Australian Soldiers, Memorials and Military History

80th Aniversary of the Start of the Pacific War

7/8 December 2021 marks the 80th anniversary of the start of the Pacific War in World War II, with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

What is less well known is that simultaneous attacks occurred at Kota Bharu in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Clark Field in the Philippines.

Among the first Australian units in action were No.1 and No. 453 Squadrons of the RAAF in Malaya.

Read about them HERE and HERE

Over the next few weeks we will be presenting Homepage features that chronicle some of the momentous events that followed.

December

Today's Honour Roll recognizes 177 Australians who fell on this day in history.

See Full List

STRETCHER” “STRETCHER”- the anguished cry, no man could stand against

Thousands dead and wounded, the day had just commenced

So into the fog yet again, to search for every stranded mate

“HERE, HERE” we’d found five men - but for three we were just too late

With a bleeding man on each of our backs, and lost in the foggy sea

We were half way across no man’s land, when we heard this mournful plea

"Don't forget me cobber"

Upon return we went out to search, for the man who’d cried in great despair

To leave him out there alone and wounded, would be more than we could bear

We picked him up, along with his mate, near the enemy’s defences

Then covered in blood we struggled back, to the safety of our trenches

‘We didn’t forget you cobber”

From the Boer War to Afghanistan, 102,784 Australian men and women have been killed serving their country.

Find out more about the human cost of conflicts that Australians have been involved in.