Anzac Day 2011
Section 6: Anniversaries
Gallipoli
This year, 2011, is the 96th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings. This anniversary is covered in Section 3 of this kit which provides background information to the landings and notes significant dates and events during the campaign.
World War 1
2011 is the 95th anniversary of a number of key events in Australia’s military history, including the first commemoration of Anzac Day on 25 April 1916.
It was also the year Australian forces incurred many of their most terrible losses.
In 1916 Australians were fighting in multiple locations, ranging from Libya in the North African desert to the Western front in Europe, where the Australians came to prominence in France. Of the thousands of young Australians killed or injured in conflict that year, three battles in particular became synonomous with the horror encountered by Australian forces in the Great War. (Section 4 has further information on these battles).
The first of these occured in Fromelles, a village in northern France, where Australian troops of the 5th Division launched a diversionary attack on the German lines on the night of 19 July. The assault was, initially at least, partially successful, but fierce fighting through the night compelled the Australians to retreat. No territory or advantage had been achieved, and as dawn broke some 5533 young Australians had been killed. The night remains among the most tragic in Australian history, and in early 2011 the ABC launched a special multimedia production titled Fromelles Fallen commemorating the battle.
The second of the three battles took place over the subsequent fortnight around the village of Pozieres, at that time a part of the larger Somme battlefield. Between 23 July—27 July the Australian 1st Division, led by the respected Major General Harold “Hookey” Walker, incurred 5285 casualties. They were replaced by the 2nd Division, commanded by Major General JG Legge. The 2nd Division was eventually withdrawn from the fighting, but not before they also lost 6848 men over the preceeding days.
Four Australians won the Victoria Cross at Pozieres; Lieutenant Arthur Seaforth Blackburn (the first South Australian to win the Victoria Cross) and Private John Leak on 23 July, and New Zealand born Private Thomas Cooke and Sergeant Claud Castleton in the following days. The latter pair were both awarded posthumously.
The third battle was at Mouquet Farm, not far from Pozieres village. In the period between 8 August and 3 September three Australian Divisions took turns to conduct nine separate (and unsuccessful) attacks on the German lines before leaving the vast Somme battlefield. The price was high, with over 11 000 Australian casualties.
In just their first six weeks on the Somme front Australian losses exceeded 23 000 men, with 6731 killed. The total casualties could be compared to Australian losses at Gallipoli the previous year, but the Gallipoli casualties had taken eight months to accumulate.
Earlier that year Australians, including the Imperial Camel Corps (ICC) had fought against pro-Turkish Arabs (Senussi) at Halazin in the Libyan Desert, when part of an Australian regiment joined a British expeditionary force attacking a large enemy camp on 23 January.
Months later Australians were still in action in the Sinai Desert. Following nearly two weeks of skirmishes a Turkish Division and an Australian brigade came into contact on 4 August at Romani, not far from the Suez Canal. The Australians were significantly outnumbered, but held on through the night and into the next day before New Zealand and British reinforcements arrived and the tide turned in their favour. The Anzac Mounted Division, suffered the greatest losses on the British side, with 900 of the 1130 casualties, including 202 killed.
The final major conflict involving Australians in the Middle Eastern theatre in 1916 occurred at Magdhaba, in the northern Sinai Desert. The Turks held Magdhaba village as a strategic defensive position as it prevented access to Palestine, and the Australian Mounted Division, led by Major-General Harry Chauvel, was determined to take the village.
With support from the Australian Flying Corps the attack began at dawn on 23 December. It was a protracted assault, and with the desert heat and limited water supplies the Australians were on the verge of retreating but the 1st Light Horse Brigade pressed on to force a Turkish surrender.
In a naval context Claude Choules, a 110-year-old Perth man believed to be the world's last surviving WWI combat veteran celebrated his 110th birthday in March 2011. It was 95 years since Mr Choules began serving with Britain's Royal Navy onboard the HMS Impregnable at the age of 15.
The year 2011 is also the 95th anniversary of (the first) HMAS Swan being built at the Cockatoo Island shipyard in Sydney Harbour and commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy in August 1916. In the same month HMAS Swan, accompanied by HMAS Torrens (I) and HMAS Huon, began patrolling the waters around present-day Malaysia and Philippines. Elsewhere in the world the antiquated Royal Australian Navy light cruiser HMAS Pioneer spent much of the year in service off the coast of East Africa. She returned in October that year, having seen more combat than any other Australian ship in World War I, including most Navy officers serving in 1916.
In the political sphere, the first conscription referendum took place in Australia and among the forces overseas on 28 October 1916. The proposal to introduce conscription was defeated but only by an extremely slender margin.
In New South Wales the practice of recruiting marches also continued. In January and February 1916 these included the Men from Snowy River (from Delegate to Goulburn), the Kurrajongs (from Inverell to Narrabri), the Kookaburras (from Tooraweenah to Bathurst), the North Coast Boomerangs (from Grafton to Maitland) and the Central West Boomerangs (from Parkes to Bathurst).
World War II—1941
The year 2011 also marks the 70th anniversary of the 1941 Siege of Tobruk, when Australian and Commonwealth forces defended Tobruk (in Libya) from capture by the Germans and Italians. Some 14 000 Australian and allied troops under the command of the Australian Lieutenant-General Leslie Morshead prevented the Axis from seizing this vital North African port. Australian casualties comprised 3009 killed or wounded, and only 941 were taken prisoner during the siege.
The German propagandist Lord Haw Haw, in a broadcast from Berlin said the Allied troops were 'caught like rats in a trap' because most of the troops were forced to shelter underground while the bombers were overhead. The defenders became known as the 'Rats of Tobruk', a term proudly embraced as an ironic compliment.
The Rats of Tobruk Memorial in Canberra was finalised in 1984 and is based on the 1941 memorial in Tobruk War Cemetery, built by Australian soldiers during the siege.
It is also 70 years since the Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney was sunk by the German raider Kormoran off the coast of Western Australia on 19 December 1941. In March 2008 there was some closure for relatives with the discovery of the wreck of both the Sydney and the Kormoran off the West Australian coast. An online memorial is available and the site of both wrecks has been added to Australia's Commonwealth and National Heritage Lists. (See section 5)
On the same day the British cruiser HMS Neptune also sank in the
Mediterranean
after hitting mines. The 750 crew members, only one of whom survived, had been heavily supplemented by New Zealanders, mostly Naval Reservists. All 150 New Zealanders perished, making it the greatest tragedy in New Zealand naval history.
Less than a week later the Australian sloop HMAS Parramatta (II) was torpedoed by a German submarine off the Libyan coast. Commander JH Walker and 138 of his ship’s company were lost.
These losses have been overshadowed by the Japanese attack on the American Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbour earlier that month, signalling the start of the Pacific phase of the Second World War. About the same time, Japanese troops landed in the Malayan peninsula, commencing the Malayan campaign against Allied forces which included the Australian 8th Division under the command of Lieutenant General Henry Gordon Bennett.
The Australian war Memorial is staging a special anniversary exhibition to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Australian battles in 1941.
Other events in 1941 included:
- the battle for, and invasion of, the Mediterranean island of Crete in May.
Despite the British, Commonwealth and Greek defenders putting up fierce resistance against attacking German troops, they were eventually overwhelmed by the enemy's superior logistical and air support.
- Australians participating in the successful Allied invasion of Syria in June and July, a mandate of France and the Vichy Government .
- the Australian War Memorial opening on Remembrance Day.
- the Australian-Dutch landings at Portuguese East Timor on 16 December , when Australian forces came ashore near the capital Dili to prevent the Japanese taking control. The Japanese military proved stronger however, and invaded on February 20 (1942) before the Allied force could evacuate. Some Australian units fought a short resistance but were soon killed or captured, while others managed to retreat to the mountains where they maintained a guerrilla campaign against the invaders for over a year.
- an article written on 27 December for the Melbourne Herald by Prime Minister Curtin , in which he said: 'Without any inhibitions of any kind, I make it quite clear that Australia looks to America, free of any pangs as to our traditional links or kinship with the United Kingdom.' It marked a turning point in Australian history, highlighting a future military allegiance to the United States rather than the traditional ally of the United Kingdom.
Korean War
On 26 July 1950 acting Prime Minister Arthur Fadden announced the commitment of Australian ground forces to service in Korea. From 29 June 1950 to July 1953, some 17 000 Australian service personnel served in the Korean War.
The year 2011 marks the 60th anniversary of the start of armistice negotiations which began in July 1951, although they were not completed until two years later.
It is also the 60th anniversary of Australians going into battle to defend the Kapyong Valley, about 60 km north-east of Seoul, on 22 April. The battle was the most significant fought by Australian troops during the Korean War.
Australian forces committed to the battle performed with distinction, acknowledged by the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR) being awarded a US Presidential Citation.
A few months later, on 5 October 1951, 3RAR again performed credibly in the battle for Maryang San (“Operation Commando”), a battle considered to be a crucial last chance for the UN forces to consolidate territory before the ceasefire and armistice negotiations.
In all, 339 Australians lost their lives and 1216 were wounded in the Korean War.
Malayan Emergency
There are several small wars some veterans of which claim are ‘forgotten’. One is the Malayan Emergency, which started after the murder, on 16 June 1948, of three European plantation managers by guerrillas of the Malayan Communist Party following a period of increasing unrest. A State of Emergency was declared in several districts, and then on 18 June it was extended to the whole of Malaya. British, Ghurka and Malayan military personnel and police then began operations against Communist insurgents.
This conflict officially ended in July 1960. During this period, about 7000 Australians served alongside British, New Zealand, Ghurka and Malayan forces against Communist insurgents.
It has been 55 years since Australian and British aircraft bombed the jungle base of the 7th Independent Platoon, Malayan Races Liberation Army, Kluang, Malaya. The air attack wiped out the camp and was one of the most successful of the 4000 sorties flown by members of the Royal Australian Air Force in the Malayan Emergency.
A total of 11 RAN ships also participated in the Emergency. HMAS Anzac, HMAS Queenborough and HMAS Quickmatch fired on enemy positions on two
occasions. HMAS Anzac also bombed targets near Haeju, Korea on 6 September 1951.
The 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2RAR) was also active in 1956, beginning anti-communist operations in January. They saw limited action, but in the Pipeline ambush on 25 June 1956 three members were killed.
Vietnam War
Australia's initial involvement in the Vietnam War came in 1962 with the dispatch of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV). Initially, this team numbered only 30 personnel, but by early 1965 this had grown to 100. In 1964 Australia sent a flight of Caribou transport aircraft to Vung Tau.
On 29 April 1965 Prime Minister Robert Menzies announced Australia's commitment of an infantry battalion to Vietnam. The commitment of a battalion represented a major step in Australia's involvement.
The year 2011 marks the 45th anniversary of the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR) and the 173rd (US) Airborne Brigade engaging the enemy at Ho Bo Woods (Binh Duong Province). The operation, codenamed 'Operation Crimp', was launched on 8 January and became the largest operation conducted by the United States during the war. The operation became the scene of a major action against a Viet Cong tunnel complex. The operation ended on 14 January with 1RAR sustaining 8 killed, including the first officer to die in the conflict, and 25 wounded. The loss of these men effectively doubled the number of deaths (to 16) incurred in the Vietnam War to that date.
Later that year, on 18 August, Australians fought in one of their most prominent actions in the war, the Battle of Long Tan (Phuoc Tuy Province). After three hours of fierce fighting, during which it looked like a small Australian infantry force of around 100 soldiers would be overrun by an enemy force at least ten times larger, the Viet Cong finally withdrew when an Australian relief force arrived and led a spirited counter-attack, including support from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
The Viet Cong left behind 245 dead and many more wounded. The battle eliminated communist dominance over the province of Phuoc Tuy for some time, but the price was high; 18 Australians were killed and 24 were wounded during the fighting. The Long Tan Cross memorial commemorates this battle.
A description of the battle is offered by the Commanding Officer of
Delta Company (6th Battalion)
Lieutenant Colonel Harry Smith, who was subsequently awarded the Military Cross for outstanding gallantry.
Following an independent review of Battle of Long Tan recognition, the Governor-General,
Ms Quentin Bryce AC,
approved an Australian Government decision in 2008 to offer Harry Smith the Star of Gallantry, while D Company Platoon Commanders
2nd Lieutenant Dave Sabben, Commander of 12 Platoon, and
Major Geoff Kendall (Retd), then Commander of 10 Platoon,
were offered the Medal for Gallantry.
Members of D Company 6th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) on the day of the battle were also approved to wear the (former) Republic of Vietnam’s Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation Emblem, an award that had been conferred on the Australian 8th Battalion on 29 October 1970.
Other displays of gallantry associated with the Battle of Long Tan have also been recently recognised. On the eve of Vietnam Veterans Day in 2010 the Governor-General presented the Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) to family members of Flight Lieutenant Cliff Dohle, who passed away in February 2009. Flight Lieutenant Dohle was a Royal Australian Air Force helicopter pilot who delivered ammunition supplies to Delta Company during the Long Tan Battle. Originally he had been recommended for the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and had been awarded the MID in 1967 for his role in the battle.
The year 2011 is also the 40th anniversary of A Field Battery, the oldest serving unit in the Australian Regular Army, arriving at Nui Dat (Vietnam) in late January 1971.
By March the Battery was in combat supporting Australian forces, including 3 Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR) during encounters with local Viet Cong forces. In the first of these encounters A Field Battery partnered with a New Zealand artillery unit to form an ANZAC battery.
It is also 40 years since the Australian Government announced the beginning of the withdrawal of forces from Vietnam on 18 August 1971, with the 1st Australian Task Force leaving before Christmas 1971 and the logistic support force following soon after.
The First Gulf War
Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990 citing a variety of territorial and strategic claims as justification for its action. The invasion was widely condemned throughout the world.
The United Nations passed a number of resolutions condemning the invasion and authorised the application of sanctions and the use of force to expel the Iraqis from Kuwait. Speaking in the House of Representatives on 4 December 1990 the Prime Minister Bob Hawke set out the reasons for Australia's involvement in the conflict: a desire to uphold the authority of the United Nations; concern at the possibility that Iraq could become a dominant power in the Middle East, and the consequent disruption to the world's oil supply and a humanitarian concern about the behaviour of Iraqi soldiers in Kuwait.
Australian forces were deployed in the conflict under the auspices of the UN, with a contribution including the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) replenishment ships HMAS Westralia, which departed for the Gulf in January 1991, and HMAS Success. HMAS Sydney (IV), HMAS Adelaide, HMAS Brisbane, and HMAS Darwin formed part of the anti-aircraft screen for the carrier battle groups of the US Navy for a time, and were involved in a variety of encounters during the enforcement of maritime trade sanctions against Iraq.
HMAS Adelaide and HMAS Darwin, and the supply ship HMAS Success (with eight soldiers from the Air Defence Regiment on board to operate its weapons system) were the first to arrive in the Persian Gulf to help enforce a naval "blockade".
In December 1990 the two initial RAN vessels were relieved by HMAS Sydney and HMAS Brisbane and HMAS Westralia replaced HMAS Success in January 1991. In addition to this a RAN Clearance Diving Team, and a variety of intelligence officers also went to the Gulf. A medical team of 20 service personnel also served on board the USS Comfort.
The year 2011 marks the 20th anniversary of the commencement of hostilities in the First Gulf War when, on 24 February 1991, the coalition's ground forces moved against Iraqi positions in Kuwait and then into Iraq itself. The move followed more than a month of air attacks which destroyed Iraq's capacity to resist.
After two days of strikes Baghdad radio announced that Iraq's armed forces had been ordered to withdraw from Kuwait to the positions they had occupied before August 1990.
At the end of the ground war 75 Australian personnel were sent to northern Iraq to assist with humanitarian work and the RAN continued to play a role in the enforcement of trade sanctions.
Australia suffered no fatalities during the conflict.
End of section 6
For
copyright reasons some linked items are only available to members of Parliament.
|
