Australian Military Vehicles Review

The first use of tanks by Australian forces in the South-West Pacific area of operations took place during the battles at Buna/Gona (late ’42 to early ’43), where M3 Stuart tanks of the 2/6^th Australian Armoured Regiment supported infantry attacks against strong Japanese defences. This armoured support was seen to be crucial in these efforts, and was indeed described in one post-battle report as "the vital factor". This latest book by Australian AFV historian Paul Handel tells the story of the 2/6^th Australian Armoured Regiment, its men, battles and equipment.

This well-illustrated book (444 pages) covers the formation of the 2/6^th Australian Armoured Regiment and its initial training and exercises, the move of the regiment to New Guinea and subsequent battles against the Japanese at Buna/Gona and Sanananda, and the return of the regiment to Australia. Also included is a section on the vehicles that were operated by the regiment, along the same lines as the corresponding section in the author’s excellent "Dust, Sand and Jungle: A History of Australian Armour 1927-1948"

A particularly impressive element of this book is the wealth of photos. Many of these shots of the tanks in action in New Guinea will be familiar to readers and those who trawl through the online photographic database of the Australian War Memorial, but there are other images included that this reviewer has not previously encountered. Also featured are shots of the tanks during training in Australia, replacement tanks in New Guinea following the fighting, and the Grants with which the Regiment were re-equipped upon return home. Also included are photographs of the "B" vehicles, CMP 3-ton trucks and the like which, while a vitally important part of military operations, are rarely "glamorous" enough to rate more than a mention. Generally the photos are nicely reproduced, so modellers and vehicle enthusiasts should be kept happy.

One slightly disappointing feature of this book however, at least from a modeller’s point of view, is that it does not go into great detail about the modifications, markings and paint schemes applied to the 2/6^th vehicles. On the other hand, post-battle sketches of the Japanese bunkers that were encountered during the battles will be a boon for diorama builders.

Some interesting points to note:

This is a great book, well written and a ripping yarn, and should be read whether you are interested in Australian armour and campaigns, or the experiences of Aussie servicemen during WWII. Highly recommended.