2/5th Independent Company (Australia)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=The 2/5th Independent Company


caption=A section of 'C' platoon, 2/5th Independent Company, on an exercise walk along a jungle track, west of Bulwa in the Bulolo Valley.(AWM Photo)
dates=1942-1945
country= Australia
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branch=Australian Army
type=Commando
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battles=Lae, Salamaua, Borneo
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disbanded=December, 1946
commander1=
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identification_symbol_label=Unit colour patch

The 2/5th Independent Company was one of eight independent or commando companies of the Australian Army formed between 1941 and 1942. 2/5th served in New Guinea in World War II, taking part in a major commando raid on Salamaua in June 1942. It was later withdrawn from New Guinea and reformed as the 2/5th Cavalry (Commando) Squadron, part of the 2/7th Cavalry (Commando) Regiment which saw service in Borneo in 1945. It was disbanded in December 1945.cite web|url=http://www.awm.gov.au/units/unit_13316second_world_war.asp|title=2/5th Independent Company|publisher=Australian War Memorial]

Formation

In February 1941, Lieutenant-Colonel J.C. Mawhood, a British officer, arrived in Australia and established No. 7 Infantry Training Centre in Wilson's Promontory, Victoria, Australia. The Australian Army had originally intended to field four Independent Companies, trained to a high standard in irregular warfare. The terrain consisted of a number of high rugged mountains, swift streams and swamps. The health and training of the trainees was affected by the long periods of wet weather. By October 1941, three companies (1st, 2nd and 3rd Independent Companies) had already been trained.http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/histories/21/chapters/03.pdf p.85]

Following the outbreak of World War 2, the training centre reopened as the Guerilla Warfare School and in January 1942, the 5th independent company began training. After training, the company was formed in March 1942.

The company consisted of 17 officers and 256 other ranks and was commanded by a major. It was divided into a company headquarters, engineer, signal and medical sections and three platoons of three sections each.

Deployment to New Guinea

On 13 April 1942 the Company departed Townsville, Queensland on the SS Taroona commanded by Major T.P. Kneen and "very heavily armed". They arrived in Port Moresby, New Guinea on the 17th, during an air raid. They were deployed on 24th May to Wau, in a valley high inland from Lae and Salamaua [http://au.geocities.com/thefortysecondinww2/level1/line1/salamaua.htm] . They were part of "Kanga Force" [http://www.awm.gov.au/diaries/ww2/folder.asp?folder=164] commanded by the controversial Colonel N.L. Fleay, that consisted of the 2/5th, the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles and a platoon from 1st Independent Company [http://www.pngvr.com/index-2.html] and were to observe the Japanese at Lae and Salamaua. They were the first allied force in WW2 to be flown into action as a complete unit. Despite appalling conditions, enduring soaking rain, pests, diseases, lack of supplies food and medication, they terrorized the Japanese in the area from the Markham to the Bitol rivers for one year. [http://www.diggerhistory2.info/army/1944/chapter05.htm]

Raid on Salamaua

On June 29, 1942, the Company launched a raid on a Japanese aerodrome in Salamaua , the first Allied attack on Japanese land forces anywhere. They were led by Major Paul Kneen and Capt. Norman Winning, after initial careful reconnaissance by Sgt Jim McAdam's NGVR scouts [http://www.pngvr.com/history_ngvr.html] . Capt Winning planned the assault with Capt. Umphelby of the NGVR. The raid was estimated to have killed at 100 Japanese with only three Australians wounded. A simultaneous attack on Heath's Plantation was not as successful as the element of surprise had been lost and Major Kneen killed in action [http://www.pngvr.com/index-2.html] . Following the raid, the Japanese sent patrols of up to 90 men into the foothills, destroying the camp at Butu. They also sent reinforcements from their garrison at Lae to Kela village.

Raid on Mubo

In an October raid on Mubo, Lt. Drysdale was wounded by a booby trap, and the Japanese defenders came out to meet the raid, driving the outnumbered Australians back. Sgt. William (Bill) O'Neill was said to have killed 16 Japanese with sub-machine-gun fire while covering the Australian withdrawal. The Japanese were later estimated to have lost 50 killed, including the company commanderhttp://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/histories/21/chapters/18.pdf]

Withdrawal from Wau

Finally in February 1943, exhausted from starvation, illness and injury, and beset by atrocious weather, they were withdrawn for rest, leaving by native canoe and by foot across the range, and returned to Port Moresby. Many who returned had been posted "Missing in action".

Reformation as 2/5th Cavalry Squadron

The Squadron departed New Guinea for Australia on the M.V. Duntroon on 13 May 1943. It was sent to the jungle warfare centre in Canungra, Queensland to refit and regrup. In August it moved to the Atherton Tablelands where it was reformed as the 2/5th Cavalry (Commando) Squadron and was incorporated with the 2/3 and 2/6 Independent companies into the larger 2/7 Cavalry (Commando) Regiment, which was attached to the 7th Division. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_commandos]

Borneo campaign

The reformed squadron saw action as part of the 2/7th Cavalry (Commando) Regiment during the Borneo Campaign, in July 1945. It landed on Green Beach on Balikpapan on the first day of the battle. It moved up the Vasey highway into the nearby hills. By July 7, it had occupied the Sepinggang airfield. It then moved into the hills between the airfield and Batakan Besar. On July 25, the squadron was transferred to support the 25th brigade in its advance along Milford Highway. Patrols continued up until the end of the war.

Disbanding

At the end of December the 2/5th left Borneo for Australia, and in early 1946, in Chermside camp, Brisbane, the squadron was disbanded.

Commanding officers

*Kerr, Ian Edward
*Kneen, Thomas Paul
*Lang, Patrick Sellar
*Taylor, John Thurgate

ee also

*Battle of Wau

References

Resources

*AWM52: 2/2/57 2/5 Cavalry (Commando) Squadron war diary
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External links

* [http://www.pacificwrecks.com/provinces/png_salamaua.html Salamaua] - Description of WWII relics on Salamaua