2/25th Australian Infantry Battalion Plaque

About

Bronze plaque set on the wall of the Shrine of Memories at Anzac Square to commemorate the 'Fallen' of the 2/25th Australian Infantry Battalion during the Second World War. Dedicated by the comrades of the Battalion. Additional Information The 2/25th Battalion was formally raised in Brisbane on 1 July 1940. Recruited in Queensland, it began assembling at Grovely Camp on 15 July, and subsequently trained at Grovely (15 July-15 October) and around Darwin (23 October 1940-1 February 1941). It returned to Brisbane to complete its preparations for overseas service, and embarked at Sydney on 7 April 1941. On 3 May 1941, the 2/25th landed in Egypt and moved out into the desert to join the 25th Brigade of the 7th Australian Division that was manning defences along the Egypt-Libya frontier against an expected German attack. The 2/25th occupied positions at Mersa Matruh throughout much of April and May 1941, before returning to Palestine in preparation for its first offensive operation - the invasion of Syria and Lebanon, which began on 8 June. The battalion suffered heavy casualties. After sailing from Egypt on 9 February 1942, the 2/25th disembarked in Adelaide on 10 March. It trained in Australia until August and on 9 September arrived in Port Moresby to reinforce the battered Australian units on the Kokoda Trail and other Battles. The battalion returned to Australia on 16 February 1944. It landed at Balikpapan in Borneo on 2 July. The 2/25th's operations were concentrated around the Milford Highway, the site of the most determined Japanese resistence at Balikpapan. It was still involved in active operations when the war ended on 15 August. Drafts of long-service personnel began returning home from October, and what was left of the battalion disembarked in Brisbane on 4 February 1946. It disbanded there on 7 March 1946. Battle Honours: North Africa, Syria 1941, Merjayun, Chenim and Rharife, Damour, Mazaraat ech Chouf, South-West Pacific 1942-1945, Kokoda Trail Ioribaiwa, Eora Creek-Templeton's Crossing II, Oivi-Gorari, Buna-Gona, Gona, Lae-Nadzab, Lae Road, Liberation of Australian New Guinea, Ramu Valley, Shaggy Ridge, Borneo 1945, Balikpapan, Milford Highway. (Source: Australian War Memorial www.awm.gov.au)