AWAS on Rottnest - W45265 Atkinson (married BARKER)
Documentation relating to the AWAS service of W45265 Sergeant Vera Graham Barker (nee Atkinson)
Details
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:
- PHOTOGRAPH: 'HACKETT DRIVE OVERHEAD POWER LINES' 1985 (0.24km away)
- PHOTOGRAPH: 'MATILDA BAY' 1979 (0.34km away)
- PHOTOGRAPH: 'MATILDA BAY' 1984 (0.39km away)
- PHOTOGRAPH: 'HACKETT DRIVE NEW STREET LAMPS' 1986 (0.42km away)
- PHOTOGRAPH: 'HACKETT DRIVE NEW STREET LAMPS' 1986 (0.42km away)
- PHOTOGRAPH: 'HACKETT DRIVE NEW STREET LAMPS' 1986 (0.42km away)
- PHOTOGRAPH: 'UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA COMMONWEALTH EMPLOYMENT PROJECT' 1985 (0.42km away)
- PHOTOGRAPH: 'HACKETT DRIVE OVERHEAD POWER LINES' 1985 (0.5km away)
- PHOTOGRAPH: 'HACKETT DRIVE EAST VERGE' 1985 (0.53km away)
- PHOTOGRAPH: 'FAIRWAY ROAD SURFACE' 1985 (0.54km 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 - W96236 BARHAM (married PROUDLOVE)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF94984 BATTAMS
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF2908 BATTEN (married AUBREY)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96312 BELL
- AWAS on Rottnest - W45451 BELL
- AWAS on Rottnest - W45718 BENPORATH (married HOPSON)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF90354 BRAZIER (married IVORY)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96664 NEVIN (married CAMPBELL)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96658 BROWN (married JUON)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF97178 BURVILL
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96325 CASHMORE
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF3196 CHENEY