16th Brigade (Australia)

16th Brigade
Troops from the 16th Brigade cross the Owen Stanleys, October 1942
Active	1917 1939–1946
Country	Australia
Branch	Army
Type	Infantry
Size	Brigade
Part of	6th Division

The 16th Brigade was an infantry brigade in the Australian Army. First raised during World War I, when it existed only briefly in 1917 and did not participate in the fighting. Raised again in 1939 for service during World War II, during which it saw action in Libya, Greece and New Guinea before being disbanded in 1946 after the conflict had ended. Today, its name is perpetuated by the 16th Aviation Brigade which was raised on 2 April 2002.

The 16th Infantry Brigade was formed in England, on the Salisbury Plain, as part of the 6th Division on 17 March 1917. The unit it did not see any action and was disbanded on 19 October 1917 due to manpower shortages in the AIF.

The 16th Infantry Brigade was reformed on 13 October 1939, again as part of the 6th Division. The 16th Brigade fought in the Western Desert Campaign in Libya, the Battle of Greece, the Kokoda Track campaign and the Battle of Buna–Gona in Papua, and in the Aitape–Wewak campaign in New Guinea.