Corps, Lieutenant-General
Stanley Savige, began an offensive to retake the island with the 3rd Division alongside the
11th and
23rd Brigades. The campaign lasted until the
Japanese surrender, with controversy surrounding its little apparent significance to the war's conclusion, and the number of casualties incurred; this was one of Australia's most costliest campaigns in the Second World War. In October 1944, Australian participation in the
Aitape–Wewak campaign began with the replacement of US forces at
Aitape with the Australian 6th Division. US forces had previously captured the position, and had held it passively, though Australian command found this unsuitable. On 2 November 1944, the
2/6th Cavalry Commando Regiment was tasked with patrolling the area, wherein minor engagements were reported. In early December, the commandos were sent inland to establish access to the
Torricelli Range, while the
19th Brigade handled patrolling, consequently, the amount of fierce fighting and territory secured increased. Following this success, thought was given for the capture of
Maprik and
Wewak, though supply became a major issue in this period. On 10 February 1945, the campaign's major offensive was underway, which resulted in both falling in quick succession on 22 April 1945. Smaller operations to secure the area continued, and all significant actions ceased by July. The
Borneo campaign was a series of three distinct amphibious operations that were undertaken by the 7th and 9th Divisions. The campaign began with the
Battle of Tarakan on 1 May 1945, followed six weeks later by the
Battle of Labuan, and concluded with the
Battle of Balikpapan. The purpose of capturing
Tarakan was to establish airfields, and the island was taken seven weeks following the initial amphibious landing. On 10 June 1945, the operation at
Labuan commenced, and was tasked to secure resources and a naval base, and would continue until Japan's surrender. On 1 July 1945, the
Balikpapan engagement commenced, with all its major objectives being acquired by war's end; this operation remains the largest amphibious operation undertaken by Australian forces, with 33,000 Australian servicemen participating. On 15 August 1945, Japan surrendered, ending the Second World War.
Cold War Korean War After the surrender of Japan, Australia provided a contingent to the
British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF) which included the
34th Brigade. The units that composed the brigade would eventually become the nucleus of the regular army, with the battalions and brigade being renumbered to reflect this change. Following the start of the
Korean War, the Australian Army committed troops to fight against the North Korean forces; the units came from the Australian contribution to BCOF. The
3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR) arrived in
Pusan on 28 September 1950. Australian troop numbers would increase and continue to be deployed up until the armistice, with 3RAR being eventually joined by the
1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR). For a brief period, between 1951 and 1959, the
Menzies Government reinstituted conscription and compulsory military training with the
National Service Scheme, which required all males of eighteen years of age to serve for specified period in either the Australian Regular Army (ARA) or CMF.
Malayan Emergency The Australian military entered the
Malayan Emergency (1948–1960) in October 1955, committing the
2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2RAR) to fight alongside Commonwealth forces. The 2RAR fought against the
Malayan National Liberation Army (MNLA), a communist led guerrilla army whose goal was to turn Malaya into a socialist republic, and whose leaders had previously been trained and funded by Britain to resist the
Japanese occupation of Malaya. Australian military operations in Malaya consisted of patrolling actions and guarding infrastructure, though they rarely saw combat as the emergency was nearly over by the time of their deployment. All three original Royal Australian Regiment battalions would complete at least one tour before the end of operations. In August 1963, Australia ended deployments to Malaya, three years after the emergency's official end.
Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation In 1962, the
Borneo Confrontation began, due to Indonesia's opposition to the formation of
Malaysia. It was an undeclared war that entailed a series of border conflicts between Indonesian-backed forces and British–Malaysian allies. Initial Australian support in the conflict began, and continued throughout, with the training and supply of Malaysian troops; Australian soldiers only saw combat during defensive operations. In January 1965, permission was granted for the deployment of 3RAR, with extensive operations conducted in
Sarawak from March until their withdrawal in July 1965. The subsequent deployment of
4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (4RAR), in April 1966, was less intensive, with the battalion withdrawn in August. This is not to mention the efforts of several other corps and units in the conflict.
Vietnam War The Australian Army commenced its involvement in the
Vietnam War by sending military advisors in 1962, which was then increased by sending in combat troops, specifically 1RAR, on 27 May 1965. Just before the official start of hostilities, the Australian Army was augmented with the
reintroduction of conscription, which was based on a 'birthday ballot' selection process for all registered 20-year-old males. These men were required to register, unless they gave a legitimate reason for their exemption, else they faced penalties. This scheme would prove to be one of the most controversial implementations of conscription in Australia, with large protests against its adoption. In January 1993, the Australian Army deployed 26 personnel on an ongoing rotational basis to the
Multinational Force and Observers (MFO), as part of a non-United Nations peacekeeping organisation that observes and enforces the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. Australia's largest peacekeeping deployment began in 1999 with the
International Force for East Timor, while other ongoing operations include peacekeeping in the Sinai (as part of MFO), and the
United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (as part of
Operation Paladin since 1956). Humanitarian relief after the
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake in
Aceh Province,
Indonesia,
Operation Sumatra Assist, ended on 24 March 2005.
Afghanistan and Iraq Following the
11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, Australia promised troops to any military operations that the US commenced in response to the attacks. Subsequently, the Australian Army committed combat troops to Afghanistan in
Operation Slipper. This combat role continued until the end of 2013 when it was replaced by a training contingent operating under
Operation Highroad until 2021. After the Gulf War the UN imposed heavy restrictions on Iraq to stop them producing any
Weapon of mass destruction. In the early 21st century, the US accused Iraq of possessing these weapons, and requested that the UN invade the country in response, a motion which Australia supported. The UN denied this motion, however, it did not stop a coalition, that Australia joined, invading the country; thus starting the
Iraq War on 19 March 2003. Between April 2015 and June 2020, the Army deployed a 300-strong element to Iraq, designated as Task Group Taji, as part of
Operation Okra. In support of a capacity building mission, Task Group Taji's main role was to provide training to Iraqi forces, during which Australian troops have served alongside counterparts from New Zealand. In 2020 an investigation of allegations of war crimes committed during Australian military operations in Afghanistan was concluded with the release of the
Brereton Report. The report identified 25 ADF personnel that were involved directly or indirectly in the murder of 39 civilians and prisoners, with 19 referred to the
Australian Federal Police to be criminally investigated. A 'warrior culture' in the
SAS was specifically criticised with investigators 'frustrated by outright deceit by those who knew the truth and, not infrequently, misguided resistance to inquiries and investigations by their superiors'. ==Organisation==