2/24th Australian Infantry Battalion (1940-1946)

26th Brigade - 9th Division

"Wangaratta's Own"

​

The 2/24th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army, which served during World War II.

Estimated strength was between 800-900 personnel.

A unit of the all-volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF), it was formed in July 1940 from primarily Victorian volunteers and was known as "Wangaratta's Own" because of the time the battalion spent in the town during its formative period prior to deployment overseas. It served in North Africa in 1941–1942 as part of the 26th Brigade, which was assigned to the 7th Division, before being reassigned to the 9th Division. In early 1943, the battalion returned to Australia and later took part in campaigns against the Japanese in New Guinea in 1943–1944 and Borneo in 1945, before being disbanded in 1946.

 

The 2/24th suffered the highest number of casualties of any 2nd AIF infantry battalion.

​

Battle Honors:

​Siege of Tobruk, Libya (10 April - 7 December 1941)

First Battle of El Alamein, Egypt (1-27 July 1942)

Second Battle of El Alamein, Egypt (23 October – 11 November 1942)

Huon Peninsula campaign, New Guinea (1943 - 1944)

Battle of Tarakan, Borneo (1 May – 21 June 1945)

​

​