AIF unit histories - First World War

Below is a list of World War One AIF units comprised wholly or in part of South Australians. Click on the unit name to go to the unit history on the Australian War Memorial website. Also listed are published histories of the units available at the State Library of South Australia or online.

Ron Austin's AIF unit histories of the Great War of 1914-1918 is a bibliography of unit histories for all AIF units of World War One.

10th Battalion
Raised in August 1914 in South Australia and embarked October for Egypt arriving early December. Part of the 3rd Brigade which was the covering force for the landing at ANZAC, so was the first ashore. The 10th remained at Gallipoli until the evacuation in December 1915. From March 1916 served on the Western Front, most notably at Pozières in the Somme valley and Ypres in Flanders. The 10th were heavily involved in the Allies' defence against the German Spring Offensive of March-April 1918.

Limb, Arthur. History of the 10th Battalion A.I.F. London : Cassell & Co., 1919
Digital copy available via National Library of Australia

Kearney, Robert. Silent voices : the story of the 10th Battalion AIF in Australia, Egypt, Gallipoli, France and Belgium during the Great War 1914-1918, Frenchs Forest, N.S.W. : New Holland, 2005

12th Battalion
Raised in August 1914, about one quarter of this battalion was recruited in South Australia. Embarked October for Egypt arriving early December. Part of the 3rd Brigade which was the covering force for the landing at ANZAC, so was the first ashore. From March 1916 served on the Western Front, most notably at Pozières in the Somme valley and Ypres in Flanders.

Newton, L. M. The story of the twelfth : a record of the 12th Battalion, A.I.F. during the Great War of 1914-1918, Hobart : 12th Battalion Association, 1925 (Hobart : J. Walch & Sons)

16th Battalion
Raised in September 1914, about one quarter of this battalion was recruited in South Australia. Embarked December for Egypt, arriving February 1915. Part of the 4th Brigade, served at Gallipoli from 25 April 1915 until the withdrawal. On return to Egypt, the 16th was split and provided soldiers with experience for the 48th Battalion. Served on the Western Front from June 1916, in both France and Belgium.

State Library of South Australia does not hold any unit histories of the 16th Battalion

27th Battalion
Raised in South Australia from March 1915 and embarked for Egypt in June. Served at Gallipoli from September to December 1915, part of the 7th Brigade. From April 1916 served on the Western Front in both France and Belgium. The 27th were involved in the Allies' defence against the German Spring Offensive of March-April 1918 and subsequent counter-offensives.

Browning, Neville. The blue & white diamond : the history of the 28th Battalion 1915-1919, [Huntingdale, W.A. : N. Browning, 2010 (Osborne Park, W.A. : Quality Press)
Digital copy available via National Library of Australia

32nd Battalion
Raised in South Australia and Western Australia, this battalion embarked in November 1915. Part of the 8th Brigade it served in France and at Fromelles in July 1916 suffered extensive casualties, around 75 per cent of its total strength, in only its first major battle. Later served in Belgium, notably at Polygon Wood in September 1917.

Second to none : a memorial history of the 32nd Battalion A.I.F. 1915-1919 / compiled by R.R. Freeman, Norwood, S. Aust. : Peacock Publications, 2006

43rd Battalion
Raised in South Australia the 43rd formed part of the 11th Brigade, 3rd Division. Left Australia in June 1916 and after a period of training in England arrived on the Western Front in December 1916. During 1917 served in Flanders, notably at Messines and Ypres. Deployed to the Somme in 1918, participating in battles at Villers-Bretonneux and Hamel.

The Forty-third : the story and official history of the 43rd battalion, A.I.F. / narrative and compilation by E.J. Colliver and B.H. Richardson ; foreword by Jas. H. Cannan, Adelaide : Rigby, 1920 (Adelaide : Hussey and Gillingham)
Digital copy available via National Library of Australia

48th Battalion
Raised in Egypt in February 1916 by the splitting of the 16th Brigade, the 48th comprised of South Australians and Western Austalians. It became known as the 'Joan of Arc' Battalion because a number of members of the same family, the Leane family of Prospect, South Australia, including its Commanding Officer all served in it, so it was 'Made of All Leanes' (Maid of Orleans). Served on the Western Front, notably at Pozieres where it sustained devastating casulaties in heavy artillery barrage. In 1917 and 1918 the 48th was involved in major battles at Bullecourt, Passchendaele and Amiens.

Devine, W. The story of a battalion / by W. Devine ; drawings and maps by Daryl Lindsay, Melbourne : Melville & Mullen, 1919

50th Battalion
Formed in Egypt in February 1916 by the splitting of the 10th Battalion about half of the 50th were new recruits and half were those who had already seen action in the 10th. The battalion became known as 'Hurcombe's Hungry Half Hundred', after its first Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Hurcombe. The battalion served in France at locations such as Mouquet Farm and Noreuil during 1916 and early 1917. Later in 1917 the 50th moved to Belgium and saw action at Messines and Polygon Wood. In 1918 it was back in France, notably at Dernancourt and Villers-Bretonneux.

Annual re-union smoke and social to be held at R.S.A. Club Rooms Angas Street, Adelaide, Monday September 16th 1935 at 7.45 p.m, Adelaide : R. Fisher for the 50th Battalion A.I.F. Club, 1935. [50th Battalion A.I.F. : brief history from date of inception (26/2/1916) to close of hostilities (1918)]

Hurcombe's hungry half hundred : a memorial history of the 50th Battalion A.I.F. 1916-1919 / compiled by R.R. Freeman, Norwood, S. Aust. : Peacock Publications, 1991-1993

52nd Battalion
Formed in Egypt in March 1916 by the splitting of the 12th Battalion about half of the 52nd were new recruits and half were those who had already seen action in the 12th. The battalion saw action in France at Mouquet Farm in September 1916, suffering server casualties which left it at half fighting strength. In 1917 it served at Noreuil, Messines and Polygon Wood and in 1918 at Dernancourt and Villers-Bretonneux.

Browning, Neville. The 52nd Battalion : the history of the 52nd Battalion A.I.F. 1916-1918, [Huntingdale, W.A.] : N. Browning, 2009 printing c[2005] (Canning Vale, W.A. : Tivella Pty Ltd.)

3rd Light Horse Regiment
Raised in Adelaide in August 1914, the regiment comprised of South Australians and Tasmanians. As part of the 1st Light Horse Briagde, the regiment served at Gallipoli May-December 1915. In 1916 it defended the Nile Valley in Egypt and the Suez Canal. Late that year and into 1917 it was in service in Palestine, notably at Gaza and Beersheba. The regiment then saw action in Jordan.

Blackwell, Frank M. The story of the 3rd Australian Light Horse Regiment, Adelaide : Third Light Horse Regimental Club, 1950]

Bell, George J. 3rd Light Horse Regiment, A.I.F., 1914-1919 : unit history, Devonport : printed at the Offices of "The Advocate", 1919

9th Light Horse Regiment
Raised in Adelaide in October 1914 and comprised of South Australians and Victorians. As part of the 3rd Light Horse Briagde, the regiment served at Gallipoli May-December 1915. In 1916 the regiment defended the Suez Canal and saw action in the Sinai Desert. In 1917 and 1918 it served in Palestine.

State Library of South Australia does not hold any unit histories of the 9th Light Horse Regiment

11th Light Horse Regiment
Formed in February 1915, the regiment was initially deployed to Aden, but did not see any action and was re-deployed to Egypt and then Gallipoli. In 1916 the regiment defended the Suez Canal and saw action in the Sinai Desert. In 1917 and 1918 it served in Palestine and Jordan.

Hammond, Ernest W. History of the 11th Light Horse Regiment, Fourth Light Horse Brigade, Australian Imperial Forces, War 1914-1919, [Australia : The Regiment], 1942 (Brisbane : W. Brooks)

3rd Light Horse Brigade (comprising 8th, 9th and 10th Light Horse Regiments)

Wilson, Lachlan Chisholm. Narrative of operations of the 3rd Light Horse Brigade., Australian Mounted Division, Oct. 27, 1917-Mar. 4, 1919, Brisbane?, 192-?]

3rd Field Ambulance
Formed in Queensland, comprising of South Australia and Western Australia. Well-known for the actions of Private John Simpson Kirkpatrick and his donkey at Gallipoli. The unit went on the serve on the Western Front.

Austin, Sue. The body snatchers : the history of the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance, 1914-1918 / Sue Austin and Ron Austin, McCrae, Vic. : Slouch Hat Publications, 1995

8th Field Ambulance
Raised in Victoria but including soldiers from South Australia and New South Wales, the unit was in service on the Western Front.

The 8th Australian Field Ambulance on active service : a brief account of its history and services from 4th August 1915 to the 5th March 1919 / L.W. Colley-Priest,
Digital copy available via National Library of Australia

AIF unit war diaries

The Australian War Memorial provides digitised images of selected original war diaries recording the daily activities of Australian Army units in World War One.