AWAS on Rottnest - WF56840 SWEENEY
Documentation relating to the AWAS service of WF56840 Private June Josaphine Sweeney of East 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:
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, NICHOLAS, 10 Light Horse (0.06km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 1196 SOUTAR 10 Light Horse (0.08km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 2837 YOUNG, 10 Light Horse (0.2km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 2073 SHAW, 10 Light Horse (0.23km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 7028 BOYD, 16 Battalion, 1917 (0.27km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia,1920 ROBERTS, 10 Light Horse (0.3km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 3169 ATWELL, 10 Light Horse (0.37km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF94861 LOUDON (0.37km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 3351 DECATANIA, 10 Light Horse (0.38km away)
- Prime Minister Andrew Fisher laying the foundation stone for the Perth Trades Hall, 8 August 1911. (0.39km away)
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Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
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- AWAS on Rottnest - WF45908 THOMPSON JV
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF94108 THOMPSON N
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96362 THOMPSON UM
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF45975 TONISSEN
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF53916 TOWES
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96651 TRANTER (married HONE)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF93958 TREE
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF56643 TRUEMAN
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF15701 TUCKER