Category: 2nd 15th Infantry Battalion, Australian Army, World War II

Categories: Australian Army, World War II | Rats of Tobruk, World War II

The 2/15th Australian Infantry Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army that served during World War II. Formed in May 1940 primarily from Queensland volunteers, the battalion saw action in North Africa in 1941–1942 as part of the 20th Brigade, which was part of the 7th Division before being reassigned to the 9th Division.

After completing training in Palestine, in early 1941, the 2/15th took up positions along the front line in the Western Desert, before being pushed back to Tobruk. Between April and October 1941, along with a garrison of British and other Australian personnel, the battalion helped to hold the strategically important port, which had been surrounded following the landing of German troops at Tripoli. It was withdrawn by sea in late October 1941 as the 9th Division was relieved by the British 70th Division. Following its withdrawal from Tobruk, the battalion re-formed at Gaza before undertaking garrison duties in Syria. In mid-1942, the 2/15th returned to North Africa to fight in the First and Second Battles of El Alamein. In early 1943, the 2/15th returned to Australia and was re-organised and re-trained for jungle warfare. It took part in campaigns against the Japanese in New Guinea in 1943–1944 and Borneo in 1945, before being disbanded in 1946.

Wikipedia: 2/15th Australian Infantry Battalion

B

Richard Baker 08 Aug 1912 Warwick, Queensland, Australia - 16 Nov 1979

Edgar Boase 19 Feb 1904 Maylands, South Australia, Australia - 24 Oct 1968

Percival Bowden 28 Feb 1918 Aramac, Queensland, Australia - 26 Aug 1967

Walter Brumpton 05 Aug 1902 Roma, Queensland, Australia

Bernard Bugden 30 Sep 1902 South Gundurimba, New South Wales, Australia - 1946

C

John Chatfield 14 Dec 1909 Wyola, Western Australia, Australia - 04 Mar 1978

Wilton Cobb 06 Jun 1917 Winton, Queensland, Australia - 23 Oct 1942

D

Paul Delpratt 26 May 1920 Queensland, Australia - 26 Jun 1989

F

Cyril Finney 26 Dec 1919 Gympie, Queensland, Australia - 04 Jun 1986

Frederick Fisher 25 Mar 1910 Innisfail, Queensland, Australia - 02 Sep 1987

Hector Frahm 14 Dec 1917 Clifton, Queensland, Australia - 02 Jul 1943

Francis Franettovich 01 Jun 1918 Mackay, Queensland, Australia - 25 Aug 1978

J

William Jory 20 Nov 1919 Gympie, Queensland, Australia - 01 Sep 1942

L

Norm Lenz 1920s - 1980s

M

Arthur MacDonald 30 Jan 1919 Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia - 28 Jan 1995

O

Alfonso O'Reilly 03 Sep 1903 Kanimbla, New South Wales, Australia - 20 Jan 1975

P

Kenneth Patterson-Kane 08 Feb 1923 Jericho, Queensland, Australia - 23 Oct 1943

R

James Ruddy 27 Jul 1911 Southport, Queensland, Australia - 28 Sep 1986

S

Frederick Shmith 19 Apr 1918 Young, New South Wales, Australia - 29 Nov 1982

Lewis Stubbings 08 Jul 1921 Queensland, Australia - 21 Sep 1975

T

Clive Taylor 03 May 1917 Blackall, Queensland, Australia

Y

Ronald Young 20 Apr 1908 Nowra, New South Wales, Australia - 13 Jun 1941

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