Content on Australians at War stories

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Doctor among the last to leave Gallipoli

Major Eric Hutchinson was a doctor but he was also a hero. He survived numerous shellings, was eventually wounded in France and evacuated but then returned to the front to continue tending the…

Dreaming of home kept him going on railway of death

Dreaming of home and the wonderful things he would do when he got there was what kept Sapper Clarrie Williams going while he slaved away on the Burma-Thailand Railway.

Farewell from a soldier

When Edward Isaac Mason enlisted for World War I he lied about his age. Nothing unusual about that. Lots of young men added a year or two to join up.

Farriers played important role with Australian Light Horse

Farriers were in great demand by the Australian Light Horse so when Harold Arthur Mertin joined up 1914 he was welcomed with open arms.

Fever caused more grief than the enemy

Shortly after disembarking from the Taroona on arrival in Port Moresby with the 8th Platoon, 55th Battalion AIF, in May 1942, Lionel Abeshouse found himself marching 20 km to camp, carrying full…

German spy may have caused Captain Lovett's death

Norman Lovett was well known in the Wellington area. His father Fred was the Maryvale Public School teacher and Norman had spent much of his life there. He had followed in his father's footsteps and…

Great friendships formed in heat of battle

Many great and lasting friendships were formed amongst the men and women who served in Australia's armed forces over the years. Sadly, many such friendships ended suddenly with the death of one or…

Harley Matthews—The Spirit of Anzac

Harley Matthews was a poet, journalist, playwright and wine maker who served at Gallipoli and was later imprisoned in Australia for sedition. But his most unusual role was surely that of an artist's…

Harveyson family provided Grenfell volunteers with home from home

Two brothers who lived 12,000 miles (20,000km) apart at the beginning of World War I combined to provide a home from home for Grenfell troops sent to Europe, and in doing so formed a bond which is as…

He charged at Beersheba with the light horse

The air was filled with the sound of thundering hoofs and the shouts of exhilaration from hundreds of young Australian Light Horse troops as they raced across the desert towards the Turkish lines at…

Hugh Anderson's letters bring the horrors of war to life

Hugh Anderson was a prolific letter writer. Throughout his time in Gallipoli and France, and when in hospital, first in Greece and later in England, he wrote regularly to his mother and father and to…

Lancaster pilot survived numerous scrapes

Squadron Leader Frank Slade of the RAAF had made many raids on German targets during World War II so another trip to Hamburg on 28 July 1944 was just another day at the office

Letters an important part of a soldier's life

For most soldiers in World War I letters were an important part of their life. Many wrote long accounts of battles and complained when mail from home didn't reach them.

Live on and love on war the motto of Jack Neil

Jack Neil was a religious man with a strong sense of honour and duty.

Living through "friendly fire" in New Guinea

Being shot at by planes and having bombs dropped near you was a fairly common occurrence in New Guinea during World War II, as Tony Booth would be the first to tell you. But when the bullets and the…

Lt Britt describes the first day on Gallipoli

Lt William Britt seemed to be leading a charmed life when he survived the landing at Gallipoli. Bullets passed through his hat and several parts of his clothes. One broke his favourite pipe while…

Major Nat Barton mentioned in despatches

Nat Barton was born at Wellington in 1894, the third son of Charles and Annie Barton. He spent most of his life growing up on their property, Nanima, close to Wellington, which his parents had bought…

Medical evacuation

During the Vietnam War wounded were generally speedily evacuated by helicopter. If war movies are to be believed, scarcely has a soldier been hit before a medical evacuation helicopter appeared over…

Mixed feelings as POWs waited to be released

Every day that Australians spent as prisoners of war they longed for freedom. They thought about family and friends at home and just hoped to survive for the end of the war.

Naked diggers seek relief from bugs

The sight of Australian diggers walking naked up the beach at Gallipoli would have caused great amusement had it not been for the seriousness of the situation.

National servicemen took part in undeclared war

Private Michael O'Dea was called up for National Service in 1965 when his birth date was pulled out of the hat. But unlike many of his colleagues he didn't go to Vietnam. Instead he went to Borneo…

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 survives horrendous conditions

Private Justin Dawson was fighting with the 15th Battalion near Baupaume in France on 10 April 1917 when a 'stunt' went wrong and he was captured by the Germans.

Private Craig's view of Gallipoli landing

The harrowing accounts add substance to the horrors faced by the ANZACS as they headed for the beach in boats and while they were fighting their way up the steep inclines against appalling odds.

Private Litchfield describes the day he was shot

Like many troops in World War I, Private Charles Litchfield kept a diary through the two years from the time he left Australia until he was wounded and repatriated to Australia.

RAAF Butterworth upgraded by No 2 Airfield Construction Squadron

Australia's major area of strategic concern in 1953-54 changed from the Middle East to South-East Asia with the threat of communism and the domino theory uppermost in the minds of the government.

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.

Regular soldiers were backbone of units in Vietnam

Graham Sherrington was not your typical regular soldier. He had had more than his share of run ins with the Army authorities but there was more to it than that.

Rescue flight brings Vietnamese orphans out of Saigon

The withdrawal of forces from Vietnam was drawing to a conclusion in April 1975 when the Australian Government made a decision to evacuate some war orphans from the vicinity of Saigon before they…

Rex Boyden survived wounding at Gallipoli to become an ace pilot

The Boyden family certainly carried out its fair share of duty for Australia with four brothers fighting in World War I and a fifth in World War II. Amazingly all survived although three were wounded…

Sapper recalls years fighting in New Guinea

Sapper Bill Stanbury had an eventful war. It started off badly in December 1942 when, after being refused pre-embarkation leave, he went Absent Without Leave, in a bid to see his wife as she was…

Saved by a mate during Turk attack

The troops at Gallipoli often had to rely on their mates in times of great duress. It wasn't something you stopped to think about - you just took it for granted - you'd look after them and they'd…

Secret diary of life in Changi

When Sgt Jack O'Donnell was taken prisoner at the fall of Singapore, he was, quite naturally, rather depressed about life. But rather than give in to melancholy, he decided to document his…

Signaller lucky to escape from Singapore

For someone who was a signaller trained to keep things short and to the point, Allan Quick wrote remarkably thoughtful and detailed letters home from the war.

Sister Hamilton served much of the war on night duty

Sister Vera Hamilton was nursing at Scott Memorial Hospital at Scone, New South Wales, when war was declared and immediately enlisted but it was to be 12 months before she got the call. Once it came…

Soldiers issued with broom sticks instead of guns

When World War II broke out on 3 September 1939, Jack Brinkworth was living in Gresford. On his first day off work, 7 September, he rode his bike the 28 miles to Maitland to the Drill Hall and put…

Specialist mechanical unit paved the way for troops

Early in World War II the authorities realised there would be a need to have earth moving machines and equipment with experienced operators to be used in various war zones including the Middle East…

Stretcher bearers strayed behind enemy lines

Private Bill Manly was used to collecting wounded Australian soldiers from the battlefield. It was his job while working for the 13th Australian Field Ambulance at the dressing station in Pozières…

The "Dinkum Soldier" whose luck ran out

Private William O'Brien came from a hard-working family. His father died in 1906, just a few years after establishing a flour mill in Toowoomba. This left his mother with 10 children to look after…

The 106 Field Workship in Vietnam

Units of the Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RAEME) have served Australia well in many conflicts and Vietnam was no exception.

The battle for Lone Pine

The battle for Lone Pine, involving the Australian 1st Brigade plus two other battalions, was a crushing victory for the Australians but at a horrendous cost to both sides.

The battle for Mouquet Farm

The battle for Mouquet Farm, just north of Pozières in France, was shrouded in controversy. Thousands of Australian troops died over a period of several weeks while the farm was taken and abandoned…

The evacuation of Gallipoli went like clockwork

Stewart Boyden was a good letter writer. He wrote often to his parents back in Sydney, expressing his feelings and his faith in God.

The half-penny slouch hat

Since time immemorial soldiers have filled in idle moments with an astonishing variety of activities, ranging from playing board games to making handcrafts using whatever material was readily…

The sinking of HMAS Canberra

Francis Pickup was a signaller on board HMAS Canberra in August 1942 when the ship, along with HMAS Australia and HMAS Hobart (light cruiser 6 inch guns) plus a large American Amphibian Force of…

The sinking of the Wollongbar II

A one-sided secret sea-battle raged in the New South Wales north coast waters during one fortnight in mid 1943. Much wreckage and Australian blood washed on to beaches during this battle. Because of…

The skirl of the pipes kept troops entertained

The skirl of the bagpipes and the beating of the drum have been the inspiration for many a Scots unit during various wars. But when the pipes and drums were played by three attractive young ladies…

They can't beat the boys of this old brigade

Despite being only 15 years old, Tom Murphy was so keen to go to war that he borrowed his older brother's birth certificate and put up his age. His big problem was that he only looked 15 and he was…

This place they call Tobruk

War has produced some memorable poetry over the years with the name Paterson among the best.

Those at home also suffered from lack of news

Much of the focus during any war is on the family members who have gone away to serve their country. Service men and women tell of their longing to receive mail from home and how excited they are…
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