AWAS on Rottnest - W45571 WALTON
Documentation relating to the AWAS service of W45571 Corporal Ivy Una Walton of Pingelly
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:
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 3233 GILL, 10 Light Horse (0.01km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96318 KNAPTON (married ELLINGHAM) (0.01km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96318 ELLINGHAM (0.04km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 468 ROBERTS, 10 Light Horse and 138 JOHNSON, 11 Battalion (0.04km away)
- World War 1, Europe, 20301 HOLDING, 1917 (0.06km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 140 PLANT, 10 Light Horse (0.15km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, BOSTOCK, 10 Light Horse (0.22km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 3232 FULLWOOD, 10 Light Horse (19.75km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 973 SYMES, 10 Light Horse (19.76km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 3053 FULWOOD, 10 Light Horse (19.76km 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 - WF90140 WARREN (married OHRT)
- AWAS on Rottnest WF2918 WATERS
- AWAS on Rottnest WF96294 WHITE
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF53208 WINFIELD (married OSBORNE)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF45802 LEAKE (married WRIGHT)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96615 BARR
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF94363 ASHTON (married BURNETT)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF91317 ASQUITH
- AWAS on Rottnest - W45265 Atkinson (married BARKER)
- AWAS on Rottnest - W96236 BARHAM (married PROUDLOVE)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF94984 BATTAMS
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF2908 BATTEN (married AUBREY)