47th Battalion (Australia)

47th Battalion (Australia)
A Bren gunner covers a patrol from the 47th Battalion on Bougainville, January 1945
Active	1916–18 1921–46 1948–60
Country	Australia
Branch	Australian Army
Type	Infantry
Size	~800–1,000 officers and men
Part of	12th Brigade, 4th Division 29th Brigade, 3rd Division
Colours	Brown over Dark Blue
Engagements	First World War Western Front Second World War New Guinea campaign Bougainville campaign
Insignia
Unit Colour Patch

First World War

Second World War

The 47th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was originally raised in 1916 for service during the First World War and took part in the fighting in the trenches of the Western Front in France and Belgium before being disbanded in early 1918 to provide reinforcements for other Australian units that were suffering from a manpower shortage following the German Spring Offensive. In 1921, it was re-raised as a part-time unit of the Citizens Force, which later became the Militia. During this time it was based in south-east Queensland and in 1927 it became known as the "Wide Bay Regiment". During the Second World War the 47th Battalion took part in fighting in New Guinea and Bougainville, before being disbanded again in January 1946. Later, the battalion was re-raised before eventually being subsumed into the Royal Queensland Regiment in 1960.

Originally raised in Egypt in 1916 during the First World War, the 47th Battalion was formed as part of the expansion of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) that took place following the Gallipoli campaign. At this time it was decided that the AIF would be expanded from two divisions to four. In order to achieve this, new battalions were formed by splitting existing units and using a cadre formed from their experienced men along with freshly trained reinforcements sent from Australia. Taking its experienced men from the 15th Battalion and its new recruits from Queensland and Tasmania, the 47th Battalion formed part of the 12th Brigade, which was attached to the 4th Division. Following this, the battalion was transferred to France and Belgium where it fought in the trenches of the Western Front for the next two and half years.