8th Division (Australia)

8th Division
Members of 'C' Company, 2/30th Battalion disembark at Singapore, from Johan Van Oldenbarnevelt (HMT FF), part of Convoy US11B, 15 August 1941.
Active	1940–1942
Disbanded	Ceased to exist in 1942 after majority of division were captured as prisoners of war.
Country	Commonwealth of Australia
Branch	Australian Army
Type	Infantry
Size	~ 20,000 all ranks
Part of	Second Australian Imperial Force
Engagements	World War II Malaya Singapore Rabaul Ambon Timor
Commanders
Notable commanders	Gordon Bennett
Insignia
Unit colour patch

The 8th Division was an infantry division of the Australian Army, formed during World War II as part of the all-volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force. The 8th Division was raised from volunteers for overseas service from July 1940 onwards. Consisting of three infantry brigades, the intention had been to deploy the division to the Middle East to join the other Australian divisions, but as war with Japan loomed in 1941, the division was divided into four separate forces, which were deployed in different parts of the Asia-Pacific region. All of these formations were destroyed as fighting forces by the end of February 1942 during the fighting for Singapore, and in Rabaul, Ambon, and Timor. Most members of the division became prisoners of war, waiting until the war ended in late 1945 to be liberated. One in three died in captivity.