The decision to form 1st Australian Armoured division for service in the Middle East was taken in Nov 1940. Its units were formed during July 1941. By December it was grouped for embarkation, but was still virtually without tanks. It was expected that the British would equip it on arrival in the Middle East. The Japanese involvement in the War effectively prevented deployment of the division to the Middle East, but it need not have. Indeed the British even offered to transfer two infantry divisions to Australia if the Armoured division were released.

It was under a similar scheme whereby the US agreed to send a division to Australia that the 9 Aus XX remained in the Middle East until after Alamein.

The 1st Aus Armd Division was organised along British lines, that is, it would be an 8-7-10 Armd XX, 1 Aus with a 3-8 Armd Cadre, 1 Aus on the back. To reflect the lack of tanks it should only become available as a cadre, to be rebuilt with British armour points.

The 8th Division was never sent to the Middle East as planned. It would also be a 7-8 Inf XX If it were sent then it is likely that its associated Pioneer Bn would also have been sent. This could be covered by conversion of the 2-8 Eng X, I Aus Pnr to a 3-8 Eng X.

INITIAL DIVISIONAL TO&E

At the outbreak of war Australia had five infantry divisions (1 Aus through 5 Aus XX) organised along first world war British lines. The 6 Aus XX formed along the new British establishment, except that it had four Bns instead of three in each brigade. Units in the initial convoys were overstrength and carried initial replacement drafts, so I think the brigades should be shown as 3-8 until converted to three Bn establishment.

RECRUITMENT

AIF monthly recruiting figures are shown in the table attached, taken from Hasluck.

The AIF was an entirely volunteer force. The recruitment figures vary from 217 (Feb 40) to 48,496 (Jun 40). Other peaks occurred in May 41 and Dec 41. Clearly the number of volunteers responded to overseas events (France, Crete and Japanese entry), and some provision for this in game terms is desirable. Just how is not immediately clear.

I have also attached a table (from Robertson) showing the quarterly flow of Australian aircrew to the UK under the Empire Air Training Scheme. 21,530 such aircrew reached the UK. Herington gives 3,678 arrivals at Bournemouth for posting in 1942 (Robertson had a flow of 3,671). These were made up of 1,913 pilots; 846 Observers; 501 Wireless Operator-Air Gunners; 418 Air Gunners. So about half (52% for the pedantic) were pilots. I do not know how to translate this into GA increases for the Commonwealth.

It must be more complex than number of pilots divided by 40 (approximate size of an Europa air unit) as if the same ratio of pilots to aircrew applies, Australia would have provided some 434 pilots per two month cycle to the UK in the last half of 1941. Looking at the RAF Europa OB we see a GA increase of only 15 for that six month period (three cycles) from all sources.

PRODUCTION

Australia started the war with 307 18 pdrs and 105 4.50 howitzers; enough to equip each of the 17 militia regiments with 24 guns. Only 30 obsolete 3" AA guns were held. Rifles and Vickers MG were in production, with orders in for Bran LMG, MG carriers and 3" mortars. Apart from 40 3.7m AA guns, only rifles and Vickers MG were produced in 1940. In 1941 Bran LMG (1,077), 2 pdr AT guns (576), 25 pdr Field Guns (193), Owen SMG (102), 3" mortars (1,444) and MG carriers (1,544) were also produced. By 1942 Australia was able to largely equip its own forces (except armoured formations), producing for example 1,122 AT guns and 877 25 pdrs.

The system of equipment points introduced in TFH would adequately deal with this situation. All Australian units would appear as unsupported brigades, to be supported by expenditure of an equipment point. Once supported the components could be assembled to form a division. A simplistic approach would focus on the field artillery only and equate an equipment point to 24 field guns. Australia would thus start with 17 equipment points, and production would be nil for 1939 and 1940, 8 in 1941, 36 in 1942, 18 in 1943, 25 in 1944 and 1 in 1945. British equipment points could be used to equip Australian brigades (as obviously happened prior to Australian production) and Australian equipment points could be used to equip other Commonwealth brigades (as a portion of Australian production was allocated to the UK and New Zealand).

Limiting the Commonwealth players likely tendency to strip Australia of all artillery will be necessary, and it must be rewarding to replace the militia divisions equipment with more modern gear as it becomes available.

Rates per month would be 0 in 1939, 0 in 1940, 2 in 1941 (Sep to Dec), 3 in 1942, 1.5 in 1943 (i.e., 2 on odd months, 1 on even months), 2 in 1944, 0 in 1945.

TRANSFERS TO/FROM AUSTRALIA

Based on the actual convoys and their travel times, I think a suitable abstraction is to have off-map boxes for Australia, Columbo, and Cape Town. Units in an off-map box can move as follows:

Australia: Cape Town box or Columbo box.
Columbo: Cape Town box, Australia box or any Suez, Red Sea or Persian Gulf port.
Cape Town: Australia box, Columbo box, Gibraltar, any UK, French Atlantic, Suez, Red Sea or Persian Gulf Port.
Any of these movements require expenditure of all a unit's MPs.

Because of the large distances involved, it will probably be necessary to use abstracted transport counters to avoid abuses. In this case units available in Australia can be in the Middle East within two turns, but the transports will take two more turns to get back.

ORDER OF APPEARANCE

All units appear in Australia unless otherwise noted. Units not available to be sent to the European theatre are not shown. Division HQ appearances are still shown, rather than equipment points. The 8 Aus XX is still omitted.

Jan I 40: 1 x 3-8 Inf X 16 Aus
Apr I 40: 1 x 3-8 Inf X 17 Aus

For this conversion, 16 Aus X and 17 Aus X must be able to trace an LOC between them. Simply substitute the new 16 Aus X and 17 Aus X counters for the old and stack the 19 Aus X counter with either. Of course they must be in a city to convert.

May I 40: 1 x 3-8 Inf X 18 Aus

May II 40:
Cnv. 2 x 3-8 Inf X 16 Aus, 17 Aus
to: 3 x 2-8 Inf X 16 Aus, 17 Aus, 19 Aus

Jun II 40: 1 x Inf XXX Counter I Aus

Jul II 40
Cnv. 1 x 3-8 Inf X 18 Aus
to: 1 x 2-8 1 nf X 18 Aus
and 1 x 1-6 Inf X 25 Aus

Oct II 40: 2 x 2-8 Inf X 20, 21 Aus
Nov I 40: 1 x 8 Inf XX HQ 6 Aus

Dec I 40
Cnv. 1 x 1-6 Inf X 25 Aus
to: 1 x 2-8 Inf X 25 Aus

Jan I 41
1 x 8 Inf XX HQ 9 Aus
2 x 2-8 Inf X 24 Aus, 26 Aus

Feb I 41
1 x 8 Inf XX HO 7 Aus
1 x 1-8 Mot Eng Bn I Corps
1 x 0-6 RR Eng Bn RCMG

Apr I 41: 1 x 2-8 Eng X I Aus Pnr
May I 41: Replacements: 1 Aus inf
Jul I 41: Replacements: 1 Aus inf

Aug I 41
Replacements: 1 Aus inf
1 x 3-8 Art X (I Aus)

Available for Assembly.
1 x 0-2-6 RR Eng X (RCMG X)
from: 1 x 0-6 RR Eng II (RCMG)
and 1 x British Cons X (any)

Sep I 41: Replacements: 1 Aus inf
Nov I 41: Replacements: 1 Aus inf
Dec I 41: 1 x 3-8 Armcl Cadre 1 Aus
Apr I 42: Replacements: 1 Aus inf
Sep I 42: Replacements: 1 Aus inf

JAPANESE ENTRY

Historically, Japan entered the war Dec I 41, aborting plans to send 1 Aus Armd XX to the Middle East. If variable Japanese entry (JE) is used, then from JE no further reinforcements may be sent to the Middle East. The British proposed to send two divisions to Australia from the UK if Australia would send 1 Aus Armd XX to the Middle East, so OPTIONALLY on JE if 1 Aus Armd XX is in the Middle East allow it to be retained there providing 2 x 7-8 Inf XX from UK are withdrawn to Australia. When 9 Aus XX is left alone, it still has an attached MG Bn and Pioneer Bn. The conversion from a 7-8 to 8-8 reflects this.

Dec I 41 (JE): withdraw 1 x 3-8 Armd Cadre 1 Aus

Feb I 42 (JE +4)
withdraw
1 x 8 Inf XX HO 7 Aus
3 x 2-8 Inf X 18 Aus, 21 Aus, 25 Aus
1 x 1-8 Mot Eng II 1 Aus
1 x 2-8 Eng X I Aus Pnr
1 x 3-8 Art X I Aus
Cnv. 1 x 7-8 Inf XX 9 Aus to: 1 x 8-8 Inf XX 9 Aus

Mar I 42 (JE +6)
withdraw:
1 x 8 Inf XX HQ 6 Aus
3 x 2-8 Inf X 16 Aus, 17 Aus, 19 Aus
1 x Inf XXX Counter I Aus

CLEARANCE OF AXIS FORCES

The 9 Aus XX was held in the Middle East to help counter the threat to Egypt. Without that threat it would have departed sooner, and it may have stayed longer had the threat continued. Accordingly if in any Commonwealth initial phase on or after JE+6 there are no Axis units in Cyrenaica nor any in Egypt, 9 Aus XX must be placed on garrison duty in the delta or Palestine. If the conditions are still met in the following two Commonwealth initial phases, then withdraw 9 Aus XX and the RCMG.

Dec I 42 (Clear)
to garrison:
1 x 8 Inf XX HO 9 Aus
3 x 2-8 Inf X 20 Aus, 24 Aus, 26 Aus

Jan II 43 (Clear +2)
withdraw
1 x 8 Inf XX HQ 9 Aus
3 x 2-8 Inf X 20 Aus, 24 Aus, 26 Aus
disassemble:
1 x 0-2-6 RR Eng X RCMG
to: 1 x 0-6 RR Eng II RCMG
and 1 x British Construction Unit
withdraw
1 x 0-6 RR Eng II RCMG
As an OPTION, allow the 9 Aus XX to be withdrawn at any time on or after JE+6. If this is done however, the 41 US XX is available to the US player (the 41st was sent to Australia as part of the deal to keep 9 Aus XX in the Middle East).

Recruitment Table

1939
September: --
October: 7,853
November: 9,991
December: 1,810

1940
January: 811
February: 217
March: 1,316
April: 5,441
May: 8,000
June: 48,496
July: 21,022
August: 32,524
September: 1,049
October: 995
November: 1,028
December: 2,441

1941
January: 2,572
February: 2,594
March: 6,512
April: 4,746
May: 9,875
June: 5,762
July: 5,910
August: 7,622
September: 4,453
October: 4,016
November: 4,702
December: 10,669

REFERENCES

Gavin Long (ed.), AUSTRALIA IN THE WAR OF 1939-45 Series 1 (ARMY)
I. To Benghazi by Gavin Long, 1952
II. Greece, Crete and Syria by Gavin Long, 1953
III. Tobruk and El Alamein by Barton Maughan, 1966

Canberra, Australian War Memorial
John M. Astell, "The Aussies", ETO #6
John M. Astell, "War in the Desert", GDW
Richard Berg, Campaign for North Africa, SPI
Major-General R.N.L. Hopkins, Australian Armour., A History of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps 1927-1972, Australian War Memorial and AGPS, Canberra, 1978; CWRL 940.541294 HOP
E.F. Aitken, The 212nd Australian Pioneer Battalion, A.I.F., Melbourne, 1953
John Robertson, Australia at War 1939-1945, Heinemann, Melbourne, 1981, CWRL 940.5394 ROB
B. Fitzsimons (ad.), The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare, Phoebus, New York, 1971/77fl8.
Cliffe Whitelocke, Gunners in the Jungle, The 2/15th Field Regiment Association, Eastwood, 1983
H.F. Joslen, Orders of Battle, UK and Colonial Formations and Units in the Second World War 1939-45; HMSO, London, 1960; VSL sf 940.541242 G79 Or
John Hetherington, Blarney, The biography of Field-Marshall Sir Thomas Blarney, Cheshire, Melbourne, 1954
John H. Moore, Morshead, A biography of Lieut. General Sir Leslie Morshead, Haldane, Sydney, 1976, CWRL 923.594 Mor
D.M. Horner (ed), The Commanders, Australian military leadership in the twentieth century, George Allen and Unwin, Sydney, 1984; CWRL 355.00922 COM
Sir Sydney F. Rowell, Full Circle, Melbourne University Press, 1974 CWRL 923.594 Row
Maj Gen R. R. McNicoll C.B.E., A.M., The Royal Australian Engineers Volume 3. 1919 to 1945. Teeth and Tail, Corps Committee of the Royal Australian Engineers, Canberra, 1982
Gavin Long (ed.), The Six Years War- Australia in the 1939-45 War, Australian War Memorial,Canberra, 1973 Australia in the War of 1939-45, Series 4, Civil Volume 1, The Government and the People, 1939-41 by Paul Hasluck, 1952 Volume III, War Economy, 1939-42 by S.J. Butlin, 1955 Australian War Memorial, Canberra
Maj. E.V. Haywood MC RAA, Six Years in Support - Official History of 211st Aus Fd Rgt, Angus and Robertson 1959
Snowden, The Guns of the Regiment 

STUART LEE is a member of P.E.P., the Pacific Europa Players. He lives and works in Melbourne, Australia. Other of our overseas readers should write to the editor for their articles to be published in the World Desk column.

The 2nd Australian Imperial Force