{"html":"  \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-images\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor \"\n        style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/37071/photo/zoom_Cowra_Breakout_newspaper.jpg)\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor hidden\"\n        style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/37072/photo/zoom_867055-de74af66-cb5e-11e3-b520-1a79dc9db4b9.jpg)\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor hidden\"\n        style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/37068/photo/zoom_images.jpg)\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor hidden\"\n        style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/224471/photo/zoom_VDC_Lewis_Gun_Pam.jpg)\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor hidden\"\n        style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/224496/photo/zoom_vdc_motor_spirit_ration_tickets.jpg)\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor hidden\"\n        style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/224498/photo/zoom_vdc_gas_producer__1_.jpg)\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor hidden\"\n        style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/45030/photo/zoom_VDC__P02018-087_.jpg)\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-description with-image\"\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor\"\u003eHomeland Defence  - Militia and non deployed forces\u003c/h4\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"tiny-mce-heading-color\"\u003e Homeland Defence - Protecting Home Hearth and Heritage\u003c/h4\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eWhen WW 2 broke out, the main effort of the Australian nation was to create the 2nd AIF for service overseas as part of the British Commonwealth war effort, in parallel with the Empire Air Training Scheme.  \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, in Australia, there was less of a sense of urgency because the war seemed a liong way away.  However it became apparent that there would be a growing need for garrison troops to manage the 'Home Front', and a range of measures were put in place.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eConscription for Homeland Defence was enacted quickly, with all 'Eligible Males' being subject to call up for training.  Draftees were initially assigned to the Militia, however numbers in the queue ovrwhelmed capacity so call up was deferred  As the war progressed, many draftees chose to enlist in either the AIF, RAAF or RAN.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Japan started the Pacific War, Homeland Defence took on a much more dramatic profile.  A succession of disasters threw into focus the possibility of invasion of the Australian mainland.  The definitin of 'Eligible Male' was relaxed considerably to boost numbers for the draft.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eJust how was a nation of 7 million, spread across an area nearly the size of the USA, with most of the northern half virtually empty, to defend itself?\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eIn the Army, four distinct branches emerged:\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe 2nd AIF\u003c/strong\u003e was raised for Active Service outside Australia, in a manner very similar to that seen in WW1, albeit on a reduced scale.  Four Divisions were eventually raised with three (6th, 7th and 9th) despatched to the Middle East, although woefully underequippend and reliant on the British for a lot of heavy equipment, particularly artillery.  The 8th DIvision meanwhile was desaptched for Garrison Duties in SE Asia.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Militia  / Citizens' Military Forces\u003c/strong\u003e had an established territorial base, and strong antecedent links with their WW1 predecessor units and personnel.  The WW1 AIF structures were re-created and populated albeit composed differently.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eIt has been siad that Australia 'over-mobilised', with well over a million people in uniform from a population of barely seven million.  Fit and able veterans of WW1 rejoined in large numbers for the defence of the Homeland.   The Army in particular expanded rapidly and helped meet the burgeoning training demand of new recruits.  Equipping it was another matter.  It quickly became apparent that a much greater level of self reliance would be needed than had been anticipated.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGarrison Battalions\u003c/strong\u003e were raised from the outset, to man PoW Camps, protect Vital Points and to man fixed Defences.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Volunteer Defence Corps\u003c/strong\u003e was initially raised by the Returned and Services League (RSL), along similar lines to the British Home Guard.  The government took over control of the VDC in May 1941, and gave the organisation the role of training for guerrilla warfare, collecting local intelligence and providing static defence of each unit's home area. General Harry Chauvel, who had retired in 1930, was recalled to duty in 1940 and appointed Inspector-General of the VDC. Chauvel held this position until his death in March 1945.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eIncreasingly, the VDC took over or were 'shadow posted' to augment A\u003cstrong\u003enti-Aircraft defences\u003c/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eCoastal Artillery\u003c/strong\u003e fixed defences , including searchlight batteries and the like  They were also complemented by large numbers of women serving in an array of organisations inclduing the \u003cstrong\u003eAustralian Womens' Army Service (AWAS)\u003c/strong\u003e and other services equivalents.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eLarge numbers of veterans of WW1 attempted to enlist and while many became part of the 2nd AIF, the bulk of them were enlisted into the Militia, VDC and Garrison Battalions. Indeed 'Class B' WW1 veterans formed the backbone of those organisation for much of the rest of the war.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAir attacks by Japanese forces occurred around the coastline from Broome to Townsville. Darwin was subjected to an air attack launched from the same Carrier Group that had attacked Pearl Harbour.  Indeed, the number of aircraft involved was greater.   The detail of the raid and its aftermatch was largely withheld fro the Australian public thanks to chronically poor communications and official policy. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eJapanese submarines shelled some East Coast centres notably Newcastle and Sydney between 31 May and 8 June 1942.  Japanese submarines were active off the east coast, with the most famous action being the penetration of Sydney Harbour by two Japanese Midget submarines in July 1942.  They missed the main prize the USS Chicago, but sank the former ferry and billet ship, HMAS Kuttabul.  The raid panicked the good citizens of Sydney's eastern suburbs, many of whom 'headed for the hills' in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney, never to return. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eMobilisation reached its peak by 1943.  As the risk of invasion receded it was realised that the Government was struggling to fund the massive organisation it had created so the Militia and VDC was scaled back, with priority initially afforded to fixed defences such as the coastal fortifications.  They too began to be wound down progressively.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eCompiled by Steve Larkins 2014 updated 2025\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n"}