1. Introduction

WW2 - INTRODUCTION

Saluting their Service - Grahame Old

Overview of the Second World War 1939-1945 (source AWM)

On the 3 September 1939 Prime Minister Robert Gordon Menzies announced the beginning of Australia's involvement in the Second World War on every national and commercial radio station in Australia. Almost a million Australians, both men and women, served in the Second World War. They fought in campaigns against Germany and Italy in Europe, the Mediterranean and North Africa, as well as against Japan in south-east Asia and other parts of the Pacific. The Australian mainland came under direct attack for the first time, as Japanese aircraft bombed towns in north-west Australia and Japanese midget submarines attacked Sydney harbour.

The Army

Following WW1 Australia had decided that the Army would be made up from a small full-time Permanent Military Forces (PMF) and a larger part-time Militia. The main function of the PMF was to administer and train the Militia. The Defence Act 1903 restricted the pre-war Army to service in Australia and its territories only. As a result, when Australia entered the war in 1939, a new all-volunteer force was required that could fight in Europe.

Following the outbreak of war, on 14 September 1939, Prime Minister Robert Menzies announced that 40,000 members of the Militia would be called up for training and a separate 20,000 -strong expeditionary force, designated the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF), would be formed for overseas service.

Men and boys raced to enlist into the AIF as their fathers had done before them and many men resigned from the militia to also enlist. For the first time in Australia conscription was introduced to keep the Militia at strength. Militia units were not allowed to serve outside Australia until 1943. Nevertheless, the Militia provided a pool of experienced officers and soldiers who could be used to expand the Army in the event of war, and indeed during the course of the war about 200,000 Militia soldiers volunteered for overseas service. In 1942 the Army adopted the title Australian Military Forces (AMF) to encompass the various categories of service: AIF, Militia and Permanent Forces.

The Army was considerably expanded in early 1942 in response to the Japanese threat to Australia. Army's strength peaked at eleven infantry divisions and three Armoured Divisions. This force was larger than Australia's population and economy could sustain, and its strength was reduced in the second half of the year. Militia units were able to serve outside of Australian territory in the South West Pacific Area from January 1943 after the Defence (Citizen Military Forces) Act 1943 was passed. In addition the Volunteer Defence Corps was formed. The VDC was a part time volunteer military force modelled on the British home - guard, many of its members being WW1 veterans.

1940/41

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) participated in operations against Italy after its entry into the war in June 1940. A few Australians flew in the Battle of Britain in August and September, but the Australian army was not engaged in combat until 1941, when the 6th, 7th, and 9th Divisions joined Allied operations in the Mediterranean and North Africa. Following early successes against Italian forces, the Australians suffered defeat with the Allies at the hands of the Germans in Greece, Crete, and North Africa. In June and July 1941 Australians participated in the successful Allied invasion of Syria, a mandate of France and the Vichy government.

1942

Up to 14,000 Australians held out against repeated German attacks in the Libyan port of Tobruk, where they were besieged between April and August 1941. After being relieved at Tobruk, the 6th and 7th Divisions departed from the Mediterranean theatre for the war against Japan. The 9th Division remained to play an important role in the Allied victory at El Alamein in October 1942 before it also left for the Pacific. By the end of 1942 the only Australians remaining in the Mediterranean theatre were airmen serving either with 3 Squadron, RAAF.

Japan enters the War

Japan entered the war in December 1941 and swiftly achieved a series of victories, resulting in the occupation of most of south-east Asia and large areas of the Pacific by the end of March 1942. Singapore fell in February, with the loss of an entire Australian division. After the bombing of Darwin that same month, all RAN ships in the Mediterranean theatre, as well as the 6th and 7th Divisions, returned to defend Australia. In response to the heightened threat, the Australian government also expanded the army and air force and called for an overhaul of economic, domestic, and industrial policies to give the government special authority to mount a total war effort at home. In March 1942, after the defeat of the Netherlands East Indies, Japan's southward advance began to lose strength, easing fears of an imminent invasion of Australia. Further relief came when the first AIF veterans of the Mediterranean campaigns began to come home, and the United States assumed responsibility for the country's defence. The threat of invasion receded further as the Allies won a series of decisive battles: in the Coral Sea, at Midway, on Imita Ridge, on the Kokoda Trail, and at Milne Bay and Buna.

1943/1944/1945

Further Allied victories against the Japanese followed in 1943. Australian troops were mainly engaged in land battles in New Guinea, the defeat of the Japanese at Wau, and clearing Japanese soldiers from the Huon peninsula. The Australian army also began a new series of campaigns in 1944 against isolated Japanese garrisons stretching from Borneo to Bougainville, involving more Australian troops than at any other time in the war. While Australia's major effort from 1942 onwards was directed at defeating Japan, thousands of Australians continued to serve with the RAAF in Europe and the Middle East. Australians were particularly prominent in Bomber Command's offensive against occupied Europe. Some 3,500 Australians were killed in this campaign (including nine Collie Boys), making it the costliest of the war.

Women at War

Nurses had gone overseas with the AIF in 1940. However, during the early years of the war women were generally unable to make a significant contribution to the war effort in any official capacity. In February 1941, the RAAF received cabinet approval to establish the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF), and in 1942 the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS) was established. The Australian Women's Army Service (AWAS) was established in October 1941, with the aim of releasing men from military base units in Australia for posting to fighting units overseas. Outside the armed services, the Women's Land Army (WLA) was established to encourage women to work in rural industries. Other women in urban areas took up employment in industries, such as munitions production.

Wars End

On 7 May 1945 the German High Command authorised the signing of an unconditional surrender on all fronts: the war in Europe was over. The surrender was to take effect at midnight on 8–9 May 1945. On 14 August 1945 Japan accepted of the Allied demand for unconditional surrender. For Australia it meant that the Second World War was finally over.

WW2 - The Cost

575,799 Australian Servicemen Served Overseas during WW2.

39,429 Australian Servicemen Died on Active Service (including 45 Collie Boys).

66,563 Australian Servicemen were wounded in action.

POW’s

Over 30,000 Australian servicemen were taken prisoner in the Second World War. Two-thirds of these were captured by the Japanese during their advance through south-east Asia in the first weeks of 1942. The ill-fated Australian 8th Division became POWs when Singapore was surrendered. While those who became prisoners of the Germans had a strong chance of returning home at the end of the war, 36 per cent of prisoners of the Japanese died in captivity.

WW2 ‘Collie Boys’ - The Cost

45 ‘Collie Boys’ Died whilst serving during WW2; those that died included;

9 RAAF servicemen (aircrew) whilst serving with Bomber Command, UK.

9 Army servicemen were KIA in New Guinea.

1 Army serviceman was KIA in Borneo.

3 Army servicemen were KIA in the Middle East.

14 Army servicemen Died whilst Prisoners of War, (13 POW-Japanese, 1 POW-Germans).

2 RAN servicemen were KIA at Sea (1 HMAS Sydney, 1 attached to HMS Jaguar RN).

5 servicemen (4 RAAF and 1 Army) were accidentally killed, whilst on active service.

2 Army servicemen died of illness, whilst on active service.

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WW2 ‘Collie Boys’ – POWs

30 ‘Collie Boys’ were POW of the Japanese; they were broken, beaten, many worked to death, starved and subjected to tortures by their Japanese captors. The majority of these POWs were members of the ill - fated 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion captured in the disastrous fall of Singapore in February 1942. 13 of the ‘Collie Boys’ died whilst POWs of the Japanese.

21 ‘Collie Boys’ were POWs of the Germans; they were generally well treated. Most survived their captivity. The majority of these POWs were members of the 2/28th and 2/11th Infantry Battalions. They were taken prisoner during the first battle of El Alamein, Egypt, and during the disastrous battle for Crete. One ‘Collie Boy’ died whilst held as a POW of the Germans (the soldier died of illness).

Collie Miners Man Powered

During WW2 Collie Miners were exempt military service in order to maintain the essential mining industry. The workers were encouraged to continue in the industry. However, ‘Collie Boys’ did not heed the call, and many quit their jobs and enlisted for active service.