Content on World War II 1939-1945

This page lists content tagged with "World War II 1939-1945"

Phil Orchard - World War II veteran (Oral history)

Phil Orchard - World War II veteran (Video)

Phil Orchard joined the Merchant Navy in Melbourne in November 1941.

Phil Agnew - World War II veteran (Video)

Phil Agnew first served in the militia in 1940.

John Steeles - World War II veteran (Video)

John Steeles was working as an apprentice printer before he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in December 1941.

Photo: Muriel Heagney (Image)

Phyl Ahearn - World War II veteran (AWAS) (Oral history)

Phyl Ahearn - World War II veteran (AWAS) (Video)

Phyl Ahearn (nee Platt) enlisted in the Australian Women’s Army Service (AWAS) in February 1943 at Lakemba, New South Wales.

Polly

'Polly' was one of the American-built Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawk fighter aircraft which were instrumental in the defence of Milne Bay.

Port Moresby today (Video)

The Japanese objective in 1942 - Port Moresby, as it is today.

POW camp journals kept morale high

To offset the boredom of life in prisoner of war camps, particularly those in the European conflict, a huge amount of effort went into physical and creative activity - apart from the many escape…

POW medical personnel

All of it [Kevin Fagan] did with the courtesy of a society specialist who is being richly paid for his attention and the ready humour of a man who is no

POW repatriation (Video)

On 2 March 1946, 2500 Japanese, Formosan and Korean nationals - former prisoners of war and internees - embarked on the Daikai Maru. The prisoners arrived at No 1 wharf Balmain in Sydney's inner west…

POWs in Eritrea

During 1940, Australian ships were involved in two operations off the mainland of Africa.

POWs liberated (Video)

Allied POWs in Keijo camp included about 40 Australians who were captured in Singapore. The POWs were liberated by US forces on 9 September 1945.

Preparing for war (Video)

Prisoners of War: In Their Own Words (Educational), (Student activity)

Hear Australian veterans share their harrowing experiences of captivity during the Second World War.

Private Richard 'Gordon' Hughes (Video)

Private Richard 'Gordon' Hughes was a Field Ambulance stretcher bearer in 2/8th reinforcements in Syria, Lebanon, Tobruk and El Alamein. In these excerpts from his interview he describes some of his…

Private Samuel Fejo: Expressions - Commemoration through Art (Student activity), (Fact sheet), (Educational)

A printable activity sheet to help develop students' understanding of wartime artworks. Arthur Murch, an Australian official war artist in World War II, painted this portrait in 1942. The soldier in…

Proud Echo (Audio file)

'Proud Echo' was composed by Lieutenant Commander Phillip Anderson to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the loss of HMAS Perth and USS Houston during the Battle of Sunda Strait. The march features the bugle, a traditional instrument of communication use

Qantas in Java

In February 1942 a Qantas operational base was established at Broome in Western Australia so that urgent war supplies could be ferried across to Tjilatjap to help in the defence of Java.

RAAF and RAF personnel (Image)

RAAF Flying Officer Allen Cover (Video)

Rachel Rayner - World War II veteran (WAAAF) (Oral history)

Rachel Rayner - World War II veteran (WAAAF) (Video)

As a young girl, Rachel Rayner had been a member of the Air Training Corps. Too young to enlist when the war began, she volunteered for the Red Cross.

Rationing Commission question and answer session (Audio file)

A question and answer session about rationing and coupons? This radio broadcast excerpt from the Rationing Commission answers a question about sugar rationing.

Rationing Commission radio broadcast (Audio file)

A radio broadcast presented by the Rationing Commission to the workers of Australia

Rats of Tobruk short film (Video)

We captured the reflections of six Australian veterans who served in North Africa in World War II and survived the siege of Tobruk in 1941. Bob Semple, Ernie Brough, Hautrie Crick, Jack Caple, Jim…

Rawdon Hume Middleton

Ray Parkin (Oral history)

Ray Parkin speaks about how, through his drawing and painting, he could share the beauty of nature with other prisoners in the jungles of Thailand.

Ray survived eight days on the run from the Japanese

Flying Officer Ray Graetz was a wireless operator/air gunner on a bombing and strafing mission with eight other Beauforts over Wewak in May 1944 when his plane was shot down by enemy gunfire.

Rayene Stewart Simpson

Rayene 'Ray' Simpson was a highly-decorated and experienced soldier who served in 4 major conflicts. He was fearless, did not always follow the rules and 'knew every swear word in the book'.

Recovering the dead

The first [cemetery] with 146 graves had sufficient of the original crosses still legible for location to be simple … The cholera cemetery was hard to f

Red Shield on the Battlefront (Video)

This silent film shot by war photographer and cinematographer Frank Hurley in 1942 presents images of the Salvation Army in the Western Desert. [AWM F01827]

Reflections on Enlistment in World War II: In Their Own Words (Student activity), (Virtual lesson), (Oral history), (Educational)

Have you ever wondered why people enlisted in World War II? Find out from these 6 veterans.

Refugees on Labuan Island (Video)

The fighting on Labuan Island off North West Borneo displaced many of the local residents. They were not only homeless but many were malnourished and in appalling health by August 1945 when the…

Reginald Roy Rattey

Reginald Saunders: Stories of Service (Video), (Student activity), (Educational)

Reginald Walter Saunders was from the Gunditjmara people of southern Victoria. His father and uncle had served in the First World War, which motivated Reg to enlist in the Second Australian Imperial…

Reginald Walter Saunders

Reg Saunders survived 11 months on the enemy-occupied island of Crete. He later served in the Korean War and championed Indigenous equality after the war.

Release of Indian POWs (Video)

Remembering Isurava

On 14 August 2002, Prime Minister John Howard and the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Sir Michael Somare, unveiled a memorial at Isurava to the Kokoda Track campaign of August-November 1942.

Remembering Jack

In a way this great honour seems futile.

'Remembering the Kokoda track' (Video)

Remembering the Railway

In the decades since 1945 prisoners of war and the Thai–Burma railway have come to occupy a central place in Australia's national memory of war.

Remembrance Day Kitbag for hosting a commemorative event (Fact sheet)

Host resources for a Remembrance Day service. Our kitbag includes a suggested order of service with flag protocols, music, sample speeches, the Ode of Remembrance and craft activities for children.…

Remembrance Day poster 2024 (Poster)

We've created this poster to commemorate Remembrance Day in 2024. Our poster features an Australian Army Officer wearing a yarn poppy on their shoulder as a symbol of remembrance. The poppy…

Remembrance Day Posters 2011 (Poster)

A commemorative poster was produced for the centenary of the Royal Australian Navy. The poster features a central image of an unidentified Petty Officer who had served at least three years at sea…

Resource: Stories of innovation in wartime (Book), (Educational)

This commemorative publication is a part of the series; Century of Service. It explores examples of Australian wartime innovation. Many of these occurred in laboratories, offices and homes and on the…

Retaking Kokoda

Kokoda recaptured, 2 November 1942The first Australians to re-enter Kokoda were the men of a patrol led by Lt Frederick Winkle of 2/6 Independent Company...

Return to the Philippines

In 1995, fifty years after the liberation of the Philippines from Japanese occupation, the Republic of the Philippines announced the awarding of a Philippines Liberation Medal to Allied veterans wh

Rex Lipman - World War II veteran (Oral history)

Subscribe to Content on World War II 1939-1945