ISBN: | 978-5-5105-5292-8 |
High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The 2/48th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army which served during the Second World War. Raised in Adelaide in South Australia in August 1940, the battalion formed part of the 26th Brigade and was initially assigned to the 7th Division, although it was later transferred to the 9th Division in 1941 when it was deployed to the Middle East. While there, it saw action during the siege of Tobruk and the Second Battle of El Alamein before being returned to Australia in order to take part in the fighting in New Guinea following Japan`s entry in to the war. During the campaign in New Guinea, the battalion took part in the advance on Lae and the fighting around Finschhafen and Sattelberg. Following this it was withdrawn to Australia, where the it remained for over a year. In mid-1945 the 2/48th Battalion took part in the landings on Tarakan, which was its final involvement in the war. It was disbanded in October 1945 and is considered to be Australia`s most highly decorated unit of the war, with four members receiving the Victoria Cross, the nation`s highest decoration for gallantry, while over 80 other decorations were also made to its members.