56th Battalion (Australia)

56th Battalion (Australia)
Soldiers of the 56th Battalion in 1937
Active	1916–19 1921–44 1956–57
Country	Australia
Branch	Army
Type	Infantry
Size	~900–1,000 officers and men
Part of	14th Brigade, 5th Division (WWI) 5th Brigade, 2nd Division (WWII)
Engagements	World War I Western Front World War II
Insignia
Unit Colour Patch

World War I

The 56th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was originally raised in 1916 for service during the World War I and took part in the fighting in the trenches of the Western Front in France and Belgium before being amalgamated with the 54th Battalion in late 1918 following the German Spring Offensive reduced the numbers in both battalions. After the war, the battalion was re-raised as a part-time unit in New South Wales. During World War II the battalion was mobilised and undertook garrison duties in Australia until it was disbanded in 1944. It was briefly re-raised in 1956, but was disbanded the following year and its personnel used to re-raise the 4th Battalion, which later became part of the Royal New South Wales Regiment.

The 56th Battalion was originally formed on 14 February 1916 during the reorganisation and expansion of the First Australian Imperial Force (AIF) that took place in Egypt following the Gallipoli campaign. This was achieved by transferring cadres of experienced personnel predominately from the 1st Division to the newly formed battalions and combining them with recently recruited personnel who had been dispatched as reinforcements from Australia. With an authorised strength of 1,023 men, the unit's first intake of personnel were drawn from men originating from New South Wales, many of whom had already served with the 4th Battalion. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Allan Humphrey Scott, the battalion formed part of the 14th Brigade attached to the 5th Australian Division.