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- 5th Australian Division during the Great War -


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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment

5th Australian Division



 Divisional History  The 5th Australian Division in 1914-1918

This Division began to form in Egypt in February 1916, after a decision to essentially duplicate the original AIF which had now withdrawn from Gallipoli. Delays in assembling the artillery meant that the Division could not depart for France before June 1916:

1916

The attack at Fromelles (Somme 1916 - diversionary action)

1917

  • Operations on the Ancre including the capture of the Thilloys
  • The advance to the Hindenburg Line
  • The Arras Offensive including the Battle of Bullecourt and actions on the Hindenburg Line
  • The Battle of Polygon Wood - Third Battle of Ypres
  • The First Battle of Passchendaele - Third Battle of Ypres
  • The Second Battle of Passchendaele - Third Battle of Ypres

1918

The Australian Divisions were not affected by the restructuring of the army to having three brigades per Division, that took place in the British Divisions in February 1918.

  • The Battle of the Avre - Somme 1918
  • The actions of Villers-Bretonneux - Somme 1918
  • The Capture of Hamel
  • The Battle of Amiens
  • The Battle of Albert - Somme 1918
  • The Second Battle of Bapaume including the occupation of Peronne - Somme 1918
  • The Battle of the St Quentin Canal and the capture of the Bellicourt tunnel defences (Hindenburg Line)

The Division was not selected to advance into Germany. Demobilisation commenced in late 1918 and in March 1919 the Division merged with 1st Australian Division.

The order of battle of the 5th Australian Division

8th Australian Brigade - joined in Egypt in December 1915

  • 29th Bn, the Australian Infantry
  • 30th Bn, the Australian Infantry
  • 31st Bn, the Australian Infantry
  • 32nd Bn, the Australian Infantry
  • 8th Australian Machine Gun Company left to move into 5th Australian MG Battalion February 1918
  • 8th Australian Trench Mortar Battery formed in France July 1916

14th Australian Brigade - formed in Egypt

  • 53rd Bn, the Australian Infantry
  • 54th Bn, the Australian Infantry
  • 55th Bn, the Australian Infantry
  • 56th Bn, the Australian Infantry
  • 14th Australian Machine Gun Company left to move into 5th Australian MG Battalion February 1918
  • 14th Australian Trench Mortar Battery formed in France July 1916

15th Australian Brigade - formed in Egypt

    57th Bn, the Australian Infantry
  • 58th Bn, the Australian Infantry
  • 59th Bn, the Australian Infantry
  • 60th Bn, the Australian Infantry
  • 15th Australian Machine Gun Company left to move into 5th Australian MG Battalion February 1918
  • 15th Australian Trench Mortar Battery formed in France July 1916

Divisional Troops - under direct command of Divisional HQ

  • 5th Australian Pioneer Bn formed in Egypt in March 1916
  • 25th Australian Machine Gun Company joined September 1917, left to move into 5th Australian MG Battalion February 1918
  • 5th Australian Machine Gun Battalion formed February 1918
  • 5th Australian Divisional Train ASC later titled 757, 758, 759 and 760 Companies
  • 5th Australian Mobile Veterinary Section AVC
  • 5th Australian Divisional Employment Company joined January 1917

Divisional Mounted Troops - under direct command of Divisional HQ

  • C Sqn, 13th Australian Light Horse joined March 1916, left July 1916
  • 5th Australian Cyclist Company left June 1916

Divisional Artillery

  • 13th Australian Brigade, RFA
  • 14th Australian Brigade, RFA
  • 15th Australian Brigade, RFA broken up January 1917
  • 25th Australian (Howitzer) Brigade, RFA absorbed in January 1917
  • 5th Australian Divisional Ammunition Column
  • V.5.A Heavy Trench Mortar Battery RFA formed July 1916, left February 1918
  • X.5.A, Y.5.A and Z.5.A Medium Mortar Batteries RFA formed July 1916; in February 1918, Z broken up and batteries reorganised to have 6 x 6-inch weapons each

Royal Engineers

  • 8th Australian Field Company
  • 14th Australian Field Company
  • 15th Australian Field Company
  • 5th Australian Divisional Signals Company

Royal Army Medical Corps

  • 8th Australian Field Ambulance
  • 14th Australian Field Ambulance
  • 15th Australian Field Ambulance


15th of July 1916 

1st Sep 1916 Artillery in Action

5th Oct 1916 Wire Cut  location map

15th Oct 1916 Conference

22nd of October 1916 Signals

23rd of October 1916 Orders

25th of October 1916 Situation  location map

26th of October 1916 Orders  location map

26th of October 1916 Orders  location map

30th of October 1916 Orders  location map

31st of October 1916 

31st of October 1916 Orders  location map

4th of November 1916 Reliefs

4th Mar 1917 Reorganisation  location map

17th Mar 1917 Withdrawal  location map

18th Mar 1917 Withdrawal  location map

19th Mar 1917 Outposts  location map

20th Mar 1917 Orders

21st Mar 1917 Line Occupied

30th Mar 1917 Advance  location map

31st Mar 1917 Orders  location map

18th Sep 1918 Machine Gun Barrage

29th Sep 1918 A Complicated Position

30th Sep 1918 Bitter Fighting

Sep 1918 Hard Fighting

1st of October 1918 Orders  location map

2nd of October 1918   location map

2nd of October 1918   location map

If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.



Want to know more about 5th Australian Division?


There are:28 items tagged 5th Australian Division available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.


Those known to have served with

5th Australian Division

during the Great War 1914-1918.

  • Devlin George. Pte.
  • Mcmillian Dugald Mcfarlane. Sgt.

All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List


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261682

Pte. George Devlin 58th Battalion

George Devlin gravestone

My grandfather, George Devlin, of Horsham, VIC, Australia, served in France with the 58th Battalion, 15th Brigade, 5th Division, AIF. On 1st of June 1917, he was transferred to Oakbank War Hospital from Eastleigh Military Hospital at his father Joseph Matthew Devlin’s request due to cousins living in Glasgow. His uncle Robert had passed in 1916, and the family branch in Glasgow were undertakers at the time at Glebe St. and later at 118 Castle Rd.

George Devlin transfer from Oakbank War Hospital to Harefield House Hospital

George Devlin admission to Oakbank War Hospital

L. Devlin








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