Third Division

Narrative

On 2 February 1916, the Australian government agreed to form a Third Division in Australia. The Third Division was formed in Australia in March 1916 and it moved to England to train in July 1916. Its commander for most of its war service was the famous Major General John Monash. In December 1916 it moved to France, becoming the last division to do so, taking over part of the "nursery" sector near Armentieres. 

In June 1917 it participated in the Battle of Messines. In October it fought in the Battle of Broodeseinde alongside the veteran First and Second Divisions. On the 12th of October, the Third Division was repulsed at Passchendaele.

In March 1918 the Third Division was rushed to the Somme region to stem the German Offensive there. It clashed repeatedly with the advancing Germans, halting their advance at Morlancourt and Villers Bretonneux.

Holding the high ground north of the Somme River, the Third Division was involved in a series of remarkable exploits of "peaceful penetration" around Sailly-le-Sec.

Later the Third Division fought in the Battles of Hamel, Amiens, Mont Saint Quentin and the Hindenburg Line.

Commanders

• Major General John Monash 13 July 1916 to 31 May 1918
• Major General John Gellibrand 31 May 1918 to past November 1918

Campaigns

Messines, Broodeseinde, Passchendaele, Amiens, Mont St Quentin, Hindenburg Line

Casualties

• killed in action: 4,542
• died of wounds: 1,678
• other deaths: 554
• prisoners: 161
• wounded: 24,188
• total: 31,123

Memorial

Sailley-le-Sec

Third Division (France, December 1916)

• 3rd Division Artillery
  • 7th Field Artillery Brigade [12 x 18 pounders, 4 x 4.5 inch howitzers]
    • 25th,26th,27th Field Artillery Batteries
    • 107th Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery
  • 8th Field Artillery Brigade [12 x 18 pounders, 4 x 4.5 inch howitzers]
    • 29th,30th,31st Field Artillery Batteries
    • 108th Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery
  • 9th Field Artillery Brigade [12 x 18 pounders, 4 x 4.5 inch howitzers]
    • 33rd,34th,35th Field Artillery Batteries
    • 118th Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery
  • 23rd Field Artillery Brigade [12 x 18 pounders, 4 x 4.5 inch howitzers]
    • 28th,32nd,36th Field Artillery Batteries
    • 109th Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery
  • 3rd Division Ammunition Column
  • 3rd Division Trench Mortars
    • V3A Heavy Trench Mortar Battery [4 x 9.45 inch heavy trench mortars]
    • X3A,Y3A,Z3A Medium Trench Mortar Batteries [12 x 2 inch medium trench mortars]
• 3rd Division Engineers
  • 9th,10th,11th Field Companies (New South Wales; Victoria; Outer States)
  • 3rd Signals Company
• 9th Infantry Brigade
  • 33rd, 34th, 35th,36th Infantry Battalions (New South Wales)
  • 9th Light Trench Mortar Battery [8 x 3 inch Stokes mortars]
  • 9th Machinegun Company [16 x Vickers machineguns]
• 10th Infantry Brigade
  • 37th,38th,39th,40th Infantry Battalions (Victoria; Victoria; Victoria; Tasmania)
  • 10th Light Trench Mortar Battery [8 x 3 inch Stokes mortars]
  • 10th Machinegun Company [16 x Vickers machineguns]
• 11th Infantry Brigade
  • 41st,42nd,43rd,44th Infantry Battalions (Queensland; Queensland; South Australia; Western Australia)
  • 11th Light Trench Mortar Battery [8 x 3 inch Stokes mortars]
  • 11th Machinegun Company [16 x Vickers machineguns]
• 3rd Pioneer Battalion
• British 207th Machinegun Company [16 x Vickers machineguns]
• 3rd Division Medical Services
  • 9th,10th,11th Field Ambulances
  • 3rd Sanitary Section
• 3rd Salvage Company
• 3rd Division Train
  • 22nd,23rd,24th,25th Australian Army Service Corps Companies
• 3rd Division Supply Column
• 3rd Division Ammunition Sub Park
• 3rd Mobile Veterinary Section

Third Division (France, September 1918)

• 3rd Division Artillery
  • 7th Field Artillery Brigade [18 x 18 pounders, 6 x 4.5 inch howitzers]
    • 25th,26th,27th Field Artillery Batteries
    • 107th Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery
  • 8th Field Artillery Brigade [12 x 18 pounders, 4 x 4.5 inch howitzers]
    • 29th,30th,31st Field Artillery Batteries
    • 108th Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery
  • 3rd Division Ammunition Column
  • 3rd Division Trench Mortars
    • 5th,6th Medium Trench Mortar Batteries [12 x 2 inch medium trench mortars]
• 3rd Division Engineers
  • 9th,10th,11th Field Companies (New South Wales; Victoria; Outer States)
  • 3rd Signals Company
• 9th Infantry Brigade
  • 33rd,34th,35th Infantry Battalions (New South Wales)
  • 9th Light Trench Mortar Battery [8 x 3 inch Stokes mortars]
• 10th Infantry Brigade
  • 37th ,38th,39th,40th Infantry Battalions (Victoria; Victoria; Victoria; Tasmania)
  • 10th Light Trench Mortar Battery [8 x 3 inch Stokes mortars]
• 11th Infantry Brigade
  • 41st,42nd,43rd,44th Infantry Battalions (Queensland; Queensland; South Australia; Western Australia)
  • 11th Light Trench Mortar Battery [8 x 3 inch Stokes mortars]
• 3rd Machinegun Battalion [64 x Vickers machineguns]
  • 9th,10th,11th,23rd Machinegun Companies
• 3rd Pioneer Battalion
• 3rd Division Medical Services
  • 9th,10th,11th Field Ambulances
• 3rd Sanitary Section
• 3rd Salvage Company
• 3rd Division Train
  • 22nd,23rd,24th,25th Australian Army Service Corps Companies
• 3rd Mobile Veterinary Section

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Page created by Ross Mallett
ross@metva.com.au
Last update 28 June 2010