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AWAS on Rottnest - WF53847 BROAD (nee ANDERSON)

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Australian Women's Army Service on Rottnest

Overview

Documentation relating to the AWAS service of WF53847 Corporal Hazel Ellen Broad (nee Anderson) of North Perth, born Northam.

Historical information

Hazel was born 28 November 1924 in Northam WA her parents were
Edward Anderson and ? Rachel Forward

Hazel was working as a telephonist when she enlisted 16 June 1943.

Soon after rookies on 10 July 1943 she was posted to the 7 Heavy Bn and Rottnest Coastal Defences.

She trained there and became a TG3 Rangetaker. Her service record suggests she was at Bickley Battery, as on 17April she was under a charge of AWL. The CO of Bickley fined her 10 shillings she had to forfeit a days pay.

This happened again in October 1944 but instead of a fine, she received 7days CB. And lost a days pay.

Hazel was posted to Fremantle coastal artillery in November 1944 and became a Corporal at HQ Western Command in June 1945. She had completed a course for supervisory personnel in January that year

In September 1945 she married Geoffrey W Broad and was discharged in October.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-32-54-006

Contextual Information

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.

Geotag

-31.660850526047, 116.6625715655

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Australian Army Museum of Western Australia

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