Historical information

The 2/8th Armoured Regiment was raised in June 1941 under the command of Lieutenant Colonel W G Hopkins with officers and men selected from the wider AIF in Victoria. The regiment trained in newly arrived M3 General Grant tanks at Puckapunyal before moving north to Singleton, then the Wee Waa plains. The regiment sailed for New Guinea in April 1943 and carried out mobile defence to airfields at Port Moresby, Milne Bay, Dobadura and Popondetta. The regiment returned to Australia in February 1944 and disbanded as an armoured regiment and retrained as Nos 41, 42 and 43 Landing Craft Companies. They returned to the South West Pacific serving at Bougainville, Balikpapan, Lae and Wewak.

Significance

Good study showing men of an armoured regiment from Victoria marching in Melbourne early in WWII (1939-45)

Physical description

Framed photograph of soldiers marching through Melbourne city street; crowds on both sides of street.

Inscriptions & markings

Below photograph ""A Squadron 2/8th Armoured Regiment , Melbourne, 17th October 1941. Squadron Commander Major Jenkins. RSM Arch Martin"