| Accession Number | 043855 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Negative |
| Place made | Netherlands East Indies: Java |
| Date made | February 1942- March 1942 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
The 2/3 Machine Gun Battalion. The commanding officer of the 2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion was ...
Description
The 2/3 Machine Gun Battalion. The commanding officer of the 2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion was Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Blackburn, who had been awarded the Victoria Cross in World War One. Blackburn was promoted to brigadier and was given command of the Australian troops on Java, numbering approximately 3000, with the force being named “Blackforce”. Blackforce was also allocated part of an American field artillery battalion and a British tank squadron.