The AIF 6th and 7th Division played an integral role in the defence of Australia, fighting in distant lands for the sake of the Australian defence policy of keeping war off Australian soil. Although they only played minor roles in most of World War II, they became a very influential force when Japan brought the war to Australian soil.
The 6th and 7th Divisions left Australia for the Middle East in October 1940. They were then sent to North Africa and the 18th Brigade played a successful defensive role in the Siege of Tobruk, from May 1941. Meanwhile, the rest of the 7th Division formed the backbone of the Allied invasion of Lebanon and Syria; with British, Indian and Free French forces, the 7th defeated Vichy French land forces in the Middle East. The siege of Tobruk was the deciding factor in the Battle of El Alamein, and without the leadership and courage of Australian troops things might have turned out very differently. …
