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Artillery support was provided by the 2/4th, 2/5th
and 2/6th Field Regiments.
Supporting troops were the 2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion, 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion, 7th
Division Cavalry Regiment, and Medical units, Engineers and Base Troops.
The 7th Division left Australia in October 1940 for the Middle East. Over the next
two months, the 7th was concentrated in Palestine. It was slotted for a move to
Greece to help in the defence against Axis invasion, but instead moved into defensive
positions in the Western Desert. Parts of the Division under the command of Maj
General Allen crossed into Syria and fought a hard won victory in the campaign against the
Vichy French . 18th Brigade excelled itself as part of the defence of Tobruk.
With Japanese invasion of Australia imminent, the Division was recalled home.
Elements of the Division (2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion, 2/2 Pioneer Battalion, 2/2 CCS,2/6
Fld Pk Coy and 105 Gen Tpt Coy)were diverted to Java. They fought a defensive campaign
against overwhelming Japanese odds and were only forced to surrender after an early
capitulation by the Dutch forces there.
The Division moved to New Guinea and established headquarters in Port Moresby. The
timely arrival of the Division in New Guinea helped to halt the Japanese advance..
21st Brigade fought a bitter campaign of attrition on the Kokoda Track,until replaced by
25th Brigade who slowly forced the Japanese northwards. 18th Brigade and other
Australian units inflicted the first decisive defeat of the Japanese on land in World War
11 at Milne Bay and then at Buna and Sanananda in January 1943. 21st Brigade
and the militia 39tth Battalion won a costly victory at Gona in December 1942.
George Vasey took over command of the Division in October 1942, until his
death in a plane crash in 1945. Major General Milford then took over command until
the end of the war. In 1943, the Division was airlifted from Port
Moresby to Nadzab in the Markham Valley. After an advance on Lae, the Markham and
Ramu Valleys were soon swept clear of Japanese troops. A bloody campaign in the
mountains of the Finisterre Ranges followed.
The 7th Division returned to Australia in triumph. The troops trained in the
Atherton Tablelands in Queensland, preparing for the push to clear the Japanese from the
Pacific Islands. In July 1945, the 7th Division invaded Balikpapan in Borneo against
stiff opposition. The Japanese were relentlessly pushed back, until 15 August
1945 when it was announced that the war with Japan had been won. The 7th
Division's war was over.
A total of five Victoria Crosses were awarded to the 7th Division. The brave
recipients were Lt Roden Cutler, Pte Jim Gordon, Cpl John French (killed in action), Pte
Bruce Kingsbury (killed in action) and Pte Richard Kelliher.
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