Editing 3rd Division (Australia) (section)

{{Short description|1916-1991 Australian Army division}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=3rd Division
|image=AWM C04101 35th Battalion 8 August 1918.jpeg
|caption= 3rd Division troops around Lena Wood, 8 August 1918
|dates=1916–1919<br />1921–1946<br />1948–1991
|country=Australia
|allegiance=
|branch=[[Australian Army]]
|type=[[Infantry]]
|role=
|size=~13,000 to 18,000 personnel
|command_structure=[[II ANZAC Corps]] (1916–1917)<br>[[Australian Corps]] (1917–1919)<br>[[I Corps (Australia)|I Corps]] (1942–1944)<br>[[II Corps (Australia)|II Corps]] (1944–1945)
|garrison=
|garrison_label=
|nickname=
|patron=
|motto=
|colors=
|colors_label=
|march=
|mascot=
|equipment=
|equipment_label=
|battles=World War I
* [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]]
World War II
* [[New Guinea campaign]]
* [[Salamaua-Lae campaign|Salamaua–Lae campaign]]
* [[Bougainville campaign]].
|anniversaries=
|decorations=
|battle_honours=
|disbanded=
<!-- Commanders -->
|commander1=
|commander1_label=
|commander2=
|commander2_label=
|commander3=
|commander3_label=
|notable_commanders=[[John Monash]]<br />[[John Gellibrand]]<br />[[Harold Elliott (Australian Army officer)|Harold Elliott]]<br />[[Thomas Blamey]]<br />[[Stanley Savige]]<br />[[William Bridgeford]]<br />[[George Wootten]]
<!-- Insignia -->
|identification_symbol=[[File:3rd aus div.svg|70px]]
|identification_symbol_label=[[Unit colour patch]]
|identification_symbol_2=
|identification_symbol_2_label=
|identification_symbol_3=
|identification_symbol_3_label=
|identification_symbol_4=
|identification_symbol_4_label=
}}
The '''3rd Division''' was an [[infantry]] [[Division (military unit)|division]] of the [[Australian Army]]. Existing during various periods between 1916 and 1991, it is considered the "longest serving Australian Army division".<ref name=Palazzo1>{{harvnb|Palazzo|2002|p=1}}</ref> It was first formed during World War I, as an infantry division of the [[First Australian Imperial Force|Australian Imperial Force]] and saw service on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] in France and Belgium. During this time it fought major battles at [[Battle of Messines (1917)|Messines]], [[Battle of Broodseinde Ridge|Broodseinde Ridge]], [[Battle of Passchendaele|Passchendaele]], [[Battle of Amiens (1918)|Amiens]], and the [[Battle of the St Quentin Canal|St Quentin Canal]].

The division was demobilised in 1919 before being re-raised in 1921 as part of the [[Australian Army Reserve|Citizen Forces]], based in central [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]]. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the division's establishment fluctuated due to the effects of the [[Great Depression]] and a general apathy towards military matters.

During World War II, the division was mobilised for war in December 1941 and initially undertook defensive duties in Australia before being deployed to [[New Guinea campaign|New Guinea]] in 1943 where they took part in the [[Salamaua-Lae campaign|Salamaua–Lae campaign]] against the Japanese in 1943–1944, before returning to Australia for rest and reorganisation. In late 1944 they were sent to [[Bougainville Island|Bougainville]] to take part in the [[Bougainville campaign]] the final campaign of the war. There they undertook a series of advances across the island before the war came to an end in August 1945.

Following the end of hostilities the division was disbanded in December 1945 as part of the [[Demobilisation of the Australian military after World War II|demobilisation process]], but was it later re-raised in 1948 as part of the Citizens Military Force. It subsequently served through the [[Cold War]] as a reserve formation until 1991 when the division was disbanded for a final time as the Australian Army was restructured and the focus of Australian field force operations shifted from the divisions to [[brigade]]s.
{{TOC limit|2}}