I Corps (Australia)
| I Corps | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1940–1945 |
| Country |
 Australia
|
| Branch |
 Australian Army
|
| Type | Corps |
| Part of | First Army |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Thomas Blamey Leslie Morshead |
I Corps of the Australian Army was its main frontline corps during World War II. Various Australian and other Allied divisions came under its control at different times. In 1940–42, the corps was based in the Mediterranean Theatre. In 1942–45, it oversaw Allied frontline units in the South West Pacific Area.
The corps was established on 11 April 1940 in Melbourne to supervise the frontline divisions of the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF). Lieutenant General Thomas Blamey, the 2nd AIF commander, was appointed General Officer Commanding (GOC).
Blamey left Australia to set up his headquarters in Palestine on 10 June 1940.
The corps took over control of Cyrenaica in Libya on 16 February 1941, replacing the British XIII Corps.
I Corps HQ was transferred to Greece for the campaign there in April 1941. The corps controlled the Australian 6th Division, the New Zealand 2nd Division, the Greek 12th Division and the British 1st Armoured Brigade. On 12 April, it was officially renamed the Anzac Corps, a reference to the combined Australian-New Zealand formations of World War I. (The Allied forces were quickly overcome by the German advance and I Corps HQ left Greece on 23–24 April).
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