Homeland Defence - Militia and non deployed forces (World War 2, 3 September 1939 to 4 September 1945)

About This Campaign

 Homeland Defence - Protecting Home Hearth and Heritage

When 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.  

However, in Australia, there was a pressing need for garrison troops to manage the 'Home Front', and a range of measures were put in place.

Conscription 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.

When 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.

Just 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?

In the Army, four distinct branches emerged:

The 2nd AIF 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.

The Militia  / Citizens' Military Forces 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.

It 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 issue.

Garrison Battalions were raised from the outset, to man PoW Camps, protect Vital Points and to man fixed Defences.

The Volunteer Defence Corps 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.

Increasingly, the VDC took over or were 'shadow posted' to augment Anti-Aircraft defences and Coastal Artillery 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 Australian Womens' Army Service (AWAS) and other services equivalents.

Large 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 both organisation for much of the rest of the war.

 

 

Work in progress..........................

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Names

Showing 8 people of interest from campaign

LANE, Denis Arthur

Service number T427
Major
52nd Infantry Battalion
AIF WW1
Born 3 Nov 1886

JONES, William Allan

Service number SX18800
Private
2nd/10th Infantry Battalion
Australian Military Forces (WW2)
Born 16 Jan 1921

VAWSER, Charles Collins Southwell

Service number S213255
Sergeant
9th Australian Infantry Training Battalion
Australian Army (Post WW2)
Born 9 Jan 1900

HEIER, Conrad Cordt

Service number S74962
Private
Volunteer Defence Corps (SA)
Australian Military Forces (WW2)
Born 2 May 1896

ROBINSON, Thomas Wesley

Service number S66490
Private
3rd (SA) Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC)
Australian Military Forces (WW2)
Born 23 Dec 1892

COOTE, Marie Isabel

Service number 111548
Aircraftwoman
No. 2 Bombing and Air Gunnery School / No. 3 Air Observers School Port Pirie
Royal Australian Air Force
Born 20 Nov 1924

PHEFLEY, Sydney William

Service number V380042
Private
Volunteer Defence Corps (VIC)
Australian Military Forces (WW2)
Born 5 Nov 1896

CUMMINGS, Edward Bruce

Service number Q222071
Lance Corporal
17th (QLD) Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC)
Australian Military Forces (WW2)
Born 5 Oct 1925