Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

2nd/6th Field Company RAE

2nd/6th Field Company RAE formed at Ingleburn NSW in May 1940, under command of 7th Division, before relocating to Bathurst (NSW) in August.

The 2nd/6th Field Company RAE deployed to the Middle East with the 7th Division.  After Tobruk was captured by the 6th Division in January 1941, three Field Companies, the 2nd/4th, 2nd/5th and 2nd/6th were sent there to restore the port facilities.  They were subsequently moved via Bengazi and then to Egypt to prepare for Operation Lustre (Greece).

However a deteriorating situation in Libya resulted in the 2nd/6th being sent to Mersa Matruh to prepare defensive psoitions to protect against a German breakthrough towards Egypt.

The 7th Division was subsequently re-tasked to prepare for Operation   the invasion of Syria, where the 2nd/6th Field Company was employed in bridging and road construction and later after the Armistice, in defences around Tripoli and other sites..  They along with the rest of the 7th Division were recalled to Australia after the outbreak of the Pacific War, and embarked in February 1942 on the MV Orcades.

It had the misfortune to be diverted to Java.  All of the personnel on board, mainly the smaller all-arms elements of the 7th Division, were placed under the command of Brigadier Arthur Blackburn, VC, to form 'Blackforce (/collections/home-page-stories/java-1942--blackforce-and-the-loss-of-hmas-perth)'.  It was charged with the hopeless mission to conduct a delaying defence against the Japanese.  While they did so very creditably, the men of Blackforce were effectively abandoned to their inevitable fate with no hope of extraction and went into captivity in mid-March after surrendering to the Japanese invaders.  They added to the litany of 'lost causes' that collectively contributed to the loss of 25% of the 2nd AIF's, mainly the 8th Division.

The 2nd/6th Field Company was re-raised back in Australiaat Sandy Creek in South Australia in April 1942, as were many of the other Blackforce elements.

The 7th Division was the first 2nd AIF formation to enter the fray against the Japanese at Kokoda, relieving the beleagured militia units that had held the line previously.  The 2nd/6th Field Company supported the 21st Brigade in the wihdrawal to Imita Ridge, and later the 16th Brigade Group in the advance to Kokoda and subsequently to Buna.

They took part in the Battle of the Beacheads until January 1943 when they were relieved and returned to Australia, for rest and reinforcement, but were being employed concurrently in the construction of the extensive accommodation and training facilities being built in the Atherton Tablelands near Ravenshoe.

The 2nd/6th subsequently re-deployed to New Guinea and took part in the re-capture of Lae and then the Ramu Valley  / Markham River campaign supporting the 21st Brigade Group.

They returned to Australia for consolidation, rest, reinforcement and re-training at the RAE Training Centre at Kapooka near Wagga Wagga in NSW. 

Their last operation for WW2 was to support the 21st Brigade in the 7th Division landing at and advance from Balikpapan in Borneo as part of Operation Oboe.

Source:  'The Unit Guide' Volume 3  - The Australian Army 1939-45 Graham McKenzie-Smith 2018  Big Sky Publishing ISBN 978-1-92567-14-16

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