7th Brigade is a combined arms formation or brigade of the Australian Army. The brigade was first raised in 1912 as a Militia formation, although it was re-formed as part of the First Australian Imperial Force in early 1915 for service during World War I. It subsequently saw action at Gallipoli and on the Western Front during the war. Following the end of the war the brigade was disbanded in 1919 before being re-raised in 1921 as part of the Citizens Force. During World War II the brigade took part in the fighting against the Japanese in New Guinea and on Bougainville. Today, the 7th Brigade is part of 1st (Australian) Division and is based in Brisbane, Queensland and is composed mainly of units of the Regular Army. While the brigade has not deployed as a whole unit since World War II, component units have deployed on operations to East Timor, the Solomon Islands, Iraq and Afghanistan.
27th Battalion, 2nd Division, enters the town of Beaucourt-sur-l'Ancre in the Somme, France.
An honour guard drawn from the 7th Brigade and 3rd Division in 1945
2/14 LHR ASLAVs in Iraq in 2006
The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citizens Forces, the Citizen Military Forces, the Militia and, unofficially, the Australian Military Forces. In 1980, however, the current name—Australian Army Reserve—was officially adopted, and it now consists of a number of components based around the level of commitment and training obligation that its members are required to meet.
Members of the militia in Tasmania, c. 1913
A six-inch gun at Fort Nepean in August 1914. This gun fired Australia's first shot of the war when the German merchant ship SS Pfalz attempted to escape from Port Philip Bay on 5 August 1914.
Soldiers of the CMF 56th Battalion in 1937
Militia soldiers of the 39th Battalion following their relief at Kokoda in September 1942