Status Western Powers Armies Far East January 1943 part 3
Dominion of Australia:
The Australian Imperial Force was pretty active during 1942. While the 7th Infantry stayed in the Far East performing garrison duty in Malaya and Hong Kong the rest of the Imperial Force saw some heavy fighting during the year. In February 1942 the Germans launched their attack of “Fortress Spain” and the 6th and 9th Infantry Divisions were involved in the fighting from beginning to end. Both were assigned to the Cantabrian Front and fought gallantly in the battles in Basque country; they were reduced in size by losses by half their strength at the end of the campaign and were surrounded in the Santander pocket when hostilities ended. January 30, 1943 found the remains of both divisions in Great Britain waiting for their return to Australia while negotiations continued for the return of prisoners.
In the Middle East the 1st Motorized Division (1) participated in the battles in Libya against the joint Franco-Italian forces and fought a magnificent delaying operation with the British 7th Armored Division that allowed for the successful evacuation of Libya after the chaos caused by the start of the Indian Civil War in August 1942 that forced the Commonwealth and British forces to evacuate Cyrenaica. The 8th Infantry participated in the Syrian campaign and was present in the captures of Beirut and Tyre. By January 30, 1942 both divisions were waiting for their return to Australia while negotiations continued for the return of prisoners. But major change was in the horizon for the Australian military forces.
The Australian government recognized that their current military establishment was not sufficient to counter any threats in their immediate area and began to take the steps necessary to remedy that. The sudden end of the war found a large number of Australian men in the hands of the Germans and their allies; the Australians led a successful lobby to get men from Commonwealth countries first on the lists of repatriation with the Germans happily agreeing to it (2) while the British grudgingly have to accept. With the expected return of the Australian forces in Europe and the Middle East in addition to the released prisoners the government was leaning in the creation of a regular army to protect the interests of Australia, but what would be the next step of the government? The Defense Act of 1903 pretty stated that the bulk of the peacetime Australian forces were of the militia type but it had very serious limitations to the establishment of a permanent force. One of the sections limited the military branches that a permanent military force could be raised ; another limited the deployment of forces of the Citizen Militia Force to Australia and their territories except if they volunteer and that was one of the reasons for the creation of the Australian Imperial Force, another limitation was that only graduates from the Military College could be officers and this serious limited the possible number of officers available in a peacetime army and the last limitation was that establishment of any permanent force was arbitrarily limited by financial estimates. As such it was the findings and recommendations of a government committee, an Army committee and an independent neutral report that shaped the post-war Australian army. However, the sudden end of the war found both the Government and the Army unprepared for the situation. While studies and committees began the process to decide the future of those post-war Australian forces something needed to be done in regard to the current threats. The Army therefore had to balance the demands of the government to demobilize forces, together with meeting the commitments necessary to safeguard the security of Australia during this transitional period (3). By January 30, 1943 the main concerns of the Australian Army leadership was the return of the men overseas while defending the Malay Barrier against the possible Japanese threat. Finally the Australian government politely refused to get involved in the Indian Civil War, using the Defense act of 1903 as their legal basis for their refusal.
Australian Imperial Force Units by January 30, 1943:
6th Infantry Division (raised December 1939; deployed to Great Britain and fought in Battle of France in last months. Evacuated from Brest on December 18, 1940; after rest and refit in Great Britain was stationed in Spain by January 1942. Fought in Battle of Spain and evacuated from Santander on December 24, 1942. In Great Britain by January 30, 1943 waiting to return to Australia).
9th Infantry Divisions (raised June 1941 from the amalgamation of the 19th Independent Brigade, Australian rear echelon personnel in Great Britain and the arrival of the 20th Infantry Brigade in April 1941; 19th Brigade fought in France and after organization the division was stationed in Spain by January 1942. Fought in Battle of Spain and evacuated from Santander on January 11, 1943. In Great Britain by January 30, 1943 waiting to return to Australia).
1st Motorized Infantry Division (subordinate units raised as cavalry regiments on December 1939; deployed to Egypt on May, 1940 and converted to motorized infantry and armored cars regiments. Stationed in Egypt and participated in Libyan Campaign; by January 1942 was on rest and refit duty in Egypt. Participated in the 1942 Libyan Campaign and by January 30, 1943 was in Egypt waiting to return to Australia).
7th Infantry Division (raised August 1940; deployed to Singapore on November 1940 with subordinate infantry brigades stationed in Malaya and Hong Kong. By January 30, 1943 division was stationed in the Far East).
8th Infantry Division (raised December 1940; subordinate brigades created in August and September 1940. Deployed to Middle East April 1941 and rushed into Greek Campaign on August 1941 until October 1941. By January 1942 division was on rest and refit duty in Palestine. Participated in the Syrian Campaign and by January 30, 1943 was in Palestine waiting to return to Australia).
(1) By now this formation was truly a combined arms formation; 2 fully motorized infantry brigades mounted in Bren machinegun carriers, a divisional artillery brigade fully motorized composed of 48 25 pdr (87mm) guns in addition to 48 6 pdr (57mm) anti-tank guns and 54 40mm Bofors for anti-aircraft duty, a machinegun battalion, a reconnaissance battalion, a tank brigade composed of 62 Mark III 57mm armed Crusader tanks with 10 armored cars and 8 40mm anti-aircraft tanks included in the tank brigade and additional support units attached to the division.
(2) Germans pretty much know that releasing Australians, New Zealanders and the small number of South Africans on their hands will slow down the recovery time of the British forces in Europe.
(3) Basically OTL events are pretty much pushed into the scene a couple of years earlier ITTL. The threats in the region will allow for a larger transitional force but probably would see a final slightly larger permanent force allowed.
Dominion of Australia:
The Australian Imperial Force was pretty active during 1942. While the 7th Infantry stayed in the Far East performing garrison duty in Malaya and Hong Kong the rest of the Imperial Force saw some heavy fighting during the year. In February 1942 the Germans launched their attack of “Fortress Spain” and the 6th and 9th Infantry Divisions were involved in the fighting from beginning to end. Both were assigned to the Cantabrian Front and fought gallantly in the battles in Basque country; they were reduced in size by losses by half their strength at the end of the campaign and were surrounded in the Santander pocket when hostilities ended. January 30, 1943 found the remains of both divisions in Great Britain waiting for their return to Australia while negotiations continued for the return of prisoners.
In the Middle East the 1st Motorized Division (1) participated in the battles in Libya against the joint Franco-Italian forces and fought a magnificent delaying operation with the British 7th Armored Division that allowed for the successful evacuation of Libya after the chaos caused by the start of the Indian Civil War in August 1942 that forced the Commonwealth and British forces to evacuate Cyrenaica. The 8th Infantry participated in the Syrian campaign and was present in the captures of Beirut and Tyre. By January 30, 1942 both divisions were waiting for their return to Australia while negotiations continued for the return of prisoners. But major change was in the horizon for the Australian military forces.
The Australian government recognized that their current military establishment was not sufficient to counter any threats in their immediate area and began to take the steps necessary to remedy that. The sudden end of the war found a large number of Australian men in the hands of the Germans and their allies; the Australians led a successful lobby to get men from Commonwealth countries first on the lists of repatriation with the Germans happily agreeing to it (2) while the British grudgingly have to accept. With the expected return of the Australian forces in Europe and the Middle East in addition to the released prisoners the government was leaning in the creation of a regular army to protect the interests of Australia, but what would be the next step of the government? The Defense Act of 1903 pretty stated that the bulk of the peacetime Australian forces were of the militia type but it had very serious limitations to the establishment of a permanent force. One of the sections limited the military branches that a permanent military force could be raised ; another limited the deployment of forces of the Citizen Militia Force to Australia and their territories except if they volunteer and that was one of the reasons for the creation of the Australian Imperial Force, another limitation was that only graduates from the Military College could be officers and this serious limited the possible number of officers available in a peacetime army and the last limitation was that establishment of any permanent force was arbitrarily limited by financial estimates. As such it was the findings and recommendations of a government committee, an Army committee and an independent neutral report that shaped the post-war Australian army. However, the sudden end of the war found both the Government and the Army unprepared for the situation. While studies and committees began the process to decide the future of those post-war Australian forces something needed to be done in regard to the current threats. The Army therefore had to balance the demands of the government to demobilize forces, together with meeting the commitments necessary to safeguard the security of Australia during this transitional period (3). By January 30, 1943 the main concerns of the Australian Army leadership was the return of the men overseas while defending the Malay Barrier against the possible Japanese threat. Finally the Australian government politely refused to get involved in the Indian Civil War, using the Defense act of 1903 as their legal basis for their refusal.
Australian Imperial Force Units by January 30, 1943:
6th Infantry Division (raised December 1939; deployed to Great Britain and fought in Battle of France in last months. Evacuated from Brest on December 18, 1940; after rest and refit in Great Britain was stationed in Spain by January 1942. Fought in Battle of Spain and evacuated from Santander on December 24, 1942. In Great Britain by January 30, 1943 waiting to return to Australia).
9th Infantry Divisions (raised June 1941 from the amalgamation of the 19th Independent Brigade, Australian rear echelon personnel in Great Britain and the arrival of the 20th Infantry Brigade in April 1941; 19th Brigade fought in France and after organization the division was stationed in Spain by January 1942. Fought in Battle of Spain and evacuated from Santander on January 11, 1943. In Great Britain by January 30, 1943 waiting to return to Australia).
1st Motorized Infantry Division (subordinate units raised as cavalry regiments on December 1939; deployed to Egypt on May, 1940 and converted to motorized infantry and armored cars regiments. Stationed in Egypt and participated in Libyan Campaign; by January 1942 was on rest and refit duty in Egypt. Participated in the 1942 Libyan Campaign and by January 30, 1943 was in Egypt waiting to return to Australia).
7th Infantry Division (raised August 1940; deployed to Singapore on November 1940 with subordinate infantry brigades stationed in Malaya and Hong Kong. By January 30, 1943 division was stationed in the Far East).
8th Infantry Division (raised December 1940; subordinate brigades created in August and September 1940. Deployed to Middle East April 1941 and rushed into Greek Campaign on August 1941 until October 1941. By January 1942 division was on rest and refit duty in Palestine. Participated in the Syrian Campaign and by January 30, 1943 was in Palestine waiting to return to Australia).
(1) By now this formation was truly a combined arms formation; 2 fully motorized infantry brigades mounted in Bren machinegun carriers, a divisional artillery brigade fully motorized composed of 48 25 pdr (87mm) guns in addition to 48 6 pdr (57mm) anti-tank guns and 54 40mm Bofors for anti-aircraft duty, a machinegun battalion, a reconnaissance battalion, a tank brigade composed of 62 Mark III 57mm armed Crusader tanks with 10 armored cars and 8 40mm anti-aircraft tanks included in the tank brigade and additional support units attached to the division.
(2) Germans pretty much know that releasing Australians, New Zealanders and the small number of South Africans on their hands will slow down the recovery time of the British forces in Europe.
(3) Basically OTL events are pretty much pushed into the scene a couple of years earlier ITTL. The threats in the region will allow for a larger transitional force but probably would see a final slightly larger permanent force allowed.
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