Can anyone tell me when the Engineer Companies of the 7th Australian Infantry Division arrived in North Africa please.
2/4th Field Company, RAE Raised February 1940 in New South Wales The company was raised as part of 7th Australian Infantry Division and served with the division for the entire war. The company sailed for the Middle East after the rest of the division. It arrived in December 1940. It was sent to Tobruk under CRE 7th Division after its capture to help clear the harbour. In mid-February 1941 the company was under CRE Benghazi. The company then moved to Barce in February, serving as Corps Troops (CRE Central). It withdrew to Mersa Matruh, Egypt in late March 1941. The company was sent with 18th Australian Infantry Brigade to Tobruk on 5 April 1941. It left for Palestine with the brigade on 29 August 1941 and arrived with the brigade in Syria in September 1941. The company left with the division in early February 1942 for Australia and arrived at Adelaide in March 1942. It moved to northern New South Wales with the division on arrival. It arrived in New Guinea in second half of August 1942 with 18th Australian Infantry Brigade. It was employed on road work. One Sub-Section accompanied 2/10th Australian Infantry Battalion to Wanigela to establish an out station. The company returned to Atherton Tableland in January 1943 with the division. The company returned to Port Moresby under 18th Brigade on 12 July 1943. They did not enter the front line until 1-3 January 1944, being flown from Port Moresby to Dumpu with the brigade. They then fought until April 1944, returning to Australia in May 1944. The company landed at Balikipan under the division on 1 July 1945 and served there for the rest of the war.
2/5th Field Company, RAE Raised February 1940 in New South Wales The company was raised as part of 7th Australian Infantry Division and served with the division for the entire war. The company sailed with the division for the Middle East in October 1940 and arrived in Egypt in November 1940. The company remained in Palestine in January 1941 when the rest of CRE 7th Division moved to the desert to serve as corps troops. It was located at Nahariya in north Palestine in mid-May 1941. The company served under 25th Australian Infantry Brigade in the Syrian campaign from 8 June to 12 July 1941. The company then took over occupation duties with the division in Syria from 15 July 1941. The company left with the division in early February 1942 for Australia and arrived at Adelaide in March 1942. It moved to northern New South Wales with the division on arrival. It arrived in New Guinea on 17 September 1942. The company returned to Atherton Tableland in January 1943 with the division. The company arrived in New Guinea with the division in late July-early August 1943 and moved into the Markham Valley area under 25th Australian Infantry Brigade by 5 September 1943. The company was relieved in early January 1944 and returned to Australia. The company landed at Balikipan under the division on 1 July 1945 and served there for the rest of the war.
2/6th Field Company, RAE Raised February 1940 in New South Wales The company was raised as part of 7th Australian Infantry Division and served with the division for the entire war. The company sailed with the division for the Middle East in October 1940 and arrived in Egypt in November 1940. It was sent to Tobruk under CRE 7th Division after its capture to help clear the harbour. It soon moved to Benghazi by the end of February 1941 serving as Corps Troops (CRE Central). It withdrew to Mersa Matruh, Egypt in late March 1941. It left there for Nahariya in north Palestine in mid-May 1941. The company served under 21st Australian Infantry Brigade in the Syrian campaign from 8 June to 12 July 1941. The company then took over occupation duties with the division in Syria from 15 July 1941. It left the Middle East on 1 February 1942. 2/6th Field Company arrived in Java on 15 February and was formed as part of 3rd Australian Battalion, a temporary unit, during the defence of Java from 28 February to 8 March 1942. The company was lost and later reconsituted in Australia. It rejoined the division in northern New South Wales. It moved to Port Moresby, New Guinea on 16 August 1942. The company returned to Atherton Tableland in January 1943 with the division. The company arrived in New Guinea with the division in late July-early August 1943 and moved into the Markham Valley area by 5 September 1943. It passed to command of 21st Australian Infantry Brigade on 25 September and was flown to Kaiapit. The company was relieved in early January 1944 and returned to Australia. The company landed at Balikipan under the division on 1 July 1945 and served there for the rest of the war.
2/5th Field Park Company, RAE Raised 1940 Title Change 2/25th Field Park Company - 1941 The company was raised to replace 2/2nd Field Park Company in 7th Australian Infantry Division. It arrived in the Middle East in November 1940 joining the division. It remained with the division for the rest of the war. The company then moved to Benghazi in February, serving as Corps Troops (CRE Central). It withdrew to Mersa Matruh, Egypt in late March 1941. It left there for Nahariya in north Palestine in mid-May 1941. It moved to Syria with the division later in 1941. The company left with the division in early February 1942 for Australia and arrived at Adelaide in March 1942. It moved to northern New South Wales with the division on arrival. It moved to New Guinea under CRE 7th Division on 17 August 1942. The company remained in New Guinea under command of 3rd Australian Infantry Division in Bulolo Valley, when the rest of the division returned to Australia in January 1943. It moved to Nassau Bay in August 1943. It returned to Australia with 7th Division in early January 1944. The company landed at Balikipan under the division on 1 July 1945 and served there for the rest of the war.
