imported>GreenC bot: Move 1 url. Wayback Medic 2.5 per WP:URLREQ#itunes.apple.com

2025-03-15T18:04:56Z

Move 1 url. Wayback Medic 2.5 per WP:URLREQ#itunes.apple.com

New page

{{short description|Commando regiment raised by the Australian Army}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=2/9th Cavalry Commando Regiment
|image=
|caption=
|dates=1940–1945
|country= {{flag|Australia}}
|allegiance=
|branch=[[Australian Army]]
|type=
# [[armoured fighting vehicle|light armoured]] (1940 – 1943)
# [[Australian commandos|commando]]/[[light infantry]] (1943 – 1945)
|role=
# [[armoured cavalry]]
# [[Long-range reconnaissance patrol|reconnaissance/long range patrol]]
|size=~800–900 all ranks
|command_structure=[[9th Division (Australia)|Australian 9th Division]]
|garrison=
|garrison_label=
|nickname=
|motto=
|colors=
|colors_label=
|march=
|mascot=
|equipment=
|equipment_label=
|battles=[[World War II]]
* [[North African campaign]]
* [[Borneo campaign (1945)|Borneo campaign]]
|anniversaries=
|decorations=
|battle_honours=
|disbanded=

|commander1=
|commander1_label=First Commander
|commander2=
|commander2_label=
|commander3=
|commander3_label=Last Commander
|notable_commanders=

|identification_symbol=[[File:2 9th Cav Cdo Regt Unit Colour Patch 2.svg|100px]]
|identification_symbol_label=[[Unit colour patch]]
}}
The '''2/9th 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 in 1940 as an armoured cavalry unit as part of the [[8th Division (Australia)|8th Division]], before being transferred to the [[9th Division (Australia)|9th Division]]. Between 1941 and 1942 the regiment saw action in the [[Middle East]] before being returned to Australia in early 1943. At this time the regiment was re-organised as the administrative headquarters for the [[2/4th Commando Squadron (Australia)|2/4th]], [[2/11th Commando Squadron (Australia)|2/11th]] and [[2/12th Commando Squadron (Australia)|2/12th Commando Squadrons]] and it was converted into a commando regiment. Later in 1945 the unit saw action during the [[Battle of Tarakan (1945)|landings on Tarakan]] on [[Borneo]] before being disbanded upon the cessation of hostilities.

==History==
===Formation===
The 2/9th Cavalry (Commando) Regiment was formed in July 1940 at [[Seymour, Victoria]] as part of the [[Second Australian Imperial Force]] of the [[Australian Army]]. Initially, it was designated the "8th Division Cavalry Regiment"; however, it was redesignated as the "9th Division Cavalry Regiment" in February 1941 when the [[Australian 8th Division|8th Division]] was sent to [[British Malaya|Malaya]] without its armoured elements, which were subsequently transferred to the [[9th Division (Australia)|9th Division]].<ref name=AWM>{{cite web|url=http://www.awm.gov.au/units/unit_13640second_world_war.asp|title=9th Division Cavalry Regiment |work=Second World War, 1939–1945 units|publisher=Australian War Memorial|access-date=24 August 2009}}</ref>{{sfn|Handel|2003|p=148}}

===Service in the Middle East===
Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Hector Bastin, training was completed at the Armoured Vehicles Fighting School,{{sfn|Hopkins|1993|p=57}} before along with the rest of the 9th Division, the regiment was sent to the [[Middle East]], arriving in [[Egypt]] in April 1941.{{sfn|Handel|2003|p=149}} Equipped with [[Light tanks of the United Kingdom|Vickers light tanks]] and [[Universal carrier|Bren carriers]], the regiment then saw action in [[Syria]] where it supported the [[Australian 7th Division|7th Division]]. During this time the regiment's squadrons were detached at brigade level with 'A' Squadron being placed under the operational command of the [[21st Brigade (Australia)|21st Brigade]] near Saida, while 'C' Squadron was allocated to the [[25th Brigade (Australia)|25th Brigade]], utilising a number of captured Vichy French [[Renault R35]] tanks.<ref name=AWM/>{{sfn|Handel|2003|p=149}}{{sfn|James |2017|p=192}}

After this the regiment was re-equipped, receiving [[Crusader tank|Crusader]] and [[M3 Stuart|Stuart]] tanks to replace the Vickers and captured French tanks that they had previously been using.<ref name=AWM/> This had been done as a response to the increased threat posed by German armour in the theatre.<ref name=AWM/> In July 1942, the 9th Division was sent to help rectify the situation at [[First Battle of El Alamein|El Alamein]], where German and Italian troops were attacking. The 9th Division Cavalry Regiment was involved in the defence of the Alamein line during this phase, defending the divisional headquarters and supporting the defending infantry units in small scale raids. In October 1942, when the Allies launched [[Second Battle of El Alamein|an offensive]], the regiment initially played only a minor part but later, after breakout had been achieved, it came into its own and led the Allied advance along the coastal plain,<ref name=AWM/> pursuing the withdrawing German and Italian forces and advancing over {{convert|20|mi}} on 3 November alone.{{sfn|Handel|2003|p=149}} During the battle, Lieutenant Colonel William Muntz, who had previously served in the [[2/7th Cavalry Commando Regiment (Australia)|7th Divisional Cavalry Regiment]],{{sfn|Hopkins|1993|p=102}} took command of the regiment after Bastin fell sick, assuming command on 20 October 1942. Casualties during the regiment's involvement in the Middle East amounted to six killed in action, six died of wounds and one died of other causes.{{sfn|Handel|2003|p=149}} Its personnel received the following decorations for service during this time: one [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]], three [[Military Cross]]es, seven [[Military Medal]]s, and 27 [[Mention in Dispatches|Mentions in Despatches]].<ref name=AWM/>{{sfn|Handel|2003|p=150}}

===Service in the Pacific===
[[File:2-4 Cdo Sqn Tarakan (109980).jpg|thumb|Members of the Australian 2/4th Commando Squadron on Tarakan Island in June 1945]]
In early 1943, the regiment was returned to Australia where, in April, it began to reorganise on the [[Atherton Tablelands]] in [[Queensland]] in preparation for jungle fighting against the Japanese.<ref name=AWM/>{{sfn|Handel|2003|p=149}} 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=}}</ref> As a part of this 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 9th Division Cavalry Regiment adopting the title of the "2/9th Cavalry (Commando) Regiment" in January 1944.{{sfn|Hopkins|1993|p=108}} The subordinate squadrons that were attached to it were the [[2/4th Commando Squadron (Australia)|2/4th]], [[2/11th Commando Squadron (Australia)|2/11th]] and [[2/12th Commando Squadron (Australia)|2/12th]] Commando Squadrons.<ref name=AWM/> Following this the regiment continued to undertake training on the Atherton Tablelands in preparation for operations in the Southwest Pacific. In the end, however, it was over a year before the regiment saw action again, taking part in the landings at [[Battle of Tarakan (1945)|Tarakan]], and in northern [[Borneo]] in mid-1945 in one of the final campaigns of the war.<ref name=AWM/>

During this campaign, the regiment's three squadrons were detached separately. The 2/4th was attached to the [[26th Brigade (Australia)|26th Brigade]], and saw heavy fighting on [[Battle of Tarakan (1945)|Tarakan]], suffering a considerable number of casualties.<ref>{{harvnb|Long|1963|p=452}}</ref> The 2/11th was attached to the [[24th Brigade (Australia)|24th Brigade]] and landed on [[Crown colony of Labuan|Labuan Island]] off the northwest coast of Borneo. After clearing the island, they were transferred to the mainland and helped clear the Klias Peninsula.<ref>{{harvnb|Long|1963|pp=475–477}}</ref> The 2/12th, however, was initially held back in divisional reserve, and as such did not take part in the main fighting on Labuan Island. As the Japanese resistance on the island was coming to an end and the focus of Australian operations moved towards the mainland of Borneo, the squadron was finally committed to operations when it was given the task of carrying out mopping up operations on the island.<ref>{{harvnb|Long|1963|p=472}}</ref>

==Commanding officers==
The 2/9th Cavalry Commando Regiment's Commanding Officers were as follows:

* Lieutenant Colonel Hector Ernest Bastin;
* Lieutenant Colonel William Norris Muntz.<ref name=AWM/>

==Battle honours==
The regiment received the following [[battle honours]] for their service during World War II:

* North Africa 1942, Defence of Alamein Line, Tell el Eisa, Tell el Makh Khad, Sanyet el Miteirya, West Point 23, El Alamein, Syria 1941, Sidon, Wadi Zeini, Jebel Mazar, South-West Pacific 1945, Borneo, Labuan.<ref name=AWM/>

==See also==
* [[List of Australian armoured units]]

==Notes==
{{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=James|first=Richard|title=Australia's War With France: The Campaign in Syria and Lebanon, 1941|year=2017|publisher=Big Sky Publishing|location=Newport, New South Wales|isbn=978-1-925520-92-7}}
* {{cite book|last=Long|first=Gavin|author-link=Gavin Long|title=The Final Campaigns|year=1963|series=Australia in the War of 1939–1945 Official History Series. Series 1 – Army. Volume VII|publisher=Australian War Memorial|location=Canberra, Australian Capital Territory |url=https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RCDIG1070206/|oclc=1297619}}
*{{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}}
{{Refend}}

==Further reading==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite book|last=Cossor|first=Les|title=Albury to El Alamein and Back!: A Memoir of Life in the Australian 9th Division Cavalry Regiment|url=https://books.apple.com/au/book/albury-to-el-alamein-and-back/id420214936|year=2004|publisher=Ian Cossor Design|location=Albury, New South Wales |isbn=978-0-646-43381-3}}
* {{cite book|last=Martindale|first=R.J.|author2=Martindale, R.L.|title=Blokes from the Cav: Personnel of 9th Australian Division Cavalry Regiment & 2/9th Australian Cavalry (Commando) Regiment|year=1993|publisher=R.J. Martindale and R.L. Martindale|location=Sydney, New South Wales|oclc=38357262}}
* {{cite book|last=Pura|first=Colin|title=Black Berets: The History and the Battles of the 9th Division Cavalry Regiment|year=1983|publisher=9th Australian Division Cavalry Regiment Association|location=Melbourne, Victoria |isbn=978-0-9591027-0-3}}
{{Refend}}

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

{{DEFAULTSORT:2 9th Cavalry Commando Regiment (Australia)}}
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1940|9]]
[[Category:1940 establishments in Australia|9]]
[[Category:Military units and formations of the Australian Army|9]]
[[Category:Military units and formations of Australia in World War II|9]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1945|9]]
[[Category:1945 disestablishments in Australia|9]]
[[Category:Armoured and cavalry regiments of the Australian Army]]

2/9th Cavalry Commando Regiment (Australia) - Revision history

imported>GreenC bot: Move 1 url. Wayback Medic 2.5 per WP:URLREQ#itunes.apple.com