18th Brigade (Australia)

18th Brigade
2/9th Battalion, part of the 18th Brigade, during the fighting at Shaggy Ridge, January 1944
Active	1939–1946
Country	Australia
Branch	Australian Army
Type	Brigade
Size	~3,500 personnel
Part of	7th Division
Engagements	Second World War Siege of Tobruk Syria–Lebanon campaign New Guinea campaign Borneo campaign
Commanders
Notable commanders	Leslie Morshead
Insignia
Headquarters unit colour patch

The 18th Brigade was an infantry brigade of the Australian Army. The brigade briefly existed as a Militia formation prior to the First World War, but this was short-lived. During the Second World War, the brigade was raised on 13 October 1939 and was one of the first three infantry brigades of the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) to be formed. Initially commanded by Brigadier Leslie Morshead, it served in the United Kingdom in 1940–1941, where it helped bolster the British garrison in anticipation of a possible German invasion following the Fall of France. In early 1941, the brigade was transferred to the Middle East where it later took part in fighting against the Italians in Libya and then helped to defend the besieged port of Tobruk before fighting against the Vichy French in the Syria–Lebanon campaign. The 18th Brigade was withdrawn to Australia in early 1942, and it later took part in the fighting against the Japanese in Pacific fighting several campaigns in New Guinea between late 1942 and early 1944. Its final involvement of the war came in mid-1945 when it took part in re-taking Balikpapan. Following the end of hostilities, the 18th Brigade was disbanded on 3 January 1946.