156-548: Commander, Royal Artillery ( CRA ) was a military appointment in Commonwealth infantry and armoured divisions in the 20th century. The CRA was the senior artillery officer in the division and commanded the regiments of field, anti-aircraft and anti-tank artillery, and provided specialist artillery and offensive support advice to the divisional commander. Even though the Canadians, New Zealanders, etc. had their own artillery corps (i.e.
312-468: A maréchal de camp wore two stars. During the French Revolution , the revolutionaries' drive to rationalise the state led to a change in the system of ranks. The rank of brigadier des armées was abolished and the normal brigade command rank, maréchal de camp , was replaced by brigade general. The rank of brigade general inherited the two stars of the rank of maréchal de camp , explaining
468-539: A General de Brigada wears a two-star insignia. Hence, it is equivalent to the major general rank of many countries. In the Brazilian Air Force , all of the senior ranks include 'Brigadeiro'; the two-star rank is Brigadeiro (Brigadier), the three-star rank is Major-Brigadeiro (Major-Brigadier), and the four-star rank is Tenente-Brigadeiro-do-Ar (Lieutenant-Air-Brigadier). In the Canadian Forces ,
624-929: A cyclist battalion . Meanwhile, the majority of the Australian Light Horse had remained in the Middle East and subsequently served in Egypt, Sinai, Palestine and Syria with the Desert Column of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. In August 1917 the column was expanded to become the Desert Mounted Corps, which consisted of the ANZAC Mounted Division, Australian Mounted Division and the Imperial Camel Corps Brigade (which included
780-582: A nationalist revolt in Egypt in 1919 and did so with efficiency and brutality, although they suffered a number of fatalities in the process. Total Australian battle casualties in the campaign were 4,851, including 1,374 dead. Five infantry divisions of the AIF saw action in France and Belgium, leaving Egypt in March 1916. I ANZAC Corps subsequently took up positions in a quiet sector south of Armentières on 7 April 1916 and for
936-545: A British regular officer seconded to the Australian Army before the war. The 1st Light Horse Brigade was commanded by Colonel Harry Chauvel , an Australian regular, while the divisional artillery was commanded by Colonel Talbot Hobbs . The initial response for recruits was so good that in September 1914 the decision was made to raise the 4th Infantry Brigade and 2nd and 3rd Light Horse Brigades . The 4th Infantry Brigade
1092-456: A bloody stalemate developed. This ultimately lasted eight months before Allied commanders decided to evacuate the troops without having achieved the campaign's objectives. Australian casualties totalled 26,111, including 8,141 killed. After the withdrawal from Gallipoli the Australians returned to Egypt and the AIF underwent a major expansion. In 1916, the infantry began to move to France while
1248-551: A cohesive and remarkably effective force, but also one whose members could not be relied upon to accept military discipline or to even remain in action". Indiscipline, misbehaviour, and public drunkenness were reportedly widespread in Egypt in 1914–15, while a number of AIF personnel were also involved in several civil disturbances or riots in the red-light district of Cairo during this period. Australians also appear to have been over-represented among British Empire personnel convicted by court martial of various disciplinary offences on
1404-601: A colonel. Prior to 2001, the Bangladesh Army rank was known as brigadier , in conformity with the rank structure of the Commonwealth Nations . In 2001 the Bangladesh Army introduced the rank of brigadier general , however "the grade stayed equivalent to brigadier", and although classified as a "one-star rank", a brigadier general is not considered to be a general officer – the lowest ranking general officer
1560-524: A day for their dependents; however, a separation allowance was added in 1915. Reflecting the progressive nature of Australian industrial and social policy of the era, this rate of pay was intended to be equal to that of the average worker (after including rations and accommodation) and higher than that of soldiers in the Militia. In contrast, New Zealand soldiers received five shillings, while British infantrymen were initially only paid one shilling, although this
1716-416: A divisional trench mortar brigade, four companies of engineers, a divisional signals company, a divisional train consisting of four service corps companies, a salvage company, three field ambulances , a sanitary section and a mobile veterinary section. These changes were reflective of wider organisational adaption, tactical innovation, and the adoption of new weapons and technology that occurred throughout
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#17330862005861872-534: A geographical region, with men recruited from that area. New South Wales and Victoria , the most populous states, filled their own battalions (and even whole brigades) while the "Outer States"— Queensland , South Australia , Western Australia and Tasmania —often combined to assemble a battalion. These regional associations remained throughout the war and each battalion developed its own strong regimental identity. The pioneer battalions (1st to 5th, formed from March 1916) were also mostly recruited regionally; however,
2028-517: A large system of depots that was established on Salisbury Plain by each branch of the AIF including infantry, engineers, artillery, signals, medical and logistics. After completing their initial instruction at depots in Australia and the United Kingdom, soldiers were posted to in-theatre base depots where they received advanced training before being posted as reinforcements to operational units. Like
2184-564: A last-ditched effort to win the war, unleashing 63 divisions over a 70-mile (110 km) front. As the Allies fell back the 3rd and 4th Divisions were rushed south to Amiens on the Somme. The offensive lasted for the next five months and all five AIF divisions in France were engaged in the attempt to stem the tide. By late May the Germans had pushed to within 50 miles (80 km) of Paris. During this time
2340-469: A lieutenant general, took over command of the corps on 31 May 1918. Despite being promoted to command the British Fifth Army , Birdwood retained command of the AIF. By this time four of the five divisional commanders were Australian officers. The exception was Major General Ewen Sinclair-Maclagan, the commander of the 4th Division, who was a British Army officer seconded to the Australian Army before
2496-546: A newly raised second division, as well as three light horse brigades, reinforcing the committed units. After being evacuated to Egypt, the AIF was expanded to five infantry divisions, which were committed to the fighting in France and Belgium along the Western Front in March 1916. A sixth infantry division was partially raised in 1917 in the United Kingdom, but was broken up and used as reinforcements following heavy casualties on
2652-545: A number of Australian, British and New Zealand camel companies). In contrast to the static trench warfare that developed in Europe, the troops in the Middle East mostly experienced a more fluid form of warfare involving manoeuvre and combined arms tactics. The 1st AIF included the Australian Flying Corps (AFC). Soon after the outbreak of war in 1914, two aircraft were sent to assist in capturing German colonies in what
2808-669: A number of convalescent depots. One small armoured unit was raised, the 1st Armoured Car Section. Formed in Australia, it fought in the Western Desert, and then, re-equipped with T Model Fords , served in Palestine as the 1st Light Car Patrol . Camel companies were raised in Egypt to patrol the Western Desert. They formed part of the Imperial Camel Corps and fought in the Sinai and Palestine. In 1918 they were converted to light horse as
2964-577: A part in the development of new combined arms tactics for offensive operations that occurred within the BEF, while in defence they employed patrolling, trench raids, and Peaceful Penetration tactics to dominate no man's land . Following the deployment of the AIF a reinforcement system was used to replace wastage. Reinforcements received training in Australia first at camps around the country before sailing as drafts—consisting of about two officers and between 100 and 150 other ranks—and joining their assigned units at
3120-543: A period of six to eight weeks, although others—such as the 5th Battalion —spent as little as one day on live firing before departing for overseas. Following the embarkation of the initial force to the Middle East, further training was undertaken in the desert. This was more organised than the training provided in Australia, but was still quite rushed. Individual training was consolidated but progressed quickly into collective training at battalion and brigade-level. Training exercises, marches, drill and musketry practices followed but
3276-535: A range of personal weapons including knives, clubs, knuckle-dusters, revolvers and pistols. Snipers on the Western Front used Pattern 1914 Enfield sniper rifles with telescopic sights. Light horsemen also carried bayonets (as they were initially considered mounted infantry ), although the Australian Mounted Division adopted cavalry swords in late 1917. Artillery included 18-pounders which equipped
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#17330862005863432-571: A salient south of Ypres. The attack commenced with the detonation of a million pounds (454,545 kg) of explosives that had been placed underneath the Messines ridge, destroying the German trenches. The advance was virtually unopposed, and despite strong German counterattacks the next day, it succeeded. Australian casualties during the Battle of Messines included nearly 6,800 men. I ANZAC Corps then took part in
3588-650: A second referendum on conscription, which was defeated by an even greater margin. Recruitment continued to decline, reaching a low in December (2,247). Monthly intakes fell further in early 1918, but peaked in May (4,888) and remained relatively steady albeit reduced from previous periods, before slightly increasing in October (3,619) prior to the armistice in November. Ultimately, the voluntary system of recruitment proved unable to sustain
3744-547: A series of AIF officer schools, such as that at Broadmeadows, were established in Australia before officer training was eventually concentrated at a school near Duntroon. These schools produced a large number of officers, but they were eventually closed in 1917 due to concerns that their graduates were too inexperienced. After this most replacement officers were drawn from the ranks of the AIF's deployed units, and candidates attended either British officer training units, or in-theatre schools established in France. After February 1916,
3900-573: A series of raids, known as Peaceful Penetrations. The Allies soon launched their own offensive—the Hundred Days Offensive —ultimately ending the war. Beginning on 8 August 1918 the offensive included four Australian divisions striking at Amiens . Using the combined arms techniques developed earlier at Hamel, significant gains were made on what became known as the "Black Day" of the German Army. The offensive continued for four months, and during
4056-465: A shoulder title bearing the word "Australia". Rank insignia followed the British Army pattern and were worn on the upper arms (or shoulders for officers). Identical hat and collar badges were worn by all units, which were initially only distinguished by small metal numerals and letters on the shoulder straps (or collars for officers). However, in 1915 a system of unit colour patches was adopted, worn on
4212-539: A significant increase in enlistments, with 36,575 men being recruited in July 1915. Although this level was never again reached, enlistments remained high in late 1915 and early 1916. From then a gradual decline occurred, and whereas news from Gallipoli had increased recruitment, the fighting at Fromelles and Pozieres did not have a similar effect, with monthly totals dropping from 10,656 in May 1916 to around 6,000 between June and August. Significant losses in mid-1916, coupled with
4368-452: A single day. The 1st Division entered the line on 23 July, assaulting Pozières , and by the time that they were relieved by the 2nd Division on 27 July, they had suffered 5,286 casualties. Mouquet Farm was attacked in August, with casualties totalling 6,300 men. By the time the AIF was withdrawn from the Somme to reorganise, they had suffered 23,000 casualties in just 45 days. In March 1917,
4524-409: A single silver maple leaf beneath crossed sabre and baton, all surmounted by St. Edward's Crown , worn on the shoulder straps of the service dress jacket, and on slip-ons on other uniforms. The rank insignia on army uniforms is a gold maple leaf beneath crossed sword and baton, all surmounted by St. Edward's Crown, on the shoulder straps. On the visor of the service cap are two rows of gold oak leaves;
4680-521: Is Major General . Brigadier general is equivalent to commodore of the Bangladesh Navy and air commodore of the Bangladesh Air Force . It is still more popularly called brigadier . The Belgian Army uses the rank of général de brigade ( French ) and brigadegeneraal ( Dutch , 'brigade general'). However, in this small military there are no permanent promotions to this rank, and it
4836-467: Is a military rank used in many countries. The rank originates from the Old European System . It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general . When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000 troops (four battalions ). In some countries, this rank
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4992-594: Is an infantry brigade. The two brigade group structure envisages distinct operational areas of responsibility for each of the brigades and is supported in its responsibilities by the Naval Service and Air Corps. Each of the brigade formations and the Air Corps is commanded by a brigadier general, while the Naval Service is commanded by a commodore. In the Italian Armed Forces the rank has different denominations. In
5148-901: Is associated with the lowest level within the government top management. Within the Mexican Armed Forces , there exists two grades of brigadier general. The lowest general officer is General brigadier , with the second lowest being General de brigada . The general officer rank higher than the two brigadier generals is Divisional general . In the Philippines, Brigadier General ( Philippine Army Philippine Air Force and Philippine Marines )/ Commodore ( Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard )/ Chief Superintendent ( Bureau of Fire Protection and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology ) / Police Brigadier General (Chief Superintendent before) ( Philippine National Police ) / Gial De Brigada (1890–1902) ( Philippine Revolutionary Army )
5304-423: Is believed that roughly 30 percent of men that applied were rejected on medical grounds. To enlist, men had to be aged between 18 and 35 years of age (although it is believed that men as old as 70 and as young as 14 managed to enlist), and they had to be at least 5 feet 6 inches (168 cm), with a chest measurement of at least 34 inches (86 cm). Many of these strict requirements were lifted later in
5460-621: Is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral (lower half) in the other uniformed services . In the Uruguayan Air Force , a brigadier general is the second highest rank in its hierarchy, behind the air general, and the first of the general officers to be achieved. It is equivalent to the rank of general in the Army and counter admiral in the Navy . Each brigadier general is appointed by the Executive with
5616-469: Is given the name of brigadier , which is usually equivalent to brigadier general in the armies of nations that use the rank. The rank can be traced back to the militaries of Europe where a "brigadier general", or simply a "brigadier", would command a brigade in the field. In the first quarter of the 20th century, British and Commonwealth armies used the rank of brigadier general as a temporary appointment, or as an honorary appointment on retirement; in
5772-568: Is now north-east New Guinea. However, these colonies surrendered quickly, before the planes were even unpacked. The first operational flights did not occur until 27 May 1915, when the Mesopotamian Half Flight was called upon to assist the Indian Army in protecting British oil interests in what is now Iraq . The corps later saw action in Egypt , Palestine and on the Western Front throughout
5928-459: Is only awarded as a temporary promotion to a full colonel who assumes a post requiring the rank, notably in an international context (e.g. as military attaché in a major embassy). General de brigada (Brigade general) is the lowest rank amongst general officers of the Brazilian Army ; i.e. like in most British Commonwealth countries, the lowest general officer rank is a two-star rank , and
6084-400: Is still used notwithstanding that brigades in the army are now commanded by colonels. Until the late 1990s brigades were commanded by brigadier-generals. In the air force context, brigadier-generals used to command air force groups until these bodies were abolished in the late 1990s. The rank insignia for a brigadier-general on air force uniforms is a single wide braid on the cuff, as well as
6240-539: Is the immediately superior two-star rank . While the Chilean Air Force uses Comodoro for its one-star rank, two-star Air Force officers hold the rank of General de Brigada Aérea – literally 'air brigade general'. The rank of brigadier general was established in 1953 by decree 1325 on the 21st of May. With this decree, the ranks of lieutenant general and general were replaced by brigadier general and lieutenant general establishing brigadier as
6396-515: Is the lowest general officer before Divisional General ( Spanish : General de Division ) and Lieutenant General ( Spanish : Teniente General ). In the Australian Imperial Force during World War I , the rank of brigadier general was always temporary and held only while the officer was posted to a particular task, typically the command of a brigade. (Until 1915, Australian brigades were commanded by colonels.) When posted elsewhere,
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6552-655: Is the lowest rank of generals but already eligible in the promotion to become Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines or PNP Chief of the Philippine National Police surpassing the Major General and Lieutenant General ranks. Generał brygady (literally, "general of a brigade", abbreviated gen. bryg. ) is the lowest-ranking general in the Polish Land Forces and Air Force . In
6708-559: Is titled "general" without any implication that he is an army general ; for instance General Charles de Gaulle never rose higher than brigade general. Until 1793, the rank of brigadier des armées ("brigadier of the armies") existed in the French Army , which could be described as a senior colonel or junior brigade commander. The normal brigade command rank was maréchal de camp (literally "camp marshal"). When rank insignia were introduced, brigadier des armées wore one star and
6864-612: Is used for the designated rank of the general officers that the country stipulates as brigade commanders' class by law. The rank of brigadier general (with some local variations) is used in the Argentine Air Force . Unlike other armed forces of the World, the rank of brigadier general is actually the highest rank in the Air Force. This is due to the use of the rank of brigadier and its derivatives to designate all general officers in
7020-892: The 14th and 15th Light Horse Regiments . Although operationally placed at the disposal of the British, the AIF was administered as a separate national force, with the Australian government reserving the responsibility for the promotion, pay, clothing, equipment and feeding of its personnel. The AIF was administered separately from the home-based army in Australia, and a parallel system was set up to deal with non-operational matters including record-keeping, finance, ordnance, personnel, quartermaster and other issues. The AIF also had separate conditions of service, rules regarding promotion and seniority, and graduation list for officers. This responsibility initially fell to Bridges, in addition to his duties as its commander; however, an Administrative Headquarters
7176-505: The 4th Armoured Division ( 4 division cuirassée ). However his initial authority as head of the Free French really came from being the only cabinet member (Under-Secretary of State for National Defence and War ) outside occupied France , not from his military rank. As a reminder of his war position, he refused any further promotion. The country is divided into two areas for administrative and operational reasons, and in each area there
7332-436: The Army , the rank for combat arms officers is generale di brigata whilst for the logistics and technical corps is called brigadier generale . In 1926, the brigadiere generale and maggior generale in comando di brigata were merged and renamed with their current rank designation.The rank is also present in the other armed forces, police corps and other services of Italy , with different denominations, and it
7488-685: The British Expeditionary Force (BEF). At the start of the Gallipoli Campaign, the AIF had four infantry brigades with the first three making up the 1st Division. The 4th Brigade was joined with the sole New Zealand infantry brigade to form the New Zealand and Australian Division. The 2nd Division had been formed in Egypt in 1915 and was sent to Gallipoli in August to reinforce the 1st Division, doing so without its artillery and having only partially completed its training. After Gallipoli,
7644-809: The Mesopotamian Campaign . They participated in a number of battles, including the Battle of Baghdad in March 1917 and the Battle of Ramadi in September that year. Following the Russian Revolution in 1917, the Caucasus Front collapsed, leaving Central Asia open to the Turkish Army. A special force, known as Dunsterforce after its commander, Major General Lionel Dunsterville , was formed from hand-picked British officers and NCOs to organise any remaining Russian forces or civilians who were ready to fight
7800-574: The New Zealand Division . However, General Douglas Haig , the commander of the British Empire forces in France, rejected this proposal on the grounds that the size of these forces was too small to justify grouping them in a field army . Birdwood was officially confirmed as commander of the AIF on 14 September 1916, backdated to 18 September 1915, while also commanding I ANZAC Corps on the Western Front . He retained overall responsibility for
7956-619: The New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF)—this fact at least partially accounted for the high percentage of casualties it later sustained. Nevertheless, the AIF eventually included a large number of logistics and administrative units which were capable of meeting most of the force's needs, and in some circumstances provided support to nearby allied units. However, the AIF mainly relied on the British Army for medium and heavy artillery support and other weapons systems necessary for combined arms warfare that were developed later in
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#17330862005868112-536: The Portuguese Army and Air Force , brigadeiro-general is a temporary general rank for the colonels that have to exercise a special command. It is the equivalent of the commodore rank in the Portuguese Navy . The rank was reintroduced in 1999. Before that, simply as brigadeiro , it existed from 1707 to 1864 and again from 1929 to 1947, not being considered a general rank. From 1947 to 1999, brigadeiro become
8268-659: The Royal Canadian Air Force , Canadian Army , and the Royal Canadian Navy , rank structure and insignia followed the British pattern. This system of rank insignia was reinstated in 2014. In army usage, the term "brigadier" was used to denote what is now known as a brigadier-general while the air force used the rank of air commodore . In the Chilean Army , Brigadier is a one-star rank and General de Brigada
8424-606: The Second Battle of Bullecourt , beginning on 3 May, and succeeded in taking sections of the Hindenburg Line and holding them until relieved by the 1st Division. Finally, on 7 May the 5th Division relieved the 1st, remaining in the line until the battle ended in mid-May. Combined, these efforts cost 7,482 Australian casualties. On 7 June 1917, II ANZAC Corps—along with two British corps—launched an operation in Flanders to eliminate
8580-407: The Second Battle of the Somme the Australian Corps fought actions at Lihons, Etinehem, Proyart, Chuignes, and Mont St Quentin , before their final engagement of the war on 5 October 1918 at Montbrehain . While these actions were successful, the Australian divisions suffered considerable casualties and by September 1918 the average strength of their infantry battalions was between 300 and 400, which
8736-411: The Turkish Air Force , the equivalent rank is tuğgeneral (the Turkish Navy equivalent is tuğamiral ). The name is derived from tugay , the Turkish word for a brigade. Both tugay and tuğ - as military terms may owe their origins to the older Turkish word tuğ , meaning horsetail, which was used as a symbol of authority and rank in Ottoman and pre-Ottoman times. Brigadier-general
8892-447: The 1920s this practice changed to the use of brigadier, which was not classed as a general officer. Brigade general is the rank of a brigade commander in countries where the French Revolutionary System's general officer rank designation is used. The rank name général de brigade ( transl. brigade general ) was first used in the French revolutionary armies. It used both brigadier general and major general because it
9048-399: The 1st Division in November when Major General Harold Walker was wounded, becoming the first Australian-born officer to command a division. When Birdwood became commander of the Dardanelles Army , command of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and the AIF passed to another British officer, Lieutenant General Alexander Godley , the commander of the NZEF, but Birdwood resumed command of
9204-412: The 2nd and 3rd Light Horse Brigades as reinforcements. Later, as the campaign continued the corps was reinforced further by the 2nd Australian Division, which began arriving from August 1915. In February 1916, it was reorganised into I and II ANZAC Corps in Egypt following the evacuation from Gallipoli and the subsequent expansion of the AIF. I ANZAC Corps included the Australian 1st and 2nd Divisions and
9360-442: The 2nd and 5th Divisions pursued the Germans back to the Hindenburg Line , capturing the town of Bapaume . On 11 April, the 4th Division assaulted the Hindenburg Line in the disastrous First Battle of Bullecourt , losing over 3,000 casualties and 1,170 captured. On 15 April, the 1st and 2nd Divisions were counter-attacked near Lagnicourt and were forced to abandon the town, before recapturing it. The 2nd Division then took part in
9516-480: The 4th and 5th Divisions. This ensured the battalions of the two new divisions had a core of experienced soldiers. The 6th Division commenced forming in England in February 1917, but was never deployed to France and was broken up in September of that year to provide reinforcements to the other five divisions. The Australian infantry did not have regiments in the British sense , only battalions identified by ordinal number (1st to 60th). Each battalion originated from
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#17330862005869672-447: The AFC maintained flying operations until the end of the war. Total Australian casualties on the Western Front numbered 181,000, including 46,000 of whom died. Another 114,000 men were wounded, 16,000 gassed, and approximately 3,850 were taken prisoners of war. Small numbers of AIF personnel also served in other theatres. Australian troops from the 1st Australian Wireless Signal Squadron provided communications for British forces during
9828-534: The AFC were similar to those of the rest of the AIF, although some officers wore the double-breasted "maternity jacket" which had been worn at the pre-war Central Flying School . AFC "wings" were worn on the left breast, while an AFC colour patch and standard rising sun badges were also worn. The first contingent of the AIF departed by ship in a single convoy from Fremantle, Western Australia and Albany on 1 November 1914. Although they were originally bound for England to undergo further training prior to employment on
9984-514: The AIF and its soldiers, known colloquially as " Diggers ", became central to the national mythology of the " Anzac legend ". Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish it from the Second Australian Imperial Force raised during World War II . At the start of the war, Australia's military forces were focused upon the part-time Militia . The small number of regular personnel were mostly artillerymen or engineers , and were generally assigned to
10140-440: The AIF consisted of only one infantry division, the 1st Division , and the 1st Light Horse Brigade . The 1st Division was made up of the 1st Infantry Brigade under Colonel Henry MacLaurin , an Australian-born officer with previous part-time military service; the 2nd , under Colonel James Whiteside McCay , an Irish-born Australian politician and former Minister for Defence ; and the 3rd , under Colonel Ewen Sinclair-Maclagan ,
10296-479: The AIF units in the Middle East, but in practice this fell to Godley, and after II ANZAC Corps left Egypt as well, to Chauvel who also commanded the ANZAC Mounted Division . Later promoted to lieutenant general, he subsequently commanded the Desert Mounted Corps of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force ; the first Australian to command a corps . Birdwood was later given command of the Australian Corps on its formation in November 1917. Another Australian, Monash, by then
10452-403: The AIF until October 1917, when the restrictions were altered to allow so-called "half-castes" to join. Estimates of the number of Indigenous Australians who served in the AIF differ considerably, but are believed to be over 500. More than 2,000 women served with the AIF, mainly in the Australian Army Nursing Service . The recruitment process was managed by the various military districts. At
10608-399: The AIF when he assumed command of II ANZAC Corps upon its formation in Egypt in early 1916. I ANZAC Corps and II ANZAC Corps swapped designations on 28 March 1916. During early 1916 the Australian and, to a lesser extent, New Zealand governments sought the establishment of an Australian and New Zealand Army led by Birdwood which would have included all of the AIF's infantry divisions and
10764-406: The AIF's initial senior officers had been members of the pre-war military, few had any substantial experience in managing brigade-sized or larger units in the field as training exercises on this scale had been rarely conducted before the outbreak of hostilities. This inexperience contributed to tactical mistakes and avoidable casualties during the Gallipoli campaign. After the AIF was transferred to
10920-411: The AIF, mutiny was one of two charges that carried the death penalty, the other being desertion to the enemy. Instead of being charged with mutiny, the instigators were charged as being absent without leave (AWOL) and the doomed battalions were eventually permitted to remain together for the forthcoming battle, following which the survivors voluntarily disbanded. These mutinies were motivated mainly by
11076-403: The AIF: During the Gallipoli Campaign four light horse brigades had been dismounted and fought alongside the infantry divisions. However, in March 1916 the ANZAC Mounted Division was formed in Egypt (so named because it contained one mounted brigade from New Zealand – the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade ). Likewise, the Australian Mounted Division—formed in February 1917—was originally named
11232-656: The Air Force: brigadier (lowest general officer); brigadier-major (middle); and brigadier-general (highest). The rank of brigadier general is reserved for the Chief General Staff of the Air Force, as well as the Chief of the Joint General Staff if he should be an Air Force officer. The Argentine Army does not use the rank of brigadier-general, instead using brigade general ( Spanish : General de brigada ) which in turn
11388-478: The Australian field artillery expanding from just three field brigades in 1914 to twenty at the end of 1917. The majority of the heavy artillery units supporting the Australian divisions were British, although two Australian heavy batteries were raised from the regular Australian Garrison Artillery. These were the 54th Siege Battery, which was equipped with 8-inch howitzers , and the 55th with 9.2-inch howitzers . The following mounted divisions were raised as part of
11544-598: The Australians capturing the wells at Beersheba and securing the valuable water they contained along with over 700 prisoners for the loss of 31 killed and 36 wounded. Later, Australian troops assisted in pushing the Turkish forces out of Palestine and took part in actions at Mughar Ridge , Jerusalem and the Megiddo . The Turkish government surrendered on 30 October 1918. Units of the Light Horse were subsequently used to help put down
11700-459: The Australians fought at Dernancourt , Morlancourt, Villers-Bretonneux , Hangard Wood , Hazebrouck , and Hamel . At Hamel the commander of the Australian Corps, Monash, successfully used combined arms—including aircraft, artillery and armour—in an attack for the first time. The German offensive ground to a halt in mid-July and a brief lull followed, during which the Australians undertook
11856-460: The Australians were included amongst the British, Indian and French forces committed to the campaign. The combined Australian and New Zealand Army Corps—commanded by British general William Birdwood —subsequently landed at Anzac Cove on the Gallipoli peninsula on 25 April 1915. Although promising to transform the war if successful, the Gallipoli Campaign was ill-conceived and shortly after the landing
12012-452: The British regimental system this was traumatic enough; however, the regimental identity survived the disbanding of a single battalion. In the Australian system, disbanding a battalion meant the extinction of the unit. In September 1918, the decision to disband seven battalions—the 19th , 21st , 25th , 37th , 42nd , 54th and 60th —led to a series of "mutinies over disbandment" where the ranks refused to report to their new battalions. In
12168-425: The British Army, the AIF sought to rapidly pass on "lessons learned" as the war progressed, and these were widely transmitted through regularly updated training documents. The experience gained through combat also improved the skills of the surviving officers and men, and by 1918 the AIF was a very well trained and well led force. After coming to terms with the conditions on the Western Front the Australians had played
12324-501: The British Army, which allowed the force to be self-sustaining in many fields. The AIF generally followed British administrative policy and procedures, including for the awarding of imperial honours and awards . The weaponry and equipment of the Australian Army had mostly been standardised on that used by the British Army prior to the outbreak of World War I. During the war the equipment used changed as tactics evolved, and generally followed British developments. The standard issued rifle
12480-407: The British desired", in keeping with pre-war Imperial defence planning. The Australian Imperial Force (AIF) subsequently began forming shortly after the outbreak of war and was the brain child of Brigadier General William Throsby Bridges (later Major General) and his chief of staff, Major Brudenell White . Officially coming into being on 15 August 1914, the word 'imperial' was chosen to reflect
12636-454: The European battlefield, the training system was greatly improved. Efforts were made at standardisation, with a formal training organisation and curriculum—consisting of 14 weeks basic training for infantrymen—being established. In Egypt, as the AIF was expanded in early 1916, each brigade established a training battalion. These formations were later sent to the United Kingdom and were absorbed into
12792-612: The Gallipoli Campaign in 1915 and was commanded by Birdwood. Initially the corps consisted of the 1st Australian Division, the New Zealand and Australian Division, and two mounted brigades—the Australian 1st Light Horse Brigade and the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade—although when first deployed to Gallipoli in April, it did so without its mounted formations, as the terrain was considered unsuitable. However, in May, both brigades were dismounted and deployed along with
12948-518: The German offensive in March 1918 the three companies served as infantry, and later supported the Allied advance being used to defuse booby traps and mines. The Australian Electrical Mining and Mechanical Boring Company supplied electric power to units in the British Second Army area. Motor transport units were also formed. Not required at Gallipoli, they were sent on to the Western Front, becoming
13104-467: The Imperial Mounted Division because it contained the British 5th and 6th Mounted Brigades . Each division consisted of three mounted light horse brigades. A light horse brigade consisted of three regiments. Each regiment included three squadrons of four troops and a machine-gun section. The initial strength of a regiment was around 500 men, although its establishment changed throughout
13260-559: The Libyan Desert and the Nile Valley, during which the combined British forces successfully put down the primitive pro-Turkish Islamic sect with heavy casualties. The ANZAC Mounted Division subsequently saw considerable action in the Battle of Romani between 3 and 5 August 1916 against the Turks who were eventually pushed back. Following this victory the British forces went on the offensive in
13416-602: The New Zealand Division. The New Zealand Division was later transferred to the II ANZAC Corps in July 1916 and was replaced by the Australian 3rd Division in I ANZAC. Initially employed in Egypt as part of the defence of the Suez Canal , it was transferred to the Western Front in March 1916. II ANZAC Corps included the Australian 4th and 5th Divisions, forming in Egypt it transferred to France in July 1916. In November 1917
13572-712: The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery), the term CRA was still used to mark this appointment in formations of those armies (rather than CRCA or CRNZA etc.) for consistency between the allies. The CRA was usually ranked as a brigadier-general in the First World War, and as a brigadier in the Second World War, and if he held this rank was usually referred to as the Brigadier-General, Royal Artillery (BGRA), or Brigadier, Royal Artillery (BRA). At Corps HQ level there
13728-545: The Sinai, although the pace of the advance was governed by the speed by which the railway and water pipeline could be constructed from the Suez Canal. Rafa was captured on 9 January 1917, while the last of the small Turkish garrisons in the Sinai were eliminated in February. The advance entered Palestine and an initial , unsuccessful attempt was made to capture Gaza on 26 March 1917, while a second and equally unsuccessful attempt
13884-620: The Third Battle of Ypres in Belgium as part of the campaign to capture the Gheluvelt Plateau, between September and November 1917. Individual actions took place at Menin Road , Polygon Wood , Broodseinde , Poelcappelle and Passchendaele and over the course of eight weeks of fighting the Australians suffered 38,000 casualties. On 21 March 1918, the German Army launched its Spring Offensive in
14040-661: The Western Front from 1916, especially absence without leave. This may be partially explained by the refusal of the Australian government to follow the British Army practice of applying the death penalty to desertion , unlike New Zealand or Canada, as well as to the high proportion of front-line personnel in the AIF. Australian soldiers received prison sentences, including hard labour and life imprisonment, for desertion as well as for other serious offences, including manslaughter, assault and theft. More minor offences included drunkenness and defiance of authority. There were also examples of Australian soldiers being involved in looting, while
14196-536: The Western Front in May 1916 they undertook mining and counter-mining operations alongside British, Canadian and New Zealand companies, initially operating around Armentieres and at Fromelles . The following year they operated in the Ypres section. In November 1916, the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company took over from the Canadians around Hill 60 , subsequently playing a key role in the Battle of Messines in June 1917. During
14352-457: The Western Front, the Australians were subsequently sent to British-controlled Egypt to pre-empt any Turkish attack against the strategically important Suez Canal, and with a view to opening another front against the Central Powers . Aiming to knock Turkey out of the war the British then decided to stage an amphibious lodgement at Gallipoli and following a period of training and reorganisation
14508-507: The Western Front. Meanwhile, two mounted divisions remained in the Middle East to fight against Turkish forces in the Sinai and Palestine . The AIF included the Australian Flying Corps (AFC), the predecessor to the Royal Australian Air Force , which consisted of four combat and four training squadrons that were deployed to the United Kingdom, the Western Front and the Middle East throughout the war. An all volunteer force, by
14664-446: The absence since 1793 of a French rank with only one star. For this reason, in France, the rank corresponding to brigade general was changed to brigadier general after NATO was established on April 4, 1949, and before that, it corresponded to major general. Nowadays, a French général de brigade generally commands a brigade. The rank can also be awarded in an honorary fashion to retiring colonels. The insignia are two stars, worn on
14820-658: The air force wedge cap features silver braid on the edges of the ear flaps. The cap insignia for a general officer is a modified version of the Canadian Forces insignia. Army brigadier-generals wear gorget patches on the collar of the service uniform tunic. Brigadier-generals are initially addressed verbally as "General" and name; thereafter by subordinates as "Sir" or "Ma'am" in English or mon général in French. They are normally entitled to staff cars . Until unification in 1968 of
14976-877: The approval of the Senate , in accordance with Article 168 of the Constitution of the Republic . Bibliography First Australian Imperial Force The First Australian Imperial Force ( 1st AIF ) was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during the First World War . It was formed as the Australian Imperial Force ( AIF ) following Britain 's declaration of war on Germany on 15 August 1914, with an initial strength of one infantry division and one light horse brigade . The infantry division subsequently fought at Gallipoli between April and December 1915, with
15132-413: The centre), cap badge (crossed sword and baton within a laurel wreath, surmounted by a crown in gold embroidery) and cap visor (two rows of gold oakleaf embroidery) as other generals. As in the United Kingdom, the rank was later replaced by colonel commandant in 1922 and brigadier in 1928. However, those holding the rank of brigadier general continued to do so throughout the inter-war period, until
15288-475: The commander of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps . When Legge was sent to Egypt to command the 2nd Division , Birdwood made representations to the Australian government that Legge could not act as commander of the AIF, and that the Australian government should transfer Bridges' authority to him. This was done on a temporary basis on 18 September 1915. Promoted to major general, Chauvel took over command of
15444-449: The divisional structure evolved over the course of the war, each formation also included a range of combat support and service units, including artillery , machine-gun , mortar , engineer, pioneer , signals , logistic , medical , veterinary and administrative units. By 1918 each brigade also included a light trench mortar battery, while each division included a pioneer battalion, a machine-gun battalion, two field artillery brigades,
15600-459: The duty of Australians to both nation and empire. The AIF was initially intended for service in Europe. Meanwhile, a separate 2,000-man force—known as the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (AN&MEF)—was formed for the task of capturing German New Guinea . In addition, small military forces were maintained in Australia to defend the country from attack. Upon formation,
15756-417: The end of the war the AIF had gained a reputation as being a well-trained and highly effective military force, playing a significant role in the final Allied victory. However, this reputation came at a heavy cost with a casualty rate among the highest of any belligerent for the war. The remaining troops were repatriated until the disbandment of the 1st AIF between 1919 and 1921. After the war, the achievements of
15912-457: The failure of the volunteer system to provide sufficient replacements, resulted in the first referendum on conscription, which was defeated by a narrow margin. Although there was an increase in enlistments in September (9,325) and October (11,520), in December they fell to the lowest total of the year (2,617). Enlistments in 1917 never exceeded 4,989 (in March). Heavy losses at Passchendaele resulted in
16068-426: The field batteries, 4.5-inch howitzers used by the howitzer batteries, and 8-inch and 9.2-inch howitzers which equipped the heavy (siege) batteries. The 9.45-inch heavy mortar equipped a heavy trench mortar battery, while medium trench mortar batteries were equipped with the 2-inch medium mortar , and later the 6-inch mortar . Light Horse units were supported by British and Indian artillery. The main mount used by
16224-548: The firepower available to the infantry in response to the tactical problems of trench warfare. Light horse units underwent a similar process, although were issued Hotchkiss guns to replace their Lewis guns in early 1917. From 1916 the Stokes light trench mortar was issued to infantry to replace a range of trench catapults and smaller trench mortars, whilst it was also used in a battery at brigade-level to provide organic indirect fire support. In addition, individual soldiers often used
16380-526: The first grade for generals. In the 60s these ranks were reformed once again creating a third rank, brigadier general, Major general, and general in the Fuerzas Militares , and the National Police . France uses the rank of "brigade general" ( général de brigade ). The rank contrasts with the French sub-officer rank of brigadier . As with all French general officers, a French brigade general
16536-542: The first units of the AIF to serve there. The motor transport rejoined I ANZAC Corps when it reached the Western Front in 1916. Australia also formed six railway operating companies, which served on the Western Front. Specialist ordnance units included ammunition and mobile workshops units formed late in the war, while service units included supply columns, ammunition sub-parks, field bakeries and butcheries, and depot units. Hospitals and other specialist medical and dental units were also formed in Australia and overseas, as were
16692-545: The five Australian divisions of I and II ANZAC Corps merged to become the Australian Corps, while the British and New Zealand elements in each corps became the British XXII Corps . The Australian Corps was the largest corps fielded by the British Empire in France, providing just over 10 percent of the manning of the BEF. At its peak it numbered 109,881 men. Corps troops raised included the 13th Light Horse Regiment and three army artillery brigades. Each corps also included
16848-412: The force structure of the AIF, failing to provide sufficient replacements for the heavy casualties it sustained and requiring a number of units to be disbanded towards the end of the war. In mid-1918 it was decided to allow the men who had enlisted in 1914 to return to Australia for home leave, further exacerbating the manpower shortage experienced by the Australian Corps. Regardless, by the last year of
17004-465: The front. Initially, these drafts were assigned to specific units prior to departure and were recruited from the same area as the unit they were assigned to, but later in the war drafts were sent as "general reinforcements", which could be assigned to any unit as required. These drafts were despatched even before Gallipoli and continued until late 1917 to early 1918. Some units had as many as 26 or 27 reinforcement drafts. To provide officer reinforcements,
17160-403: The important role the AIF subsequently played in the final defeat of the German Army in 1918. Soldiers of the AIF were among the highest paid of the war. The pay for a private was set at five shillings a day, while an additional shilling was deferred to be paid on discharge. As a result, the AIF earned the sobriquet "six bob a day tourists". Married men were required to allot two shillings
17316-500: The infantry underwent a major expansion. The 3rd Division was formed in Australia and completed its training in the UK before moving to France. The New Zealand and Australian Division was broken up with the New Zealand elements forming the New Zealand Division , while the original Australian infantry brigades (1st to 4th) were split in half to create 16 new battalions to form another four brigades. These new brigades (12th to 15th) were used to form
17472-576: The issue of NCO training was also taken more seriously, and several schools were established, with training initially being two weeks in duration before being increased to two months. During the war the AIF gained a reputation, at least amongst British officers, for indifference to military authority and indiscipline when away from the battlefield on leave. This included a reputation for refusing to salute officers, sloppy dress, lack of respect for military rank and drunkenness on leave. Historian Peter Stanley has written that "the AIF was, paradoxically, both
17628-461: The landing at Gallipoli where the howitzers would have provided the plunging and high-angled fire that was required due to the rough terrain at Anzac Cove . When the 2nd Division was formed in July 1915 it did so without its complement of artillery. Meanwhile, in December 1915 when the government offered to form another division it did so on the basis that its artillery would be provided by Britain. In time though these shortfalls were overcome, with
17784-494: The last of them retired or was promoted during the Second World War. A brigadier general was a general officer, but brigadiers were not generals, which is shown by the rank insignia being like that of a colonel, but with an extra (third) star/pip, and a brigadier wore the same gorget patches (scarlet cloth with a line of crimson gimp), cap badge (the Royal Crest in gold embroidery), and cap visor (one row of gold oakleaf embroidery) as
17940-512: The light horse was the Waler , while draught horses were used by the artillery and for wheeled transport. Camels were also used, both as mounts and transport, and donkeys and mules were used as pack animals. Enlisted under the Defence Act 1903 , the AIF was an all volunteer force for the duration of the war. Australia was one of only two belligerents on either side not to introduce conscription during
18096-453: The machine-gun battalions (1st to 5th, formed from March 1918 from the brigade and divisional machine-gun companies) were made up of personnel from all states. During the manpower crisis following the Third Battle of Ypres , in which the five divisions sustained 38,000 casualties, there were plans to follow the British reorganisation and reduce all brigades from four battalions to three. In
18252-507: The mounted infantry units remained in the Middle East to fight the Turks. Australian troops of the ANZAC Mounted Division and the Australian Mounted Division saw action in all the major battles of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign , playing a pivotal role in fighting the Turkish troops that were threatening British control of Egypt. The Australians first saw combat during the Senussi Uprising in
18408-422: The next two and a half years the AIF participated in most of the major battles on the Western Front, earning a formidable reputation. Although spared from the disastrous first day of the Battle of the Somme , within weeks four Australian divisions had been committed. The 5th Division, positioned on the left flank, was the first in action during the Battle of Fromelles on 19 July 1916, suffering 5,533 casualties in
18564-400: The outbreak of the war the first class had to be graduated early in order for them to join the AIF, being placed mainly in staff positions. Other than small numbers of Duntroon graduates, from January 1915 the only means to be commissioned into the AIF was from the ranks of enlisted personnel. As a result, by 1918 the majority of company and battalion commanders had risen from the ranks. While
18720-500: The outset it had been planned to recruit half the AIF's initial commitment of 20,000 personnel from Australia's part-time forces, and volunteers were initially recruited from within designated regimental areas, thus creating a linkage between the units of the AIF and the units of the home service Militia. In the early stages of mobilisation the men of the AIF were selected under some of the toughest criterion of any army in World War I and it
18876-429: The practice of "scrounging" or "souveniring" was also widespread. The stresses from prolonged combat contributed to a high incidence of indiscipline within AIF units, and especially those in France during the heavy fighting between April and October 1918. The rates of personnel going absent without leave or deserting increased during 1918, and it became rare for soldiers to salute their officers in many units. Following
19032-418: The pre-war permanent or part-time forces, and a significant proportion of the enlisted personnel had received some basic military instruction as part of Australia's compulsory training scheme . Predominantly a fighting force based on infantry battalions and light horse regiments —the high proportion of close combat troops to support personnel (e.g. medical, administrative, logistic, etc.) was exceeded only by
19188-570: The process of being established. Upon arrival, in makeshift camps the recruits received basic training in drill and musketry from officers and non-commissioned officers, who were not trained instructors and had been appointed mainly because they had previous service in the part-time forces. Camps were established in every state including at Enoggera (Queensland), Liverpool (New South Wales), Broadmeadows (Victoria), Brighton (Tasmania), Morphettville (South Australia) and Blackboy Hill (Western Australia). In some units this training took place over
19344-424: The quality of the training they had received was also limited. The original intention had been that half the initial intake would consist of soldiers that were currently serving in the Militia, but ultimately this did not come to fruition and while about 8,000 of the original intake had some prior military experience, either through compulsory training or as volunteers, over 6,000 had none at all. In terms of officers,
19500-452: The rank of brigadier-general (BGen) ( brigadier-général or bgén in French) is a rank for members who wear army or air force uniform, equal to a commodore for those in navy uniform. A brigadier-general is the lowest rank of general officer . A brigadier-general is senior to a colonel or naval captain , and junior to a major-general or rear-admiral . The rank title brigadier-general
19656-452: The rank would be relinquished and the former rank resumed. This policy prevented an accumulation of high-ranking general officers brought about by the relatively high turnover of brigade commanders. Brigadier general was also used as an honorary rank on retirement. The rank insignia was like that of the current major general , but without the star/pip. Brigadier generals wore the same gorget patches (a line of gold oak leaf embroidery down
19812-583: The remainder of World War I. By the end of the war, four squadrons— Nos. 1 , 2 , 3 and 4 —had seen operational service, while another four training squadrons— Nos. 5 , 6 , 7 and 8 —had also been established. A total of 460 officers and 2,234 other ranks served in the AFC. The AFC remained part of the Australian Army until 1919, when it was disbanded; later forming the basis of the Royal Australian Air Force . A number of specialist units were also raised, including three Australian tunnelling companies . Arriving on
19968-402: The shoulder or at the sleeve of the uniform, depending on the order of dress. Two different kepis are issued: the service kepi sports the two stars, while the formal kepi features a large band of oak leaves (the kepi of a division general has two smaller such bands). Charles de Gaulle held the rank of brigade general. He was given a temporary promotion to this rank in May 1940 as commander of
20124-508: The situation was better. For example, within the 1st Division, of its initial 631 officers, 607 had had previous military experience. This was largely through service in the pre-war militia, though, where there had been little to no formal officer training. In addition, there was a small cadre of junior officers who had been trained for the permanent force at the Royal Military College, Duntroon , but their numbers were very small and at
20280-446: The soldiers' loyalty to their battalions. The artillery underwent a significant expansion during the war. When the 1st Division embarked in November 1914 it did so with its 18-pounder field guns, but Australia had not been able to provide the division with the howitzer batteries or the heavy guns that would otherwise have been included on its establishment, due to a lack of equipment. These shortages were unable to be rectified prior to
20436-420: The soldiers, and contributed to it having a less strict military culture than was common in the British Army. The pre-war Australian Army uniform formed the basis of that worn by the AIF, which adopted the broad-brimmed slouch hat and rising sun badge . Peak caps were initially also worn by the infantry, while light horsemen often wore a distinctive emu plume in their slouch hats. A standard khaki puggaree
20592-437: The standard of the exercises was limited and they lacked realism, meaning that commanders did not benefit from handling their troops under battlefield conditions. Some soldiers had received training through the compulsory training scheme that had been established in 1911, while others had served as volunteers in the part-time forces before the war or as members of the British Army, but their numbers were limited and in many cases
20748-407: The strikes many soldiers had taken part in during their pre-enlistment employment, with the men not seeing themselves as mutineers. The protests which occurred in 1918 over the planned disbandment of several battalions also used similar tactics to those employed in industrial disputes. Historian Nathan Wise has judged that the frequent use of industrial action in the AIF led to improved conditions for
20904-468: The structures of British and Australian units, especially in regards to the AIF infantry divisions' support units. Hastily deployed, the first contingent of the AIF was essentially untrained and suffered from widespread equipment shortages. In early 1915 the AIF was largely an inexperienced force, with only a small percentage of its members having previous combat experience. However, many officers and non-commissioned personnel (NCOs) had previously served in
21060-406: The task of coastal defence. Due to the provisions of the Defence Act 1903 , which precluded sending conscripts overseas, upon the outbreak of war it was realised that a totally separate, all volunteer force would need to be raised. The Australian government pledged to supply 20,000 men organised as one infantry division and one light horse brigade plus supporting units, for service "wherever
21216-676: The two-star general rank in the Portuguese Army. As two-star rank, it was substituted by the rank of major-general in 1999. In the Spanish Army , Spanish Air Force , and Spanish Marine Infantry ( Infantería de Marina , a branch of the Armada ) general de brigada is the lowest rank of general officers. Its equivalent in the Navy ( Armada ) is contraalmirante . In the Turkish Army and
21372-423: The upper arm of a soldier's jacket. Wound stripes of gold braid were also authorised to be worn to denote each wound received. Other distinguishing badges included a brass letter "A" which was worn on the colour patch by men and nurses who had served at Gallipoli, blue chevrons representing each year of overseas service, and a red chevron to represent enlistment during the first year of the war. Uniforms worn by
21528-508: The use of improvised "jam-tin" grenades ). A grenade discharge cup was issued for fitting to the muzzle of a rifle for the projection of the Mills bomb from 1917. Machine-guns initially included a small number of Maxim or Vickers medium machine-guns , but subsequently also included the Lewis light machine-gun , the latter two of which were issued in greater numbers as the war continued so as to increase
21684-448: The war (along with South Africa). Although a system of compulsory training had been introduced in 1911 for home service, under Australian law it did not extend to overseas service. In Australia, two plebiscites on using conscription to expand the AIF were defeated in October 1916 and December 1917 , thereby preserving the volunteer status but stretching the AIF's reserves towards the end of
21840-408: The war the AIF was a long-serving force—even if it was a citizen army and not a professional one like the pre-war British Army—containing 141,557 men with more than two-years service, including, despite the heavy casualties suffered at Gallipoli in 1915 and on the Western Front in 1916 and 1917, 14,653 men who had enlisted in 1914. Battle hardened and experienced as a result, this fact partially explains
21996-453: The war, and who had joined the AIF in Australia in August 1914. The vast majority of brigade commands were also held by Australian officers. A number of British staff officers were attached to the headquarters of the Australian Corps, and its predecessors, due to a shortage of suitably trained Australian officers. The organisation of the AIF closely followed the British Army divisional structure, and remained relatively unchanged throughout
22152-450: The war, however, as the need for replacements grew. Indeed, casualties among the initial volunteers were so high, that of the 32,000 original soldiers of the AIF only 7,000 would survive to the end of the war. By the end of 1914 around 53,000 volunteers had been accepted, allowing a second contingent to depart in December. Meanwhile, reinforcements were sent at a rate of 3,200 men per month. The landing at Anzac Cove subsequently resulted in
22308-625: The war, including aircraft and tanks . When originally formed in 1914 the AIF was commanded by Bridges, who also commanded the 1st Division. After Bridges' death at Gallipoli in May 1915, the Australian government appointed Major General James Gordon Legge , a Boer War veteran, to replace Bridges in command of both. However, British Lieutenant General Sir John Maxwell , the commander of British Troops in Egypt , objected to Legge bypassing him and communicating directly with Australia. The Australian government failed to support Legge, who thereafter deferred to Lieutenant General William Birdwood ,
22464-643: The war, the indiscipline within the AIF was often portrayed as harmless larrikinism . Australia's working class culture also influenced that of the AIF. Approximately three-quarters of AIF volunteers were members of the working class, with a high proportion also being trade unionists, and soldiers frequently applied their attitudes to industrial relations to the Army. Throughout the war there were incidents where soldiers refused to undertake tasks that they considered demeaning or protested against actual or perceived mistreatment by their officers. These actions were similar to
22620-541: The war. A total of 416,809 men enlisted in the Army during the war, representing 38.7 percent of the white male population aged between 18 and 44. Of these, 331,781 men were sent overseas to serve as part of the AIF. Approximately 18 percent of those who served in the AIF had been born in the United Kingdom, marginally more than their proportion of the Australian population, although almost all enlistments occurred in Australia, with only 57 people being recruited from overseas. Indigenous Australians were officially barred from
22776-404: The war. In 1916, the machine-gun sections of each regiment were concentrated as squadrons at brigade-level. Like the infantry, the light horse regiments were raised on a territorial basis by state and were identified numerically (1st to 15th). The following corps-level formations were raised: The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) was formed from the AIF and NZEF in preparation for
22932-570: The war. During the war, the following infantry divisions were raised as part of the AIF: Each division comprised three infantry brigades, and each brigade contained four battalions (later reduced to three in 1918). Australian battalions initially included eight rifle companies ; however, this was reduced to four expanded companies in January 1915 to conform with the organisation of British infantry battalions. A battalion contained about 1,000 men. Although
23088-519: Was a Commander, Corps Royal Artillery (CCRA), also a brigadier, who fulfilled the same role within that HQ. Brigadier-general Brigadier general or brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. The rank is usually above a colonel , and below a major general or divisional general . When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000 troops (two regiments or four battalions ). Brigadier general ( Brig. Gen. )
23244-438: Was commanded by Colonel John Monash , a prominent Melbourne civil engineer and businessman. The AIF continued to grow through the war, eventually numbering five infantry divisions, two mounted divisions and a mixture of other units. As the AIF operated within the British war effort, its units were generally organised along the same lines as comparable British Army formations. However, there were often small differences between
23400-624: Was formerly a rank or appointment in the British Army and Royal Marines , and briefly in the Royal Air Force . The appointment was abolished in the Army and the Marines in 1921; the equivalent rank today is Brigadier . In the United States Army , United States Air Force , United States Marine Corps , and United States Space Force , a brigadier general is a one-star general officer . It
23556-460: Was later increased to three. Junior officers in the AIF were also paid at a rate higher than those in the British Army, although senior officers were paid considerably less than their counterparts. In the early stages of the AIF's formation, prior to Gallipoli, training was rudimentary and performed mainly at unit-level. There were no formal schools and volunteers proceeded straight from recruiting stations to their assigned units, which were still in
23712-790: Was later set up in Cairo in Egypt. Following the redeployment of the Australian infantry divisions to the Western Front it was relocated to London. Additional responsibilities included liaison with the British War Office as well as the Australian Department of Defence in Melbourne , whilst also being tasked with the command of all Australian troops in Britain. A training headquarters was also established at Salisbury . The AIF Headquarters and its subordinate units were almost entirely independent from
23868-560: Was launched on 19 April. A third assault occurred between 31 October and 7 November and this time both the ANZAC Mounted Division and the Australian Mounted Division took part. The battle was a complete success for the British, over-running the Gaza–Beersheba line and capturing 12,000 Turkish soldiers. The critical moment was the capture of Beersheba on the first day, after the Australian 4th Light Horse Brigade charged more than 4 miles (6.4 km). The Turkish trenches were overrun, with
24024-449: Was less than 50 percent of the authorised strength. The AIF was withdrawn for rest and reorganisation following the engagement at Montbrehain; at this time the Australian Corps appeared to be close to breaking as a result of its heavy casualties since August. The Corps was still out of the line when the armistice was declared on 11 November 1918. However, some artillery units continued to support British and American units into November, and
24180-546: Was the .303-inch Short Magazine Lee–Enfield Mark III (SMLE). Infantrymen used 1908-pattern webbing , while light horsemen used leather bandoliers and load carriage equipment. A large pack was issued as part of marching order. In 1915 infantrymen were issued with the SMLE and long sword bayonet , while periscope rifles were also used. From 1916 they also used manufactured hand grenades and rodded rifle grenades , both of which had been in short supply at Gallipoli (necessitating
24336-430: Was worn by all arms. From 1916 steel helmets and gas masks were issued for use by infantry on the Western Front. A loose-fitting four-pocket service dress jacket was worn, along with baggy knee breeches, puttees , and tan ankle-boots. A heavy woollen greatcoat was worn during cold weather. The uniform was a drab "pea soup" or khaki colour, while all buttons and badges were oxidised to prevent shine. All personnel wore
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