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World War II
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Australia declares War on Germany
Australia, Britain, France and New Zealand declared war on Germany shortly after the Invasion of Poland. -
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Conscription in Australia
At the start of World War II all unmarried men aged 21 were to be called up for three months' militia training and these men could serve only in Australia or its territories. In mid-1942, the law changed so that all men 18–35, and single men aged 35–45, were required to join the Citizens Military Forces. Volunteers with the Australian Imperial Force scorned 'CMF' conscripts as "chocolate soldiers" because they believed they would "melt under the heat of battle." I couldn't find the exact dates. -
Siege of Tobruk
Lasting from the 10th of April to the 27th of November, the Siege of Tobruk was a confrontation between Axis and Allied forces that lasted for 241 days in North Africa during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. It was vital for the Allies' defence of Egypt and the Suez Canal to hold the town with its harbour, as this forced the enemy to bring most of their supplies overland from the port of Tripoli, across 1,500 kilometres of desert. -
Australia declares War on Japan
Officially, war was declared on the 9th of December, but exactly one hour after the Japanese bombing of Hawaii, Prime Minister John Curtin of Australia declared that "from one hour ago, Australia has been at war with the Japanese Empire." -
Fall of Singapore
The Australians stationed in Signapore fought the Japanese for ownership but eventually fell. Over 15000 Australian soldiers became Prisoners of War, or POWs. -
The Bombing of Darwin
Also known as the Battle of Darwin, was both the first and largest (single) attack ever mounted on Australia by a foreign power. 242 Japanese aircraft attacked ships in Darwin's harbour and the town's two airfields in an attempt to prevent the Allies from using them as bases to contest the invasions of Timor and Java. The town was only lightly defended and the Japanese inflicted heavy losses upon the Allied forces at little cost to themselves. The urban areas of Darwin also suffered heavy losses -
Attack on Sydney Harbour
On the night of May 31st-June 1st, 3 Japanese 'midget submarines' snuck into the Sydney Harbour, past the partially constructed anti-submarine net and attempted to sink Allied warships. Two were detected and destroyed before the ycould engage and one missed and destroyed a converted ferry, the HMAS Kuttabul, killing 21 sailors. This 'midget submarine's' fate was unkown up until 2006 where it was discovered off Sydney's northern beaches by some amateur scuba divers. -
The Kokoda Trail - Recaptured
Afetr being driven out of Kokoda previously, the Australians quietly re-entered Kokoda in order to reclaim the airfield there, the only (serviceable) one in between Port Moresby and the Japanese base at Buna on the North coast of Papua. To their suprise, they found the airfield had fallen into disrepair and hadn't been used by the enemy. With the aid of the local Papuan natives they repaired the airfield and secured the location. Ceremonies were held afterwards. -
9th Division returns to Australia
The 9th Division was a division of the Australian Army that served during World War II. It was the 4th division of the Second Australian Imperial Force, or 2nd AIF. -
Sandakan Death Marches
(The date on this timeline is the date of the 2nd marches, the 1st marches began between January and March)
Several groups of POWs, all of whom were either malnourished or suffering serious illness, were given baggage and supplies and lead with soldiers towards the western coast, the route took nine days, but they were only given enough rations for four days. As on the Bataan Death March, any POWs who were not fit enough or collapsed from exhaustion were either killed or left to die en route. -
The Japanese Surrender
The surrender of the Empire of Japan was announced by Japan on August 15 and formally signed on September 2, 1945, bringing the hostilities of World War II to a close. The bombing of both Hiroshima and Nagaski and the Soviet Union declaring war on them made the Emperor force the Supreme Council for the Direction of War into accepting the treaty, despite their public statement of fighting to the bitter end.
