20th Brigade (Australia)

20th Brigade
A patrol from the 20th Brigade around Tobruk
Active	1912–1921 1940–1946
Country	Australia
Branch	Australian Army
Type	Infantry
Size	~2,500–3,500 personnel
Part of	9th Division
Engagements	World War II Siege of Tobruk First Battle of El Alamein Second Battle of El Alamein Huon Peninsula campaign Battle of North Borneo
Commanders
Notable commanders	Victor Windeyer
Insignia
Unit colour patch 1940–1942
1942–1946

The 20th Brigade was a brigade-sized infantry unit of 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 on 7 May 1940 as part of the all volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force for service during the World War II. The brigade was initially assigned to the 7th Division, but was later transferred to the 9th Division in early 1941. They subsequently took part in the Siege of Tobruk that year, and then the First and Second Battles of El Alamein in 1942. In early 1943, the brigade was returned to Australia to join the fighting against the Japanese in the Pacific. In late 1943, the brigade took part in the capture of Lae and then the Huon Peninsula campaign. Withdrawn to Australia in early 1944, its final campaign came during the Battle of North Borneo in the final months of the war. It was disbanded in February 1946.