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Contents

Introduction
Speeches
The relevance of ANZAC
Gallipoli
The Western Front
Remembering and honouring: memorials and heritage
Anniversaries
Statistics, links and further reading
 

Library Publications

Anzac Day 2009

Section 6: Anniversaries

World War I—1914

'The last man and the last shilling'

On 31 July 1914, during a Federal election campaign, both the the Liberal Prime Minister Joseph Cook and Labor's leader Andrew Fisher who soon after became Prime Minister, pledged Australia's strong support for the British Empire in the event of the war which seemed imminent. Fisher's promise that Australia would help to defend Britain 'to our last man and our last shilling' has since become symbolic of Australia's pre-war imperial patriotism.

Britain declared war on Germany on the night of 4 August 1914 (9am on 5 August, Sydney time). Australia's patriotism was displayed in the initial alacrity with which Australian men volunteered to enlist in the newly formed Australian Imperial Force. Despite the stringency of the medical standards in the early stages of the war, a force of 881 officers and 19 745 other ranks was raised by the end of August 1914. The net enlistment for 1914 was 52 561. (Jeffrey Grey, A military history of Australia, 3rd ed., Cambridge University Press, Port Melbourne, 2008, pp. 88, 91)

According to 'Before Gallipoli - Australian operations in 1914', in Semaphore: newsletter of the Sea Power Centre Australia (no. 7, August 2003),

...late 1914 witnessed some notable Australian firsts – the first land operation of the war, the first amphibious landing, the first joint operation, the first coalition operations, the first offshore military expedition planned and coordinated by Australia, the first bravery decoration of the war, the first combat casualties of the war, the first RAN warship lost, and the first enemy warship sunk.

The first convoy and the formation of the Anzac Corps

The first convoy carrying Australian and New Zealand troops, horses and supplies to the First World War, left the West Australian port of Albany on 1 November 1914.

The Australian and New Zealand forces on the first convoy were formed into the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps  (Anzac) under the command of a British officer, Lieutenant General W.R. Birdwood, when the convoy reached the Suez Canal at the end of November 1914. Instead of proceeding to England and then to the Western Front, the troops were ordered to disembark 'to assist in the defence of the canal against the Turks, who had entered the war on Germany's side on 29 October'. (Jeffrey Grey, A military history of Australia, 3rd ed., Cambridge University Press, Port Melbourne, 2008, p. 92)

The seizing of German New Guinea

The action at Bitapaka, New Britain, on 11 September 1914 is described by Chris Coulthard-Clark as 'the only significant action arising from the Australian seizure of German New Guinea' which, 'although successful...could sacrely be rated as well managed'. The Australians lost seven officers and men killed or wounded. (Chris Coulthard-Clark, Where Australians fought: the encyclopaedia of Australia's battles, Allen and Unwin, St Leonards NSW, 1998, pp. 96 – 97)

In 'First to fight: the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force and the capture of German New Guinea 1914', Greg Swinden describes the Australian capture of German territory in New Guinea as a 'classic example of the flexibility of naval forces' where the RAN and the ANMEF 'quickly subdued a determined enemy force by the effective use of overwhelming firepower and a degree of courage, luck and bluff'. (Navy: the magazine of the Navy League of Australia, vol. 71, no. 2, 2009, pp. 21 – 25)                                                                               

HMAS AE1

During the Great War, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) operated two submarines, HMAS AE1 and AE2. Both participated in the expedition to German New Guinea in September 1914. On 14 September, AE1 and HMAS Parramatta sailed from Blanche Bay, Rabaul, on patrol. AE1 and its crew of 35 men disappeared without trace. There have been many theories surrounding its loss, with most believing it probably struck a submerged reef, took in water and sank to the sea floor.

A possible location was provided to the RAN by retitred naval commander John Foster who has been researching the disappearance since 1976. The RAN survey vessel HMAS Benalla assisted in sweeping the area, and located what appeared to be a large metallic object off the Duke of York Islands. However, further investigations by the minehunter HMAS Yarra, in May 2007, proved that the shape found by Benalla was a submarine-shaped rock formation.

The destruction of the Emden

The Royal Australian Navy's first engagement by a warship was on 9 November 1914 off the British-ruled Cocos Islands, during which HMAS Sydney fought a battle with and destroyed the German light cruiser, the Emden effectively neutralising the threat from German naval forces in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. (Chris Coulthard-Clark, Where Australians fought: the encyclopaedia of Australia's battles, Allen and Unwin, St Leonards NSW, 1998, pp. 97 – 100)

1919: after the Armistice—repatriation

I have returned to these:

   The farm, and the kindly bush, and the young calves lowing;

But all that my mind sees

Is a quaking bog in a mist—stark, snapped trees,

   And the dark Somme flowing.

From 'The Farmer Remembers the Somme' by Edward Vance Palmer (1885 – 1959)

The story of how the AIF kept nearly 200 000 restless troops occupied while they waited to return home was told by the official historian, C.E.W. Bean, in ‘The war ends' — Chapter XXI of his official history volume, The Australian Imperial Force in France during the allied offensive 1918 (Vol. VI of the Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-1918, Angus and Robertson, Sydney, 1942). Material in the following three paragraphs is taken in part from this volume.

Planning for the repatriation of the AIF had begun as early as December 1916, but was not far advanced when the Armistice was declared, due in most part to the failure of the Australian Government to provide details of its policy—particularly who would be going home first and how the troops would be kept occupied for the estimated year it would take to return all of them to Australia. There were 95 000 troops in France and Belgium, 60 000 in Britain (reinforcements, sick, wounded and convalescents) and 30 000 in Egypt and Mesopotamia, so the task would take some organising. On 21 November 1918, Lieutenant General John Monash was appointed Director-General of Repatriation and Demobilisation. Monash decided that the troops ‘must now be instilled with a “reconstruction morale”'—a vision of themselves as useful members of the nation. To this end, ‘Monash seized on the AIF education scheme', just then coming into operation. Although the education scheme did not achieve all that was hoped, several thousand Australian troops did take advantage of its attempts to provide professional technical and general courses to help the troops return to civilian life.

Some Australian troops were already on their way home when the Armistice was signed. In September 1918, two months special leave in Australia had been granted to 6000 Australian troops who had left Australia in 1914—the ‘originals'. The priority for repatriation of the rest of the force from Europe was made on essentially the same basis: ‘first to come, first to go'. In this Australia eventually followed the preference of the troops themselves, rather than the plan preferred by the British of repatriating according to the demands of industry, or the Australian Government's initial preference for repatriation by regiment.

Despite obstacles such as disputes over the space allotted for hammocks by the Admiralty on board the ships (deemed inadequate by Australian standards), ships were provided more quickly than had been expected and by the end of September 1919 only 10 000 Australian troops remained in Britain. In 1919, Australian soldiers in Britain were marrying at the rate of 150 per week and they and their families (amounting to a total of 15 386 wives, children and fiancées) were also brought to Australia. Sometimes there was one last obstacle. When the troopships reached Australian waters, the ship was quarantined if influenza had been detected on board, causing a great strain on discipline. However this course of action possibly delayed the dreadful post-war epidemic that was sweeping the world, and probably saved Australia from a heavier civilian death toll.

Returning home on troopships, Australian service personnel, scarred physically, emotionally or mentally, reacted in a variety of ways—some laughed and cheered that they had survived, some cried quietly at all that they had seen, but the majority were silent, ‘… deep within the turmoil of their thoughts, and it was only their eyes that betrayed the truth of what they had had to do and endure'. Reputedly, these Australian soldiers said they could smell the Australian bush even before they could see land, or even ‘detect the subtle but unmistakeable smell of a distant bushfire'. ( R. Black, ‘A Home Never to be Revisited', Sydney Morning Herald , 10 November 2007, p.28 )

North Russian Relief Force—1919

In 'A 'Pathetic Sideshow': Australians and the Russian Intervention 1918-1919', Jeffrey Grey tells the little-known story of the role of Australia soldiers in the allied intervention in Russia after that country's revolution. This saw between 100 and 120 ex-AIF men enlist in British units sent to Russia to cover the withdrawal of allied advisers previously sent to train White Russian forces. (Journal of the Australian War Memorial, no. 7, October 1985)

The fighting at Emptsa between Bolshevik and British forces and their White Russian allies occurred on 29 August 1919 with Australians spearheading the assault to enable the White Russian forces to consoldiate their positions before the British force withdrew. It was during this battle that Private Samuel Pearse won a posthumous Victoria Cross. (Chris Coulthard-Clark, Where Australians fought: the encyclopaedia of Australia's battles, Allen and Unwin, St Leonards NSW, 1998, pp. 165–167)

Victoria Crosses

Two Australians won Victoria Crosses in North Russia in 1919:

Corporal Arthur Percival Sullivan VC was decorated for saving four comrades from drowning in a swamp during a withdrawal under fire on 10 August 1919.

Private Samuel George Pearse VC was decorated posthumously for his single-handed attack under fire on a blockhouse held by Bolshevik forces on 29 August 1919. He was killed moments later by enemy fire.

In 'Aussie VC winners in North Russia', Michael Challinger gives an account of the heroic actions of both men and of his journey to northern Russia to find the sites where they fought and Private Pearse's grave. (Wartime, no. 45, January 2009, pp. 62 – 65)

World War II—1939

Great Britain declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939, as a consequence of which, Prime Minister Menzies informed the Australian public, Australia was also at war. At this time there were 2800 men in the regular army and80 000 in the Citizen Military Force (Militia). There were 3104 men in the regular air force, with another 552 in the Citizen Force and 5440 in the navy with another 4819 in the Naval Reserve.

On 15 September 1939 the government announced that it would create an infantry division, to be known as the 6th Division, comprising 20 000 men who would serve at home or abroad. On 20 September, the government announced that it would offer Britain an expeditionary force of six air squadrons (four of bombers, two of fighters, and ancillary units) and on 5 October the newly formed War Cabinet approved in principle Australia's involvement in the British Government's plan for the Empire to provide aircrew. (B. T. Swain, A chronology of Australia's armed forces at war 1939—1945, Allen and Unwin, Crows Nest, 2001, pp. 1– 5)

World War II—1944

65th anniversary of the battles and operations of 1944

In ‘The Naval campaigns of New Guinea’ David Stevens ‘briefly examines some of the major issues surrounding the operations of Allied and Japanese naval forces during the war in New Guinea from 1942 to 1944’ (Journal of the Australian War Memorial, no. 34, June 2001).

Shaggy Ridge

Between 19–31 January 1944 the 18th Brigade, 7th Division fought a battle against along Shaggy Ridge to cut Japanese routes through the Finisterre Range north-west of Lae in New Guinea. The brigade captured Kankiryo Saddle against a vigorous Japanese defence, suffering 47 deaths and 147 other casualties. (Chris Coulthard-Clark, Where Australians fought: the encyclopaedia of Australia's battles, Allen and Unwin, St Leonards NSW, 1998, pp. 245– 246)

Biak Island

The last major air combat by the Royal Australian Air Force in World War II occurred south of Biak Island, Dutch East Indies on 3 June 1944 when 78 Squadron RAAF attacked fifteen Japanese aircraft, shooting down eight enemy aircraft with the loss of one Kittyhawk and its pilot.

D-Day

In 'Australians and D-Day', Dr Peter Stanley explains that up to 3000 Australians were in the invasion force, with Australia's main contribution being the 2000 to 2500 Australian airmen serving' in dozens of RAF and RAAF squadrons of all kinds...Fourteen Australians were killed on D-Day (two RAN and 12 RAAF)'.

Cowra Breakout

On 5 August 1944 Japanese prisoners of war staged a mass breakout from Camp B of the No. 12 Prisoner of War Compound near Cowra in NSW which held 1104 Japanees non-commissioned officers and other ranks. The Australian War Memorial's Encyclopedia entry on the incident says that:

During the ensuing nine days 334 prisoners were retaken. In all, 234 Japanese POW's were killed and 108 wounded. One Australian Officer was killed along with three of other ranks, while four others were wounded. Privates B.G. Hardy and R. Jones, who were killed while attempting to thwart the escape, were awarded the George Cross.

Damien Parer

On 7 September 1944, the Academy award winning Australian cameraman, Damien Parer, was killed by the Japanese while filming American troops on Peleliu in the Pacific. His documentary, Kokoda Front Line!, had won an Oscar in 1943.

Battle for Leyte Gulf

On 21 October 1944, during the Leyte Gulf invasion by the Allies to recaputure the Philippines from the Japanese, a damaged Japanese 'Val' dive-bomber crashed into the foremast of HMAS Australia. The resulting explosion and fire caused the deaths of Captain Emile Dechaineux and 21 others and injured 64 men, including Commodore Collins. (Robert Nicholls, 'The first kamikaze attack?', Wartime, no. 28)

The Australian heavy cruiser HMAS Shropshire and the destroyer HMAS Arunta were both involved in the clash between Japanese naval ships and United states and allied naval forces on 25 October 1944 at Surigao Strait, one of four actions collectively known as the Battle for Leyte Gulf. (Chris Coulthard-Clark, Where Australians fought: the encyclopaedia of Australia's battles, Allen and Unwin, St Leonards NSW, 1998, p. 248)

In 'The RAN in the biggest naval battle of all time' Geoff Pettit describes the experiences of HMAS Shropshire during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, and the lessons learned on defence against kamikaze attacks. (Naval Historical Review, vol. 13, no. 3, September 1992, pp. 11+)

56th anniversary of the Korean armistice

This year marks the 56th anniversary of the 1953 Korean War armistice, which brought an end to hostilities on the Korean peninsula. From 29 June 1950 to July 1953, some 17 000 Australian service personnel served in the Korean War. Although the armistice negotiations began in July 1951.Tthey were not completed until two years later. In all, 339 Australians lost their lives and 1216 were wounded in the Korean War.

Australians fought in difficult conditions, as described by Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Daly, the first Australian commander of the 28th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade—‘the dust, the heat, the enervating humidity, the bitter cold of winter when the men slept with their boots on and weapons cradled lest they should be found frozen in an emergency…’ ( B. Evans, Out in the Cold, Australian War Memorial and the Department of Veterans' Affairs, Canberra, 2000).

The Australian Army distinguished itself in the 'stepping stone' phase of the war at Sariwon, Yongu, Pakchon and Chonhju; in major battles, such as Kapyong (April 1951) and Maryang San (October 1951); and in the 'static' phase of the war at Hill 227 and the Hook. The RAN and RAAF played roles supporting Australian and United Nations forces, with naval and air dominance a critical factor in the outcome of the war.

Australian service personnel did not return to the rapture that had welcomed Australians after World War II. As in the United States , the Korean War in Australia became known as 'the forgotten war'. It was not until April 2000 that a memorial to the Australians who served in the Korean War was unveiled on ANZAC Parade in Canberra. However, the importance of that sacrifice is today evidenced by a much more powerful dedication. South Korea, the country that young Australians went to defend, is today a vibrant, free and prosperous state. It is Australia 's third largest export partner and a beacon of democracy in Asia . It is in the context of the poverty, hunger and oppression that those in North Korea still live, that the Australian sacrifice to defend freedom and liberty in South Korea should be remembered.

Malayan Emergency

There are several small wars some veterans of which claim are ‘forgotten’. One is the Malayan Emergency. This conflict started in June 1948 and officially ended in July 1960. During this period, about 7000 Australians served alongside British, New Zealand , Ghurka and Malayan forces against Communist insurgents.

The Malayan Emergency started after the murder, on 16 June 1948 , of three European plantation managers by guerrillas of the Malayan Communist Party. This followed a period of increasing unrest. A State of Emergency was declared in several districts, and then on 18 June it was extended to the whole of Malaya . British, Ghurka and Malayan military personnel and police then began operations against Communist insurgents.

The first direct approach for Australian assistance in the Malayan Emergency was made in April 1950, when the British Government asked for reinforcements for Royal Air Force squadrons operating in Malaya . It was politically expedient for Australia to demonstrate commitment to the defence of Malaya , which was ‘an active front in the “cold war” of Communism’. The British asked for a squadron of Dakota transport aircraft to drop supplies to troops operating in the Malayan jungles and for general transport duties; a squadron or flight of Lincoln bombers to assist the RAF Lincolns bombing insurgent camps and supply lines; and additional ground staff to assist in maintaining RAF aircraft. Australia agreed to send the Dakotas and Lincolns , with air and ground staff, but instead of sending additional ground staff, the government instead authorised RAF Lincoln bombers to undergo maintenance in Australia .

Dakotas from No. 38 Squadron RAAF and Lincolns from No. 1 Squadron RAAF were deployed during 1950, and proved effective in their respective roles. Australia ’s commitment was increased in 1955 with the deployment of ground forces. By then, the Communist insurgency had largely been checked with military, political and ‘hearts and minds’ actions. The challenge was to track down and combat the increasingly small groups of insurgents operating in jungle areas.

Vietnam War

Forty years since the Vietnam War actions of 1969

Binh Ba, a village five kilometers from the 1st Australian Task Force at Nui Dat, was the site of a 'fierce action' fought on 6–7 June 1969 by Australian and North Vietnamese forces, during which one Australian was killed and eleven wounded. (Chris Coulthard-Clark, Where Australians fought: the encyclopaedia of Australia's battles, Allen and Unwin, St Leonards NSW, 1998, pp. 288–290)

The role of the infantry at Binh Ba is described by A. Perriman in 'The battle of Binh Ba, June 1969'. (Australian Infantry, vol. 15, no. 3, September 1969, pp. 5-7)

Armoured aspects of the battle of Binh Ba are examined in 'Heritage: the battle of Binh Ba. Operation Hammer, South Vietnam 6-8 June 1969'. (Combat Arms, vol. 2, 1983, p. 3+)

Victoria Crosses

Two Australians won Victoria Crosses in Vietnam in 1969:

Warrant Officer Class II Rayene Stewart Simpson for actions in Kontum province, South Vietnam on 6 and 11 May 1969.

Warrant Officer Class II Keith Payne for actions in Kontum province, South Vietnam on 24 May 1969.

East Timor (Timor Leste)

INTERFET — Ten years since Australia's intervention in East Timor in 1999

This year marks the tenth anniversary of Australia's intervention in the then Indonesian province of East Timor. On September 1999 Australia led a multinational force (INTERFET) into East Timor to restore peace and security after widespread violence broke out when East Timor voted for self-determination in a referendum. The Australian Defence Force had initially provided assistance to the UN Assistance Mission to East Timor (UNAMET) during the referendum period from June 1999. After the INTERFET mission finished on 23 February 2000, the ADF continued to play a part in the UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) which took over from INTERFET.

This was not the first time that Australian soldiers had seen action in East Timor. Australian troops had been deployed to Timor in December 1941 as part of the multi-national Australian-led Sparrow Force to resist an expected Japanese invasion. However, with a contribution of over 5500 ADF personnel, Australia's assistance to the East Timorese in 1999 was the ADF's most significant and largest military deployment since the Vietnam War.

Lessons learned from Australia's successful deployment to East Timor in 1999 assisted in the ADF's subsequent deployments to East Timor in 2006 and 2008. East Timor's internal security was undermined by civil unrest in May 2006 , which internally displaced tens of thousands of people. Following a request from the East Timorese Government, Australia sent troops to that country under Operation Astute, which in September 2006 included some 3000 ADF personnel . In February 2008, after an assassination attempt on the East Timorese President, Jose Ramos-Horta, and the Prime Minister, Xanana Gusmão, Australia provided both operational (military) and financial support to the East Timorese Government.

Australia presently maintains two operations in East Timor—Operation Astute comprising approximately 650 Australian personnel and Operation Tower comprising approximately 25 personnel—and is likely to continue its engagement with East Timor in an advisory, development and training capacity for the foreseeable future.

The Australian War Memorial's Roll of Honour lists the names of two Australian soldiers who died during the period of hostilities in East Timor (16 October 1999 to 18 August 2003), and one name in the Remembrance Book for operations in 2006.

Australian peacekeeping

More than 10 000 Australians have served as peacekeepers, and 12 have died while on peacekeeping operations.

Australia ’s first operation was in 1947, when military observers were sent to Indonesia under the banner of the United Nations (UN) to monitor the ceasefire between Dutch colonial and Indonesian independence forces. Since then, Australian military, police and some civilians have served on more than 50 peacekeeping missions.

Australian activities have included:

  • observing truces (and fighting) in locations such as Korea , the Sinai, Lebanon , the Balkans, Kashmir and Bougainville ;
  • providing humanitarian aid in remote areas such as the Congo and in West New Guinea ;
  • establishing law and order in trouble-spots such as Cyprus and the Thai-Cambodian border;
  • observing elections and referendums in places such as West Sahara and East Timor ; and
  • de-mining in countries like Afghanistan and Cambodia .

The first multinational peacekeeping mission commanded by an Australian was the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP). Robert Nimmo, a former army officer who was appointed as an Honorary Lieutenant-General in 1954 who led UNMOGIP from 1950 until his death in 1966. His is the longest ever command of a UN operation. Australians have since commanded several other peacekeeping missions in the Middle East , Asia and Pacific regions.

The first operation with more than 500 Australians was the Australian-commanded UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia during 1992–93. The first with more than 1000 Australians was the Unified Task Force in Somalia during 1993. By far the largest commitment for Australia to date was the Australian-commanded International Force East Timor in 1999–2000, with more than 5000 personnel deployed.

‘Peacekeeping’ can be a misnomer, as operations may be in war zones or areas of recent violence. There may be cultural difficulties to deal with between peacekeepers and locals, and between different nationalities of peacekeepers. There has been frustration, even within the ranks of peacekeepers, at the perceived impotence of some operations. The failure or inability to protect civilians in a number of locations, such as Rwanda, has been condemned. On the other hand, there have been some very successful peace operations as well.

Cases of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been reported among former peacekeepers. Even some ‘non-warlike’ operations have imposed uncommon strains on personnel.  Indeed, two of the deployments to the UN Assistance Mission in Rwanda (UNAMIR), including the period spanning the Kibeho massacre on 22 April 1995 , have since been reclassified ‘warlike’. Members of these deployments have been issued with the Australian Active Service Medal, and are eligible for veterans’ entitlements.

In 1993 the Australian Defence Force Peacekeeping Centre was opened at Williamtown, NSW in recognition of the importance and increasing complexity of peacekeeping and to guide doctrine and training. In 2002, the Australian Federal Police ( AFP ) opened the Wanggirrali Ngurrumbai Centre at Majura, ACT for police peacekeeping training.

The Official History of Australian Peacekeeping and Post-Cold War Operations is currently being written, jointly supported by the Australian War Memorial, the Australian National University and the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

The Australian Peacekeeping Memorial Project aims to build a memorial on Anzac Parade in Canberra. It has received backing from the ADF, AFP, RSL, and the Australian Peacekeeper and Peacemaker Veterans’ Association. The winning design was announced on 19 December 2008.

ADF and AFP peacekeepers are currently serving in Timor-Leste (East Timor), Cyprus, Sudan, Solomon Islands, Sinai, and the Middle East.

Australian peacekeeping honour roll

According to the Australian War Memorial’s peacekeeping operations website, twelve Australians have died in peacekeeping operations.*

Honorary Lieutenant-General Robert Nimmo, civilian–UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan, natural causes, Kashmir, 4 January 1966 ;

Sergeant Llewellyn (Lew) Thomas, SA Police, seconded to Commonwealth Police (CP)–UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), vehicle accident, 26 July 1969;

Inspector Patrick Hackett, NSW Police, seconded to CP–UNFICYP, vehicle accident, 29 August 1971;

Sergeant Ian Ward , NSW Police, seconded to CP-UNFICYP, landmine explosion, 12 November 1974;

Captain Peter McCarthy, Australian Army–UN Truce Supervision Organisation, Lebanon, landmine explosion, 14 January 1988;

Lance Corporal Shannon McAliney, Australian Army–Unified Task Force, Somalia, accidentally shot, 2 April 1993;

Major Susan Felsche, Australian Army–UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, plane crash, 21 June 1993,

Lance Corporal Russell Eisenhuth, Australian Army–International Force East Timor, illness, 17 January 2000 ;

Lance Corporal Shawn Lewis, Australian Army–Peace Monitoring Group, Bougainville , drowned, 20 May 2000;

Corporal Stuart Jones, Australian Army–UN Transitional Administration in East Timor , accidentally shot, 9 August 2000;

AFP Protective Service Officer Adam Dunning, AFP Protective Service–Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI), Honiara, ambushed and shot, 22 December 2004;

Private Jamie Clark, Australian Army–RAMSI, Guadalcanal Island, fell down a mineshaft while on patrol, 10 March 2005.

*The Australian War Memorial site on peacekeeping fatalities also lists the death of Private Ashley Baker in Timor-Leste in November 2007 as being 'yet to be confirmed' as a death on a peacekeeping operation.

Australian peacekeeping operations —other resources

The Department of Defence's Global Operations site lists current ADF operations. The Australian Federal Police's website on the International Deployment Group has links to current overseas deployments.

In August 2008 the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affaris, Defence and Trade released a report, Australia's involvement in peacekeeping operations.

Keeping the Peace: stories of Australian peacekeepers—this link from the Australian War Memorial contains historical background, a timeline, and other information on observers and enforcers as well as operations in which Australia has been involved.

The Australian War Memorial also has links to articles about various peacekeeping operations and a reading list.

The Australian Defence Force Peacekeeping Centre contains information on Australian Peacekeeping Operations around the world.

Australian Peacekeeper and Peacemaker Veterans' Association website.

'Faces of Australian Peacekeeping' by Peter Londey, and the book Other people's wars: a history of Australian peacekeeping, Allen & Unwin, 2003.

Peter Londey's entry on Australia and peacekeeping in the Oxford companion to Australian military history, 2nd ed., OUP, Sth Melb., 2008, pp. 412– 417) has a table of past and current missions with dates, approximate contingent size, and the role of Australians in the mission.

In 'Sixty years of Australian peacekeeping and peace operations today', Tim Ford outlines Australia's contributions to peacekeeping and the complexity of integrated missions. (United Service, vol. 59, no. 1, March 2008, pp. 13– 16)

 

End of section 6

 

 

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