AWAS on Rottnest - WF90465 SWEET (married WADE)
1942Documentation relating to the AWAS service of WF90465 Olove Margaret Sweet of Maylands, born Dwellingup
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Details
The Australian Women’s Army Service (AWAS) was formed in late 1941, two years after the outbreak of World War 2. Australian women had been agitating for some time for the chance to join the War Effort. They wanted to do “real work, not knit sock for the men.” The primary aim of AWAS was to release men from some military duties so they could be deployed in fighting units.
Initial recruitment was for duties associated with “women’s work”, clerks, cooks and typists, still being done my male soldiers. Beginning in early 1942 as invading Japanese swept through the South West Pacific towards Australia, many more military trades were opened to women including signals, weapons plotting, drivers, which involved close contact with the coast defence systems on Rottnest.
This collection brings together the stories of women in the Australian Women’s Army Service who were deployed on Rottnest Island as part of the defences of Fortress Fremantle from 30 September 1942 onward. The content is based on a “Saluting Their Service” exhibition developed by the Rottnest Voluntary Guides on the 80th Anniversary of this deployment. The exhibition was presented at Kingstown Barracks, Rottnest Island from 8-9 October 2022 and at the Australian Army Museum of Western Australia from 9 – 17 November 2022.
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Nearest geotagged records:
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, SARRE, 10 Light Horse (0.02km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, MOORE, 10 Light Horse (0.03km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF54228 ROHAN (0.03km away)
- World War 1, Europe, 4778 LOUDON, 28 Battalion,1918 (1.84km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 1851 CHAPPELL, 10 Light Horse (1.89km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF91349 MORGAN (married CORNISH) (17.15km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, McKAY, 10 Light Horse (17.68km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 982 ABBOTT, 10 Light Horse (17.78km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 399 FIELDS, 10 Light Horse (17.82km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF14978 COLLING (19.89km away)
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Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
Other items from Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF95137 TAYLOR
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96783 THOMPSON (married ADAMS)
- AWAS on Rottnest - W45571 WALTON
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF90140 WARREN (married OHRT)
- AWAS on Rottnest WF2918 WATERS
- AWAS on Rottnest WF96294 WHITE
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF53208 WINFIELD (married OSBORNE)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF45802 LEAKE (married WRIGHT)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96615 BARR
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF94363 ASHTON (married BURNETT)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF91317 ASQUITH
- AWAS on Rottnest - W45265 Atkinson (married BARKER)