What is the difference between AIF Battalion and Australian Infantry Battalion ?
Let’s use the 42nd Battalion as an example. Just as each Battalion has A B C and D Companies so to can each Regiment or Expeditionary Force have a 42nd Battalion. The first AIF had about 60 Battalions of which the 42nd was but one. It was designated as 42nd Bn AIF. It ceased to exist in 1918. But a new version was raised as a Citizens Military Forces (CMF) unit. When the second AIF was raised many of the Battalions were re-raised and given the prefix 2 (or 2nd or Second). So it was that the Second 9th Battalion (2/9 Bn AIF) and lots of others came into being. That did not stop the CMF from having a 9th Battalion. Battalion numbers are often manipulated to maintain a link to a region for a particular Battalion number. For example when the 42nd became the 42nd Battalion Capricornia Regiment there is no suggestion that 43 other Battalions preceded it in that Regiment. The 42nd Battalion was NOT re-raised as an AIF unit. The structure of a Brigade had changed from 4 Battalions to 3 Battali
