Australian Army at War: An Official Record of Service in Two Hemispheres 1939-1944

Australian Army at War: An Official Record of Service in Two Hemispheres 1939-1944

Published for the Australian Army Staff by His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1944

Originally published in Australia by the Director-General of Public Relations under the authority and by direction of General Sir Thomas Blamey, G.B.E., K.C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., E.D., Commander-in-Chief Australian Military Forces. Reprinted for the Australian Army Staff by His Majesty’s Stationery Office, London, 1944.

FOREWORD

While accompanying the Prime Minister of Australia on his visit to the United Kingdom to attend the Imperial Conference, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff invited me to visit many headquarters, formations and units; and in so doing I had the pleasure of meeting many British soldiers of all ranks.

In those meetings, I was impressed with the efficiency, spirit and battle fitness of the British Army. I was also agreeably surprised at the keen interest in the Australian Army, which was displayed by all those with whom I came into contact. My personal impression in this matter was supported by the Imperial General Staff", who assured me that this welcome curiosity is very strong.

In common with the other Armies of the Empire, the Australian Military Forces have played, even up to the present, a very much larger and more important part than was contemplated, or thought possible, in the previous years of peace. This part has been played against the German and Italian Armies in Europe and the Middle East, and against Japanese troops in Malaya and the South West Pacific, but it has not been played without great effort or without heavy loss.

The close association of the A.I.F. with the British troops in the Middle East in this war, during the heavy fighting in the Western Desert, in the stern struggles in Greece and Crete, and in Syria and Malaya, has confirmed the great respect and high appreciation of British soldiers by members of the Australian Forces.

We are deeply conscious of the assistance given by the British Army in matters of training and equipment during the early stages of this war, when it could least be spared. I trust, therefore, that this booklet, which presents a few of the salient facts of the history of the Australian Army in this War, will be a means of providing you with a basic knowledge with which to follow the future share of the Australian Army in achieving victory.

Contents

• Foreword by Sir Thomas Blamey
• Introduction
• Record of Service
• Battle Record
• North Africa
• Greece
• Crete
• Syria
• Malaya
• Java
• Timor
• New Britain
• New Guinea
• Milne Bay
• The Owen Stanleys
• Battle for Wau
• Combined Operation
• Special Forces
• Mainland Defence
• Australia’s Home Guard
• Army Women’s Services
• Manpower
• Services Behind the Fighting Troops
• Decorations and Awards
• Australian Army’s War Diary

92 pages

16 photos

2 maps