DVA 112 Monday 23 July 2001

This Week in History - Our Wartime Heritage

Issued by the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Bruce Scott, to foster awareness of Australia’s wartime history and heritage during the Centenary of Federation.

27 July-2 August

27 July 1942: The Australian Women's Land Army was formed.  The AWLA resulted from the need to keep rural industries going with many male agricultural workers leaving to join the armed forces.  Women's organisations responded by setting up 'land armies' in each State and many of these women were later absorbed into the AWLA. At its peak it had 2565 permanent and 503 auxiliary members.  The AWLA was disbanded in December 1945.

27 July 1942: Australian soldiers of the 2/28th Battalion took part in a disastrous action against German troops at Ruin Ridge in western Egypt.  The attack was part of a plan to break through German lines south of Tel el Eisa.  The Australians quickly reached their objective on Ruin Ridge, but became cut off by enemy posts to their rear.  The Australians lost communications and suffered heavy losses in vehicles trying to bring forward ammunition.  The Germans were reinforced with infantry and tanks.  Facing tank attacks from three sides, the Australians were forced to surrender.  Australian losses were 65 killed or wounded and 489 taken prisoner.

27 July 1953: A ceasefire was signed in the Korean War, bringing hostilities to an end, although it did not officially end the war.  More than 17 000 Australians served in Korea of whom 339 died on active service and 29 became prisoners-of-war.

28 July 1916: Sergeant Claude Castleton, 5th Machine Gun Company, 5th Brigade, 2nd Division, AIF, originally from Suffolk, United Kingdom, was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions at PoziÃÂ¨res, France.  During an attack on enemy trenches the infantry were temporarily driven back by intense machine-gun fire, leaving a number of wounded lying in No Man's Land.  Sergeant Castleton twice went out in the face heavy fire and each time brought in a wounded man on his back.  He went out a third time and was bringing in another wounded man when he was himself hit in the back and killed.

28-29 July 1942: Elements of the Australian 39th Battalion and the Papuan Infantry Battalion fought a confused night action at Kokoda village, Papua, against advancing Japanese troops.  The Australians were forced out of Kokoda.

31 July 1900: A Victorian contingent left Melbourne on SS Salamis as part of an Australian naval force sent to China for the Boxer Rebellion, an attempt by armed Chinese secret societies to resist foreign influence.  Arriving in China in September 1900, the Australians were too late to see any significant fighting.  The Victorian contingent, based at Tianjin, took part in some minor offensives, but spent most

of their time on routine police and guard duties.  The Australians left China in March 1901, having suffered six fatalities, none in combat.

2 August 1990: Iraq invaded Kuwait, beginning the series of events that led to the Gulf War in 1991.

Media Contact: Mark Croxford   (02) 6277 7820        or  0408 645 787



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