AWAS on Rottnest - WF94502 LAURENCE
1942Documentation relating to the AWAS service of Sergeant Gertrude Alyse Laurence of Ogilvie, born Perth
In preparation
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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, 805 JAMES, 10 Light Horse (21.61km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 1994 ASH, 10 Light Horse (21.62km away)
- World War 1, Australia Western Australia, 2058 NORMAN, 10 Australian Light Horse, 1915 (21.91km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 2232 McMURRAY, 10 Light Horse (21.97km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 2324 BARTLETT, 10 Light Horse (21.97km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - W96236 BARHAM (married PROUDLOVE) (22.01km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 1436 SHIRES, 10 Light Horse (22.06km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 2797 ANDERSON, 10 Light Horse (22.07km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, EMMINS, 10 Light Horse (33.01km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, HEBITON, 10 Light Horse (36.61km 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 - WF96557 LOLLER (married MILHAM)
- AWAS on Rottnest - W45254 MARR (married ROWLANDS)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF94052 PEARSON
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF95350 RECKNER (married DAY)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96371 REDFERN
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF45957 ROCHFORT
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF93573 RUSHTON
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF94352 SCARTERFIELD (married WILKINSON)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF57091 SEARLE
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96532 PICKLES (married PARKHILL)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF93920 PARK (married KELLY)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF94548 MULLINS (marrried BURTON)