 Its headquarters was raised at the Melbourne Showgrounds on 13 October 1939, and upon formation it consisted of four infantry battalions – 2/5th, 2/6th, 2/7th and 2/8th – all of which were recruited from Victoria.Basic training was undertaken at Puckapunyal, after which the brigade embarked for overseas, under the command of Brigadier Stanley Savige.They arrived in the Middle East in April 1940 and by May were stationed in Palestine.