AWAS on Rottnest - W45781 WHITE
Documentation relating to the AWAS service of W45781 Driver Mavis Margaret White of Bunbury
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, 3198 BLYTHE, 10 Light Horse (0.26km away)
- Australia Western Australia, 1901 (0.55km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 626 MARSHALL, 10 Light Horse (0.56km away)
- World War 1, Europe, MAWDESLEY, 1917 (0.58km away)
- World War 1 , Australia Western Australia, GIBBINGS, Australian Army Nursing Service, 1914 (0.6km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 458 PAISLEY, 10 Light Horse (0.65km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 3952 TEEDE, 10 Light Horse (0.67km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF94865 HUTTON (0.68km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, RODSTED , 10 Light Horse (0.76km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 1641 PAISLEY, 10 Light Horse (1.13km away)
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Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
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- AWAS on Rottnest - W45312 WILLIAMS D
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF95347 WILLIAMS IH
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF90105 WOOLCOTT
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96637 WOOLLEY (married MALCOLM)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF90410 WORMALD
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- Pre 1914, Medical Staff Bicorn Hat and Case, WHITE, Australian Army Medical Corps
- Pre 1914, 2nd Anglo-Boer War, South Africa, Cap Badge of Driscoll's Scouts
- Pre 1914, Magazine Lantern, Fremantle, Fort Arthur Head, 1910