Armoured units made a relatively small, but highly important, contribution to Australia’s war effort. While Australia formed no less than three armoured divisions and two independent armoured brigades during the war, Australian armoured units only saw action as independent regiments and companies supporting larger infantry formations.

Pre-War

The Australian Army formed its first armoured units in the late 1920s when two independent Tank Sections equipped with Vickers Medium tanks were formed in New South Wales and Victoria. An armoured car regiment was formed in 1933 based on the 19th Light Horse Regiment. A second armoured car regiment was formed in Sydney in 1939.

As with the rest of the Australian Army, the outbreak of war in 1939 lead to a dramatic expansion of Australia’s armoured force. Each of the four divisions in the Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF) was authorised a cavalry reconnaissance regiment equipped with light tanks and scout carriers. The Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) was the name given to the volunteer units of the Australian Army in World War II. The 2nd AIF was formed, from 1939 onwards, to fight overseas: most army units were Militia (reserve) units and under Australian law at the time, Militia troops...

Divisional Cavalry Regiments

Tanks and carriers of the 9th Divisional Cavalry Regiment in Syria in 1941 (AWM 041776)

Until the formation of the 1st Armoured division, the three AIF divisional cavalry regiments were Australia’s only armoured units. What the Australian armoured force lacked in numbers, however, was more than made up by the intense activity of these regiments in the Middle East.

While all four AIF Divisions were authorised a divisional cavalry regiment, only three regiments were eventually formed as it was wrongly believed that the 8th Division did not need armoured support in Malaya. The three AIF Divisional cavalry regiments were: The 8th Division of the Australian Army was formed to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force. ... The Federation of Malaya, or in Malay Persekutuan Tanah Melayu, was formed in 1948 from the British settlements of Penang and Malacca and the nine Malay states and replaced the Malayan Union. ...

• 6th Divisional Cavalry Regiment
• 7th Divisional Cavalry Regiment
• 9th Divisional Cavalry Regiment (initially formed as 8th Divisional Cavalry Regiment)

In December 1941 four Militia light horse regiments were converted to form Divisional reconnaissance battalions. These Battalions were re-designated as Cavalry Regiments in late 1942. The four units were: The most well-known 6th Division in the Australian Army was a unit in the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) during World War II. (The 6th Division name was previously used for a short-lived World War I unit, formed from First Australian Imperial Force troops in England, in... The 7th Division of the Australian Army was formed to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force. ... The 9th Division of the Australian Army was formed to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force. ... The 8th Division of the Australian Army was formed to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force. ... Alternate meaning: Lighthorse (American Indian police) The Australian Light Horse soldiers were mounted infantry who served during the Boer War and World War I. The Light Horse differed from cavalry in that they usually fought dismounted, using their horses as transport to the battlefield and as a means of swift...

• 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion (ex 2nd Light Horse Regiment)
• 8th Reconnaissance Battalion (ex 8th Light Horse Regiment)
• 21st Reconnaissance Battalion (ex 21st Light Horse Regiment)
• 25th Reconnaissance Battalion (ex 25th Light Horse Regiment)

In early 1943 the AIF divisions and three of the militia divisions were converted from motorised infantry to light infantry 'Jungle Divisions'. As part of this conversion the AIF divisional cavalry regiments were re-formed as unarmoured commando regiments with the regimental headquarters commanding previously independent commando companies. The 3rd and 5th Divisions' cavalry regiments appear to have been disbanded. Armoured support for the jungle divisions was provided, when required, by elements of the 4th Armoured Brigade Group. Motorised infantry is an infantry unit which is transported by trucks or other fast motor vehicles. ... Traditionally light infantry (or skirmishers) were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. ... The Jungle Division was an military organisation adopted by the Australian Army during the Second World War. ... The first Australian commando units were the Independent Companies of the Australian Army, formed from 1941 onwards, during World War II. The companies were based on the British Commandos and they were re-designated Commando Squadrons a few years later. ... 4th Armoured Brigade Matilda II and M3 Grant tanks firing small calibre weapons during a demonstration (AWM 063203). ...

Carrier Platoons and Companies

The 13/33rd Battalion's Carrier Platoon at Sydney in 1943 (AWM 053617)

During the early years of the war all Australian infantry battalions were authorised a platoon of Universal Carriers. The Carrier Platoon's main roles were to transport the Battalion's crew served weapons and conduct reconnaissance. The carriers were only occasionally used to transport infantry. The Universal Carrier, usually known as a Bren Gun Carrier (even when it was not carrying a Bren), was a small, tracked British-designed military vehicle, used widely by Allied forces during World War II. Universal Carriers were usually used for transporting personnel and equipment, or as machine gun platforms. ... Crew-served weapons are operated by a crew of soldiers. ...

Experience in New Guinea in 1942 demonstrated that, like almost all vehicles, the Universal Carrier was ill-suited to jungle terrain. As a result, when the Australian Army restructured its six frontline infantry divisions as Jungle Divisions in 1943 the infantry battalion Carrier Platoons were disbanded and replaced by a single divisional carrier company. The divisions which were retained on the British-pattern organisation retained their battalion carrier platoons. Due to the Universal Carrier's vulnerability in jungle terrain the divisional carrier companies were mainly used to transport supplies to forward positions and provide defence for the division's rear areas. While the carrier companies continued to train for offensive roles it is unclear if they were ever used for this purpose. The Universal Carrier, usually known as a Bren Gun Carrier (even when it was not carrying a Bren), was a small, tracked British-designed military vehicle, used widely by Allied forces during World War II. Universal Carriers were usually used for transporting personnel and equipment, or as machine gun platforms. ... The Jungle Division was an military organisation adopted by the Australian Army during the Second World War. ...

Universal Carriers were also issued to anti-tank and armoured regiments during the war:

• Several anti-tank regiments were issued with 2 pounder guns mounted on modified Australian-built Universal Carriers.
• Standard Universal Carriers were issued to the Army's Armoured Regiments in 1941 and early 1942 for training purposes and to provide the Army with a minimal armoured capability until the arrival of large numbers of M3 Grant and M3 Stuart tanks in April 1942.

Anti-tank, or simply AT, refers to any method of combating military armored fighting vehicles, notably tanks. ... The QF 2-pounder gun was a British anti-tank gun. ... The Universal Carrier, usually known as a Bren Gun Carrier (even when it was not carrying a Bren), was a small, tracked British-designed military vehicle, used widely by Allied forces during World War II. Universal Carriers were usually used for transporting personnel and equipment, or as machine gun platforms. ... The M3 Lee was an American tank used during World War II. The British modified version of this tank, with a larger cast turret to house the radio, was called the Grant M3 tank History Used Australia Britain (600) Both Lee and Grant types, also modified Grant with armoured Searchlight... The Stuart was an American light tank of World War II named after the Civil War general Jeb Stuart. ...

Armoured Divisions and Brigades

The 2/10th Armoured Regiment during a training exercise in Western Australia in 1943 (AWM 043801)

The Australian 1st Armoured Division was formed in 1941. Following the outbreak of hostilities with Japan a further two Armoured Divisions and two independent armoured brigades were formed: The Australian 1st Armoured Division was raised from 1941 onwards as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF). ...

• 2nd Armoured Division
• 3rd Armoured Division
• 3rd Army Tank Brigade
• 4th Armoured Brigade Group

Following the disbandment of the 1st Armoured Division in September 1943 the Division's 1st Armoured Brigade survived as an independent brigade group until it was also disbanded in September 1944. The Australian 3rd Army Tank Brigade was an Australian armoured brigade. ... 4th Armoured Brigade Matilda II and M3 Grant tanks firing small calibre weapons during a demonstration (AWM 063203). ...

Summary list of Australian armoured units

This table was derived from Dust, Sand & Jungle by Paul Handel and Australian Armour by Major General R.N. Hopkins (Retired) and the unit war diaries available on the Australian War Memorial website. It is currently incomplete as it does not contain the the armoured training formations and the anti-tank regiments issued with self-propelled guns and may not include all of Militia divisions' reconnaissance regiments and the armoured brigade reconnaissance squadrons.

Note that the date of formation given for the Militia units is in most cases the date they were converted from a horse-mounted or motorised unit into an armoured unit.

The Australian 1st Armoured Division was raised from 1941 onwards as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF). ... The Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) was the name given to the volunteer units of the Australian Army in World War II. The 2nd AIF was formed, from 1939 onwards, to fight overseas: most army units were Militia (reserve) units and under Australian law at the time, Militia troops... The Australian 1st Armoured Division was raised from 1941 onwards as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF). ... The Australian 3rd Army Tank Brigade was an Australian armoured brigade. ... 4th Armoured Brigade Matilda II and M3 Grant tanks firing small calibre weapons during a demonstration (AWM 063203). ... The most well-known 6th Division in the Australian Army was a unit in the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) during World War II. (The 6th Division name was previously used for a short-lived World War I unit, formed from First Australian Imperial Force troops in England, in... The 7th Division of the Australian Army was formed to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force. ... The 9th Division of the Australian Army was formed to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force. ... CambridgeBayWeather 09:44, 27 August 2005 (UTC) Categories: Possible copyright violations ... 1st Armoured Regiment is an armoured regiment of the Australian Army, and is the senior regiment of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps. ... The most well-known 6th Division in the Australian Army was a unit in the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) during World War II. (The 6th Division name was previously used for a short-lived World War I unit, formed from First Australian Imperial Force troops in England, in... The 7th Division of the Australian Army was formed to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force. ... The 9th Division of the Australian Army was formed to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force. ...

References

• Graham Donaldson Australian Tank Deployment
• Paul Handel (2003). Dust, Sand & Jungle: A History of Australian Armour During Training and Operations, 1927-1948. RAAC Memorial and Army Tank Museum.
• Paul Handel and Brett Green ANZAC Steel website
• Major General R.N. Hopkins (Retired) (1978). Australian Armour. A History of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps 1927-1972. Australian Government Publishing Service.
• Australian Light Horse Association Light Horse Military Units
• www.australian-armour.com World War 2 Armoured Units
• Sentinel Website Australian Military Vehicles Index