Gull Force
| 2/21st Battalion | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1940–1945 |
| Country | Australia |
| Branch | Australian Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | ~800–900 men |
| Part of | 23rd Brigade, 8th Division |
| Engagements | |
| Insignia | |
| Unit Colour Patch |  |
The 2/21st Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Raised for service during Second World War as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force, it was formed on 11 July 1940 at Trawool in central Victoria as part of the 23rd Brigade of the 8th Division. It was subsequently deployed to Ambon as part of Gull Force in December 1941 following the Japanese invasion of Malaya; however, with the defence of the island considered untenable due to the limited military resources available and overwhelming Japanese strength it was subsequently captured despite determined resistance, surrendering on 3 February 1942. Most members of the battalion became prisoners of war, and a large number died in captivity.
The 2/21st Battalion was formed on 11 July 1940 at Trawool in central Victoria as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force during the Second World War. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Leonard Roach, a Militia officer who had previously commanded the 14th Battalion, it was part of the 23rd Brigade of the 8th Division. The majority of the battalion's initial intake of volunteers were Victorians, drawn from the country areas around Shepparton as well as Melbourne. The colours chosen for the battalion's Unit Colour Patch (UCP) were the same as those of the 21st Battalion, a unit which had served during World War I before being raised as a Militia formation in 1921. These colours were black over red, in a diamond shape, although a border of gray in an oval shape was added to the UCP to distinguish the battalion from its Militia counterpart; the oval border denoted that the battalion was an 8th Division unit.
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