62nd Battalion (Australia)
| 62nd Battalion | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1917 1942–44 |
| Country | Australia |
| Branch | Australian Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Part of | Merauke Force |
| Nickname(s) | Merauke Regiment |
| Colours | Purple beside Green |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Insignia | |
| Unit Colour Patch |  |
The 62nd Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was first raised in 1917 during World War I but was disbanded before seeing active service. During World War II the battalion was re-raised in 1942 as a unit of the Militia and was tasked with undertaking garrison duty in Dutch New Guinea, where they defended Merauke from possible Japanese attack. In 1944, the battalion was disbanded and its personnel distributed to units of the 9th Division as reinforcements.
The battalion was initially formed in the United Kingdom during World War I as part of the effort to raise a 6th Division of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). Established on 25 April 1917 it was assigned to the 17th Brigade before being transferred to the 16th Brigade on 16 May 1917. It was disbanded on 16 September 1917, however, due to manpower shortages that resulted from heavy losses amongst the Australian Corps in France during the fighting around Bullecourt and Messines, which, coupled with the shortage of reinforcements due to the reduced number of volunteers and the failure of attempts to introduce conscription, meant that the 6th Division had to be broken up and its personnel dispersed in order to reinforce the other five Australian divisions.
During World War II, the battalion was re-raised on 29 December 1942 as a unit of the Militia. At this time, the battalion drew its personnel from the 14th Garrison Battalion who were stationed on Thursday Island and adopted the territorial designation of the "Merauke Regiment".
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