39th Battalion AIF 1916-1919

39th Battalion AIF 1916-1919 39th Battalion Australian Imperial Force (AIF) It primarily recruited from the Western District and Wimmera areas of Victoria. NICKNAME - Mud Over Blood.

The 39th Battalion, 10th Brigade, 3rd Division, Australian Imperial Force was raised at Ballarat, Showgrounds on February 21st 1916, and was formally disbanded in April 24th 1919. BATTLE HONOURS World War 1 -
Messines 1917 Ypres 1917 Polygon Wood, Broodseinde, Poelcappelle, Passchendaele,
Somme 1918, Ancre 1918, Amiens, Albert 1918, Mont St Quentin, Hindenburg Line, St Quentin Canal, France and

Flanders 1916-18.
405 died (killed in action, died of wounds, illness, etc)
The 39th was disbanded on 24th April 1919. It was reformed in 1921 to serve as civilian militia up to 1941 when it was upgraded to the Order Of Battle and sent to New Guinea. BATTLE HONOURS World War 2 -
Kokoda Trail, Kokoda, Deniki, Isurava, Eora Creek/Templeton’s Crossing, Buna/Gona, Gona, Sanananda Road, Amboga River, South West Pacific Area 1942-1945. The 39th is the only WW2 unit to have 'Kokoda' as a battle honour.
136 died, 265 wounded, 1 missing

MOTTO - Factis Non Verbis (Deeds Not Words)

COLOUR PATCH - Brown Over Red oval. FLOWER - WW1 unit Poppy; WW2 unit Lantana

MARCH - 'Sussex By The Sea' (once described as a rousing and patriotic tune)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE1CDj8U6E0

MASCOT - British bulldog (adopted by the men in Ballarat camp 1916)
39th website - http://39battalion.com/
Current 39th Battalion website - courtesy Australian Army website
https://www.army.gov.au/our-people/units/39th-operational-support-battalion

The 39th Battalion Association was invited to be guest speakers at the annual Waurn Ponds War Memorial (Victoria Austral...
14/07/2026

The 39th Battalion Association was invited to be guest speakers at the annual Waurn Ponds War Memorial (Victoria Australia) service on 5th July. The talks were on the 39th's service in WW1 on the Western Front, it's reformation after the war as civilian militia and the exemplary service in New Guinea and on the Kokoda trail in WW2. A wreath was laid for both 39ths.
A light lunch followed in the hall.
Lest We Forget
Factis Non Verbis - Deeds Not Words
Mud Over Blood.

From the Last Post Association.The 34000th time the Last Post has been sounded at the Menin Gate in Ypres Belgium. The G...
22/06/2026

From the Last Post Association.
The 34000th time the Last Post has been sounded at the Menin Gate in Ypres Belgium. The Gate is a memorial to those service personnel who fell in Flanders in WW1 and have no known grave.
There are 89 from the 39th whose names are listed on the gate who have no known grave.
No one claps, and the visitors remain mostly silent.
Lest We Forget
Factis Non Verbis - Deeds Not Words; Mud Over Blood.

Op zondag 21 juni 2026 om 20.00 uur lieten de klaroeners van de Las...

39th aboard a ship, possibly Fremantle on route to UK.
15/06/2026

39th aboard a ship, possibly Fremantle on route to UK.

The 39th Battalion Association has been invited to be guest speaker at the Waurn Ponds Memorial service Sunday 5th July ...
06/06/2026

The 39th Battalion Association has been invited to be guest speaker at the Waurn Ponds Memorial service Sunday 5th July 2026, at 10.45am. The talk will highlight the Battalion's service in both world wars.
Waurn Ponds is a rural area just to the south west of Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
Factis Non Verbis - Deeds Not Words

Katamatite is a very small rural town between Numurkah and Yarrawonga in northern Victoria, Australia. 3 men of the 39th...
28/05/2026

Katamatite is a very small rural town between Numurkah and Yarrawonga in northern Victoria, Australia. 3 men of the 39th came from the area. It is rare that 39th men came from this area, as the majority of them came from Ballarat and district and western Victoria.
Many thanks to former 39th Association president Alan Jameson and current vice president Dave Howell for the booklet.

Factis Non Verbis - Deeds Not Words.

26/04/2026
Anzac Day March Melbourne. It was a fine sunny day, plenty of marchers and spectators.
26/04/2026

Anzac Day March Melbourne. It was a fine sunny day, plenty of marchers and spectators.

AWM Last Post Service for Sgt Herman Frederick Bush.Factis Non Verbis - Deeds Not Words
17/04/2026

AWM Last Post Service for Sgt Herman Frederick Bush.
Factis Non Verbis - Deeds Not Words

In the Last Post Ceremony for 17 April, we remember Sergeant Herman Frederick Bush who served Australia in the First World War.The Last Post Ceremony streams...

Today the Australian War Memorial will honour 39th man Sgt 398 Herman Frederick Bush at the Last Post Service. Bush was ...
16/04/2026

Today the Australian War Memorial will honour 39th man Sgt 398 Herman Frederick Bush at the Last Post Service. Bush was killed in action 7th June 1917 and is remembered on the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium.
The service is broadcast live on Youtube from 4.30pm Australian Eastern Time.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKmio2JTTLpxC3gniK1f2IA

Anzac Day in Melbourne arrangements for the 39th AIF.Form up location is the same as last year. Flinders St east of Swan...
14/04/2026

Anzac Day in Melbourne arrangements for the 39th AIF.
Form up location is the same as last year. Flinders St east of Swanston St, south side, near the massed banners at the red rectangle. If you are coming please advise me. The more the better.
Please be in place no later than 1030am. Step off is scheduled for 11am but is often earlier if the March is ahead of time.
Look for the banner.
Tim
Factis Non Verbis.

Address

Ballarat Central, VIC

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