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Further reading: rmv overcat, more precise cat

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{{short description|Commando regiment raised by the Australian Army}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = 2/7th Cavalry Commando Regiment
| image =
| caption =
| dates = 1940–1945
| country = {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Australia]]
| allegiance =
| branch = [[Australian Army]]
| type =
| role = [[Australian commandos|Commando]]
| size = ~800–900 personnel all ranks
| command_structure = [[7th Division (Australia)|7th Division]]
| garrison =
| garrison_label =
| nickname =
| motto =
| colors =
| colors_label =
| march =
| mascot =
| equipment =
| equipment_label =
| battles = [[World War II]]
* [[North African campaign]]
*[[New Guinea campaign]]
*[[Borneo campaign (1945)|Borneo campaign]]
| anniversaries =
| decorations =
| battle_honours =
| disbanded = 
| commander1 =
| commander1_label =
| commander2 =
| commander2_label =
| commander3 =
| commander3_label =
| notable_commanders = Ronald Hopkins
| identification_symbol = [[File:2 7 Cav Cdo Regt Unit Colour Patch 3.svg|100px]]
| identification_symbol_label = Unit colour patch
}}
The '''2/7th Cavalry (Commando) Regiment''' was one of three [[Australian commandos|commando]] [[regiment]]s raised by the [[Australian Army]] for service during [[World War II]]. It was originally raised as the '''7th Division Cavalry Regiment''' in 1940 and in this guise it served in [[North Africa]] and the [[Middle East]] at the beginning of the war, before it was brought back to Australia and sent to [[New Guinea]] in late 1942 to serve against the Japanese. In mid-1943 the Australian high command decided to disband the divisional cavalry regiments and use their headquarters elements to administer the [[Australian commandos|independent companies]] that had been raised earlier in the war. In the process the 7th Division Cavalry Regiment disbanded its squadrons, gave up their vehicles and changed its name to the 2/7th Cavalry (Commando) Regiment, as it became the administrative headquarters for the 2/3rd, 2/5th and 2/6th Commando Squadrons.

==History==
The 2/7th Cavalry (Commando) Regiment was formed in April 1940 as the '''7th Division Cavalry Regiment''', under the command of Lieutenant Colonel [[Ronald Hopkins]].{{sfn|Handel|2003|p=147}} Consisting of a headquarters squadron and three [[sabre squadron]]s designated 'A' through 'C', the regiment drew personnel from New South Wales for its headquarters squadron, while its sabre squadrons came from Victoria, South Australia and Queensland. In May, the regiment provided two squadrons – 'A' and 'B' – for the newly formed [[2/9th Cavalry Commando Regiment (Australia)|8th Divisional Cavalry Regiment]], and as a result raised new squadrons from personnel recruited in New South Wales and Queensland.{{sfn|Hopkins|1993|p=34}}

Part of the [[Second Australian Imperial Force]] that was raised for overseas service, originally the regiment was conceived as an armoured reconnaissance regiment attached to the [[Australian 7th Division|7th Division]] and, after undertaking initial training around [[Cowra, New South Wales]], it was sent to the [[Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II|Middle East theatre]] in December 1940.<ref name=AWM>{{cite web|url=http://www.awm.gov.au/units/unit_13636second_world_war.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130716191720/http://www.awm.gov.au/units/unit_13636second_world_war.asp|title=7th Divisional Cavalry Regiment|work=Second World War, 1939–1945 units |publisher=Australian War Memorial|access-date=24 August 2009 |archive-date=16 July 2013}}</ref>

After arriving in [[Egypt]] in early 1941, the regiment conducted further training was used mainly in a defensive role. Equipped with [[Light tanks of the United Kingdom|Vickers light tanks]] and [[Universal carrier|Bren carriers]], it carried out garrison duties around the [[Suez Canal]], before being moved to [[Cyprus]] following the [[Battle of Greece|fall of Greece]]. In August 1941, the regiment was moved to [[Syria]] where it formed part of the Allied occupation forces.<ref name=AWM/>

In March 1942, the regiment returned to Australia, following the [[pacific War|entry of Japan into the war]].{{sfn|Handel|2003|p=147}}{{sfn|Hopkins|1993|p=107}} After a period of training and defensive duties in [[Queensland]], in September 1942 the regiment was sent to New Guinea to help defend [[Port Moresby]] as the Japanese continued their advance along the [[Kokoda Track]].<ref name=AWM/> Upon the 2/7th's arrival, the decision was made for the regiment to leave its [[Universal carrier|Bren carriers]] in Port Moresby and as the campaign began to turn in the favour of the Australians the 2/7th were flown to Popondetta to reinforce the units there in December.<ref name=AWM/> For over a month they took part in the fighting around Huggins Roadblock along the Sananada Track serving in the dismounted role as infantry.<ref>{{harvnb|Johnston|2005|pp=154–155}}</ref>{{sfn|Handel|2003|p=147}}

Finally on 21 January 1943 the Australians linked up with US forces and the Sanananda village fell.<ref>{{harvnb|Johnston|2005|p=161}}</ref> Shortly afterwards the regiment was withdrawn back to Dobodura airstrip from where they were transported back to Australia.<ref>{{harvnb|Johnston|2005|p=162}}</ref> The casualties that the regiment had suffered during the fighting were very high with 54 men killed and 67 wounded. On top of this over 200 men had contracted [[malaria]] and three had died from [[scrub typhus]].<ref name=AWM/> Among those that were killed was the regiment's commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Edgar Logan.<ref>{{harvnb|Johnston|2005|p=154}}</ref> During its time in the Middle East and in New Guinea, the regiment lost 59 men killed or died on active service and 67 wounded. Four members of the regiment were decorated with the [[Military Medal]].<ref name=AWM/>{{sfn|Handel|2003|p=148}}

[[File:Kaiapit flags 057510.jpg|250px|thumb|Members of the 2/6th display Japanese flags captured during the Battle of Kaiapit|alt=Men wearing military uniforms including jungle greens and slouch hats, display Japanese flags]]

Following its return to Australia, the regiment began reorganising on the [[Atherton Tablelands]] in [[Queensland]].<ref name=AWM/> At this time the Australian Army was undergoing a period of restructuring as its strategic focus shifted towards concentrating upon fighting the war against the Japanese in the Pacific.<ref>{{harvnb|Palazzo|2003|p=4}}</ref> As a part of this restructuring it was decided that there was no need for divisional cavalry regiments, however, it was decided that the independent companies should be grouped together under a regimental structure, and in response the divisional cavalry regiments were broken up and their headquarters elements were used to administer the commando squadrons. Three such units were formed at this time,<ref>{{harvnb|Horner|1989|p=26}}</ref> with the 7th Division Cavalry Regiment adopting the title of the 2/7th Cavalry (Commando) Regiment in April 1943.{{sfn|Hopkins|1993|p=108}} The regiment's subordinate squadrons were: the [[2/3rd Commando Squadron (Australia)|2/3rd]], [[2/5th Commando Squadron (Australia)|2/5th]] and [[2/6th Commando Squadron (Australia)|2/6th]] Commando Squadrons, however, in terms of tactics and training the individual squadrons retained their independence.<ref>{{harvnb|Trigellis-Smith|1992|p=213}}</ref>

Although the 2/6th Commando Squadron was deployed to New Guinea in late 1943 and into early 1944, the regiment as a whole did not see action again until late in the war when they landed along with the rest of the 7th Division [[Balikpapan]], [[Borneo]], in July 1945 in one of the final campaigns of the war.<ref name=AWM/> Landing on Green Beach on 1 July 1945, the regiment's three squadrons participated in the advance along the Vasey Highway, undertaking the flank protection and reconnaissance roles before contributing to the mopping up effort as the war came to a close.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.awm.gov.au/units/unit_13314second_world_war.asp|title=2/3rd Independent Company|work=Second World War, 1939–1945 units |publisher=Australian War Memorial|access-date=24 August 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.awm.gov.au/units/unit_13316second_world_war.asp|title=2/5th Independent Company |work=Second World War, 1939–1945 units|publisher=Australian War Memorial|access-date=24 August 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.awm.gov.au/units/unit_13317second_world_war.asp|title=2/6th Independent Company |work=Second World War, 1939–1945 units|publisher=Australian War Memorial|access-date=24 August 2009}}</ref> Following the end of hostilities, the regiment was disbanded.<ref name=AWM/>

==Commanding officers==
* Lieutenant Colonel [[Ronald Hopkins]];<ref group=Note>Hopkins later achieved the rank of major general.</ref>
* Lieutenant Colonel Edgar Parker Logan;<ref group=Note>Killed in action 19 December 1942.</ref>
* Lieutenant Colonel Charles Moses.<ref name=AWM/>{{sfn|Hopkins|1993|p=317}}

==Battle honours==
* '''World War II''': North Africa 1941, South-West Pacific 1942–43, South-West Pacific 1945, Buna–Gona, Sanananda Road, Borneo, Balikpapan, Milford Highway.<ref name=AWM/>

==Notes==
;Footnotes
{{reflist|group=Note}}

;Citations
{{Reflist|2}}

==References==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |first=Paul |last= Handel |year=2003 |title=Dust, Sand & Jungle: A History of Australian Armour During Training and Operations, 1927–1948|publisher=RAAC Memorial and Army Tank Museum |location=Puckapunyal, Victoria |isbn=1-876439-75-0}}
* {{cite book |first=Ronald |last=Hopkins|author-link=Ronald Hopkins |orig-year=1978 |year=1993 |title=Australian Armour: A History of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps 1927–1972 |publisher= Royal Australian Armoured Corps Tank Museum |location=Puckapunyal, Victoria |isbn=0-642-99414-5}}
* {{cite book|last=Horner|first=David|author-link=David Horner|title=SAS: Phantoms of the Jungle—A History of the Australian Special Air Service|year=1989|edition=1st|publisher=Allen & Unwin|location=St Leonards, New South Wales|isbn=1-86373-007-9}}
* {{cite book|last=Johnston |first=Mark|author-link=Mark Johnston (historian) |title=The Silent 7th: An Illustrated History of the 7th Australian Division 1940–46 |year=2005 |location=Crows Nest, New South Wales |publisher=Allen & Unwin |isbn=1-74114-191-5}}
*{{cite book|last=Palazzo|first=Albert|chapter=Organising for Jungle Warfare|title=The Foundations of Victory: The Pacific War 1943–1944|year=2003|editor=Dennis, Peter |editor2=Grey, Jeffrey|publisher=Army History Unit|location=Canberra, Australian Capital Territory |url=http://www.defence.gov.au/Army/ahu/docs/The_Foundations_of_Victory_Palazzo.pdf|isbn=978-0-646-43590-9}}
* {{cite book|last=Trigellis-Smith|first=Syd|title=Purple Devils: History of 2/6 Australian Commando Squadron|year=1992|publisher=2/6 Commando Squadron Association|location=Melbourne, Victoria|isbn=0-646-07125-4}}
{{refend}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book|last=Grinyer|first=Norman|author2=Birks, Mervyn|title=The 2/7th Australian Cavalry Regiment|year=1974|publisher=2/7th Australian Cavalry Regiment Association|location=Guilford, New South Wales}}
{{refend}}

{{Australian Commando units of the Second World War}}
{{Australian Commando raids of the Second World War}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2 7th Cavalry Commando Regiment (Australia)}}
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1940|7]]
[[Category:1940 establishments in Australia|7]]
[[Category:Army units and formations of Australia in World War II|7]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1945|7]]
[[Category:1945 disestablishments in Australia|7]]
[[Category:Armoured and cavalry regiments of the Australian Army]]

2/7th Cavalry Commando Regiment (Australia) - Revision history

imported>Buckshot06: /* Further reading */ rmv overcat, more precise cat