Sign board, Battalion Headquarters : 23 Battalion, AIF

Improvised sign constructed from two wooden planks, has a bevelled edge and is supported by batons at the reverse. The sign is painted white and has 'BATTALION HEADQUARTERS' painted in brown with yellow and red shadow, creating a three dimensional effect. The 23rd Battalion colour patch, a diamond split horizontally with the top triangle being brown and the lower red, is located centrally on the notice board. In several places, particularly close to the edges the paint has worn though or is faded. There are two nails located on the front of the sign one at the top and bottom points of the 23rd Battalion Colour Patch. A further two nails are located on the upper plank which support a wire used for hanging the sign.

The 23rd Battalion was raised in Victoria in March 1915 as the third battalion of the 6th Brigade. After initial training, it left Australia in March and arrived in Egypt, where it would complete its advanced training, in June.

The 23rd Battalion landed at Gallipoli in early September and shared responsibility for the Lone Pine position with the 24th Battalion, alternating . The conditions at Lone Pine were so dangerous and exhausting, that the battalions rotated every day until they left Gallipoli in December 1915. After time in Egypt the battalion was sent to France.

In 10 April 1916, the 23rd Battalion occupied forward trenches of the Armentières sector in northern France. This was followed in July by the horrific battles of Pozières and Mouquet Farm, after which it was estimated that the Battalion lost almost 90 per cent of its original members.

After manning the front line throughout the winter of 1916-1917, the battalion's fought in the second battle of Bullecourt in May. After the failure of the first attempt to capture this town, by troops of the 4th Australian Division, this new attack was heavily rehearsed. The 23rd Battalion succeeded in capturing all of its objectives, and holding them until relieved, but, subjected to heavy counter-attacks, the first day of this battle was the battalion's single most costly of the war. Later in 1917 the battalion moved with the rest of the AIF to the Ypres sector in Belgium, and in October participated in the battle to secure Broodseinde Ridge.

In April 1918 the battalion helped to turn back the German spring offensive, and then took part in the battles of Hamel, Amiens and Mont St Quentin.

The battalion fought its last battle around the town of Beaurevoir between 3 and 4 October. It left the front for the last time on the night of 5 October, and was resting when the armistice was declared on 11 November. The 23rd Battalion disbanded in Belgium on 30 April 1919.