Comparison of standard and jungle divisions WW2

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Category: Army History/WW2

How the 2nd AIF & the ACMF were organised for WW2
Between the wars some efforts were made to make the Australian Army organisation the same as the Brits. For various reasons it did not work terribly well. When 6th Division went to North Africa it still used the WW1 standard of 4 Battalions per Brigade where as the Brits only had 3.
Australian	British
4 Battalions per Brigade	3 Battalions per Brigade
Artillery 3 Field Brigades each with 3 Batteries of 4x 18 pounders 1 Battery of 4 x 4.5inch howitzers Total 48 obsolete guns	Artillery 3 Field Regiments each with 2 Batteries of 12 25 pounders Total 72 modern guns
New Support units. nil	New Support Units Motorised Recon Regiment Machine Gun Battalion Anti Tank Regiment Light Aid detachments

Formation	Strength Australian	Strength British	Difference
Headquarters	159	184	-25
Reconnaissance Regt	440	444	-4
Infantry	9,621	6,417	+3,204
Artillery	2,345	2,374	-29
Engineers	910	933	-23
Signals	534	491	+43
Service Corps	1,576	1,183	+393
Miscellaneous	943	941	-2
Total	16,528	12,967	+3,561

The 27% difference is standard size of Divisions made for some difficulties with supply of rations, ammunition and POL. It also made for some tactical problems.

Australian Battalion 800 men approx

British Battalion 700 men approx

HQ Company
3 Rifles Companies with Lewis guns
Support Company with Vickers & mortars

The British model was more modern, harder hitting with 52 Bren guns and more mobile. The Australian Army had to change to the new standards in existing Divisions and those as yet unformed

HQ Company (larger and with 7 Platoons)
- Signals
- Mortar
- Carrier (Bren carriers)
- Pioneer
- Anti-aircraft
- Transport
- Admin
4 (smaller) Rifle Companies with Brens and 3 inch mortars

Comparison of Australian Standard and Jungle Division organisation WW2

When the Australian Army started fighting in PNG it became apparent that changes would have to be made to the size and make up of a Division. The new terrain called for new tactics particularly in the supply of food and ammo and the removal of wounded. Most had to be man-packed to the front line.

Type	Standard division organisation	Jungle division organisation
Infantry	3 Infantry Brigades, each with three battalions	3 Infantry Brigades, each with three battalions less transport elements plus 1 division carrier company
RAA	HQ RAA 3 field regiments, each with three batteries 1 anti-tank regiment 1 light anti-aircraft regiment 1 survey battery	HQ RAA 1 field regiment 1 light anti-aircraft battery (airborne)
RAE	HQ RAE 1 field park company 3 field companies Camouflage training unit	HQ RAE 1 field park company 3 field companies Camouflage training unit
Signals	3 companies	3 companies
AASC	HQ AASC 3 companies	HQ AASC Supply depot company General transport company
AAMC	3 Field Ambulance Companies	3 Field Ambulance Companies
ORD	3 brigade ordnance field parks Mobile laundry and decontamination unit	3 brigade Ordnance Field Parks
AEME	10 light aid detachments 3 brigade workshops Light anti-aircraft regiment workshop	6 light aid detachments 3 brigade workshops
Misc.	Provost company Divisional postal unit Field cash office Divisional salvage unit Divisional reception camp Divisional concert party	Provost company Divisional postal unit Field cash office Divisional salvage unit Divisional reception camp
Details from The Australian Army; Albert Palazzo; Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 551507 2