 On 30 December 1941 , after transferring responsibility for their defensive area to a Militia Light Horse machine gun regiment from South Australia , the battalion embarked upon two troopships , Westralia and Marella , bound for Malaya via Port Moresby . Arriving on 4 January 1942 , they were transferred to the transport Aquitania , which was to take them the rest of the way . Before they had completed transferring the battalion ’ s equipment , news was received that Rabaul , about 500 miles ( 800 km ) north @-@ east , had been bombed by carrier @-@ based aircraft . Due to concerns that the aircraft may have been looking for the convoy , or US warships fleeing the Philippines , and that Port Moresby might be bombed next , the convoy ’ s departure was advanced and so they sailed immediately . Instead of proceeding to Malaya , though , they were taken to Sydney , New South Wales , as it was decided that it would be safer to proceed via the southern route . 
 On 30 December 1941 , after transferring responsibility for their defensive area to a Militia Light Horse machine gun regiment from South Australia , the battalion embarked upon two troopships , Westralia and Marella , bound for Malaya via Port Moresby . Arriving on 4 January 1942 , they <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>were</mark></a> transferred to the transport Aquitania , which was to take them the rest of the way . Before they <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>had</mark></a> completed transferring the battalion ’ s equipment , news was received that Rabaul , about 500 miles ( 800 km ) north @-@ east , <a href='been_done' title='3'><mark>had</mark></a> been bombed by carrier @-@ based aircraft . Due to concerns that the aircraft may have been looking for the convoy , or US warships fleeing the Philippines , and that Port Moresby might be bombed next , the convoy ’ s departure was advanced and so they sailed immediately . Instead of proceeding to Malaya , though , they <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>were</mark></a> taken to Sydney , New South Wales , as it was decided that it would be safer to proceed via the southern route . 
On 30 December 1941 , after transferring responsibility for their defensive area to a Militia Light Horse machine gun regiment from South Australia , da battalion embarked upon 2 troopships , Westralia and Marella , bound for Malaya via Port Moresby . Arriving on 4 January 1942 , they was transferred to the transport Aquitania , which was to take them the rest of tdaway . b4 they done completed transferring the battalion ’ s equipment , news was received dat Rabaul , bout 500 miles ( 800 km ) north @-@ east , done been bombed by carrier @-@ based aircraft . Due to concerns that thdaircraft may have been lookin for the convoy , or US warships fleeing thedailippines , and that Port Moresby might b bombed nxt , the convoy ’ s departure was advanced and soo they sailed immediately . Instead of proceeding to Malaya , tho , they was taken to Sydney , New South Wales , as it was decided tdatit would bbsafer to proceed via the southern route .