2/1st Australian Machine Gun Battalion Plaque

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Brass plaque dedicated to the members of the unit who served and made the ultimate sacrifice during the Second World War. Simple plaque arrangement displaying an enamelled unit logo of Rising Sun and crossed heavy Vickers Machine Guns and Battle Honours emblazoned on either side. Additional Information The 2/1st Australian Machine Gun Battalion was formed on 14 December 1939 as part of the 6th Division. In May 1940 the 2/1st sailed with the 18th Brigade to the Middle East but the convoy was diverted to Britain to help bolster defences. The unit finally arrived in Egypt at the end of December. At the start of 1941 the battalion arrived inGreece to support the 6th Division. The machine-gunners fought alongside the infantry for the rest of the campaign and evacuated between the end of April and the beginning of May. The 2/1st suffered considerably during the ill-fated Greek and Crete campaigns. Of 104 casualties, 77 were captured, two of whom escaped and one died in Germany. The unit then saw action in Papua New Guinea and Balikpapan, before the end of the war. With the war over the ranks of the 2/1st gradually thinned, as men were discharged or transferred. What was left of the battalion returned to Australia in December and was disbanded on 26 January 1946. (Source: Australian War Memorial www.awm.gov.au)