2/1st Machine Gun Battalion (Australia)

2/1st Machine Gun Battalion
Machine gunners from the 2/1st at Balikpapan, July 1945
Active	1939–1946
Country	Australia
Branch	Australian Army
Type	Infantry
Role	Direct fire support
Size	~ 800–900 personnel
Part of	6th Division 7th Division
Mascot(s)	Horrie the Wog Dog[1]
Engagements	World War II Battle of Greece Battle of Crete New Guinea Campaign Borneo Campaign (1945)
Insignia
Unit colour patch

The 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion was a battalion of the Australian Army that was raised for service during World War II as part of the 6th Division. When it was formed on 14 December 1939, its component companies were spread across several Australian states, but it was later concentrated at Ingleburn, New South Wales, where it completed basic training in the early months of the war. In mid-1940, the battalion embarked for overseas, bound initially for the Middle East, but following the Fall of France it was diverted to the United Kingdom. Along with a larger contingent of Australians, it helped to bolster the island nation's garrison, undertaking defensive duties during a period when it was expected that the Germans might launch a cross-Channel invasion.

The battalion was transferred to the Middle East in late 1940, after the threat of invasion had passed. It underwent further training in Egypt, before taking part in fighting against the Germans in Greece and on Crete in mid-1941. Having lost most of its equipment and suffering heavy casualties, the 2/1st was rebuilt in Palestine, then undertook garrison duties in Syria in 1941–1942. The battalion was withdrawn to Australia in response to Japan's entry into the war in December 1941. During 1943, the 2/1st fought a defensive role in the New Guinea campaign. Following its withdrawal to Australia in early 1944, the battalion was reorganised on the Atherton Tablelands, and reassigned to the 7th Division. It was committed to its final campaign in mid-1945, during the Borneo campaign. The battalion was disbanded after the war in early 1946. One of its mascots, Horrie the Wog Dog, became the subject of a book by Ion Idriess.