The regiment moved to Ballarat and was brought up to strength from Universal Service (conscripted) personnel and formed part of Headquarters Southern Command.

A separate Australian Imperial Force (AIF) unit with a similar designation, the 2/4th Armoured Regiment, was raised in late 1942.

[3] When the Japanese entered the war, the regiment was dispatched, as part of the 6th Infantry Brigade (CMF), to serve on the Dandenong Eastern Defence Line and later at Barwon Heads and Torquay beaches.

On 10 February the unit received orders to transfer personnel to the 13th Light Horse and the 17th Machine Gun Regiment.

[6] The 14th Armoured Regiment was based at Gherang until the end of June, when it moved to Puckapunyal to join the rest of the brigade.