15 SEP 1939: World War II and the Australian Government announces mobilisation of the militia and the establishment of the second AIF for service abroad. Australia needed to raise a volunteer force for overseas service in the Second World War while the militia were initially only allowed to serve in Australian territories. Australia had a dilemma […]
September 2017
First Submarine Lost
14 SEP 1914: World War I and HMA Submarine AE1 is lost off New Guinea. The AE1 and AE2 were the first submarines to serve with the Royal Australian Navy. The AE1 disappeared without trace during operations for the capture of German New Guinea. In 1914 the Australian government took possession of two new submarines, […]
Richard Kelliher, VC
13 SEP 1943: World War II and Private Richard Kelliher, 2/25th Battalion, originally from County Kerry, Ireland, earns the Victoria Cross at Nadzab, New Guinea. Kelliher was born in Ballybeggan, Tralee, County Kerry in Ireland, then part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. and emigrated to Queensland, Australia in 1929 with his […]
2RAR Arrives in Malaya
12 SEP 1955: The Malayan Emergency and the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, advance party arrives in Penang, Malaya. Australian forces served in Malaya as part of the Far East Strategic Reserve. Their primary role was to deter external communist aggression against south-east Asia and their secondary role was to assist in the suppression […]
ANMEF Lands In PNG
11 SEP 1914: World War I and the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force lands at Rabaul, New Guinea. The Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force landed at Rabaul and went into action at Bita Paka. This was the only major New Guinea action of the First World War. Bita Paka was a small radio […]
WGCDR Louis Spence KIA
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 9 SEP 1950: The Korean War and O11315 WGCDR Louis Thomas Spence is killed. Wing Commander Lou Spence, 77 Squadron RAAF, is killed during a ground attack mission over Angang-ni, Korea. Two months after No 77 Squadron was committed to operations in Korea, the unit’s Commanding Officer, Wing Commander Lou Spence, was killed in […]
Treaty signed with Japan
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 8 SEP 1951: Post World War II and the peace treaty is finally signed with Japan, marking the end of its involvement in World War II. The peace treaty signalled the formal end of hostilities with Japan, though the fighting had ceased some six years before. Most history books say the war ended on […]
Italy announces Surrender
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 8 SEP 1943: World War II and Italy announces unconditional surrender to the Allies. Prior to this the Italians had been fighting with the Germans. Despite the Italian surrender the Allies faced more than a year of difficult fighting against the Germans in Italy. The Armistice of Cassibile was an armistice signed on 3 […]
Liberator crash kills 59
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 7 SEP 1943: World War II and a Liberator crash kills 59 Australians. The B24 Liberator crashed on take-off at Port Moresby hitting five trucks carrying men of the 2/33rd Battalion; 15 were killed instantly, 44 died of their injuries, and 92 were injured but survived. At the time of the incident the crash […]
Canine Operational Service Medal
We’re receiving a lot of enquiries lately, as to whether there will be replicas of the Canine Operational Service Medal available. The medal was introduced on 8 June 2017 to recognise the contribution Military Working Dogs make whilst serving on operations. It forms part of Defence’s internal recognition scheme and is not a part of […]
