Portal:Military history of Australia

The Military history of Australia Portal The military history of Australia spans the nation's 230-year modern history, from the early Australian frontier wars between Aboriginals and Europeans to the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan in the early 21st century. Although this history is short when compared to that of many other nations, Australia has been involved in numerous conflicts and wars, and war and military service have been significant influences on Australian society and national identity, including the Anzac spirit. The relationship between war and Australian society has also been shaped by the enduring themes of Australian strategic culture and its unique security dilemma. The six British colonies in Australia participated in some of Britain's wars of the 19th century. In the early 20th century, as a federated dominion and later as an independent nation, Australia fought in the First World War and Second World War, as well as in the wars in Korea, Malaya, Borneo and Vietnam during the Cold War. In the Post-Vietnam era Australian forces have been involved in numerous international peacekeeping missions, through the United Nations and other agencies, including in the Sinai, Persian Gulf, Rwanda, Somalia, East Timor and the Solomon Islands, as well as many overseas humanitarian relief operations, while more recently they have also fought as part of multi-lateral forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. In total, nearly 103,000 Australians died during these conflicts. (Full article...) Selected article The 1st Australian Task Force (1 ATF) was a brigade-sized formation which commanded Australian and New Zealand Army units deployed to South Vietnam during the Vietnam War between 1966 and 1972. 1 ATF was based in a rubber plantation at Nui Dat, 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) north of Ba Ria in Phuoc Tuy Province and initially consisted of two (and later three) infantry battalions, with armour, aviation, engineers and artillery support. During the Battle of Long Tan, fought on 18 August 1966, units of 1 ATF defeated a Viet Cong force of at least regimental strength. While the task force was primarily responsible for securing Phuoc Tuy Province, its units, and the Task Force Headquarters itself, occasionally deployed outside its Tactical Area of Responsibility including during Operation Coburg and the Battle of Coral–Balmoral in 1968. Other significant actions included Hat Dich in late-December 1968 and early 1969, Binh Ba in June 1969, and Long Khanh in June 1971. 1 ATF was withdrawn in late 1971. Selected picture Photo credit: User:Peter Ellis The Australian War Memorial in Canberra showing floral tributes laid on Anzac Day, 25 April 2005. Selected quote Without any inhibitions of any kind I make it quite clear that Australia looks to America, free of any pangs as to our traditional links or kinship with the United Kingdom — Prime Minister John Curtin, 27 December 1941 Selected anniversaries October 19 1940 – World War II: 7th Division sails for the Middle East. 1942 – World War II: Japanese counters the 25th Brigade's attack at Templeton’s Crossing on the Kokoda Track. Did you know ...that Wing Commander Linda Corbould became the first woman to command a RAAF flying squadron on 17 November 2006? ...that No. 35 Squadron is the only RAAF squadron to ever be simultaneously equipped with rotary and fixed wing aircraft? New articles George Warfe – 1 March 2020 Battle of Beaufort (1945) – 5 October 2019 23rd Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery – 18 September 2019 2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia) – 12 September 2019 2/1st Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia) – 7 September 2019 South Pacific Peacekeeping Force – 6 September 2019 Frederick Burrows (Australian soldier) – 4 September 2019 Dudley McCarthy – 1 September 2019 9th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery – 1 September 2019 22nd Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery – 1 September 2019 2/1st Medium Regiment (Australia) – 1 September 2019 2/4th Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia) – 1 September 2019 Frederic Cutlack – 1 August 2019 Lionel Wigmore – 28 July 2019 Archive... Selected biography Field Marshal Lord William Riddell Birdwood (13 September 1865 – 17 May 1951) was a World War I general who is best known as the commander of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. From 1899 to 1902, during the Second Boer War, Birdwood served as a military secretary on the staff of Lord Kitchener an association that continued in India until the outbreak of World War I. In November 1914, Birdwood was instructed to form an army corps of Australian and New Zealand troops training in Egypt. Birdwood lead these men during the landing at Anzac Cove on 25 April 1915. After the evacuation from Gallipoli, Birdwood took command of the newly formed II Anzac Corps. When the I Anzac Corps become the first corp to departed for France as senior commander Birdwood swapped with General Alexander Godley. On the 31 May 1918, Birdwood attained command of the British Fifth Army, with command of the Australian Corps passing to Lieutenant General John Monash. Daily unit The Australian 1st Armoured Car Squadron was an Australian Army unit formed in 1946 as part of Australia's contribution to the occupation of Japan. The Squadron arrived in Japan in April 1946 and conducted uneventful patrols throughout the Australian 34th Brigade's area of responsibility until late 1948 when it returned to Australia. In July 1949 the Squadron was expanded and re-equipped with Churchill tanks to form the 1st Armoured Regiment. Selected equipment The Leeuwin class are two Australian-built survey vessels, which currently form part of the Royal Australian Navy. Both ships were built by NQEA in Cairns, Queensland, and entered service in 2000. The ships are equipped with advanced surveying technology, have a helicopter flight deck and hangar and carry three 9-tonne survey motor boats. Related portals War World War I World War II American Civil War American Revolutionary War Battleships Tanks European military history Military history of Germany Genocide WikiProjects History of Australia Military History Australian military history task force Major topics RAN • History Admiral of the Fleet, Bases, Cadets, Clearance Divers, Current Ships, Fleet Air Arm, Future, Historic ships, HMAS, Memorial, Patrol Boat Group, Persian Gulf Operations, RANVR, Reserve, Ship classes, Silent Service, WRANS Army • History Armoured Units, Army Aviation, Corps, First Australian Imperial Force, Second Australian Imperial Force, Brigades, Cadets, Royal Military College, Enlisted Ranks, Memorial, Officer Ranks, RAR, Regiments, Senior Officers, Regional Surveillance Units, Structure, VC Recipients, Weapons RAAF • History Aircraft, Airfield Defence Guards, Bases, Chief of Air Force, Flights, First Tactical Air Force, Ranks, Roulettes, Squadrons, Structure Special Forces 1st Commando Regiment, 2nd Commando Regiment, 171st Squadron, 200 Flight, Coastwatchers, Special Operations Engineer Regiment, SASR, SOCOMD, Tactical Assault Group, WWII Commando companies, Z Special Unit, M Special Unit Featured, A-Class and Good content Featured articles: 1940 Brocklesby mid-air collision • Admiralty Islands campaign • Adrian Cole (RAAF officer) • AHS Centaur • Alan McNicoll • Alfred Shout • Alister Murdoch • Allan Walters • Arthur Henry Cobby • Attack on Sydney Harbour • Australian Air Corps • Australian contribution to the Battle of Normandy • Australian Defence Force • Avenue Range Station massacre • Axis naval activity in Australian waters • Battle of Arawe • Battle of Arras (1917) • Battle of Bardia • Battle of the Bismarck Sea • Battle of Cape Esperance • Battle of Greece • Battle of Milne Bay • Battle of Kaiapit • Battle of Morotai • Battle of Rennell Island • Battle of Savo Island • Battle of Sio • Battle of Tassafaronga • Battle of Tulagi and Gavutu-Tanambogo • Battle of the Eastern Solomons • Bill Denny • Bill McCann • Black Friday (1945) • Blair Anderson Wark • Bobby Gibbes • Boeing C-17 Globemaster III in Australian service • Brian Eaton • Bruce Kingsbury • Cedric Howell • Charles Eaton (RAAF officer) • Clare Stevenson • Colin Hannah • Convoy GP55 • David Evans (RAAF officer) • Dick Cresswell • Donald Hardman • Eastern Area Command (RAAF) • Edgar Towner • Edmund Herring • Ellis Wackett • Elwyn Roy King • First Battle of Dernancourt • Frank Berryman • Frank Bladin • Frank Headlam • Frank Hubert McNamara • Frederick Scherger • Garnet Malley • George Gosse • George Jones (RAAF officer) • Guadalcanal Campaign • Harry Chauvel • Harry Murray • Hector Waller • Henry Burrell (admiral) • Henry Petre • Henry Wells (general) • Henry Wrigley • HMAS Melbourne (R21) • HMS Nairana (1917) • Ian Dougald McLachlan • Invasion of Tulagi (May 1942) • Issy Smith • Iven Mackay • James Newland • James Park Woods • James Rowland (RAAF officer) • James Whiteside McCay • Jerry Pentland • Joe Hewitt (RAAF officer) • John Balmer • John Francis Jackson • John Leak • John Lerew • John Lloyd Waddy • John McCauley • John Treloar (museum administrator) • John Wilton (general) • John Whittle • Jørgen Jensen (soldier) • Landing at Nadzab • Lawrence Weathers • Les Holden • Lester Brain • Lionel Matthews • List of Australian George Cross recipients • List of Australian Victoria Cross recipients • Lockheed C-130 Hercules in Australian service • Lou Spence • Maurice Wilder-Neligan • McDonnell Douglas A-4G Skyhawk • McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet in Australian service • McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II in Australian service • Michael Woodruff • Military history of Australia during World War II • Morotai Mutiny • Naval Battle of Guadalcanal • Neil Hamilton Fairley • Nicky Barr • No. 1 Aircraft Depot RAAF • No. 1 Flying Training School RAAF • No. 1 Squadron RAAF • No. 1 Wing RAAF • No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit RAAF • No. 33 Squadron RAAF • No. 34 Squadron RAAF • No. 36 Squadron RAAF • No. 37 Squadron RAAF • No. 38 Squadron RAAF • No. 450 Squadron RAAF • No. 77 Squadron RAAF • No. 79 Squadron RAAF • No. 90 Wing RAAF • No. 91 Wing RAAF • North-Eastern Area Command (RAAF) • North-Western Area Command (RAAF) • Operation Kita • Oswald Watt • Otto Becher • Paterson Clarence Hughes • Peter Badcoe • Peter Drummond (RAF officer) • Peter Jeffrey (RAAF officer) • Phillip Davey • RAAF area commands • Ragnar Garrett • Raymond Brownell • Raymond Leane • Reg Pollard (general) • Reg Saunders • Richard Williams (RAAF officer) • Roderic Dallas • Roy Dowling • Roy Inwood • Roy Phillipps • Singapore strategy • Shrine of Remembrance • Stanley Goble • Stanley Price Weir • Stanley Savige • Thomas Baker (aviator) • Thomas Blamey • Tom Derrick • Valston Hancock • Vance Drummond • Victoria Cross for Australia • Walter Peeler • Waterloo Bay massacre • Western Area Command (RAAF) • William Bostock • William Brill • William Ellis Newton • William Hely A Class: 1st Armoured Brigade (Australia) • 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion (Australia) • 2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia) • 2/3rd Battalion (Australia) • 2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion (Australia) • 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion (Australia) • 2/5th Battalion (Australia) • 2/7th Battalion (Australia) • 2/9th Battalion (Australia) • 10th Battalion (Australia) • 2/10th Battalion (Australia) • 12th Light Horse Regiment (Australia) • 2/14th Battalion (Australia) • 15th Battalion (Australia) • 2/15th Battalion (Australia) • 2/17th Battalion (Australia) • 2/18th Battalion (Australia) • 2/43rd Battalion (Australia) • 2/48th Battalion (Australia) • 4th Armoured Brigade (Australia) • Admiralty Islands campaign • Air Board (Australia) • Air Combat Group RAAF • Alan Charlesworth • Alan Rawlinson • Arthur Blackburn • Australian Army during World War II • Australian light destroyer project • Battle of Bita Paka • Battle of Goodenough Island • Battle of the Hongorai River • Battle of Isurava • Battle of Kaiapit • Battle of Kapyong • Battle of Porton Plantation • Battle of Slater's Knoll • Battle of Tsimba Ridge • Battle of Wau • Bill Kibby • Central Flying School RAAF • Clarence Smith Jeffries • Eric Harrison (RAAF officer) • First Battle of Maryang San • Frank Berryman • Frank Lukis • George Alan Vasey • George Julian Howell • George Ingram • George Mackinolty • Gordon Steege • Hippolyte De La Rue • Horace Robertson • John Northcott • Joseph Maxwell • Landing at Jacquinot Bay • Landing at Saidor • Leslie Morshead • Lewis McGee • Mary Bell (aviator) • New Britain campaign • No. 78 Wing RAAF • No. 81 Wing RAAF • No. 82 Wing RAAF • No. 84 Wing RAAF • No. 86 Wing RAAF • Operation Brevity • Operation Coburg • Operation Crimp • Ordnance QF 25-pounder Short • Percy Herbert Cherry • Percy Statton • Roy Burston • Rupert Downes • Samuel Burston • South Australian Mounted Rifles • South West Pacific Area (command) • Sydney Rowell • Teddy Sheean • Tet Offensive • Thomas White (Australian politician) • Vernon Sturdee • Wilbur Dartnell • Wilfred Arthur • William Anderson (RAAF officer) • William McAloney Good articles: 1st Armoured Brigade (Australia) • 1st Armoured Regiment (Australia) • 1st Parachute Battalion (Australia) • 2nd Armoured Brigade (Australia) • 2nd Battalion (Australia) • 3rd Division (Australia) • 6th Battalion (Australia) • 2/6th Battalion (Australia) • 6th Division (Australia) • 7th Battalion (Australia) • 2/9th Battalion (Australia) • 2/10th Battalion (Australia) • 12th Light Horse Regiment (Australia) • 2/14th Battalion (Australia) • 14th/32nd Battalion (Australia) • 2/18th Battalion (Australia) • 23rd Battalion (Australia) • 27th Battalion (Australia) • 29th Battalion (Australia) • 2/31st Battalion (Australia) • 31st/51st Battalion (Australia) • 2/33rd Battalion (Australia) • 2/48th Battalion (Australia) • 61st Battalion (Australia) • Arthur Sullivan (Australian soldier) • Arthur William Murphy • Australian Army Reserve • Australian Army ship Crusader (AV 2767) • Battle of Amiens • Battle of Balikpapan (1945) • Battle of Chongju (1950) • Battle of Coral–Balmoral • Battle of France • Battle of Gang Toi • Battle of the Hongorai River • Battle of Kranji • Battle of Kujin • Battle of Lone Pine • Battle of Long Khanh • Battle of Pakchon • Battle of Porton Plantation • Battle of Ratsua • Battle of the Samichon River • Battle of Sattelberg • Battle of Sungei Koemba • Battle of Suoi Bong Trang • Battle of Suoi Chau Pha • Battle of Yongju • Borneo campaign (1945) • British nuclear tests at Maralinga • Charles Crombie • Charles Read (RAAF officer) • Charles Scherf • Dave Shannon • Demobilisation of the Australian military after World War II • Ernest Albert Corey • First Australian Imperial Force • Frederick Birks • General Dynamics F-111C • German attacks on Nauru • History of the Royal Australian Navy • HMAS Sydney (1934) • Hobart coastal defences • Hughie Edwards • Huon Peninsula campaign • Ivor McIntyre • John Hines (Australian soldier) • Len Waters • Les Clisby • Leslie Douglas Jackson • Military history of Australia • Military history of Australia during World War I • Neville McNamara • New Guinea Volunteer Rifles • New Zealand and Australian Division • Nigel Cullen • No. 1 Basic Flying Training School RAAF • No. 1 Long Range Flight RAAF • No. 1 Operational Conversion Unit RAAF • No. 2 Service Flying Training School RAAF • No. 285 Squadron RAAF • No. 4 Operational Training Unit RAAF • No. 457 Squadron RAAF • No. 5 Airfield Construction Squadron RAAF • No. 6 Squadron RAAF • No. 71 Wing RAAF • No. 72 Wing RAAF • No. 73 Wing RAAF • No. 75 Squadron RAAF • No. 75 Wing RAAF • No. 76 Wing RAAF • No. 77 Wing RAAF • No. 78 Squadron RAAF • No. 79 Wing RAAF • No. 8 Service Flying Training School RAAF • No. 80 Wing RAAF • Northern Command (RAAF) • Operation Bribie • Peter Edwards (historian) • Peter Isaacson • Peter Raw • Peter Turnbull (RAAF officer) • RAAF Transport Flight (Japan) • Richard Minifie • Robert A. Little • Russell Foskett • Second Battle of Passchendaele • Selarang Barracks Incident • Stuart Clarence Graham • Virgil Brennan • Wilfrid Kent Hughes • Australian contribution to the Allied Intervention in Russia 1918–1919 Categories Select [►] to view subcategories Military history of Australia ANZAC (Australia) Australian military cemeteries Australian military historians Australian military memorials Australian naval historians Australian soldier settlements Battle honours of the Australian Army Military history of Australia during the Second Boer War Conscription in Australia Former Barracks in Australia Former military installations of Australia Forts in Australia History of the Royal Australian Air Force Invasions by Australia Military history of Australia during the Korean War Military alliances involving Australia Military and war museums in Australia Military camps in Australia Military history of New South Wales Military history of Queensland Military history of Victoria (Australia) Military locations of Australia History of the Royal Australian Navy Military operations involving Australia Australian military personnel Australian military uniforms Military history of Australia during the Vietnam War Military history of Australia during World War I Military history of Australia during World War II Things you can do Attention needed ...to referencing and citation  • ...to coverage and accuracy  • ...to structure  • ...to grammar  • ...to supporting materials  Popular pages Full list Cleanup needed 2nd Division (New Zealand) • Court martial of Breaker Morant • History of the Royal Australian Navy • Military history of New Zealand • Military history of New Zealand in World War I • Military history of New Zealand during World War II • New Zealand Army • New Zealand in the Vietnam War • Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment • Slouch hat • Uniforms of the New Zealand Army Requested articles Citizen Air Force (Australia) • Auckland Regiment • Canterbury Regiment (currently a redirect) • 1st Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery • 2nd Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery • 3rd Brigade (New Zealand) • 4th Submarine Squadron (United Kingdom) • 4th Medium Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery • 6th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery • 7th Brigade (New Zealand) • 10th Brigade (New Zealand) • 11th Brigade (New Zealand) • 12th Heavy Anti-aircraft Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery • 12th Brigade (New Zealand) • South Australian Imperial Bushmen • Tasmanian Citizen Bushmen • Tasmanian Mounted Infantry • Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen (currently redirect) • 1st Military Police Battalion (Australia) • Victorian Citizen Bushmen • Victorian Imperial Bushmen • Western Australian Mounted Infantry (currently redirect) • Western Australian Citizen Bushmen • 2nd/4th Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment • 3rd/6th Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment • No. 83 (Army Cooperation) Wing • No. 52 Squadron RNZAF • No. 51 Squadron RNZAF • No. 43 Squadron RNZAF • No. 12 Squadron RNZAF • No. 11 Squadron RNZAF • No. 10 Squadron RNZAF • CAC/North American Avon Sabre in Australian service • GAF/Dassault Mirage III in Australian service • Harry Charles Bundock • Grant Cavenagh • Frederick Hay Christison • John August Clareborough • Jack Kerr Coffey • John Craven • Ralph Daly • Charles Stewart Davies • Harold Charles de Low • William Huggett Douglas • Herbert Frederick Henry Durant • Leslie Glanville Howard Dyke • Henry Herrick Edwards • Cyril Maurice Lloyd Elliott • Frederick Percy Herbert Fewtrell • Alexander Moore Forbes • Stephen Gilbert Friend • Vivian Harrold Gatliff • Arthur Harry Langman Godfrey • Leonard George Goss • Peter Haddad • William Allan Hailes • Neville Gordon Hatton • Health Services Wing RAAF • William Alexander Henderson • John Hill • Frederick Brock Hinton • Oswald Vick Hoad • Austin Claude Selwyn Holland • Maurice Barber Bevan Keating • Douglas Oswald Luke Kitto • Errol Knox • Ian Lillie • Thomas Steane Louch • John Walter Main • Gordon Edward Manchester • James Eric Gifford Martin • Athelsan Markham Martyn • John Maxwell • Patrick Sanfield McGrath • Eric George Henderson McKenzie • Kenneth Alan McKenzie • Douglas Murray McWhae • Arthur James Mills • Raymond Frederic Monaghan • Gerald Vincent Moriarty • New Zealand Infantry Brigade (currently a redirect) • Edward Michael Neylan • Reginald Havill Norman • Francis Roger North • Harry Scott Nurse • David O'Brien • Douglas Paine • William Edward Hill Pascoe • Michael Phelps • Claude Esdaile Prior • Ralph Carlyle Geoffrey Prisk • Beauchamp Worters Pulver • John Herbert Rasmussen • John David Rogers • Henry Gordon Rourke • Harry Blamyre Sewell • Colin McOlvin Sharp • Edward Lonergan Sheehan • James Thomas Simpson • Fritz Peter Max Solling • William Howard St. Clair • Robert Mackay Stodart • Roy Buchanan Sutherland • Harold Bourue Taylor • Percy Chamberlin Thompson • Ruahine Regiment • Roy Meldrum Thompson • Walter James Urquhart • Donald Norwood Veron • Roy William Whiston Walsh • Augustine William Wardell • Thomas Edgar Weavers • David Welch • Frank Elwyn Wells • Allan Respen Wendt • Ernst Morgan Williams • Kenneth Williams • Kenneth Agnew Wills • Roy Gordon • New Zealand Rarotongan Company Expansion needed 2nd Infantry Brigade (New Zealand) • Australian Mounted Division • Australian Army Veterinary Corps • Australian and New Zealand Army Corps • Military history of Australia during the Malayan Emergency • 32nd Small Ship Squadron, Royal Australian Engineers • 1st Aviation Regiment (Australia) • 1st Combat Engineer Regiment (Australia) • II Anzac Corps • Australian military involvement in peacekeeping • Emile Dechaineux • Harold Farncomb • History of the Australian Army • History of the Royal Australian Air Force • John Baker • John Royston • John Ryan (Australian soldier) • Lark Force • New Guinea campaign • Robert William Rankin • Corps of Royal New Zealand Engineers • HMNZS Resolution (A-14) • Military history of New Zealand in Malaysia • New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade • New Zealand Rifle Brigade • Survey Motor Boat • List of Australian generals and brigadiers • Air Lift Group • Surveillance and Response Group • Combat Support Group RAAF • Aerospace Operational Support Group RAAF • 41 Wing • No. 26 Squadron RAAF • No. 29 Squadron RAAF • Air Movements Training and Development Unit RAAF• Surveillance and Control Training Unit RAAF • No. 386 Expeditionary Combat Support Squadron RAAF • No. 322 Combat Support Squadron RAAF • No. 323 Combat Support Squadron RAAF • No. 324 Combat Support Squadron RAAF• No. 1 Combat Logistics Squadron RAAF • No. 1 Air Terminal Squadron RAAF • No. 3 Airfield Defence Squadron RAAF • New South Wales Mounted Rifles • Combat Reserve Wing RAAF • New Zealand Women's Land Army • more... Images needed 1st Division (New Zealand) • 4th Division (New Zealand) • 5th Division (New Zealand) • 7th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery • 27th Machine Gun Battalion (New Zealand) • 29th Battalion (New Zealand) • 30th Battalion (New Zealand) • 32nd Small Ship Squadron, Royal Australian Engineers • 36th Battalion (New Zealand) • New Zealand Women's Land Army • Military history of Australia during the Malayan Emergency • Harold Pope (soldier) Merging needed Add an article here! Citations needed List of Australian Army artillery units in World War I • Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit • Australian occupation of German New Guinea • Bombing of Rabaul (November 1943) • FCU UNTAC • Geoffrey Fisken • Henry Arthur Goddard • Military history of Oceania • New Zealand Army • Imperial Service Club Translation needed Add an article here! 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