▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁Brigade , ▁which ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁Division ▁before ▁being ▁re ass igned ▁to ▁the ▁ 9 th ▁Division . ▁ ▁After ▁comple ting ▁training ▁in ▁Palest ine , ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁the ▁ 2 / 1 5 th ▁took ▁up ▁positions ▁along ▁the ▁front ▁line ▁in ▁the ▁Western ▁Des ert , ▁before ▁being ▁pushed ▁back ▁to ▁Tob ru k . ▁Between ▁April ▁and ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁along ▁with ▁a ▁g arrison ▁of ▁British ▁and ▁other ▁Australian ▁personnel , ▁the ▁batt alion ▁helped ▁to ▁hold ▁the ▁strateg ically ▁important ▁port , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁surrounded ▁following ▁the ▁landing ▁of ▁German ▁troops ▁at ▁Tri pol i . ▁It ▁was ▁with dra wn ▁by ▁sea ▁in ▁late ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁as ▁the ▁ 9 th ▁Division ▁was ▁rel ieved ▁by ▁the ▁British ▁ 7 0 th ▁Division . ▁Following ▁its ▁withdraw al ▁from ▁Tob ru k , ▁the ▁batt alion ▁re - formed ▁at ▁Gaz a ▁before ▁undert aking ▁g arrison ▁duties ▁in ▁Sy ria . ▁In ▁mid - 1 9 4 2 , ▁the ▁ 2 / 1 5 th ▁returned ▁to ▁North ▁Africa ▁to ▁fight ▁in ▁the ▁First ▁and ▁Second ▁Batt les ▁of ▁El ▁Al ame in . ▁ ▁In ▁early ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁the ▁ 2 / 1 5 th ▁returned ▁to ▁Australia ▁and ▁was ▁re - organ ised ▁and ▁re - tra ined ▁for ▁j ung le