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Home » Themes » Conflict » World War Two
2nd / 21st Infantry BattalionPrint Page 
A tree commemorates those who served with the 2nd / 21st Infantry Battalion that served in World War Two. A separate plaque has been unveiled at the tree in memory of the record of service in Darwin and Gull Force and commemorates those killed in action on Ambon and those who died as prisoners of war in Hainan between 1942 and 1945.
The Battalion was raised for service during World War Two as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force. It was formed on 11 July 1940 at Trawool in central Victoria as part of the 23rd Brigade of the 8th Division. It was subsequently deployed to Ambon as part of Gull Force in December 1941 following the Japanese invasion of Malaya; however, with the defence of the island considered untenable due to the limited military resources available and overwhelming Japanese strength it was subsequently captured despite determined resistance, surrendering on 3 February 1942. Most members of the battalion became prisoners of war , and a large number died in captivity.
Location
| Address: | Birdwood Avenue, Shrine Reserve, Melbourne, 3000 |
|---|---|
| State: | VIC |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -37.830139 Long: 144.973276 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Tree |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Conflict |
| Sub-Theme: | WW2 |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 03-September-1939 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 15-August-1945 |
Dedication
Plaque :
2 / 21 Battalion
Plaque:
2 / 21 Australian Infantry Battalion A.I.F.
This records service in Darwin 1941 and Gull Force on Ambon December 1941 to January 1942, and commemorates those killed in action on Ambon 1942 and those who died as Prisoners of War on Ambon and Hainan
1942 to 1945
