The 2/12th Field Ambulance was a unit of the Second Australian Imperial Force and suffered the greatest number of casualties for a non-combatant unit in Australian history. The 2/12th was formed in Sydney in November 1940 and was attached to the 23rd Infantry Brigade, 8th Division. Following the beginning of the Pacific War elements of the 2/12th were deployed to Ambon and Timor where they were captured by the Japanese. The 2/12th was rebuilt and was deployed to New Guinea in May 1943 on hospital ship Centaur. However, only 14 members of the unit survived the ship's sinking on 14 May. After being rebuilt for a second time the 2/12th served in Borneo and was disbanded in 1946.