60th Battalion (Australia)
| 60th Battalion | |
|---|---|
Portrait of 60th Battalion officers, c. 1917
|
|
| Active | 1916–18 1921–30 |
| Country |
 Australia
|
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | ~900 – 1,000 men |
| Part of | 15th Brigade |
| Nickname(s) | The Heidelberg Regiment |
| Motto(s) | Celer Et Audax (Swift and Bold) |
| Colours | White alongside Red |
| Engagements | |
| Insignia | |
| Unit Colour Patch |  |
The 60th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was raised for service during World War I in 1916 and took part in the fighting on the Western Front for two-and-a-half years. Following the end of the war it was disbanded before being re-raised in 1921 as a part-time unit of the Citizen Force. In 1930, as a result of manpower shortages, the 60th was amalgamated with the 57th Battalion to form the 57th/60th Battalion and this unit subsequently saw service in the South West Pacific during World War II fighting against the Japanese, before being disbanded in 1946.
The 60th Battalion was originally raised as a unit of the First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) in Egypt on 24 February 1916 for service in World War I as part of an expansion of the Australian forces that took place following the Gallipoli campaign. This expansion saw experienced personnel being drawn from 1st Division units, and joining with fresh recruits from Australia to form new battalions. In the case of the 60th, its cadre came from the 8th Battalion, a predominately Victorian unit, while its new recruits were also drawn from that state. Together with the 57th, 58th and 59th Battalions, the 60th formed part of the 15th Brigade, attached to the 5th Australian Division.
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