2/40th Battalion

2/40th Battalion
Troops from the 2/40th march through Brighton, 1940
Active	1940–1942
Country	Australia
Branch	Australian Army
Type	Light infantry
Role	Close-quarters combat Forward observer Guerrilla warfare Jungle warfare Raiding Reconnaissance
Size	~900 men[1]
Part of	Sparrow Force, 23rd Brigade, 8th Division
Colours	White over red
Engagements	Second World War Battle of Timor
Commanders
Notable commanders	William Leggatt
Insignia
Unit colour patch

The 2/40th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Formed in mid-1940 from personnel recruited from Tasmania, the battalion was assigned to the 23rd Brigade, which formed part of the 8th Division. After completing basic training, the 2/40th was sent to Darwin to form part of the defensive garrison there as tensions with the Japanese grew throughout 1941. Following Japan's entry into the war, the battalion was deployed to Timor as part of Sparrow Force and in early 1942 they took part in the fighting on the island against the Japanese. Outnumbered and lacking supplies, the majority of the 2/40th's personnel were captured and spent the rest of the war as prisoners of war, although some were able to wage a guerrilla campaign across the island before being withdrawn by the end of year.