34th Brigade (Australia)

The Australian 34th Brigade was an Australian Army brigade. The Brigade was formed in 1945 as part of the Australian contribution to the British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF) and was later renamed the 1st Brigade.

History

The 34th Brigade was formed on 27 October 1945 at Morotai in the Netherlands East Indies. The Brigade's units were formed from Australian Army personnel who volunteered for occupation duty in Japan. After a lengthy, and frustrating, period of training the Brigade finally departed for Japan in February 1946, arriving at Kure between the 21st and 23 February.

As part of the BCOF the 34th Brigade was assigned responsibility for providing security and enforcing the armistice conditions in Hiroshima Prefecture. The 65th Battalion was based at Fukuyama, the 66th Battalion at Hiro and the 67th Battalion at Kaitaichi. The Brigade's units conducted regular patrols throughout the prefecture and provided support to the occupation government.

In 1948 the 34th Brigade was redesignated the 1st Brigade. Due to the stable security situation in Japan the Brigade and two of its three infantry battalions returned to Australia in mid 1948, leaving the 67th Battalion (which was re-designated the 3rd Battalion, Australian Regiment in November 1948) as the Australian Army's only combat unit in Japan.

Composition

The primary elements of the 34th Brigade were:

* Brigade Headquarters
* 1st Armoured Car Squadron
* 65th Infantry Battalion (re-designated 1 RAR in 1949)
* 66th Infantry Battalion (re-designated 2 RAR in 1949)
* 67th Infantry Battalion (redesignated 3 RAR in 1949)
* A Battery, RAA
* 28th Field Squadron, RAE
* 13th Australian Army Troops Company, RAE
* 34th Provost Company
* 20th Field Ambulance

ources

* Jim Wood [http://www.defence.gov.au/army/ahu/books_articles/The%20Forgotten%20Force/Contents.htm The Forgotten Force: The Australian military contribution in Japan 1945-1952] (main source)
* Jeffrey Grey [http://www.awm.gov.au/journal/j30/grey.htm Australia and the post-war occupation of Japan]
* Paul D. Handel [http://anzacsteel.hobbyvista.com/Armoured%20Vehicles/austarmourinjapanph_1.htm Australian Armour in Japan 1946 to 1950]