22nd Brigade (Australia)

22nd Brigade
Elements of the 22nd Brigade marching down Castlereagh Street in Sydney on 15 September 1940
Active	1912–1921 1940–1942
Country	Australia
Branch	Australian Army
Type	Infantry
Size	Brigade
Part of	8th Division (1940–42)
Engagements	World War II Malayan Campaign Battle of Singapore
Commanders
Notable commanders	Harold Taylor Arthur Varley
Insignia
Headquarters unit colour patch

The 22nd Brigade was a brigade-sized infantry unit of the Australian Army. It was briefly raised in 1912 as a Militia formation providing training as part of the compulsory training scheme. Later, during World War II, the brigade was raised as part of the all volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force in April 1940. Assigned to the 8th Division, in early 1941 the brigade was deployed to British Malaya, where it formed part of the defensive garrison that was established there by the British, eventually establishing its headquarters in the Mersing–Endau area.

In early 1942, following the Japanese invasion of Malaya, the brigade participated in the Malayan Campaign, fighting along the eastern coast before being forced to withdraw to Singapore as the Japanese advanced along the Malayan peninsula. The brigade later fought in the Battle of Singapore. Occupying the north-western sector of the island, the brigade was subjected to the weight of the main Japanese assault on 8/9 February 1942 and after heavy fighting was pushed back towards the centre of the island. Further actions were fought throughout the following week as Allied forces withdrew towards Singapore town. On 15 February, the garrison surrendered and the surviving members of the 22nd Brigade were captured. They spent the next 3+1⁄2 years in Japanese captivity in camps across south-east Asia and Japan, during which many died from the harsh conditions. At war's end in August 1945, the surviving members were liberated and returned to Australia.