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.
Lieutenant Colonel John Neale ED was a former Commanding Officer of 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles.

Significance

Representative of a luncheon to commemorate the formation of a World War II armoured regiment.

Physical description

Coloured folder with heading 2/8th Armoured Regiment Association colour patch and blue and yellow bands across top right hand corner.Secured inside by gold cord is invitation to 50th Anniversary Luncheon to John and June Neale, 22nd September 1991. 50th Anniversary Lapel pin is attached to front cover.