they continued the advance to Derna and beyond in late January, advancing on a two-company front during which they clashed briefly with Italians from the 86th Regiment, capturing over 400. In February, the 2/6th detached personnel to garrison the towns of Barce and Benghazi before moving to Mersa Matruh, where they received new equipment, in late March 1941. Casualties during this period were 24 dead and 75 wounded. In early April 1941, the 6th Division was dispatched to Greece, where they fought a very brief campaign following the German invasion of that country in the middle of the month. Overwhelmed, the Allied forces were forced back over the course of several weeks during which the 2/6th took part in several desperate rearguard actions and withdrawals during which the battalion lost 28 men killed and 43 wounded. Finally, they were evacuated by sea at the end of the month, but amidst the confusion a large of the battalion's personnel – 217 personnel from all ranks – were captured, while others were landed on Crete, instead of Alexandria in Egypt, after the ship on which they were sailing, the Costa Rica, was sunk. On Crete, 13 officers and 202 other ranks from the 2/6th were organised into a 17th Brigade composite battalion along with men from the brigade's other battalions less the 2/7th. They subsequently fought unsuccessfully to repulse the German invasion that came in May, after which many more became prisoners of war. The battalion's losses in Greece and Crete were heavy, totaling 30 dead, 54 wounded and 353 captured. As a result, the 2/6th had to be re-formed in Palestine and brought back up to strength with reinforcements before it was dispatched Syria in December 1941, to join the Allied garrison that had been established there as occupation force at the conclusion of the Syria–Lebanon campaign against the Vichy French. In early 1942, the Australian government decided to bring the 6th Division back to Australia to help bolster its defences following Japan's entry into the war. Consequently, in March the battalion embarked from Suez on the transport HMT Otranto, bound for Australia. Ceylon and New Guinea On its way home, the battalion – along with the 16th Brigade and the rest of the 17th Brigade – was landed on Ceylon due to the perceived threat of a Japanese invasion there. The battalion remained there for five months, constructing defences and