a half months, before being withdrawn in January 1944, by which time they had lost 57 men killed or missing and 142 men wounded. On top of this they suffered 2,436 non battle casualties, although most of these men returned to active service later on. Borneo After returning to Australia in 1944, the brigade retrained in north Queensland and practised amphibious assault operations. In July 1945, the brigade participated in the amphibious assault on Balikpapan, Sarawak. Coming ashore on 1 July, the brigade was committed to the first wave of the assault, landing unopposed. Supported by 'B' Company, 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion, the 21st Brigade quickly reached their initial objectives and the following day began to advance towards the east, arriving at the airfield at Sepinggang before noon on 2 July. On the third day of the fighting, the 21st Brigade came up against determined Japanese resistance after crossing the Batakan Ketjil river but this was overcome in the afternoon following a naval barrage. The next day they resumed their advance to the east but were subsequently engaged and held up by Japanese coastal defence artillery near the Manggar Besar river. Following this, as armoured support was brought up and naval and aerial bombardment was used to reduce the Japanese position, one of the guns was captured on 6 July. Over the course of the following three days the brigade turned back a number of Japanese counterattacks. By 9 July, following further bombardment, the Japanese resistance around the position was overcome and the brigade subsequently captured Sambodja, from Manggar, before sending out patrols in support of the 25th Brigade which was beginning the advance up the Milford Highway. By the night of 21/22 July main combat operations around Balikpapan came to an end as organised Japanese resistance ceased. Patrol operations continued, however, and minor engagements were fought until the war ended in August. After the Japanese surrender, the 21st Brigade carried out occupation duties in the southern Celebes as "Macassar Force", until civilian administration was restored. The brigade was disbanded during 1946. Assigned units The following infantry battalions were assigned to the 21st Brigade: 2/14th Battalion; 2/16th Battalion; 2/27th Battalion. Commanding officers The following officers served as commanding officer of the 21st Brigade: Brigadier Jack Stevens (1940–1942); Brigadier Arnold Potts (1942); Brigadier Ivan Dougherty (1942–1945). Notes References External links 21st Brigade war diary, Australian War Memorial Brigades of Australia Military