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25.01.2022 This morning the Australian War Memorial launched a new book, For Gallantry: Australians awarded the George Cross and the Cross of Valour It is the first book d...edicated to the stories of 28 Australians honoured for their extreme bravery away from the battlefield. Memorial curator and author Craig Blanch said the people featured in For Gallantry came from all walks of life and were confronted with situations they could never have foreseen. Not all survived; not all were left unchanged. Among the holders of the George Cross and the Cross of Valour are teachers, drivers, students, labourers, miners, police, public servants, navigators, members of the armed forces, farmers, geologists and firefighters. More than a quarter of the recipients were awarded posthumously testimony to the selflessness recognised by these awards. With assistance from the sole surviving Australian holder of the George Cross, and recipients of the Cross of Valour, For gallantry tells their stories in a dedicated volume for the first time. For Gallantry retails for $69.99 and is available from the AWM Shop: https://www.awm.gov.au/shop/item/9781742236827

25.01.2022 Australia played a significant role in Allied submarine operations during WWII, particularly in Fremantle and Albany. Current and former members of the Royal A...ustralian Navy and the U.S. Navy gathered in Albany, Western Australia to remember submariners who lost their lives during WWII operations out of the port city. The memorial event, which was held at Princess Royal Fortress, was timed to coincide with a port visit by one of Navys Collins Class Submarines, HMAS Farncomb. Lest We Forget. #WeRememberThemAll

24.01.2022 This evening we commemorate the service and sacrifice of 5714249 Private Ronald John Bell, 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, of Albany, WA, who was kill...ed in action in South Vietnam by a Viet Cong mine on this day in 1967, aged 22. His sacrifice is commemorated at the Allambie Park Cemetery, Albany, WA. Ron was the second eldest of six children and was a National Service conscript. He served with 2 RAR/NZ (ANZAC) in South Vietnam. Starting on 23 November 1967, 2RAR/NZ (ANZAC) undertook Operation Forrest, which involved conducting operations in Phuoc Tuy Province to deny the Viet Cong (VC) access to the rice harvest. The battalion was operating in a wide area east of Route 2. A and C Companies were operating immediately north of Route 23 and were in action against the VC. On 30 November, a patrol from A Company suffered ten casualties from what was thought to be a command-detonated mine. Ron was killed instantly, and another National Serviceman, 6708488 Private Francis Hyland, of Wynyard, Tasmania, died of his wounds the following day. They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them. Lest we forget. Ian Smith Chair Anzac Day Committee Ron Bell and Francis Hyland: VWMA

24.01.2022 Did you know... that you do not have to have served in the Australian Defence Force in order to join the RSL, participate in our activities, and help care for t...he health and well-being of the service and ex-service community? The RSL has affiliate membership for anyone who agrees with the objects of the RSL, which encompass promoting the interests and welfare of serving and ex-serving men and women of the Australian Defence Force and their dependants. If you are interested in joining the RSL, we suggest you approach your local sub-branch. A sub-branch locator is available here: http://rslsa.org.au/sub-branch-locator/ If you have any questions, you can call RSL State Branch on (08) 8100 7300 during office hours.

24.01.2022 Legacy Week is coming..... August 29 - September 5

23.01.2022 #Onthisday in 1951 the largest air-to-air battle fought by pilots of No 77 Squadron, RAAF, during the Korean war took place in the skies above Sunchon, North Ko...rea. A little after 10 am on 1 December 1951, twelve Meteors led by Flight Lieutenant Geoffrey Thornton were conducting a fighter sweep, flying at 19,000 feet when they were attacked by over 30 MiG-15 jet fighters above Sunchon. Attacking from a higher altitude, the MiG-15s scored immediate hits on the Australian fighters, causing the RAAF formation to take evasive action. Like dogfights of previous wars, the fighting devolved into a rolling melee of single Australian pilots pitted against two, three or more enemy aircraft. Though they displayed Chinese air force markings, the MiG-15s were flown by Soviet pilots, many of whom were veterans of the Second World War. Though officially denied by the Soviet government, it was common knowledge among United Nations airmen that Soviet pilots were flying combat operations in Korea. The battle lasted for only 10 minutes, but No. 77 Squadron had fared badly. Three Meteors had been shot down and all three pilots lost. Don Armit, Vance Drummond and Bruce Thomson had all been commissioned as provisional Pilot Officers the day before, and their failure to return cast a pall over the squadron. Drummond and Thomson were later confirmed as prisoners of war, both being captured after ejecting from their stricken planes. However, Don Armit was listed as missing, presumed killed. He is still listed as one of 43 Australians missing in action from the Korean War. Two MiG-15s were claimed to have been shot down by the Australians, but Soviet records later showed that no aircraft were lost during this encounter. This action, along with previous encounters between the Meteors and MiG-15s, served to highlight the total inferiority of the Meteor, as the older heavier airframe gave up speed, manoeuvrability and altitude against the modern, lighter, swept-wing Soviet fighter. As a result, No. 77 Squadron, RAAF, was reassigned to ground attack duties, to which the Meteor was more suited. Learn more about the pilots of No 77 Squadron RAAF in Korea: https://www.awm.gov.au/wartime/86/Article-five Image: RAAF Pilot Officers Vance Drummond (left) and Bruce Thomson (right) at Freedom village in the blue chines prison uniforms they wore during their captivity in prisoner of war camps in North Korea. Panmunjom, North Korea 1-09-1953 JK0863

23.01.2022 Royal Australian Air Force and Boeing Australia have fired up the engine of the Loyal Wingman unmanned aircraft for the first time. This is the first military a...ircraft designed and made in Australia in more than 50 years and is the product of collaboration and partnership between #YourADF and defence industry. Powering up the engine is part of ground testing and preparations for the Loyal Wingmans first flight. The sky is the limit!

22.01.2022 On this day... in 1943, Italy unconditionally surrendered to the Allies. The Italians had entered World War II on 10 June 1940 during the fall of France, and fo...ught mainly in the North Africa, Mediterranean, Eastern Front and Balkans campaigns. By mid 1943, the situation for the Italians was dire, with the collapse of Axis forces in North Africa, followed closely by the first bombing of Rome and the invasion of Sicily in July. Despite the Italian surrender to the Allies, the Germans occupied the areas the Italians had held, and the Allies and Italian partisans faced more than a year of difficult fighting against the Germans and some diehard Italian fascists in Italy. Forces loyal to the Italian king fought alongside the Allies for the rest of the war as the Co-Belligerent Army, which numbered about 50,000 combat troops, along with 200,000 support troops. About 6,000 members of the Co-Belligerent Army were killed fighting the Germans in Italy. Nearly four million Italians served in their armed forces during the war, with total losses nearly 300,000 killed. Ian Smith Chair Anzac Day Committee US General Dwight Eisenhower shakes hands with Italian General Giuseppe Castellano after the signing of the armistice: Wikimedia Commons

22.01.2022 This evening we commemorate the service and sacrifice of 835 Trooper William Albert Baker, 9th Light Horse Regiment, of Baker's Creek, SA, who was killed in act...ion at Gallipoli on this day in 1915, aged 34. He is buried at the Embarkation Pier Cemetery, Gallipoli, Turkey. Bill was born at Baker's Creek, to Thomas Allen Baker and Matilda Baker nee Fry, and attended the Seaview Public School. He was working as a station hand near Kangarilla when he enlisted on 13 November 1914 and was allocated to the 9th Light Horse Regiment as an original member. The majority of the members of the 9th Light Horse Regiment were South Australian, with the rest being Victorians. The regiment embarked for the Middle East and arrived there on 1 February 1915. After training, the regiment was sent to Gallipoli dismounted as reinforcements for the severely depleted New Zealand and Australian Division. In a reserve role during the charge at the Nek, it suffered few casualties there, but was heavily engaged in the attack on Hill 60 on 27 August when 15 members of the regiment were killed, 18 missing and 45 wounded. It appears from his gravestone that Bill was killed by a Turkish sniper. They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them. Lest we forget. Ian Smith Chair Anzac Day Committee Bill Baker: AWM

22.01.2022 On this day... in 1942, the Bathurst-class corvette HMAS Armidale was sunk by Japanese aircraft near Timor while trying to evacuate Australian and Dutch soldier...s from the island and deliver a relief contingent. After helping free a liferaft when the order was given to abandon ship, Able Seaman Teddy Sheean was wounded twice in the chest and back before strapping himself into the harness of one of the ship's 20 mm Oerlikon guns and opening fire on the aircraft. He forced one Japanese aircraft into the sea and damaged at least two others, and continued to fire at the Japanese attackers as he went below the waves with the ship. He was posthumously mentioned in despatches, with many of the surviving crew credited him with saving their lives, as the Zeros had been machine-gunning them in the water. In 1978, the artist Dale Marsh depicted Sheean's last moments in a painting now displayed at the AWM. In 1999, a Collins-class submarine was named HMAS Sheean in his honour. After a series of inquiries beginning in 2013, earlier this year a final inquiry recommended that Sheean be posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, and this was approved by Her Majesty the Queen on 12 August. Members of Teddy's family will receive his Victoria Cross from the Governor-General later today. He is the first member of the Royal Australian Navy to be awarded the Victoria Cross. A true Australian hero who laid down his life for his mates. Lest we forget. Ian Smith Chair Anzac Day Committee Dale Marsh's painting of Sheean's last moments: AWM Image of Teddy Sheean (left standing) with his family: AWM

22.01.2022 Not quite a friendly as a warm lovable flesh & blood pup, but if he gets the job done and saves 2 & 4 legged friends, then great.

22.01.2022 Graduates ready to take flight! The first group of pilots to conduct training in the PC-21 aircraft have received their wings. The PC-21 aircraft from RAAF... Base Pearce often fly by my office window in Perth. Im pleased to hear the program was a success and the graduates have completed their training - with flying colours, even while facing the challenges of #COVID19. The aircraft is the worlds most advanced training aircraft, replacing the PC-9/A. The PC-21 can reach 685km/h, and hydraulically-assisted ailerons and roll spoilers can produce fighter-like rates of roll in excess of 200 degrees per second. You can read more about the PC-21 and the newest Air Force graduates on Defence News here: https://loom.ly/guOquW8 Congratulations to Royal Australian Air Forces newest pilots!

21.01.2022 Military dog Kuno lost part of his leg while tackling an al Qaeda gunman in 2019. Kuno’s fearless actions have been awarded and he has received the animal equivalent to the Victoria Cross. Read more: https://bit.ly/3m0muQo

21.01.2022 This evening we commemorate the service and sacrifice of the two Australian Defence Force members killed in a helicopter crash on this day in 2006 during Operat...ion Quickstep, an operation to support Australian citizens in Fiji in the lead-up to an expected coup d'etat. 65261 Captain Mark Bingley, 171st Aviation Squadron, and 2818220 Trooper Joshua Porter, Special Air Service Regiment, of Toukley, NSW, were killed when the Blackhawk helicopter Mark was operating from the landing platform amphibious ship HMAS Kanimbla crashed while he was attempting to land on the ship's deck. It fell overboard and sank in 3,000 metres of water. Nine of the ten crewmembers and passengers were rescued, with Mark drowning after being injured. The tenth person, Joshua, was declared missing and then dead several days later. On 6 March 2007, it was reported that his body had been recovered from a depth of approximately 2,900 metres. A number of the other crew and passengers were injured, some seriously. Mark's sacrifice is commemorated at the Townsville (Belgian Gardens) Cemetery, Queensland, and Joshua's sacrifice is commemorated on "The Rock" Memorial at the SASR barracks at Swanbourne, WA. They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them. Lest we forget. Ian Smith Chair Anzac Day Committee Joshua and his wife Carinna (Joshua never met their child), and Mark with his wife Melissa and child: VWMA & ABC

21.01.2022 Fox Holman & Geck Doudle have had their army stories recorded for this exhibition.

20.01.2022 Its #NationalDogDay. Today were celebrating all military working dogs, past and present, who have proved their loyalty and been the best companions the Australian Defence Force could ask for.

19.01.2022 One of the almost forgotten campaigns that Australian Troops were involved in.

19.01.2022 A 96-year-old WWII veteran is pleading to have his precious war medals returned after they were stolen by heartless thieves from his Nailsworth home while he wa...s in hospital. Exclusive report in 7NEWS at 6pm. www.7NEWS.com.au #7NEWS

19.01.2022 Did you know... that at least 60 Australians fought on both sides in the Spanish Civil War between 1936 and 1938? Predominantly radical supporters of the Spanis...h Republic who mainly served in the British, US and Canadian battalions of the 15th International Brigade, some were Spanish-born migrants, but only one is known to have fought on General Franco's Nationalist and fascist side alongside Germans and Italians. Although there was strong support from the Communist Party and some trade unions for the Republican cause, few Australians were interested in the war, and the Australian government remained neutral towards it. At least 16 Australians were killed fighting in the war. Ian Smith Chair Anzac Day Committee Lloyd Edmonds, an Australian International Brigades volunteer in the Spanish Civil War. Edmonds unveiled a memorial to the volunteers in Canberra in 1993: ANU The Spanish Civil War Memorial in Lennox Gardens, Yarralumla: Kent Watson via Monument Australia

18.01.2022 On this day... in 1968, Charles Bean died after a long illness. Bean was Australias official World War I historian, wrote six volumes of the "Official History ...of Australia in the War of 1914-1918", and edited the remaining volumes of the official history. Bean was the main driving force behind the creation and popularisation of the Anzac legend, and the establishment of the Australian War Memorial. A true giant of Australian military history who made an enormous contribution to our understanding of what Australians did in World War I. Ian Smith Chair ANZAC Day Committee Image of Bean watching Australian troops advance near Martinpuich, France, on 26 February 1917: AWM

18.01.2022 Little badge, huge impact on Australian society. This week is a week for us to show that were going to honour a commitment no matter the circumstances, no... matter the difficulties to say thank you to those who served, their families and to say thank you to those who look after them. The Governor-General has officially launched Legacy Week 2020. Legacy Week will look different this year because of COVID-19 you may not see people at the local shops collecting donations - but its purpose and importance is not diminished and community support is essential. Legacy supports Australian families suffering after the injury or death of a spouse or parent, during or after their service. They currently care for 52,000 people across Australia, including almost 2,000 children and disabled dependents. They help us all fulfil a commitment and pledge we make to those who serve our nation. Go to legacy.com.au to find out how you can support the families of veterans this week. Legacy Australia Australian War Memorial

18.01.2022 Captain (later Air Commodore) Arthur Henry Cobby was one of the most daring pilots in the Australian Flying Corps (AFC) during the First World War, bringing dow...n twenty-nine enemy machines. He enlisted in the AFC in 1916, despite a self-confessed lack of interest in flying, and was sent to Point Cook for flying instruction. There he became an original member of No 4 Squadron AFC. With no more than 30 minutes of flying instruction behind him, Cobby arrived in England with the Squadron in March 1917. His first victory came on 3 February 1918, and over the next eight months he came to be recognised as the most daring spirit of the Australian air service. By the end of the war Cobby had been awarded the Distinguished Service Order and DFC with two bars, and was mentioned in despatches. During the Second World War, while serving with the Royal Australian Air Force, Cobby distinguished himself by rescuing survivors of a crashed Catalina flying boat. For his actions he was awarded the George Medal for his actions. Read more: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C960776 Image: Captain Arthur Henry Cobby. A03697

18.01.2022 Let's fill facebook with this image

17.01.2022 Notes from Father Kevins address on VP Day

16.01.2022 As Australia’s Minister for Defence and on behalf of our Defence and Veteran communities, today I congratulate the family of Teddy Sheean. I express admiration ...for their dedicated efforts over many decades in finding the truth of what happened aboard HMAS Armidale on that fateful day, 1 December 1942. Seventy-eight years ago today, our nation lost a hero. That was Teddy Sheean’s day, and it was his last. Today, Teddy’s day has come again. Recognised with our nation’s highest award for valour - the Victoria Cross for Australia. Thank you for your service, Ordinary Seaman Edward ‘Teddy’ Sheean VC. A nation stands proud on your broad shoulders. Defence Australia

16.01.2022 CONTENT WARNING: This video contains discussion about suicide. There's also some strong language. Remember this story of the powerhouse behind Are you bogg...ed mate? Mary O'Brien has since won the People's Choice Award in the Queensland Community Achievement Awards and was shortlisted for 2021 Queensland Local Hero in the Australian of the Year Awards. And if you or someone you know needs help, there's always: MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978 Lifeline on 13 11 14 Virtual Psychologist on 0488 807 266

15.01.2022 Today we pay tribute to RAAF veteran and Gawler RSL member Sergeant Hugh David Bower as he celebrates his 100th birthday. Sergeant Bower spent nearly 5 years at... part of No. 36 Squadron, serving predominately at their Aircraft Depot at Laverton and later Essendon and Townsville, but also on brief stints to the South West Pacific areas including Port Moresby. Read more here: https://vwma.org.au//home-page-a/sergeant-hugh-david-bower

15.01.2022 ELEVEN BATS A story about combat, cricket and the SAS. Anthony 'Harry' Moffitt spent more than twenty years in the SAS. His decades of service and his multipl...e tours in East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan made him one of the regiment's most experienced and recognised figures. Harry's other lifetime love is cricket. An improvised game of cricket was often the circuit-breaker Harry and his team needed after the tension of operations. He began a tradition of organising matches wherever he was sent, whether it was East Timor, Baghdad, or Afghanistan. Soldiers, locals and even visiting politicians played in these spontaneous yet often bridge-building games. Harry also took a cricket bat with him on operational tours, eleven of them in total. They'd often go outside the wire with him and end up signed by those he met or fought alongside. These eleven bats form the basis for Harry's extraordinary memoir. It's a book about combat, and what it takes to serve in one of the world's most elite formations. It's a book about the toll that war takes on soldiers and their loved ones. And it's a book about the healing power of cricket, and how a game can break down borders in even the most desperate of circumstances. Harry Moffitt recently retired from the Australian Defence Force after almost thirty years, most of which was spent with Australia's elite Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment as a Team Commander and Team Specialist. Harry completed his time with the SAS as its Human Performance Manager. He's a Registered Psychologist and runs a human performance consultancy, Stotan Group, working with sports teams, the military and industry. He remains a cricket tragic. Publisher: Allen & Unwin https://bit.ly/2Vg0t4f. Available from Booktopia, book sellers and chain stores. 384 page paperback, RRP $34.99. Review provided by publisher.

15.01.2022 One of the lesser known tragedies of the Second World War is the sinking of the Grimsby class sloop HMAS Parramatta. At the time, Parramatta was serving in the ...Mediterranean assisting with supplying the Allied garrison at Tobruk, which was under siege by German and Italian forces. In the early hours of the 27th November 1941 while escorting a convoy, Parramatta was hit by a torpedo fired from German submarine U559. The torpedo caused the ship’s magazine to explode and the ship rolled rapidly to starboard and sank within minutes. Acting Commander Jefferson Walker had time to order the crew to abandon ship but only about a third of the ship’s complement was able to escape. In total there were 24 survivors, but 138 men, including all officers, lost their lives. Read more: http://ow.ly/BRLB50CpN3l Image: Three surviros of the sinking of HMAS Parramatta, on which all three served. Ordinary Seaman W Woods, H Moss, and T Fryer. P00490.018

15.01.2022 Australian National Peacekeeper Day was commemorated at 11am today with John Spencer placing a wreath at the National War Memorial (South Australia) on behalf of the SA Peacekeepers RSL Sub-Branch. Lest We Forget.

15.01.2022 An extract from the Governor-General’a speech at the Investiture Ceremony for Ordinary Seaman Edward ‘Teddy’ Sheean VC. Today is a momentous and historic day. ...For the Sheean family many of whom are here with us at Yarralumla; other family members are watching online. For the Tasmanian community. For the Royal Australian Navy and entire ADF. And, for Australia. It is a day to remember Ordinary Seaman Edward ‘Teddy’ Sheean. To acknowledge the gallantry, courage and selflessness he showed 78 years ago today. And to reflect on his legacy and what it means to us today. ... His story resonates because as Australians we continue to see and hope to see part of Teddy in the world around us: selflessness, loyalty and honour. On behalf of all Australians I acknowledge his remarkable service, gallantry and sacrifice. May we all remember it, honour it and learn from it. Royal Australian Navy Defence Australia Corporal John Solomon

14.01.2022 Today is Malaya and Borneo Veterans Day, on which we commemorate the service and sacrifice of members of the Australian armed forces who served in the Malayan ...Emergency from 1948 to 1960, and the Indonesian Confrontation, or "Konfrontasi" from 1962 to 1966. The Malayan Emergency was declared in 1948, when the Malayan Communist Party launched an insurgency against British colonial rule. Australian involvement started with RAAF elements in 1950, followed by RAN and Army elements in 1955. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the end of the Emergency, and we remember the 39 Australians who died, 15 of whom were killed in action. The Confrontation was a small undeclared war which began in 1962 after Indonesian forces launched attacks on the newly federated state of Malaysia. Australian forces became involved in 1964, and in 1965 our troops assisted in small-scale operations in Borneo. The situation was under control by late 1965, and Indonesian internal politics led to the official end to the conflict in 1966 when a treaty between Indonesia and Malaysia was signed. A total of 22 members of the Australian armed forces died during the Confrontation, of whom seven were battle casualties. Malaya and Borneo veterans participate in the Adelaide Anzac Day Commemorative March in Group 6. Lest we forget. Ian Smith Chair Anzac Day Committee Photograph of 1200029 Private Larry Richard Downes, 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, who was killed in action in Borneo on 17 May 1965: AWM

14.01.2022 When two platoons came under fire from hostile machine-guns at Chuignes on 23 August 1918, George Matthews sprang into action. The 24-year-old lance corporal wo...rked along a trench under heavy fire and bombed two machine-guns, capturing one and inflicting casualties on the crew of another. The following day, he was badly wounded in his chest, neck and left knee, and reportedly lost the power of speech. For his actions, Matthews was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. Today, his name is listed on the Australian War Memorial’s Indigenous Service list, one of the thousands of Indigenous Australians who volunteered during the First World War, despite not being legally allowed to do so. Read the article: http://ow.ly/pVRK50CjpO4 #NAIDOCWEEK #NAIDOC2020

13.01.2022 On this day... in 1939, a fortnight after the outbreak of World War II, the Australian government announced the mobilisation of the part-time Militia, along wit...h the formation of the Second Australian Imperial Force for overseas service. As with the original AIF in World War I, the Second AIF was raised for overseas service because the Militia were only allowed to be deployed on Australian territory. Of course, this included the Australian territories of Papua and New Guinea, and after the Japanese entered the war, Militia units fought with distinction in those areas. The Militia was initially called up in two drafts of 40,000 men for one months training, and was a mix of volunteers and conscripts. By the time the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941, there were over a quarter of a million men in the Militia in seven divisions. Soon after, the term "Militia" went out of vogue and it became better known as the the "Citizens Military Force" (CMF). In 1943, a law was passed that meant that if 65% or more of a given CMF unit had volunteered for overseas service, the unit could be transferred to the Second AIF. It was also decreed that CMF units could serve anywhere south of the Equator within the South West Pacific Area, which saw CMF units fight in the Dutch East Indies (modern Indonesia). More than 200,000 CMF members transferred to the Second AIF during the war, but 32 CMF battalions served in three divisions in several major campaigns. Lest we forget. Ian Smith Chair Anzac Day Committee Members of the Militia 39th Battalion being relieved after distinguishing themselves in fighting the Japanese on the Kokoda Trail in 1942: AWM

12.01.2022 If you or someone you know needs support, our Open Arms - Veterans & Families Counselling team is here for you, providing 24/7 free and confidential counselling... on 1800 011 046. We also provide free mental health treatment for those with at least one day of continuous full-time service in the Australian Defence Force and some Reservists. For more information or to apply, visit: https://www.dva.gov.au//health-pr/cover-mental-health-care

12.01.2022 And thats a wrap the worlds largest multinational maritime exercise has concluded! Four Royal Australian Navy warships and more than 700 #YourADF personnel ...have completed #RIMPAC2020 following two weeks of gunnery, missile, anti-submarine and air-defence exercises. Ten nations, 22 surface ships, one submarine, multiple aircraft, and around 5,300 personnel from Australia, Brunei, Canada, France, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore and the United States participated. Congratulations to all involved!

12.01.2022 On 15 16 November 2017, members of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands attended the Australian War Memorial to launch the painting Kulatangk...u angakanyini manta munu Tjukurpa [Country and Culture will be protected by spears]. The painting was created by 19 senior male artists from the APY Lands, commissioned by the Memorial to tell their story of Aboriginal Australians defending Country. The visit was made by artists and members from the APY Lands over two days where they participated in a range of events including the Last Post ceremony, a visit to the Hall of Memory and met with the Memorial’s Director Dr Brendan Nelson at the Roll of Honour. This visit was captured by commissioned photographer Stephen Dupont as well as Memorial photographers. See photos from the Launch: http://ow.ly/exO250CjkVZ Image: Portrait of artist Bernard Tjalkuri in front of the Roll of Honour. Photographer: Stephen Dupont AWM2017.1459.4 #NAIDOCWEEK #NAIDOC2020

12.01.2022 On this day... in 1914, the first submarine to serve in the RAN, HMAS AE1, was lost at sea with all hands near what is now East New Britain, Papua New Guinea, a...fter less than seven months in service. At the outbreak of World War I, AE1, commanded by Lieutenant Commander Thomas Besant, was part of the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force sent to attack German New Guinea. Along with her sister submarine AE2, she took part in the operations leading to the occupation of the German territory, including the surrender of Rabaul on 13 September 1914. At 07:00 on 14 September, AE1 departed Blanche Bay, Rabaul, to patrol off Cape Gazelle with the River-class torpedo boat HMAS Parramatta. When she had not returned by 20:00, several ships were dispatched to search for her. No trace of her was found, and she was listed as lost with all hands, the entire crew of 34. The disappearance was Australias first major loss of World War I. Search missions attempting to locate the wreck began in 1976. The submarine was found during the 13th search mission near the Duke of York Islands in December 2017. Examination of the wreck indicated that a ventilation valve, which was likely open to make the tropical conditions a little more bearable while the submarine was cruising on the surface near the Duke of York Islands, was insecure when the submarine dived causing a flood of the submarines engine room and total loss of control of the submarine. She subsequently sank below 100 metres and imploded, killing everyone on board instantly. Lest we forget. Ian Smith Chair Anzac Day Committee AE1 with other ships off Rabaul four days before she disappeared: AWM

10.01.2022 At the close of World War II, there was a strong desire to hold individuals to account who had perpetrated serious crimes during wartime. In 2020, we mark the ...75th Anniversary of the end of World War II commemorated through Victory in Europe (VE) and Victory in the Pacific (VP) Days. While the widely publicised Nuremberg Trials heard the cases of 24 defendants from various leadership positions within Nazi Germany, there were similar trials held throughout Asia and the Pacific to hold the Japanese perpetrators to account for their actions. Between 1946 and 1951, 5,339 officials and servicemen were charged with war crimes. Some 300 war crimes trials were conducted by the Australian Army under the War Crimes Act of 1945. Most trials were held beyond Australia, and of 924 Japanese accused 644 were convicted and 148 sentenced to death, of whom 11 were commuted. A single series of trials was held on Australian soil in the Officers Mess at the Larrakeyah Army Base in Darwin, NT, between March and April 1946. In total at the War Crime Trials in Darwin, 20 Japanese personnel were accused on 35 counts of the maltreatment, starvation, beating, torture and murder of Australian prisoners from special reconnaissance detachments on Timor between 1943 and 1945. Of the 35 counts, there were 16 convictions and 19 acquittals. This post is last of a short series I have shared to highlight how our nation began the long road to recovery following WWII with hope for the future. The service and sacrifice of Australian service men and women throughout WWII reminds us that freedom has and always will come at a price. More historical information on Darwin War Crime trials: https://bit.ly/2QCStYV Thanks to the Australian War Memorial Collection for the photos.

09.01.2022 Sergeant (Sgt) J E Spencer, a member of the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces, working at a desk-mounted record player in Kure, Japan, in 1955. He is marking the starting point of a track on a record with a white pencil. (HOLJ0101, photographer: Claude R Holzheimer) #PhotoOfTheWeek

09.01.2022 Today is Vietnam Veterans Day. Thank you to all the Sailors, Soldiers, Airmen, Military Nursing & Medical Staff, Red Cross, Salvation Army & Military Chaplains who served in Vietnam. Thank you to everyone who assisted and still assist our Veterans on their return.... To the Families of those Vietnam Veterans who were killed or died of their wounds, we are sorry for your loss. We also remember all the Vietnamese who died in their own Country; war does not discriminate, it effects all. Lest We Forget.

09.01.2022 The design and colour of the DVA Commonwealth Seniors Health Card is changing. The redesigned card will carry the DVA logo and will be printed in yellow and red..., and should be recognisable to service providers. All benefits and entitlements will remain unchanged for cardholders. Cardholders should expect to receive their new card soon. If you have not received your card by January 2021, please call us on 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372).

08.01.2022 What a pleasure it was to welcome the Gendarmerie de la Somme to the Sir John Monash Centre today. We have formed a strong relationship with the Gendarmeries C...ompagnie dAmiens over the years. Their support of the Anzac Day Dawn Service at the Australian National Memorial is invaluable. Thank you for your visit and trs bientt.

07.01.2022 On 1 December, the Governor-General will present the insignia of the Victoria Cross for Australia to the family of Ordinary Seaman Edward ‘Teddy’ Sheean. The hi...storic ceremony at Government House in Canberra will be streamed live on this page. In the lead up, we will be sharing content about Teddy’s story. In this piece, Dr Victor ‘Ray’ Leonard, the last surviving member of the HMAS Armidale shares his recollections of his shipmate who he was, how he approached life on board the Armidale and interacted with his shipmates. For a young man of 18, his voice was not soft and sweet it was firm and strong. He didn’t speak quietly he was not lacking in confidence he was a go getter, an outgoing person. Royal Australian Navy Defence Australia Australian Government Department of Veterans' Affairs Australian Army Royal Australian Air Force

07.01.2022 WATCH || Flying to Antarctica is no easy feat. Our flights to Antarctica have begun for another season. Pilots and crew from No. 40 Squadron plan to fly about a... dozen flights to the ice between November and March in our Hercules and Boeing aircraft, carrying cargo and passengers. Join our crew on one of our Antarctica flights from last season to get a glimpse of what goes on. #NZAirForce

06.01.2022 Thought Id better get a picture before I took the Legacy Flag down yesterday...had it flying for the past 5 & half days for Legacy week. Thank you to those who have donated to Legacy either through our local RSL or directly with Legacy Adelaide, it is very much appreciated.... Stay safe & take care Everyone, M.

06.01.2022 HMAS Armidale (II) conducted a commemoration on the wreck site of HMAS Armidale (I) recently. The former Royal Australian Navy corvette was sunk off the coast o...f what is now Timor-Leste by Japanese aircraft during World War Two. The lives of 100 crew members were lost as a result of the attack, including that of Ordinary Seaman Edward ‘Teddy’ Sheean’. Teddy’s family was presented the insignia of the Victoria Cross for Australia today for his brave actions on that day 78 years ago. https://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-armidale-i https://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-armidale-ii https://www.navy.gov.au//ordinary-seaman-edward-teddy-shee

04.01.2022 On this day in 1914... the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force landed at Rabaul in German New Guinea and went straight into action at the Battle o...f Bitapaka, the only major action in New Guinea during World War I. The Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (AN&MEF) was a small volunteer force of approximately 2,000 men, raised in Australia shortly after the outbreak of World War I to seize and destroy German wireless stations in German New Guinea in the south-west Pacific. The German wireless installations were ordered to be destroyed because they were used by Vizeadmiral Maximilian von Spees East Asia Squadron of the Imperial German Navy, which threatened merchant shipping in the region. Following the capture of German possessions in the region, the AN&MEF provided occupation forces for the duration of the war. New Zealand provided a similar force for the occupation of German Samoa. After an unopposed landing, a mixed force of German reservists and half-trained Melanesian police mounted a stout resistance and forced the Australians to fight their way to the objective. After a day of fighting during which both sides suffered casualties, Australian forces captured the wireless station at Bita Paka at a cost of seven dead and five wounded. Lest we forget. Ian Smith Chair Anzac Day Committee Members of the AN&MEF embarked for German New Guinea: AWM

04.01.2022 PLEASE dont forget it is LEGACY week this week. Please, if you are able, go on-line and support this very worthy special cause.... www.adelaidelegacy.org.au Thank you

04.01.2022 The First World War 19141918: - Our Island Heroes In 2019, The Australian War Memorial commissioned Tasmanian Aboriginal photographer Ricky Maynard to create a... series of photographs on the Furneaux Islands in the Bass Strait. The aim was to document the legacy of Aboriginal servicemen who left Country from Cape Barren Island and Flinders Island to fight in the First World War, three of whom did not return. Each portrait would focus on these servicemen’s descendants, the resulting body of work highlighting the impact of war on memory, and the continuing links between their ancestors who served and the land they marched out from. View the online exhibition here: http://ow.ly/hZNI50DnkiQ Image: Vicki Laine Green Creation Date: 21/1/2020 (11.16 am) Location: Cape Barren Soldier relation: 3427 Private Frederick William Brown, Great Uncle. Photographer: Ricky Maynard, AWM2019.103.9

03.01.2022 On Thursdays we dig into our archives to explore the origins of the Australian War Memorials collections and exhibitions. Originally conceived to be a memorial... to the Great War, another world war had broken out before the Memorial opened to the public in 1941. The scope of the Memorial was then expanded to include commemoration of the Second World War and finding display space in the galleries became increasingly difficult. Original plans to extend the building were approved in 1947 with the works eventually commencing in 1968. Two wings were constructed out of the same sandstone as the existing building, extending the transepts of the original building to the east and west. Progress of the construction work and subsequent gallery fit out was filmed and can be viewed here: http://ow.ly/xj8V50Bgy9i [F10167]. This 1973 photograph of the Memorial shows the extended western transept behind an outdoor display of large technology objects. (Image: 136039. Photographer unknown.) #historyoftheAWM #TBT #myAWM #OurContinuingStory

01.01.2022 On this day... in 1945, Royal Australian Navy ships steamed into Tokyo Bay in preparation for the formal surrender of Japan on 2 September. The RAN ships presen...t at the surrender included the heavy cruiser HMAS Shropshire, the light cruiser Hobart, the destroyers Napier, Nizam and Warramunga, the frigate Gascoyne, and the minesweepers Ballarat, Cessnock, Ipswich and Pirie. Ian Smith Chair Anzac Day Committee General Blamey signs the formal surrender document on board the USS Missouri on 2 September: AWM

01.01.2022 On this day... in 1942, the last of three hard-fought battles finally stopped the Japanese advance along the Kokoda Trail at Ioribaiwa. The three days of fighti...ng centred on a high feature known as Ioribaiwa Ridge, south of Ofi Creek on the Kokoda Trail, in the Territory of Papua. Although the Japanese were successful in pushing the Australians back in the centre of their defensive position on the trail, heavy fighting on the flanks of the position brought the Japanese attack to a standstill. Following the battle, the Australian commander, Brigadier Kenneth Eather, commanding perceiving that the attack could not be held any further and that Ioribaiwa Ridge was unsuited to launching a counter-attack, withdrew his force back to Imita Ridge. The Japanese, however, had reached the limit of their supply line, and strategic factors and reverses elsewhere forced the Japanese commander, Major General Tomitaro Horii, to pursue a more defensive approach in Papua and New Guinea. As a result, in October the Japanese began to withdraw towards their beachheads at BunaGona, with the Australians in pursuit. During the Battle of Ioribaiwa, 49 Australians were killed and 121 were wounded. Lest we forget. Ian Smith Chair Anzac Day Committee Members of the 2/14th Battalion resting near Ioribaiwa after the battle: AWM

01.01.2022 Today is Vietnam Veterans Day, a day to remember and honour the almost 60,000 Australians who served during the Vietnam War. The day marks the anniversary of t...he Battle of Long Tan in 1966 when 17 Australians were killed in action and another 25 were wounded when facing a force of some 2000 enemy troops. It is an opportunity to reflect on our service men and womens sacrifice both during the Vietnam War and in the years following. We remember and honour the memory of those no longer with us and are forever grateful for the service of all. Lest we Forget.

01.01.2022 Nine more Royal Australian Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft have touched down at their new home at RAAF Base Williamtown, bringing the total to 30 of the p...lanned 72-strong fleet. The fifth-generation F-35A Joint Strike Fighter - along with the F/A-18F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler - is a key component of Australia’s technologically advanced, lethal and potent air combat capability. Defence Australia

01.01.2022 Our #MobilityMonday crews had to pack their thermals for this trip. The first flight of the season for Operation Southern Discovery has delivered supplies, equ...ipment, vehicles and personnel to Wilkins Aerodrome in Antarctica. It's a 7,000km round trip for our No. 36 Squadron C-17A Globemasters. Since 2015 we've been supporting the antarctica.gov.au with a quick and flexible means of transporting large items of cargo and urgent supplies from Australia. #AusAirForce