Editing 3rd Division (Australia) (section)

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On 3 September 1939, Australia found itself once again at war, after attempts at finding a diplomatic solution to the [[Invasion of Poland|German invasion of Poland]] had failed.<ref>{{harvnb|Palazzo|2002|p=91}}</ref> Following the outbreak of World War II, mobilisation began slowly as the government called up a force of about 8,000 Militia personnel to undertake security duties in the days following the declaration of war. A short time later, the decision was made to raise an all volunteer force for overseas service, known as the [[Second Australian Imperial Force]] (2nd AIF).<ref name=Grey146>{{harvnb|Grey|2008|p=146}}</ref> This was necessary due to the provisions of the ''Defence Act (1903)'' which precluded deploying the Militia outside of Australian territory, and as a result the government decided to use the Militia to provide a small [[en cadre|cadre]] upon which the 2nd AIF would be raised, as well as to provide training to conscripts as part of the compulsory training scheme which was re-established in early 1940.<ref name=Grey146/> Nevertheless, during this time large numbers of officers and senior non-commissioned officers from the 3rd Division volunteered for service with the 2nd AIF and many units lost a large number of their experienced personnel at this time.<ref name=Palazzo103/>

Throughout 1940–41, the Militia were called up in cohorts for periods of continuous training, and the 3rd Division, still consisting of the 4th, 10th and 15th Brigades, undertook a series of training camps around [[Seymour, Victoria]]. In March 1941, the division's artillery was reorganised to bring it in line with the British organisational system with each artillery brigade being converted to a field regiment.<ref>{{harvnb|Horner|1995|p=238}}</ref> Numerical designations stayed the same, however, and by late 1941 the division had completed its transition.<ref>{{harvnb|Palazzo|2002|p=99}}</ref> This saw its infantry brigades once again reduced from four battalions to three, while various supporting elements were inserted at brigade-level, however, training at this time was still rudimentary and limited mainly to individual skills, and the division's establishment was recorded as being only half of its authorised wartime establishment. There was also a shortage of modern equipment.<ref>{{harvnb|Palazzo|2002|p=101}}</ref>

With Japan's entry into the war following the attacks on [[Attack on Pearl Harbor|Pearl Harbor]] and [[Battle of Malaya|Malaya]], it became more likely that the division would be called upon to undertake active service overseas, and the division was mobilised for war.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ordersofbattle.com/UnitData.aspx?UniX=6004&Tab=Uhi&Titl=3%20Australian%20Infantry%20Division|title=3 Australian Infantry Division|publisher=Orders of Battle.com|access-date=31 October 2010}}{{Dead link|date=June 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In early January 1942, Major General [[Stanley Savige]], an experienced officer who had commanded the [[17th Brigade (Australia)|17th Brigade]] in combat against the Germans in the Middle East earlier in the war, took over command of the division.<ref name=Palazzo103>{{harvnb|Palazzo|2002|p=103}}</ref> Savige set about the task of preparing the division for combat and he began by removing officers that he did not think were physically fit enough or competent to lead in battle and replacing them with men who had gained experience in AIF units. A comprehensive training program was established and in April 1942 the division was assigned to the [[I Corps (Australia)|Australian I Corps]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ordersofbattle.com/UnitData.aspx?UniX=5121&Tab=Sub&Titl=I%20Australian%20Corps|title=I Australian Corps|publisher=Orders of Battle.com|access-date=31 October 2010}}{{Dead link|date=June 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and to enable divisional exercises to begin, the 3rd Division moved to [[Bonegilla, Victoria]]. To toughen the men up, Savige decided that they would march on foot to the new camp.<ref>{{harvnb|Palazzo|2002|pp=104–105}}</ref>

[[Image:61st Battalion Bougainville March 1945.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A black-and-white photograph of soldiers marching up a creek. The soldiers have their rifles slung and are knee deep in muddy water|Men from the 61st Battalion patrol along the Mosigetta River on Bougainville in March 1945]]

The following month they were relocated once more, this time to [[Queensland]] where they undertook training exercises and defensive duties along the coast between [[Brisbane]] and [[Tweed Heads]] on the [[New South Wales]] border.<ref>{{harvnb|Palazzo|2002|p=105}}</ref> At this time, the Army began to rectify the deficiencies in the division's equipment lists and battalions began receiving new machine guns, motor transport and [[Universal Carrier|Bren carriers]].<ref>{{harvnb|Palazzo|2002|p=107}}</ref> As the situation in [[New Guinea campaign|New Guinea]] grew worse, the decision was made to reorganise the 3rd Division and throughout August, four battalions were amalgamated—the 37th, 52nd, 58th and 59th. In September, the 10th Brigade was disbanded and its battalions reallocated to the 4th and 15th Brigades. In October, the 29th and 46th Battalions were also amalgamated, leaving the division with just six infantry battalions in two brigades.<ref>{{harvnb|Palazzo|2002|p=108}}</ref>