16th Brigade (Australia)

16th Brigade
Troops from the 16th Brigade cross the Owen Stanleys, October 1942
Active	1917 1939–1946
Country	Australia
Branch	Army
Type	Infantry
Size	Brigade
Part of	6th Division
Engagements	World War II Western Desert campaign Battle of Greece Battle of Crete New Guinea campaign Kokoda Track campaign Battle of Buna–Gona Aitape–Wewak campaign
Commanders
Notable commanders	Kenneth Eather
Insignia
Headquarters unit colour patch

The 16th Brigade was an infantry brigade in the Australian Army. First raised in 1912 as a Militia formation to provide training under the compulsory training scheme, the brigade was later re-raised as part of the First Australian Imperial Force during World War I. Its existence was short-lived, as it was disbanded after about six months, before it could be committed to the fighting on the Western Front. Raised again in 1939 for service during World War II, the brigade was deployed to the Middle East in early 1940 and subsequently saw action in the Western Desert and in Greece in 1941. In 1942, it returned to Australia in response to Japan's entry into the war, and later the brigade played a prominent role in the Kokoda Track campaign and at Buna–Gona in Papua. Withdrawn to Australia in early 1943, the 16th Brigade was re-organised and received many replacements from disbanding formations, but it was not recommitted to combat operations until late in the war. In 1944–1945, the brigade was committed to the Aitape–Wewak campaign in New Guinea. After the war, the brigade was disbanded in 1946. Today, its name is perpetuated by the 16th Aviation Brigade which was raised on 2 April 2002.