{"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/6439/photo/zoom_1941-12-08__Japan_Times___Advertiser_-_War_is_on___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/44142/photo/zoom_WW_II_Kokoda_39_Bn.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\"\u003eWorld War 2\u003c/h4\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003e\"\u003cem\u003eFellow Australians, it is my melancholy duty to inform you officially, that in consequence of a persistence by Germany in her invasion of Poland, Great Britain has declared war upon her and that, as a result, Australia is also at war. No harder task can fall to the lot of a democratic leader than to make such an announcement.\"\u003c/em\u003e    \u003ca href=\"/research/home-page-archives/80-years-since-the-declaration-of-war-on-germany-to-begin-the-second-world-war\"\u003e \u003cb\u003ePrime Minister Robert Gordon Menzies. 3 September 1939\u003c/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/research/home-page-archives/80-years-since-the-declaration-of-war-on-germany-to-begin-the-second-world-war)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eIf World War 1 impacted Australia in terms of sheer numbers of personnel losses, it was largely remote from Australia.  Just 20 years after the Treaty of Versailles bought the Great War to an end, World War 2 (WW 2) began, initially in Europe.  But this conflict was to bring the war to Australia’s doorstep; bombs rained on its Northernmost settlements and the threat of invasion seemed real and imminent.  It changed Australia’s outlook on the world and our society forever.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBackground\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eWW 2 commenced when Britain and the Commonwealth declared war on Germany following its invasion of Poland in September 1939.  As in World War 1, Britain's former colonies rallied to her colours.  Australia, which had run down its defence forces dramatically during the 1930s,  immediately set about raising the Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF) to comprise the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th Divisions for overseas service.  \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eConcurrently, a truly remarkable piece of visionary mobilisation planning began to take effect with the establishment of the \u003ca href=\"/explore/campaigns/13\"\u003eEmpire Air Training Scheme.\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/campaigns/13)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e  Training bases began to take shape all over the Commonwealth but particulary in Australia and Canada.  Britain had realised early that it would never match the much larger Germany in the manpower stakes of running a modern airforce.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eWith the conflict initially confined to Europe, the first units of the AIF were despatched to the United Kingdom, which by then was standing alone against the might of Nazi occupied Europe with an imminent prospect of invasion, a depleted Army with much of its equipment lost after the retreat from Dunkirk and just its Air Force and Navy standing between a beleaguered island and a Nazi invasion force.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCommitment\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe Australian Second AIF 6th, 7th and 9th Divisions were despatched as in the Great War,  to the Middle East.  The \u003ca href=\"/explore/campaigns/49\"\u003e8th Division was moved to Malaya\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/campaigns/49)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e to join British garrison forces there. At the time it was a move that seemed relatively benign, but it was one which was later to have far reaching consequences.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe RAAF meanwhile provided aircraft and men, in a major commitment to the UK. The Empire Air Training Scheme (see link above) eventually trained some 27,000 airmen, with thousands of men training and ultimately serving alongside and within the Royal Air Force in the United Kingdom.  \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eIndeed it was among these men, primarily those in \u003ca href=\"/explore/campaigns/12\"\u003eBomber Command,\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/campaigns/12)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e that the single largest cohort of Australian losses in WW2 occurred. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eNo. 10 Squadron RAAF had been in the UK at the outbreak of war to take delivery of its Sunderland Flying Boats.  It was to remain in the UK as part of Coastal Command for the duration of the War.  It was later joined by No. 461 Squadron making a major contribution to the UK's maritime protection screen in the \u003ca href=\"/explore/campaigns/99\"\u003eBattle of the Atlantic\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/campaigns/99)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eIn June 1941 the Soviet Union entered the War when it was invaded by Germany.  Thus at last a major slice of the German war machine was diverted diverted away from other theatres of battle in which Britain and its Dominion Forces were barely holding on.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Middle East\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe Middle East campaign may have seemed much like WW1 to the Australian population, when the War was a very long way away. Australian Forces fought with distinction throughout the Middle East campaign, operations in \u003ca href=\"/explore/campaigns/107\"\u003eLibya in North Africa\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/campaigns/107)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e where they largely expelled the Italian Forces there, before the campaign fragmented with forays to Greece, Crete and Syria.  \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe latter was successful in overcoming the Vichy French forces there but \u003ca href=\"/explore/campaigns/10\"\u003eGreece\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/campaigns/10)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e and later \u003ca href=\"/explore/campaigns/134\"\u003eCrete\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/campaigns/134)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e ended in disaster as the Germans came to aid of their beleagured Ally, Italy.  Later with the arrival of the German Afrika Korps in the Western Desert, the Allies' fortunes took a turn for the worse.  In a massive filip to Alied morale, the \u003ca href=\"/explore/campaigns/85\"\u003eSiege of Tobruk\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/campaigns/85)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e earned the  9th Division and its supporting elements, including the 18th Brigade from the 7th Division, the derisory sobriquet 'Rats of Tobruk' from the German propagandist 'Lord Haw Haw'.  They adopted it with pride and wrote a new and very creditable chapter in the annals of Australian military history.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eMeanwhile Australia had committed naval elements to the Mediterranean early in the war.  Ships such as the HMAS \u003cem\u003ePerth\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eSydney\u003c/em\u003e, which played a key role in actions at  Cape Spada and later Cape Matapan, both off Crete.  In the first, Sydney played the key role in the destruction of the Italian crusier Bartoleomo Corleoni.  Cape Matapan was a major victory for the Royal Navy, resulting in the destruction of an Italian cruiser squadron. The legendary 'Scrap Iron Flotilla' comprised of WW1-era ships, HMAS \u003cem\u003eStuart\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eVoyager\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eVampire\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eVendetta \u003c/em\u003eand \u003cem\u003eWaterhen\u003c/em\u003e were made famous by the Battle of Matapan, the evacuation of Allied forces from Greece and Crete and the so-called \"Tobruk Ferry Service\" in which '\u003cem\u003eWaterhen\u003c/em\u003e' was lost.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eRAAF units also served in the Middle East as part of the 'Desert Air Force'  and later in the Italian campaign in the northern Mediterranean.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough the European war was a long way away, Nazi Germany had a long reach, as was evident with the loss of \u003ca href=\"/research/home-page-archives/19-november-anniversary-of-the-sinking-of-hmas-sydney\"\u003eHMAS Sydney\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/research/home-page-archives/19-november-anniversary-of-the-sinking-of-hmas-sydney)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e on 19 November 1941, off the Western Australian coast.  The southern coast of Australia was also the subject of enemy mine-laying activities.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Pacific War\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAustralia's focus changed dramatically on 7 December 1941 when the Japanese entered the War by bombing Pearl Harbour, and crippling the US Pacific Fleet.  This action brought the USA into the War as well. All of a sudden, Australia was in direct imminent danger.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe 8th Division, fully 25% of the AIF's Field Force, was swallowed up by the Japanese advance down the \u003ca href=\"/explore/campaigns/48\"\u003eMalay Peninsula.\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/campaigns/48)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e  Britain's \"Fortress Singapore\" strategy went down with its two capital ships HMS\u003cem\u003e Prince of Wales and \u003c/em\u003eHMS \u003cem\u003eRepulse, \u003c/em\u003esunk off the Malayan coast by Japanese air power, in the absence of any worthwhile air support of their own. \u003ca href=\"/research/home-page-archives/the-fall-of-singapore\"\u003eWith the fall of Singapore in February 1942\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/research/home-page-archives/the-fall-of-singapore)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e, the 8th Division and RAAF ground crews, who could not get out on departing aircraft, were largely consigned to captivity for the rest of the War.  The 23rd Brigade of the 8th Division had been scattered across the island groups to Australia's north in a flawed strategic setting, the so-called 'bird' Forces.   \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eMeanwhile, the 6th and 7th Divisions were hastily recalled from the Middle East.  A major divide occurred between the Curtin Government in Australia and Britain's Sir Winston Churchill, when Churchill tried to re-direct the convoy to Burma to support beleaguered British and Indian forces there. Curtin was having none of that and it is hard to imagine the troops on board wanting to be anywhere other than rushing to the defence of their own homeland.  This precipitated the famous speech in which \u003ca href=\"/research/home-page-archives/australias-shift-from-the-united-kingdom-to-the-united-states\"\u003eCurtin said that Australia now turned to the United States\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/research/home-page-archives/australias-shift-from-the-united-kingdom-to-the-united-states)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e as its principal partner in stemming the Japanese threat, thus radically re-shaping Australia's traditional strategic relationships.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe shock loss of Singapore and nearly all of the 8th Division to the seemingly unstoppable Japanese onslaught caused near panic in Australia.  To further deepen the sense of foreboding, a scratch force, called \u003ca href=\"/research/home-page-archives/java-1942--blackforce-and-the-loss-of-hmas-perth\"\u003e\"Blackforce\"\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/research/home-page-archives/java-1942--blackforce-and-the-loss-of-hmas-perth)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e had been diverted to Java from the returning convoy, and was effectively abandoned in a hopeless situation, without even weapons, vehicles or ammunition, which were on other ships in the convoy.  Named for its commander, South Australian Brigadier Arthur Blackburn, VC, Blackforce gave a very good account of itself, equipping with abandoned Dutch weapons and stores.  They conducted an effective delaying defence, until they ran out of options or any chance of the promised evacuation. So Blackforce was left with no option but surrender,  thus squandering a significant capability that would be sorely needed elsewhere.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAustralia's naval and air units also took a mauling with the loss of HMAS Yarra and HMAS Perth (see the link at Blackforce above), and numerous fighter, light bomber and maritime patrol aircraft.  \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe 23rd Brigade elements of the 8th Division scattered through the islands of Timor and New Britain suffered a similar fate;   \"Lark Force\" at Rabaul and \u003ca href=\"/research/home-page-archives/the-loss-of-ambon-and-gull-force\"\u003e\"Gull Force\" in Ambon\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/research/home-page-archives/the-loss-of-ambon-and-gull-force)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e were overwhelmed and subjected to brutal atrocities by the Japanese victors.  Only \u003ca href=\"/research/home-page-archives/dutch-timor-and-sparrow-force\"\u003e\"Sparrow Force\" in Timor\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/research/home-page-archives/dutch-timor-and-sparrow-force)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e avoided total annihilation and went on to wage a guerilla war against the Japanese for some time.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHomeland Defence\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eBack in Australia, all that was left in the way of armed forces was the Militia or Citizen's Forces.  The militia battalions, many with direct lineage to the battalions of the First World War, were also mobilised on the outbreak of war,  but for home service (and in designated territories) only. This created a schism with the AIF that had far reaching consequences well beyond the Second World War.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe militia were derisively referred to as 'Chockos' by the AIF (and the media),  implying that they were 'chocolate soldiers' who would 'melt' when 'the heat was on'. Ironically, 'the heat was on' very shortly afterwards.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/research/home-page-archives/75th-anniversary-of-the-bombing-of-darwin\"\u003eDarwin was bombed for the first time on 19 February 1942\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/research/home-page-archives/75th-anniversary-of-the-bombing-of-darwin)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e, with heavy loss of life and not entirely creditable behaviour by some of the forces deployed there.  \u003ca href=\"/research/home-page-archives/the-bombing-of-darwin\"\u003eAdditional detail HERE\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/research/home-page-archives/the-bombing-of-darwin)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tiny-mce-body-color\"\u003eFortuitously, the \u003ca href=\"/research/home-page-archives/the-battle-of-the-coral-sea\"\u003eBattle of the Coral Sea\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/research/home-page-archives/the-battle-of-the-coral-sea)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e in May 1942 \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tiny-mce-body-color\"\u003echecked the Japanese advance and their intention to put a marine landing force ashore near Port Moresby.  It was the \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tiny-mce-body-color\"\u003efirst naval battle in which the ships engaged in it never sighted one another, but rather fought it out with naval air power. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, their goal to mount an amphibious landing at Port Moresby, thwarted by the losses at Coral Sea, was replaced with an overland strategy. Things got worse for the Australians when the Japanese landed on the north coast of New Guinea in June 1942.  This very soon developed into the \u003ca href=\"/explore/campaigns/51\"\u003eKokoda campaign by August 1942\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/campaigns/51)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e.  It was a \"chocko\" Militia Brigade and in particular one Battalion, the 39th, which stoically stood in the breech against a Japanese force that threatened Port Moresby. This was achieved despite being seriously outnumbered; under equipped with no artillery or support weapons; poorly supplied with inadequate food and clothing; \u003cspan class=\"tiny-mce-body-color\"\u003ebeing directed by \u003c/span\u003ea dysfunctional higher command structure in a combined US / Australian headquarters in Brisbane that had no first-hand notion of the conditions under which operations were being conducted. In the author's opinion, a greater scandal in the conduct of the nation's defence cannot be found. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tiny-mce-body-color\"\u003e'Chockos' indeed.  They held the line in appalling conditions until relieved by elements of the newly arrived 7th Division, which were initially integrated into'Maroubra Force',  commanded \u003c/span\u003eby Brigadier Arnold \u003cspan class=\"tiny-mce-body-color\"\u003ePotts.  They too came under pressure of the Japanese advance.  Potts fell back realising the Japanese supply lines would be extended as his own were shortened.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eConcurrently, elements of the 6th Division, specifically the 18th Brigade, comprising the 2nd/9th, /10th and /11th Battalions supported by the RAAF' 75 and 76 Squadrons, inflicted the first defeat of the War on Japanese land forces at the \u003ca href=\"/explore/campaigns/51\"\u003eBattle of Milne Bay\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/campaigns/51)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e on the Eastern tip of Papua New Guinea in August - September 1942 as famously noted by Field Marshal Sir William Slim commander of the British 14th Army in Burma, and later Governor General of Australia.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAustralian troops had, at Milne Bay, inflicted on the Japanese, their first undoubted defeat on land.  Some of us may forget that of all the Allies, it was the Australians who first broke the spell of Japanese invincibility.\"\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eMeanwhile Australia's remaining Division still in the Middle East, the 9th Division, under arguably Australia's most successful Commander, Lieutenant General Sir Leslie Moreshead, played a key role in the final defeat of the Germans at El Alamein in late 1942.  The 9th Division then also returned to Australia.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFight Back\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/explore/campaigns/84\"\u003eAir War SW Pacific\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/campaigns/84)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/explore/campaigns/96\"\u003eRAN Operations SW Pacific / Indian Ocean 1941/43\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/campaigns/96)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/explore/campaigns/93\"\u003eBattles of the Beachheads\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/campaigns/93)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/explore/campaigns/130\"\u003eAustralia's Front Line - Darwin Defenders\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/campaigns/130)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003emore to follow................\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eSteve Larkins  November 2013 updated February 2022\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n"}