<prompt> Qedela umusho olandelayo: Yabelwa i-23rd Brigade ye-8th Division, ngemuva kokuqeqeshwa kokuqala yathunyelwa enyakatho eDarwin ngoSepthemba ukwakha izivikelo ezungeze uMfula i-Adelaide noNoonamah phakathi kokukhathazeka ngezinhloso zamaJapane ePacific. Ngenkathi iningi lomkhakha lithunyelwe eMalaya, i-24th yahlala ngemuva futhi kulandela ukungena kweJapan empini, leli butholikhi labelwa ukuqinisa ibutho laseKoepang njengengxenye ye-Sparrow Force e-  <response>: I-Timor. Iqembu eliphambili lathunyelwa esiqhingini ekuqaleni kukaFebhuwari ka-1942, kwathi ngoFebhuwari 14 lonke ibutho lalandela; nokho, ikholomu ababegibele kuyo yahlaselwa izindiza zaseJapane futhi yabuyiselwa emuva. Emuva eDarwin, iningi lemishini ye-24ths lalahleka lapho umkhumbi owawuthwele wona ucwila ethekwini laseDarwin ngesikhathi kuhlaselwa izindiza zaseJapane ngoFebhuwari 19. Ngenxa yalokhu, ukuthunyelwa kwebutho kwahoxiswa futhi kwahlala enyakatho isikhathi esingaphezu konyaka, ngesikhathi lapho benza imisebenzi yokuzivikela ukuze balwe nosongo lokuhlasela kwamaJapane. Ngalesi sikhathi, ibutho lalikhokhelwa uLieutenant Colonel John McCarty. NgoNovemba 1942, ibutho laphinde labelwa i-3rd Brigade, okwakuyisikhungo seMilitia esasilungiselelwe inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele futhi sathunyelwa eNyakatho Territory ekuqaleni konyaka ukuqinisa ibutho lendawo lapho. 