That Magnificent 9th: An illustrated history of the 9th Australian Division 1940-46This is a unique and powerful visual history of the men who fought in the 9th Division, the most famous Australian division of World War II. Many never before published photographs, some from veterans' private collections, illustrate dramatic and moving stories of Tobruk, El Alamein, New Guinea and Borneo. The 9th Division gained renown as 'Rats of Tobruk' in 1941, were eulogised as 'that magnificent 9th' by General Montgomery after the battle of El Alamein in 1942, and drew praise from their formidable opponent, Field Marshal Rommel. On the eve of the D-day landing in Normandy, Montgomery's chief-of-staff said, 'My God, I wish we had 9th Australian Division with us this morning, don't you?' In 1943, the Division joined the war against Japan. It served with distinction in New Guinea - undertaking the largest amphibious landing by Australian forces since Gallipoli - and in two controversial campaigns in Borneo. That Magnificent 9th is much more than a collection of fine photographs. Together with expert commentary on the illustrations, it provides the first narrative history of the Division's entire wartime experience. It also presents, for the first time, detailed tables showing the 9th's commanders, casualties and awards for bravery. |
Contents
winning the high ground | 163 |
Australia February 1944April 1945 | 185 |
North Borneo | 220 |
Conclusions | 239 |
Honours and awards to the 9th Division | 252 |
Index | 269 |
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Common terms and phrases
2/12th Field Regiment 2/23rd Battalion 2/32nd Battalion 2/3rd Pioneer Battalion 2/48th Battalion 2/8th Field 25-pounders 26th Brigade 9th Division 9th Division's action advance airstrip Alamein anti-aircraft anti-tank guns April artillery attack Australian War Memorial battle Blamey bombardment Borneo Bren Bren carriers Brigade's British campaign caption captured carriers casualties commander counterattack David Pearson defences Derrick desert diary El Alamein enemy engineers Field Company Field Regt fighting Finschhafen fire German Guinea gunners Headquarters Hill Infantry Battalion Italian Japanese July June jungle killed landing Lieutenant Lieutenant-Colonel Machine Gun Battalion machine-gun Matilda tank Middle East miles Military Morshead mortar Murray Hamilton night November October officers operations Panzer III patrol perimeter photograph was taken platoon positions posts Private road Rommel Sattelberg Scarlet Beach September Sergeant shell shot siege soldier tanks Tarakan Tel el Eisa Tobruk Tom Derrick troops units vehicles weapons Windeyer wounded yards
Popular passages
Page 37 - To General Morshead from Prime Minister of England. The whole Empire is watching your steadfast and spirited defence of this important outpost of Egypt with gratitude and
Page 2 - in whom the traditions of the British Army had been bottled from his childhood like tightcorked champagne; the nearest approach to a martinet among all the young Australian colonels, but able to distinguish the valuable from the worthless in the old army practice'.
Page 131 - and the part they have played in this battle is beyond all praise'.°