Reasons why Australians enlisted
Enlistment means enrolling or being enrolled in the armed services.
Australians enlisted in both world wars for many reasons.
When the First World War broke out in 1914, most Australians were loyal to Britain. They felt a duty to defend its empire. In the 8 years before 1914, more than 90% of Australia's immigrants were British. Many Australians still called England 'the mother country'.
For others, serving in a war overseas had appeal. It was an opportunity for travel and adventure. The Navy and Army also offered a secure job in Australia's poor wartime economy.
Australians had similar sentiments when the Second World War started in 1939. Many still felt a sense of duty towards the British Empire. Patriotism increased when Japanese forces began attacking Australian towns in 1942. Many people enlisted to protect their homeland and preserve democracy. Other incentives included secure employment, vocational training and veteran benefits.
National pride, loyalty to the British Empire, a sense of duty, a sense of adventure and economic factors led many Australians to enlist during both world wars.
Volunteers queuing to enlist outside Victoria Barracks, Sydney. 1914-1916. AWM A03406
The day Bob Menzies came out and declared war on Germany I enlisted in the army. My mother didn't want to let me go but after a few kisses and cuddles she did. I had a lovely mother. Anyhow, that was why I joined I thought somebody had to do something. Somebody had to go away and fight. We had to do something. Somebody had to go and why shouldn't it be me. – Vernon Hansen
First World War enlistment
The United Kingdom declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914. Other nations of the British Empire followed, including Australia.
Australia pledged an immediate force of 20,000 men, with more to follow. The Australian Army had to form a new force for overseas service. Thousands of men wanted to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF).
The AIF had precise enlistment standards for recruits. Limits were set for age, height and weight. The AIF only accepted the biggest and fittest of the early volunteers. Almost one-third of volunteers were rejected in the first year of the war.
At first, the standards were very strict. For example, men with poor teeth were not accepted until their teeth were fixed. As the war progressed, the AIF needed more men to replace the men they lost. Physical conditions for enlistment were relaxed so more men would be eligible to serve in the war.
When the First World War started, Jack Hazlitt (1897–1993) lied about his age and enlisted in the AIF. He survived the war after serving at Gallipoli and in France and Belgium.
Watch the video:
Australian Biography: Jack Hazlitt (1.05 - 2.05)
Answer the questions:
- What made Jack want to enlist?
- What difficulty did Jack face when trying to enlist?
- What physical attributes helped Jack to be accepted for enlistment?
- Look at the table on Enlisting in the Australian forces during World War I. It shows how enlistment standards for the AIF changed over the course of the war. What 3 statements can you make about these changes?
Second World War enlistment
During the Second World War, Australians volunteered to defend their nation and support their allies.
Over a million men and women enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy, the Australian Army and the Royal Australian Air Force.
Many men enlisted in the 2nd AIF and deployed overseas. They served in Europe and the Middle East, then South-East Asia and the Pacific. Others joined the Commonwealth Military Forces (CMF) to help defend Australia and its territories.
At first, women could enlist as nurses or work as a voluntary aid detachment (VAD). In 1941, they started to join the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF), Royal Australian Navy Women's Service (RANWS) and Australian Women's Army Service (AWAS).
As the war went on, new recruits trained to prepare for combat in different theatres, such as desert warfare in North Africa and jungle warfare in Asia and the Pacific.
John Campbell Pope served in the Second World War. He had been a member of the CMF since January 1939. In July 1940, he enlisted in the 2nd AIF at Claremont, Western Australia. Hear John talk about his enlistment.
Watch the video: John Pope
Chapter 1: Enlistment (0:00 - 3:09)
Answer the question:
- What are 2 reasons that motivated John to enlist during the Second World War?
William Campbell also enlisted during the Second World War. Hear William talk about his decision to enlist:
Watch the video: William Campbell
Enlistment (0:00 -4:00)
Answer the questions:
- What reasons does William give for joining the war?
- What roles did propaganda and societal pressure play in encouraging individuals to enlist during the Second World War, particularly after significant events like the bombing of Pearl Harbor?
- What events in 1941 and 1942 influenced Australians to enlist?
Learn more about the Australians who joined up in 1939-45.
Enlistment for First Nations people
Both world wars occurred during a period of social and political discrimination for First Nations people. Despite the barriers to enlistment, many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people wanted to serve Australia. They had a range of reasons why they wanted to enlist.
During the First World War, Indigenous Australians were not allowed to enlist. The AIF would only accept volunteers who were of European descent. As the demand for manpower increased, the restrictions were relaxed. Broader enlistment standards allowed some First Nations people to join the armed forces. Hundreds of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people served in the AIF although they were not considered Australian citizens. They suffered as a result of racist national policies during and after the war.
There was a shift in policy during the Second World War, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were accepted into the military. The change was partly due to recognising the contribution that they could make. This idea took hold after Japan entered the war and attacked northern Australia.
Further changes to enlistment restrictions did not come about in Australia until after the 1967 Referendum recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as Australian citizens. At the beginning of the Vietnam War, the enlistment standards still discriminated against Australia's First Nations people.
Gary Oakley is a Gundungurra man from the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales. He joined the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) at 15 and served in Vietnam. After some 20 years of service, Gary discharged from the RAN. Then he worked for many years at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Gary was their Indigenous Liaison Officer. Recently, he joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as a squadron leader. Hear Gary talk about enlisting in the Navy.
Watch the video: Gary Oakley
Answer the questions:
- What factors influenced Gary's decision to enlist in the navy? Use quotes from Gary in your answer.
- What reason did the RAN give to Gary for why he could not do an apprenticeship as a baker?
- Enlisting in Australia's Defence Forces (ADF) is not just about fighting a war. Gary mentions a number of apprenticeship opportunities that were available to him. What are some other career paths that you can think of in the ADF?
Marion Leane Smith is believed to be the only Aboriginal woman to serve in the First World War. Read about Marion Leane Smith in Stories of Indigenous Service. Then, answer the following questions.
- How might her life have been different if Marion and her family had stayed in Australia? Would she have been able to train as a nurse and serve in the First World War?
- How has the recognition and acknowledgment of the contributions of First Nations veterans evolved over time? Do your own research.
Conscription
During the First and Second World Wars, Australia attempted to introduce conscription with mixed results.
In November 1964, the National Service Act 1964 was passed. The law required most men aged 20 to register for National Service. Then, if their birthday was selected in a ballot, they were called up for military training. Some conscripts volunteered for overseas service. Some were sent to Borneo during the conflict known as the Indonesian Confrontation. Many went to Vietnam to support Australia’s increased commitment to that war.
Dennis Mitchell was drafted into National Service in 1967. He deployed to Vietnam in November 1968. Hear Dennis talk about his conscription.
Watch the video: Dennis Mitchell
Called up (1:32 - 3:34)
Answer the questions:
- Describe Dennis's thoughts and feelings about military service once he was called up to serve in the army.
- Imagine you receive a conscription notice during a period of conflict. How would you feel about being forced to train in the military?
Discover more: Australians in the National Service Scheme from 1951 to 1972
Enlistment campaigns
In the First World War, the Australian Government ran campaigns to encourage men to enlist. Posters reflected national pride, friendship and military events, such as Gallipoli. Propaganda persuaded men to join. It appealed to their sense of responsibility and need for adventure.
Enlistment campaigns were used in the Second World War too. The government worked hard to get everyone involved, even women. Posters promoted working together for a common nationalistic cause. When Japan directly threatened Australia in 1942, the campaigns focused more on protecting Australia. Posters presented the enemy as evil, persuading people to act quickly and defend Australia.
Media outlets were important for spreading propaganda in wartime. Newspapers printed stories of brave Australian soldiers. Radio broadcasts included patriotic messages, music and news to maintain community optimism. In cinemas, news clips showed Australians serving overseas and how the war was affecting the world.
Propaganda was not limited to newspapers, radio and film. Slogans appeared in speeches and at community events. Public figures and community leaders helped spread the messages of sacrifice and doing one’s duty.
Norm Dillon enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in 1941. Hear Norm talk about his decision to enlist.
Watch the video: Norm Dillon
Answer the questions:
- In what way did Norm’s family history influence his decision to enlist?
- Look at the following flyers for enlistment. What are 4 ways that the flyers encouraged Australians to enlist?
Sepia recruitment leaflet. Illustration on the front shows a troopship pulling away from a wharf.
Black and White recruitment leaflet of a mother holding an infant in front of the Australian Flag. "You love them, fight for them! Join the AIF Now! You love them - for their sake, do a man's job.
This poster subtitled ' Make dad proud to say..."My boy...in the East " ' features a graphic of a man's hands holding a photograph of a group of smiling soldiers, his pipe in his right hand and the picket fence of the garden in the background.
Recruiting poster for the Australian Imperial Force in World War I featuring Albert Jacka, 1917. Published by the Sportsmen's Committee, State Parliamentary Recruiting Committee, Victoria. AWM ARTV00026
- Do you think the enlistment posters were good at making people want to join the military? Why or why not?
Enlistment for women
In wartime, many Australian women took on tasks that were usually done by men.
In the First World War, women could only enlist in the AIF as nurses. Some became voluntary aid detachments (VADs), doing minor tasks to support medical staff in Australia and overseas. Many VADs worked in Red Cross homes and canteens and on troop trains.
In the Second World War, many men left their jobs and families to serve. By 1941, so many women also wanted to help that the Australian Women's Army Service (AWAS) was formed. Women also joined the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF) and the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS). They took on duties in communications, intelligence and logistics.
The nature of modern-day service has changed, especially in global peace operations in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Women in the Australian Defence Force are no longer confined to the home front. Today, Australian women represent about 20% of the Australian Defence Force.
Hear Judy Speedy talk about her desire to enlist and fight the enemy during the Vietnam War.
Watch the video: Judy Speedy
Supporting wives (2:20-8:07) and Improved family support (15:18-15:57)
Answer the questions:
- Listen to Judy speak about the jobs available for women in the early 1960s. Why did she join the WRANS?
- What happened to Judy’s career in the WRANS after she married Max Speedy? How did she describe the change in her role and how she supported her husband?
- How would you describe the differences that Judy mentioned about raising a family as a defence family in the 1960s compared to when her son was deployed to East Timor?
Discover the different roles of Australian women in the First World War.
Curriculum notes for teachers
Year 9 History
The videos and activities align with Year 9 History, v 9.0 Australian Curriculum.
The causes of the First World War and the reasons why Australians enlisted to fight in the war (AC9HH9K08).
- Listing the reasons why Australian men enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force; for example, the challenges of living on the land and a need for a regular pay; adventure; to do their duty for the British Empire; impact of persuasive propaganda posters, pamphlets and leaflets; peer and community pressure.
- Examining the stories of First Nations Australian men who enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force.
Year 10 History
The videos and activities align with Year 10 History, v 9.0 Australian Curriculum.
The effects of the Second World War, with a particular emphasis on the continuities and changes on the Australian home front, such as the changing roles of women and First Nations Australians, and the use of wartime government controls (AC9HH10K04).
- Discussing the introduction of conscription into Australia through the Citizen Military Forces as a change from the policies of World War I.
- Identifying the barriers that affected First Nations Australians’ enlistment in the Second World War, such as the lack of trust in their loyalty by the Australian Government, denial of their Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander status and the notion that there would be disharmony between First Nations Australians and non-Indigenous Australian men.
