I am rushing to build an Australian Tank Attack Platoon for a Bolt Action competition coming up in July. I find having a deadline – real or self imposed – helps with the motivation to get things done. I originally started collecting these figures because I liked them and well before I was playing Bolt Action. Putting this platoon together will allow me to use the excess artillery pieces I had picked up.

As normal I like to complete the research first before I go on to the build.

In December, the regiment was withdrawn back to Palestine, at which time preparations began for the 9th Division to return to Australia, where they were to join the other 2nd AIF divisions fighting the Japanese. Embarking in January 1943, the regiment returned to Australia by sea, and reached Sydney the following month.

A period of leave followed, before the regiment was reconstituted at Kairi, Queensland; around this time it was re-designated the 2/3rd Tank Attack Regiment. As the Australian Army was reorganised for the fighting in the Pacific, it adopted the jungle division establishment. This saw a reduction in the number of anti-tank batteries assigned to each division to one, as the armoured threat was considered low in the Australian Army’s area of operations in the Pacific; as a result the regiment became a corps asset, assigned to I Corps.

The 9th Battery was subsequently assigned to the 4th Division, and was transferred out of the regiment, moving to Townsville, Queensland, while the 12th Battery was temporarily assigned to the 6th Division.

2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment gun, New Guinea, November 1943

The 10th Battery deployed to New Guinea in July, initially with a view to provide support during the advance through the Markham Valley; however, the lack of Japanese armour meant they remained around Port Moresby and were used in a defensive role, and undertook manual labour until returning to Australia in April 1944. Meanwhile, in September 1943, the 11th Battery was detached for the landing at Lae, supporting the 9th Division.

Later, it deployed to support the 20th Brigade around Scarlet Beach during operations to secure Finschaffen, manning defensive positions along the beach, before returning to Australia in March 1944. In May 1944, the regiment was reconstituted, with the 10th and 11th Batteries rejoining regimental headquarters at Mapee, Queensland; in August, they moved to Wongabel. The 12th Battery returned to the regiment in September 1944, when the 6th Division deployed to Aitape–Wewak where there was no need for anti-tank support.

By late 1944, the jungle division establishment was changed, and the allocation of anti-tank batteries restored to three per division. The regiment moved to Ravenshoe, Queensland, concentrating with the rest of the 9th Division at this time in preparation for deployment overseas. By December 1944, the regiment was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel J.N.L Argent, on the Atherton Tablelands. He subsequently commanded the regiment during its final campaign of the war, the recapture of Borneo.

The move began in March 1945, via Cairns, Queensland, and then to Morotai Island; the regiment undertook labouring duties in May loading ships to support the 26th Brigade’s operation to retake Tarakan. Further stevedoring work was undertaken in June before the regiment embarked to support landings around Labuan and Brunei.

There was no real anti-tank role for them, and as such during the advance on Weston and Beaufort, the regiment was employed mainly as makeshift infantry assigned to the ad hoc Gusforce, to carry out patrols around Sipitang; it also employed a variety of weapons, including 4.2-inch mortars, 6-pounder anti-tank guns, 2pdr anti-tank guns and 75 mm pack howitzers. At the end of the fighting the regiment undertook garrison duties on the Natuna Islands.

Before I start I need to decide which Bolt Action List I will use. There are two available, one from the Campaign book “Battle of France”, which is very generic and does not provide a lot of detail which may perhaps cause some issues with opponents in a competition environment. The other is the Late War British Anti-Tank Platoon from the D Day British and Canadian Campaign book. This has slightly more infantry which fits more with the information above about some of the roles it was used for.

I will use the later but replace it with Australian figures.