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 HEADQUARTERS
8th BRIGADE


12/16 HRL (APC)
Armoured


HQ 8 BDE

ffield
7 FD REGIMENT
Artillery

 The 8th Brigade is a part-time (Army Reserve) combined-arms formation located throughout New South Wales.

The Brigade consists of Infantry, Armoured, Artillery, Engineer, Signals and Logistics sub-units.


8 CER
Engineers


155 Sig Sqn (8CSR)
Signals


2/17 RNSWR
Infantry


41 RNSWR
Infantry


8 CSSB
Logistics

Explore the Headquarters 8th Brigade Web Site or visit one of the Brigade's Sub-Unit above

 

History of the 8th (Infantry) Brigade

The 8th (Infantry) Brigade has a long and distinguished lineage which dates back to the Pre-Federation Boer War in 1899-1902. The 8th (Infantry) Brigade, as it was more commonly known, has included in its ranks many units over the years. This page outlines the Brigade's Battle Honours, past Commanders and a brief history of the significant events occurring during its existence, in its various forms.

Headquarters 8th Brigade traces its origins back to the 1st Australian Imperial Force when it was raised as part of the 5th Division. During World War I it took part in a number of actions, including:

  • Battle of Fromelles, July 1916

  • Occupation of Bapaume, March 1917

  • Polygon Wood, September 1917

  • Villers Bretonneux, April 1918

  • Hindenburg Line, September 1918

Between the World Wars Headquarters 8th Infantry Brigade was located at Mosman, Sydney. Units under command included the 17th Infantry Battalion, then located at North Sydney.

During World War II the Headquarters operated in defence of Australia. Between 1940 and 1942 the 8th Infantry Brigade was tasked to defend Sydney in the event of attack. In 1942 it transferred to Western Australia as part of 2nd Division, where it remained for two years. From 1944 to 1945 the 8th Infantry Brigade took part in the Liberation of New Guinea, advancing along the north coast of New Guinea, winning battle honours at Sio - Sepak River and Madang.

Since World War II Headquarters 8th Brigade has been disbanded and re-raised a number of times. It was last raised as Headquarters 8th Task Force at Moore Park Barracks in 1981. In 1982 the Headquarters moved to Mosman, and was retitled Headquarters 8th Brigade.


For more information on the history of the 8th (Infantry) Brigade, click on one of the links below.


Battle Honours

1st Australian Imperial Force (AIF) - WW1

8th Brigade AIF

29th Battalion 30th Battalion 31st Battalion 32nd  Battalion
South Africa 1899-1902  South Africa 1900-1902  South Africa 1901-1902  South Africa 1899-1902 
Somme 1916-1918 Somme 1916-1918 Somme 1916-1918 Somme 1916-1918
Bapaume 1917 Bapaume 1917 Bapaume 1917 Bapaume 1917
Bullecourt 1917 Bullecourt 1917 Bullecourt 1917 Bullecourt 1917
Ypres 1917 Ypres 1917 Ypres 1917 Ypres 1917
Polygon Wood 1917 Polygon Wood 1917 Polygon Wood 1917 Polygon Wood 1917
Ancre 1918 Ancre 1918 Ancre 1918 Ancre 1918
Amiens, Albert 1918 Amiens, Albert 1918 Amiens, Hindenburg Line 1918 Amiens, Albert 1918
Hindenburg Line 1918 St Quentin Canal, Hindenburg Line 1918 St Quentin Canal, Hindenburg Line 1918

2nd Australian Imperial Force

8th Aust Infantry Brigade (AIF) - WW2

4th Battalion 30th Battalion 35th Battalion
Liberation of Australia and New Guinea
South West Pacific 1944-45
Sio - Sepak River
Madang
Liberation of Australia and New Guinea
Sio - Sepak River
Liberation of Australia and New Guinea

The 8th Brigade History - Timeline

1 Jul 1912 Headquarters 8 Brigade raised
Commanding 25th, 26th, 29th & 31st Infantry Battalions
20 Jul 1915 Headquarters 8 Brigade AIF raised
Commanding 29th, 30th, 31st & 32nd Inf Battalions
Served with distinction in France, Belgium and on the Hindenburg Line
26 Apr 1919 Headquarters 8 Brigade AIF disbanded
1919 -
1 Jan 1943
Headquarters 8 Brigade Commanding
4th, 30th & 35th Battalions
Nov 1944 Headquarters 8 Brigade is retitled -
8th Australian Infantry Brigade (AIF)
Served with distinction in Australia, New Guinea, & South West Pacific
1946 Headquarters 8 Brigade disbanded
1948 Headquarters 8 Brigade re-raised
30 Jun 1960 Headquarters 8 Brigade disbanded
1 Jul 1960 Reformed as
2 Battalion RNSWR Battle Group
26 Oct 1966 Headquarters 8 Task Force raised
30 Jun 1975 Headquarters 8 Task Force disbanded
1 Jul 1975 Headquarters RNSWR raised and commanding
1/19th, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 17th and 41st Battalions
1 Jul 1981 Headquarters 8th Brigade re-raised
Commanding
2nd, 17th & 41st Battalions
1 Dec 1998 Headquarters 8th Brigade moved to Dundas
Commanding 12/16 Hunter River Lancers (APC), 7th Field Artillery Regiment, 8th Combat Engineer Regiment, 2nd/17th & 41st Infantry Battalions & 8th Brigade Administrative Support Battalion

8th Brigade
Commanders

8th Brigade AIF

20 Jul 1915 - 26 Apr 1919 COL (later MAJ GEN) E. Tivey
CG, CMG, DSO, VD

8th Brigade AMF

1 Jul 1912 - 20 Jul 1917 COL G.R. Campbell VD
1 May 1921 - 30 Apr 1926 COL (later LT GEN) Sir Iven Giffard Mackay
KBE, CMG, DSO, VD, Croix De Guerre
1 May 1926 - 30 Apr 1934 BRIG E.C. Norrie CB, DSO, VD
1 May 1934 - 14 May 1938 BRIG (later MAJ GEN) C.A. Callaghan CB, CMG, DSO, VD
15 May 1938 - 30 Apr 1940 BRIG M.B.B. Keatinge MC VD
1 May 1940 - 17 Aug 1944 BRIG C.E. Cameron MC, VD.
18 Aug 1944 - 9 Oct 1945 BRIG M.A. Ferguson DSO, MC and Bar, ED.
10 Oct 1945 - 14 Feb 1946 COL (later LT GEN) Sir A. Garrett KBE, CB, CBE.
2 Feb 1948 - 30 Jun 1952 BRIG (later GEN) Sir Ivan Dougherty CBE, DSO, ED.
1 Jul 1952 - 1 Jul 1956 BRIG G.S. Cox DSO MC, ED.
2 Jul 1956 - 1 Jul 1959 BRIG (later MAJ GEN) A.C. Murchinson AO, MC, RFD, ED.
2 Jul 1959 - 30 Jun 1960 BRIG J. McCarthy MC, ED.
1 Jul 1960 - 30 Jun 1961 BRIG (later MAJ GEN) the Honourable S.L.M Eskell ED, MLC.
1 Jul 1961 - 30 Jun 1964 COL P.H. Pike OBE, ED.
1 Jul 1964 - 30 Jun 1965 COL (later MAJ GEN) E.S. Marshall OBE, ED.
1 Jul 1965 - 30 Nov 1968 BRIG K. Stringfellow
1 Dec 1968 - 30 Nov 1971 BRIG (later MAJ GEN) J.M.L MacDonald MBE, ED.
1 Dec 1971 - 30 Jun 1975 BRIG J.A. Fox ED
1 Jul 1981 - 30 Apr 1983 BRIG (later MAJ GEN) R.G. Fay AO, RFD, ED.
1 May 1983 - 31 Dec 1984 BRIG I.R. Way
1 Jan 1985 - 31 Mar 1987 BRIG (later MAJ GEN) J.D. Keldie MC.
1 Apr 1987 - 31 Mar 1988 BRIG P. Carey AM RFD, ED.
1 Apr 1988 - 31 Mar 1990 BRIG DR Leece RFD, ED.
1 Apr 1990 - 31 Dec 1992 BRIG J.P. Keefe RFD.
1 Jan 1993 - 31 Dec 1995 BRIG (later MAJ GEN) C. Hoeben AM, RFD.
1 Jan 1996 - 30 Nov 1997 BRIG N.R. Turner AM, RFD.
1 Dec 1997 - 31 Dec 2000 BRIG R.P. Irving AM, RFD.
1 Jan 2001 - BRIG P.M. Couch CSC, RFD

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