The 38th Battalion AIF

The 38th Battalion AIF - The Story and Official History of the 38th Bn AIF

Unit history in downloadable PDF format

The 38th Battalion - After training in both Australia and Britain, the 38th Battalion crossed to France in late November 1916. In February 1917 the 38th Battalion provided 400 troops, with a similar party from the 37th Battalion, to form a special raiding "battalion". The 38th fought in its first major battle at Messines, in Belgium, between 7-9 June 1917. It fought in another two major attacks in this sector - the battle of Broodseinde on 4 October, and the battle of Passchendaele on 12 October. It was the 38th's most costly operation of the war, resulting in 62 per cent casualties. The 38th participated in its last major action of the war between 29 September and 2 October 1918 as part of the Australian-American operation that breached the formidable defences of the Hindenburg Line along the St Quentin Canal.