AWAS on Rottnest - WF96363 BENPORATH (nee HENNIG)
1942Documentation relating to the AWAS service of WF96363 Lance Bombardier Dorothy Mary (Dot) Benporath (nee Hennig) from Wickepin, born Narrogin
Dot Hennig was born on 12 June 1920 in Narrogin WA. Her attestation states she was then employed as a barmaid. Dot’s service record shows that she enlisted on 6 September 1942 in Claremont WA and she was transferred to Rottnest Heavy Artillery Fremantle Fortress D on 30 September 1942.
By 30 January 1943 she had become a Classified Instrument Operator TG2.
In February 1944 she ceased being an Instrument Operator ‘at own Request’ and on 1 May 1944 was appointed a Lance Bombardier. On 15 September 1944 she was married to Brian Clement Benporath. At the time she was still in the AWAS and Brian was also in the Army (SN WX33422). In November that year Dot was promoted to A/Bombardier and in February 1945 she was discharged.
York Chronicle 26 May 1944 relates L/Bdr Dot Henning (sic) spent last weekend at Quairading with her sister Mrs Laurel Jago. And Lieut Brian Benporath from Rottnest visited Quairading last weekend and was in residence at the hotel.
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:
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF45905 BROWNING (0.01km away)
- World War 1, Australia Western Australia, BARTLETT, 12 Battalion, 1915 (0.01km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 3167 ARMIT, 10 Light Horse (0.01km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 2867 BARRON, 10 Light Horse (0.01km away)
- World War 1, England, 3383 GOULD, 51 Battalion, 1918 (0.04km away)
- World War 1, Europe, 3822 HILL, 11 Battalion, 1916 (0.04km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 1631 McGARRIGLE, 10 Light Horse (0.06km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 3438 WHITE, 10 Light Horse (0.11km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia,946A FURZE, 10 Light Horse (0.13km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 3772 AUSTIN, 10 Light Horse (0.41km 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 - W45267 BIRT (nee ACKLAND)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF93155 ALDRIDGE
- AWAS on Rottnest -WF94307 ARCHER (married FLOWER)
- AWAS on Rottnest - W45596 APPLEBY (married SEWELL)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF53847 BROAD (nee ANDERSON)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF90197 BEARD (Nee ANDERSON)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF90141 ANDERSON (married COOPER)
- AWAS on Rottnest - W45404 BRISBANE
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF53086 McLEAN (married BOND)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF45947 BEATON
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF93758 BAWDON
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF53202 BALL (married BAILEY)
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