Assault Brigade: the 18Th Infantry Brigade’S Development As an Assault Formation in the SWPA 1942-45

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Assault Brigade: the 18Th Infantry Brigade’S Development As an Assault Formation in the SWPA 1942-45 Assault Brigade: The 18th Infantry Brigade’s Development as an Assault Formation in the SWPA 1942-45 Matthew E. Miller A thesis in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Humanities and Social Sciences CANBERRA 1 February 2019 i Acknowledgements First and foremost, I need to thank my wonderful wife Michelle who suffered the brunt of the long hours and research trips during this project. I would also like to thank my friends and colleagues Caleb Campbell, Tony Miller, Jason Van't Hof, Nathaniel Watson, and Jay Iannacito. All of whom, to include Michelle, have by way of my longwinded expositions, acquired involuntary knowledge of the campaigns of the South West Pacific. Thanks for your patience and invaluable insights. A special thanks to my advisors Professor Craig Stockings, Emeritus Professor Peter Dennis, and Associate Professor Eleanor Hancock. No single individual embarks on a research journey of this magnitude without a significant amount of mentorship and guidance. This effort has been no different. ii Acronyms AAMC Australian Army Medical Corps AAOC Australian Army Ordnance Corps AASC Australian Army Service Corps AACS Australian Army Cooperation Squadron ACP Air Controller Party AIF Australian Imperial Force ALC Australian Landing Craft ALO Air Liaison Officer ALP Air Liaison Party ANGAU Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit AWM Australian War Memorial BM Brigade Major CMF Civil Military Force D Day FLEX Fleet Training Exercise FLP Fleet Training Publication FM Field Manual H Hour HMAS Her Majesty Australian Ship HQ Headquarters LAD Light Aid Detachment LCI Landing Craft Infantry iii LCVP Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel LHQ (Australian) Land Force Headquarters LSI Landing Ship Infantry LST Landing Ship Tank LVT Landing Vehicle Tracked NCO Non-Commission Officer PE Peace Establishment PIB Papuan Infantry Battalion RAAF Royal Australian Air Force RAN Royal Australian Navy SC Staff Captain SFCP Shore Fire Control Party SNFL Special Naval Landing Forced SWPA South West Pacific Area TEWT Training Exercise Without Troops WE War Establishment WWI World War One WWII World War Two iv Table of Contents Page Acronyms................................................................................................................................ iii Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1. An Introduction to the Brigade ........................................................................ 24 The Australian Infantry Brigade ...................................................................................... 24 The Origins of the Brigade............................................................................................... 25 Training and Mobilization 1939-1941 ............................................................................ 29 Australian Army ‘Jungle’ Units ........................................................................................ 33 First Principle – Flexible Grouping .................................................................................. 35 Second Principle – Elimination of Non-Essentials .......................................................... 35 Third Principle – Consolidation at the Division Level ..................................................... 39 U.S. Army Regiments of the SWPA ................................................................................. 54 Chapter 2. The Battle of Milne Bay .................................................................................... 62 Training for the Last Fight ............................................................................................... 63 Off to New Guinea ........................................................................................................... 73 A Battle of Milne Bay ....................................................................................................... 83 After-Action Assessment ................................................................................................. 86 Chapter 3. The Battle of Buna ............................................................................................ 96 The Sanananda Campaign ............................................................................................. 118 After-Action Assessment ............................................................................................... 123 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 132 Chapter 4. Rebuilding the 18th Infantry Brigade ............................................................. 134 Jungle Warfare Training ................................................................................................ 147 Establishment of Brigade Schools ................................................................................. 150 The Intelligence Section ................................................................................................ 153 Chapter 5. The Battle of Shaggy Ridge ............................................................................. 159 Training Forward in New Guinea 1943 ......................................................................... 159 The Plan of Attack .......................................................................................................... 165 Assault Preparations ...................................................................................................... 170 The Assault on Shaggy Ridge ......................................................................................... 174 After-Action Assessment ............................................................................................... 179 Chapter 6. Amphibious Warfare Doctrine ........................................................................ 192 Normandy Island – September 1942 ............................................................................ 194 v Goodenough Island – October 1942 ............................................................................ 197 Operation Postern - The Landing at Lae ....................................................................... 199 After-Action Assessment - Lae ...................................................................................... 206 Brigade Amphibious Training ........................................................................................ 208 The Birth of SWPA Amphibious Doctrine ..................................................................... 212 Australian Amphibious Planning ................................................................................... 214 Chapter 7. Amphibious Exercises and Rehearsals........................................................... 220 A Historical Look at Amphibious Exercises ................................................................... 221 Brigade Planning Timetable .......................................................................................... 224 Operation OCTOPUS ...................................................................................................... 226 Operation SEAGULL ....................................................................................................... 233 The Brigade Embarks ..................................................................................................... 238 The Morotai Rehearsal .................................................................................................. 242 Chapter 8. The Assault Brigade ........................................................................................ 246 Balikpapan Introduction ................................................................................................ 247 The Balikpapan-Plan ...................................................................................................... 248 Amphibious Planning ..................................................................................................... 255 The Operation Order ..................................................................................................... 257 Pre-landing Operations ................................................................................................. 267 The Last Amphibious Landing ....................................................................................... 268 After-Action Assessment ............................................................................................... 272 Armour on the Beach .................................................................................................... 274 Indirect Fires .................................................................................................................. 277 Air Support ..................................................................................................................... 280 Chapter 9. The Conclusion ............................................................................................... 284 Training for War ............................................................................................................. 285 The Brigade and Intelligence......................................................................................... 290 Combined Arms Support ............................................................................................... 292 Amphibious Warfare ....................................................................................................
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