39th (Militia) Battalion

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Soldiers of the 39th Battalion in September 1942 (AWM 013289)

The 39th (Militia) Battalion was an Australian Army Militia (reserve) unit which played a crucial role in the Kokoda Track campaign of World War II, in New Guinea. The battalion carried the brunt of a stubborn rearguard action, against the elite Japanese marines of the South Seas Force — a division-sized formation — for several weeks, until it was reinforced by regular soldiers from the Second Australian Imperial Force.

By the end of the campaign, at the Battle of Buna-Gona, the 39th could muster only about 30 soldiers (from a nominal strength of 600-800). The remainder were either dead, missing, wounded, or in hospitals in Port Moresby and northern Australia suffering from disease and exhaustion.

Battalion History

Training

The Battalion was raised in Victoria (Australia) in late 1941 and, apart from a small number of veterans of World War I, consisted of young boys aged 18 or 19 years of age. The Battalion was raised hastily and received poor training and equipment. The unit arrived in Port Moresby only weeks after the start of the Pacific War and instead of receiving much needed further training the 39th was used for months to build defences and unload ships. The Battalion received a small amount of training just before they were sent up the Kokoda Track when some of the older officers were relieved by some experienced Australian Imperial Force (AIF) officers. They quickly disciplined the men into shape, giving them some much needed training. But, before the officers could complete the soldiers' training, the Militia were sent up the Kokoda Track. In evaluations of units the 39th received the lowest possible score and was deemed to have not completed training. It is perhaps a historical irony that during Australia's darkest days the front was manned by what were seen as the worst units.

Kokoda Track

Garrisoning the Papuan capital of Port Moresby, the 39th Battalion first saw action fighting the Japanese advance along the Kokoda Track. The battalion played a key role in the Australian defensive campaign before being relieved by better trained and equipped elements of the Second Australian Imperial Force in September 1942. Following the Allied victory on the Kokoda Track the 39th Battalion was again sent into action during the Battle of Buna-Gona. After taking very heavy casualties the battalion was disbanded.

Later Use Of The Designation

At the launch of a book detailing the events of the Kokoda Track, Mud over Blood, on March 24th 2006, Federal Treasurer Peter Costello announced that the Sydney-based Deployed Forces Support Unit will be redesignated as the 39th Personnel Support Battalion at a ceremony which was held at Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance on August the 8th 2006, returning the proud name of the 39th Battalion to the Army's Order of Battle for the first time since January 1943.

References

• One of Australia's most popular historians on the 39th and/or the Kokoda Track campaign is Peter Brune, author of such books as Those Ragged Bloody Heroes, A Bastard of a Place and The Spell Broken.
• Another excellent book is "To Kokoda and Beyond - the Story of the 39th Battalion 1941-1943" by Victor Austin.

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