These colours were purple over red, in a horizontal rectangular shape, although a border of gray was added to the UCP to distinguish the battalion from its Militia counterpart. In early November, after it had started concentration, the battalion – consisting at that stage of just a small cadre force of officers and non-commissioned officers drawn mainly from several Militia units including the 14th, the 23rd/21st, the 29th, and the 46th Battalions – was moved to Puckapunyal, Victoria. While there, it received a number of drafts of recruits and was brought up to strength. With an authorised strength of around 900 personnel, like other Australian infantry battalions of the time, the battalion was formed around a nucleus of four rifle companies – designated 'A' through to 'D' – each consisting of three platoons. A short period of rudimentary training followed under the tutelage of members of the Australian Instructional Corps. This was completed by April 1940, and that month the battalion – under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Godfrey, a First World War veteran who had previously commanded the 23rd/21st Battalion – embarked for the Middle East on the transport ship Neuralia, departing from Port Melbourne and sailing via Fremantle, Colombo, Aden and the Suez Canal. At this time it was attached to the 17th Brigade, which was assigned to the 6th Division. Recruited from Victoria – although at various times the battalion's composition was boosted by recruits from other states – the 17th also consisted of the 2/5th, 2/7th and 2/8th Battalions. Middle East, Greece and Crete Upon their arrival in mid-May, the battalion established itself around Beit Jirja, and completed its training at various locations in Palestine and Egypt. In early January 1941, the 6th Division was committed to the fighting in Libya, and the 2/6th took part in the first action of the war by Australian ground forces, the Battle of Bardia, during which they fought against Italian forces. The battalion's involvement in the battle was meant to be limited to creating a diversion for the main attack, but in the end proved to be its most costly, resulting in 22 killed and 51 wounded. This was followed by further actions around Tobruk later in the month, attacking across the Bardia–Tobruk road towards the harbour through Wadi ed Delia during the 6th Division's assault. Afterwards, the 2/6th was transported to El Gazala, west of Torbuk, where