I Corps (Australia)

I Corps
Australian troops among the ruins of the old Crusader castle at Sidon, Lebanon, July 1941
Active	1940–1945
Country	Australia
Branch	Australian Army
Type	Corps
Size	Several divisions
Part of	First Army (from 1942)
Engagements	World War II Mediterranean and Middle Eastern theatres New Guinea campaign Borneo campaign
Commanders
Notable commanders	Thomas Blamey Edmund Herring Leslie Morshead
Insignia
Unit colour patch

I Corps was an Australian Army corps, one of three that were raised by the Army during World War II. It was the main Australian operational corps for much of the war. Various Australian and other Allied divisions came under its control at different times. In 1940–1942, the corps was based in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern theatres, and controlled forces in action against the Germans, Italians and later the Vichy French in North Africa, Greece and Syria–Lebanon.

In 1942, following Japan's entry into the war, I Corps was transferred to the South West Pacific Area. Forces assigned to the corps undertook garrison duties in Ceylon, and briefly deployed to the ill-fated defence of Java in 1942, before returning to Australia. Between late 1942 and 1945, the corps oversaw Allied frontline units fighting against the Japanese in New Guinea and then Borneo in 1945.