Events

Troops rushing through the streets of ruined bardia in search of any stray enemy

Libya and the Siege of Tobruk 1941

In 1941, Australians fought in land and air campaigns in Egypt and Libya in North Africa. Three AIF divisions - the 6th…
2 smiling men in heavy coats, shirts and ties wearing 1940s Trilby-style hats

Greece and Crete April-May 1941

In March 1941, Robert Menzies, Prime Minister of Australia, with the concurrence of his Cabinet, agreed to the sending…
July 1942, former stonemasons, Private G Skipworth and Private J Govan cutting an inscription into a cliff beside the Haifa to Tripoli railway

Syria and Lebanon June 1941

After the surrender of France in June 1940, the French colonies of Lebanon and Syria passed into the control of the pro…
'The crab's claw' cartoon. The image of a crab over map of Borneo. The crab has 'JAPAN' printed on its body. The front left claw enlarged and stretching down towards map of Australia. On claw is printed 'MALAYA'

Japanese advance (December 1941-March 1942)

Landing first on the north-east coast of Malaya on 8 December 1941, Japanese troops took just 70 days to crush the…
Oil painting depicting air raid, harbour; HMAS Deloraine. A large plume smoke to the left, many white explosions in surrounding water and fire engulfing ship. In the foreground are two life boats overflowing with survivors.

Australia under attack 1940-1945

The Japanese first attacked the Australian mainland on 19 February 1942 when they launched a devastating air raid on…
A Beaufighter from 30 Squadron RAAF in flight close to rocky outcrop in a valley in the Owen Stanley Range during an operation in late 1942.

Coral Sea, Kokoda and Milne Bay (May-September 1942)

The Japanese had no plans to invade Australia during the Second World War but they did plan to cut Australia's…
2/32nd Australian Infantry Battalion holding German counter-attack at El Alamein, Western Desert, Egypt, on 31 October 1942. The men are from B Company and the tank depicted is a German Mark IV C model.

El Alamein October-November 1942

On 23 October 1942, El Alamein in the western desert of Egypt was the scene of a major battle in World War II. More…
Trainee Rhodesian, Australian and British air crews on the ranges with their guns during the early stages of their training. The men are grouped around a British .303 Browning gun. Rhodesia, c1940

Little-known operations 1939-1945

Several thousand Australians served in locations away from the main Australian operations in World War II. Places like…
Australian Wirraway on reconnaissance in the Sanananda area shot down a Japanese Zero. The image shows the Wirraway flying above the Zero which is going down in flames and smoke .

Beachhead Battles (Papua 1942-1943)

The last battle of 1942 involving Australians was for the Japanese beachheads at Buna, Gona and Sanananda in northern…
Salamaua, New Guinea. 1941-12. A crowd stands on the airfield watching women and children board the tri-motor Junkers 31 aircraft VH-UOV

The Japanese retreat 1943-1944

By early 1943, Japanese forces still held most of New Guinea, including the main coastal settlements of Lae and…
Australian Hospital Ship Centaur

War at sea 1939-1945

During World War II, Royal Australian Navy (RAN) ships carried troops, escorted merchant ships, carried out…
Recruiting poster for the RAAF air crew. A pilot is depicted wearing flying suit, helmet, goggles and parachute, climbing into the cockpit of an aircraft. He smiles and gives the thumbs-up

Air war Europe 1939-1945

When war broke out in Europe in 1939, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) aircrews were among the first Australians to…
Balikpapan, Borneo, July 1945. Sappers of the 2/4th Field Company preparing to blow up pipelines

Last battles

During the last years of the war with Japan, thousands of Australian men and women served in Australia's largest…
Three work mates celebrating the end of the war. Miss Lois Martin is wearing a knitted the red, white and blue vest especially for VP day, she is also is holding a hand cranked siren and her friends are waving Australian flags.

Victory (8 May 1945/15 August 1945)

By the beginning of 1945 Australians had been at war for over five years. Now they believed that the Allies would be…