Portal:Military history of Australia/Selected article/11

The First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) was an all volunteer force raised in August 1914 by the Australian Army for service during World War I. It initially consisted of one infantry division and one light horse brigade. The infantry division subsequently fought at Gallipoli in 1915, being reinforced by a second division, as well as three light horse brigades. After being evacuated to Egypt the AIF was expanded to five infantry divisions, which were committed to the fighting in France and Belgium along the Western Front in March 1916, taking part in the fighting there until the armistice in November 1918. A sixth infantry division was partially raised in 1917 in the United Kingdom, but was broken up and used as reinforcements following heavy casualties on the Western Front. Meanwhile, two mounted divisions remained in the Middle East to fight against Turkish forces in the Sinai and Palestine campaign. The AIF included the Australian Flying Corps (AFC), which was deployed to Europe and the Middle East throughout the war. After the war, the AFC evolved into the Royal Australian Air Force; the remainder of the 1st AIF was disbanded between 1919 and 1921.