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Abdul ‘Shorty’ Aziz (SX38556; S62869), of ‘dark complexion’, was born in 1923 in Broken Hill, New South Wales, where he worked as a station hand and a cameleer for tourists. Abdul Aziz’s father was Sultan Aziz, a long-lived Indian cameleer locally known as the ‘last of the camel kings’, a familiar figure in Broken Hill in his spotless white turban. Sultan was known for organising a camel race for the late King George V and Queen Mary on their visit to Australia. Aziz was educated at Broken Hill schools and also in Victoria, and later living in Sydney’. Although his father was the caretaker of the little Broken Hill Mosque, he wasn’t a practicing Muslim. Aziz loved motor cars – buck board (ute with wooden back). Before the war, he married Zaidullah Fazulla’s daughter, Thora, with whom had three sons. Sultan was pleased to emphasize that his son, ‘Private Abdul Aziz, 19 years of age, was in the AMF. Abdul earned the nickname ‘Shorty’ by his comrades for his short stature, but he had a ‘big patriotic heart’.

Aziz enlisted in 1942 in Canungra, New South Wales, and served in the Citizen Military Forces from 5 February 1942 to 30 October 1944, then, in the 24 Australian Infantry Battalion from 31 October 1944 until he was discharged on 5 June 1946. It was reported that while not on duty, Abdul went to Broken Hill to visit his father, spending a few days’ leave in Broken Hill. Then, he fought in New Guinea, from 22 February 1945 to 28 June 1945. The New Guinea offensives saw Australians combatting some of the difficult battles in which more of them ‘went down to mites and mosquitoes than to bullets’. Abdul took part in the final campaign, among several aggressive Bougainville campaigns, of the war in the Pacific on the Solomon Islands against the Japanese. The campaign of the Australian forces advanced and destroyed the enemy bases, and the Japanese soldiers surrendered suffering heavy losses. On both sides of the frontlines, many contracted disease, while other suffered from malnutrition. Abdul also became ill with meningitis, malaria and pinguecula and four months later he had life-threatening wounds to his leg received from an exploding shell. The victory on the land was appreciated for the ‘courage and the discipline of the ordinary Australian infantryman,’ such as Abdul Aziz among many other Australian infantrymen’. Bob and Janet Shamroze of Broken Hill also narrated, that from the war, ‘Abdul returned with injuries. He had a leg injury in the war and couldn’t recover from it, so his leg was amputated’.

Abdul Aziz was issued the 1939/45 Star, Pacific Star, the Defence Medal, the War Medal and the Australian Service Medal. As a returned soldier Aziz was a member of the local soldier’s league. He was also a member of the Federated Enginedrivers and Firemen’s Association. Being invalided, during the Anzac parade, he joined his Australian comrades in a wheelchair.

In 1951, at the age of 28 years Abdul Aziz passed away at the hospital, leaving a widow and three children. It was said, ‘Such a short life for the son of a centurion’. It was most likely that his life was shortened by the war service. His funeral service was conducted by his brother-in-arms and a community leader Abdul Fazulla at the Muslim cemetery, Broken Hill. Those who attended the funeral included his several comrades from the AIF, Muslim community members, and also representatives of the Newmarket Sporting Club and the RAOB Lodge among others. The soldier’s tribute was delivered by local representatives performing the ‘Stand To’, ‘Reveille’ and ‘Last Post’.

From the book:

Dzavid Haveric, 'A History of Muslims in the Australian Military: Loyalty, Patriotis, Contribution', Cambridge Scholars Publishing, London, 2024