 During the manpower crisis following the Third Battle of Ypres , in which the five divisions sustained 38 @,@ 000 casualties , there were plans to follow the British reorganisation and reduce all brigades from four battalions to three . In the British regimental system this was traumatic enough ; however , the regimental identity survived the disbanding of a single battalion . In the Australian system , disbanding a battalion meant the extinction of the unit . In September 1918 , the decision to disband seven battalions — the 19th , 21st , 25th , 37th , 42nd , 54th and 60th — led to a series of " mutinies over disbandment " where the ranks refused to report to their new battalions . In the AIF , mutiny was one of two charges that carried the death penalty , the other being desertion to the enemy . Instead of being charged with mutiny , the instigators were charged as being absent without leave ( AWOL ) and the doomed battalions were eventually permitted to remain together for the forthcoming battle , following which the survivors voluntarily disbanded . These mutinies were motivated mainly by the soldiers ' loyalty to their battalions . 
