U.S. Marines & Australia

The recent 2011 decision to permanently base up to 2,500 U.S. Marines in the Australian Northern Territory is evidence of the great relationship and history that Marines have enjoyed with the Australian people since WWII. The United States Marine Corps and Australia have a strong and special relationship that dates back to 1943 when the 1st Marine Division bivouacked in and around Melbourne. Immediately following fighting on Guadalcanal, General A.A. Vandergrift first brought the Division to Brisbane. Returning exhausted from the first major fighting the United States had conducted in WWII, the city of Melbourne and the Australian people welcomed them with open arms. Melbourne was the only large city that the Division visited during the war. It was something the Division would never forget.

Returning from the first major victory in the Pacific during WWII, the first Marine Division was tired and worn out. The Marines gave the Japanese much better than they got, but were severely impacted by both malaria and malnutrition. General Vandergrift originally moved the division to Brisbane, but found that Melbourne was much better suited. It was a significantly better atmosphere for his Marines to rest and refit for their next major action.

The Aussies, who had been fighting as part of British Commonwealth forces, had the Japanese at their door steps in the Pacific and welcomed the victorious Marines with open arms. The famous Melbourne Cricket Grounds or MCG hosted the 1st Marine Regiment from 6 January through October 1943. The 7th Marine Regiment was housed in nearby Ballarat, some 30 kilometers away.

Marines truly appreciated Australian hospitality and quickly grew to love the Aussie people. Anyone visiting the Melbourne Cricket Ground today will find a display honoring the 1st Marine Division inside the stadium and a brass Marine Corps Eagle Globe and Anchor on the gate of the MCG.

You can’t help notice the similarities, the Blue Field and the Southern Cross, between the Australian Flag and the 1st Marine Division Patch. The first shoulder patch authorized for wear by Marines in World War II was the 1st Marine Division Patch designed to recognize the division's sacrifice on Guadalcanal.

The patch was designed by Lieutenant Colonel Twining and Captain Dickson and the design approved by the Division Commanding General, A.A. Vandegrift. According to LtCol Twining, the sketch had the word “Guadalcanal” to commemorate the division’s sacrifice and the 5 Stars because the operation had been fought under the “Southern Cross”. LtCol Twining finished the final design while recovering from malaria in Brisbane, Australia. The approved design was reproduced by Australian Knitting Mills and became immediately popular with Marines.

Subsequently, other Marine Corps units began having shoulder patches designed, but the 1^st Marine Division was the first Marine unit in World War II to develop a shoulder patch. Although shoulder patches were discontinued following WWII, the 1^st Marine Division logo is exactly the same today as the first shoulder patches produced in Australia in 1943.

Waltzing Matilda is perhaps Australia's most widely known folk song. It was adopted by the 1st Marine Division as their own song while the division was recovering and reorganizing in Melbourne during 1943. Today you will still hear the Division Band play Waltzing Matilda as Marines deploy.

Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong
Under the shade of a coolibah tree,
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me"

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me"
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled,
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me".

Down came a jumbuck to drink at that billabong,
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee,
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag,
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me".

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me"
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag,
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me".

Up rode the squatter, mounted on his thoroughbred,
Down came the troopers, one, two, three,
"Where's that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?"
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me".

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me"
"Where's that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?",
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me".

Up jumped the swagman and sprang into the billabong,
"You'll never take me alive", said he,
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong,
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me".

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me"
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong,
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me."