Formation and Early Training in Egypt

• The 59th Battalion was raised in Egypt on 21 February 1916, following the Gallipoli campaign and the influx of new recruits from Australia.
• Half of the recruits were veterans from the 7th Battalion, with the other half coming from fresh reinforcements.
• The battalion was predominantly composed of men from rural Victoria.
• In Egypt, their duties included training and defending the Suez Canal, with a march in late March from Tel el Kebir to Ferry Post for further training.

Departure for the Western Front

• The 59th Battalion boarded the “Kinfauns Castle” on 18 June 1916 and, after a brief stop in Malta, arrived in Marseilles on 29 June.
• By 2 July, they were stationed in Steenbecque, 35 km from Fromelles.
• Training included gas mask drills and preparation for the harsh realities of trench warfare.

Preparation for the Battle of Fromelles

• On 9 July, the battalion moved to Sailly-sur-la-Lys, just 1,000 yards from the front lines.
• They were positioned across from the German “Sugar Loaf” salient, a heavily fortified position with machine guns, which would pose a significant threat during the attack.

The Battle of Fromelles (19-20 July 1916)

• The 59th entered the front trenches at 4 PM on 18 July, taking over from the 57th Battalion.
• Their attack began on the evening of 19 July, with four waves going over the parapet at five-minute intervals.
• Intense rifle and machine gun fire, particularly from the Sugar Loaf, immediately halted the advance.
• Despite limited advances, many soldiers managed to reach the German parapet but were forced to fall back due to a lack of support.
• The attack was called off by 8:00 PM, but communications were disrupted due to the limited terrain, and no British support was available.

Casualties and Aftermath

• By 8 AM on 20 July, only 4 officers and 90 other ranks had reported in, out of about 1,000 soldiers.
• Over 200 wounded soldiers were recovered from No-Man’s Land on 20 July.
• The final toll for the 59th Battalion was 26 killed, 394 wounded, and 275 missing, totaling 695 casualties. Of those, 45 died of wounds and 289 were killed in action.