DVA 6

Friday 2 February 20011

THIS VVEEK IN HISTORY-OUR WARTME HERITAGE

The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Bruce Scott, has initiated a new information   service aimed at encouraging greater understandinig and knowledge of Australia’s   wartime history and heritage, as part of the Centenary of Federation.

Each week, l.he Minister will issue This Week ln History - Our Wartime Heritage,   listing key daites and events in Australia’s wartime history.

“In 2001, as we celebrate the Centenary of Federation, the 100th Anniversary of the   Army, the 90th Anniversary of the Royal Australian Navy and the 80th Anniversary of   the Royal Australian Air Force, it is important that we highlight the events   that have

helped shape our nation,” Mr Scott said.

February 1 -- February 7

2 Februlary ‘1942: The Japanese made their first aiir raid on Port Moresby in Papua   New Guinea. The town’s only defences at that time were in the hanids of an   Australi,an anti-aircraft unit. One of the men in this unit wrote: A// of them were   hardened soldiers, down to the 76-year-old boys who had falsified their ages to get

into this mi/it,ia battery and sudden/y found themsel’ves in the firing line.

3 February *19143: Australian forces counter-attacked at Wau, New Guinea. The   battles around Wau between 28 January and 9 February 1943 represented a major   Japanese thrust against the Australians during WWII. The enemy was repulsed back   towards) Mubo and more than 1200 Japanese were killed.

4-5 February 11917: Tasmanian Henry Murray, leading A Company, 1 3th Battalion,   seized !Stormy Trench, near Gueudecourt in France. Despite his company suffering   severe casualties, Murray led bombing parties and saved many wounded. By   daylight his party had repulsed all German attacks. For his bravery Murray was

awarded the Victoria Cross. Murray went on to receive further gallalntry awards,   becoming Australia’s most decorated soldier of World War I.

5 February 1942: HMAS Yarra rescued more than 1300 troops frorn the burning   transport En7pl-ess ofAsia near the Sultan Reef, Singapore, while under heavy ail   attack. On 4 March 1942, the ‘)/an-a was sunk by J(apanese forces.

6 February 1941: The Australian 6’h Division capture’d Benghazi, Li,bya. The next   day, the British 7th Australian Armoured Division captured about 20,000 retreating   Italian servicxxnen. In just two months, a relatively small British force in Libya, which   includeId the Australian 6’h Division, had beaten 10 Italian divisions, taken 1300 guns

and destroyed 400 enemy tanks.

7 February 1980: ‘The Father of the Air Force’, Air Marshal Sir Richard Williams,   KBE Cl3 DSO, died. Williams was a key player in the establishment of the Australian   Air Force, formed on 31 Mar 1921, that became the RAAF on 31 August 1921.

Media Contack Mark Croxford 02 6277 7820 or 0408 645 787

