AWAS on Rottnest - WF90136 NOACK (married NEWMAN)
1943Documentation relating to the AWAS service of WF90136 Private Agnes Mary Newman (nee Noack) of Bassendean, born West Perth
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 - WF2908 BATTEN (married AUBREY) (0.63km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF95137 TAYLOR (0.64km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 1268 POUNTNEY, 10 Light Horse (0.64km away)
- Steam locomotive Katie (1.09km away)
- World War 1, Australia Western Australia, 1998 BARRY, 10 Australian Light Horse, 1916 (1.15km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 2807 KENWORTHY, 10 Light Horse (1.37km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF90198 SHERWOOD (married STAGGARD) (1.77km away)
- Passenger Train, Guildford Station (1.87km away)
- Guildford station with suburban carriages (1.87km away)
- Guildford station (1.87km away)
View all geotagged records »
Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
Other items from Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF93345 CHISHOLM (nee PALMER)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF94348 DAWSON (nee PATRICK)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF56633 PARSONS
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF54200 POPE
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96184 QUILL
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF94513 RANNARD
- AWAS on Rottnest - W45652 RICE
- AWAS of Rottnest - W45447 RICHARDSON
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF94876 RIDDLE (married WATTS)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF93718 ROBERTS (married HEFFERNAN)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF45466 ROBERTSON
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF14987 ROBY