and 2/27th—the brigade was raised from personnel drawn from Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia. Following a brief period of rudimentary training in home locations in Australia, under the command of Brigadier Jack Stevens, the brigade embarked for the Middle East in October 1940 aboard the Aquitania. Sailing via India, after a brief stay at Deolali, near Bombay, where the brigade's three infantry battalions concentrated for the first time, the brigade continued on to the Middle East. Following their arrival in Egypt, the brigade moved to Dimra in the Hebron Hills in Palestine, where they undertook further training as the 7th Division underwent a period of re-organisation as a number of brigades were transferred to and from it. In April 1941, the brigade went to Egypt, stationed at Ikingi Maryut where the 7th Division began preparations to deploy to Greece where they were to reinforce the 6th Division. These plans were changed shortly afterwards, though, and the brigade was moved to Mersa Matruh on the Libyan border to defend against an expected German attack. After being relieved at Mersa Matruh, the brigade returned to Palestine in May, in order to prepare for operations elsewhere in the theatre. Syria and Lebanon In June and July 1941, the brigade was allocated to form the backbone of the Allied invasion of Lebanon and Syria, which saw British, Indian and Free French forces defeat Vichy French land forces in the Middle East. On 8 June, the 21st Brigade began its advance along the coast from Tyre, over the Litani towards Sidon, which was captured on 15 June. Following this, the Vichy French launched a counterattack which stalled the Australians' advance until 30 June when they were able to seize the initiative again. The 21st Brigade then drove towards Damour. On 6 July, the 2/16th Battalion attacked the main Vichy defensive position on El Atiqa Ridge, launching a frontal assault on a force of French Foreign Legion troops. Meanwhile, the 2/27th Battalion began opening a gap in the front, while the 2/14th approached Damour from its eastern approaches. On 7 July, the 2/27th Battalion was subjected to a strong French counterattack on Hill 560 which resulted in heavy casualties for the Australians before the French were ejected from the hill early in the morning the following day. On 9 July Damour fell and subsequently the 2/14th and 2/27th Battalions advanced through the mountains beyond. By