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AbstractThe Anzac tradition does not talk much about what happens when combatmorale falters and battle fatigue undermines military effectiveness. Yet,despite the Australian Army’s proud history, it has not been immune fromsuch problems. Evidence of this is not, however, likely to be found in any officialhistory or unit report. Fortunately, the 7th Australian Infantry Brigade’s campaignon Bougainville, 1944–45, allows these issues to be studied in detail. The existenceof candid personal diaries and memoirs written by the brigade commander, twoof his unit commanding officers and a private soldier offer a rare glimpse into therealities of life on combat operations.This paper traces the fortunes of the brigade’s battalions and assesses theirrelative experiences: one disintegrated under the weight of combat stress, onewas placed under considerable pressure and one appeared to escape relativelyunaffected. In this tale of three battalions, the fate of each unit offers importantinsights into the nature of combat and the maintenance of morale and fightingeffectiveness when soldiers are engaged in battle. It is not just an interesting storybut offers much that remains relevant for the Australian Army’s current leaders asthey seek to face the contemporary challenges of the ‘Long War’.vi — A tale of three battalions