11th Battalion (Australia)

11th Battalion (Australia)

The Australian 11th Battalion was an Australian Army battalion, among the first infantry units raised during World War I for the First Australian Imperial Force. It was the first battalion recruited in Western Australia, and with the 9th, 10th and 12th Battalions it formed the 3rd Brigade.

Following a brief training period in Perth, the battalion sailed to Egypt where it undertook four months of intensive training. In April 1915 it took part in the invasion of the Gallipoli Peninsula, landing at Anzac Cove. In August 1915 the battalion was in action in the Battle of Lone Pine. Following the withdrawal from Gallipoli, the battalion returned to Egypt where it was split to help form the 51st Battalion. In March 1916, the battalion was deployed to the Western Front (France/Belgium) where it took part in trench warfare until the end of the war in 1918. By the end of the war, 11th Battalion suffered casualties of 1,115 killed and 2,249 wounded (including gassed).

The battalion was disbanded in 1919, but since 1921 has been re-activated and merged several times as reserve unit, initially as the 11th Battalion (City of Perth Regiment). Other units that have maintained the traditions of the original 11th Bn include the 11th/44th Battalion (City of Perth Regiment), "A" (City of Perth) Company, 1st Battalion, Royal Western Australia Regiment and the current 11th/28th Battalion, Royal Western Australia Regiment.