24th Brigade (Australia)

24th Brigade
24th Brigade personnel exercise at Palm Beach, August 1944
Active	1940–46
Country	Australia
Branch	Australian Army
Type	Infantry
Size	Brigade
Part of	8th Division (1940) 9th Division (1940–46)
Engagements	World War II Western Desert Campaign New Guinea campaign Huon Peninsula campaign Battle of Labuan Battle of North Borneo
Commanders
Notable commanders	Selwyn Porter
Insignia
Unit colour patch 1940–1942
1942–1946

The 24th Brigade was a brigade-sized infantry unit of the Australian Army. Formed on 1 July 1940 as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force, the unit was raised for service during World War II. Originally formed as part of the 8th Australian Division the brigade was subsequently transferred to the newly created 9th Australian Division in December. The brigade served during the Western Desert Campaign, forming part of the Allied garrison during the Siege of Tobruk. Later, the brigade was withdrawn to Syria for occupation duties, but then later took part in the First and Second Battles of El Alamein. In early 1943, the brigade was returned to Australia to fight against the Japanese in the Pacific. In 1943–1944, the brigade fought in New Guinea, taking part in the landing at Lae and the Huon Peninsula campaign. Its final campaign came late in the war, when it took part in the Labuan landings and the Battle of North Borneo in mid-1945. After the war, the brigade was disbanded in early 1946.