The battalion arrived at Port Tewfik on 3 May 1941 from where they entrained and were moved by rail and then road to a camp near Ikingi Maryut.
They remained there for roughly a week, undertaking further training as they received the rest of their equipment and weapons—sub machine guns, anti-tank rifles and mortars—before the men entrained again and moved to Mersa Matruh on the coast, whereupon they were transferred to the 25th Brigade, swapping with the 2/32nd Battalion.
Amidst concerns of a German attack along the Egypt–Libya border, the battalion carried out the tasks of building and manning defences of the brigade's inner perimeter.

On 25 May they entrained once again, with the original plan of joining the garrison at Tobruk.
These plans were changed, however, and the 2/25th along with the rest of the 25th Brigade moved to Palestine instead where they were transferred to the 7th Division, with whom they would remain for the rest of the war.

In June–July 1941 the battalion took part in the fighting against the Vichy French in the Syria–Lebanon campaign, during which it was initially placed in brigade reserve during the advance into Lebanon, which saw the battalion's companies split up as they were detached to the other three battalions of the brigade as required.
Later they were reunited and on 19 June, after carrying out a grueling approach march over difficult terrain, the 2/25th launched its only major attack of the campaign in an effort to retake the town of Merdjayoun after a Vichy counterattack had recaptured it a few days earlier.
Encountering a force of French tanks, however, the battalion's attack was ultimately unsuccessful and they suffered heavy casualties, as well as losing over 50 men captured.

Most of the losses had come from 'B' Company and so it became necessary to merge the company with a platoon from 'A' Company.
A few days later, on 25 June, the battalion was temporarily attached to the 21st Brigade and together they carried out a series of advances inland due to concerns of a possible French counterattack around Beit ed Dine, capturing a number of towns and villages along the way before an armistice came into effect on 12 July 1941.
After this the battalion carried out garrison duties in Lebanon before being brought back to Australia in February 1942 in order to meet the growing threats in the Pacific following Japan’s entry into the war in December 1941.
The battalion arrived at Port Tewfik on 3 May 1941 from where they entrained and were moved by rail and then road to a camp near Ikingi Maryut. They remained there for roughly a week, undertaking further training as they received the rest of their equipment and weapons—sub machine guns, anti-tank rifles and mortars—before the men entrained again and moved to Mersa Matruh on the coast, whereupon they were transferred to the 25th Brigade, swapping with the 2/32nd Battalion. Amidst concerns of a German attack along the Egypt–Libya border, the battalion carried out the tasks of building and manning defences of the brigade's inner perimeter.
On 25 May they entrained once again, with the original plan of joining the garrison at Tobruk. These plans were changed, however, and the 2/25th along with the rest of the 25th Brigade moved to Palestine instead where they were transferred to the 7th Division, with whom they would remain for the rest of the war.
In June–July 1941 the battalion took part in the fighting against the Vichy French in the Syria–Lebanon campaign, during which it was initially placed in brigade reserve during the advance into Lebanon, which saw the battalion's companies split up as they were detached to the other three battalions of the brigade as required. Later they were reunited and on 19 June, after carrying out a grueling approach march over difficult terrain, the 2/25th launched its only major attack of the campaign in an effort to retake the town of Merdjayoun after a Vichy counterattack had recaptured it a few days earlier. Encountering a force of French tanks, however, the battalion's attack was ultimately unsuccessful and they suffered heavy casualties, as well as losing over 50 men captured.
Most of the losses had come from 'B' Company and so it became necessary to merge the company with a platoon from 'A' Company. A few days later, on 25 June, the battalion was temporarily attached to the 21st Brigade and together they carried out a series of advances inland due to concerns of a possible French counterattack around Beit ed Dine, capturing a number of towns and villages along the way before an armistice came into effect on 12 July 1941. After this the battalion carried out garrison duties in Lebanon before being brought back to Australia in February 1942 in order to meet the growing threats in the Pacific following Japan’s entry into the war in December 1941.
2/25th Battalion (Australia)