AWAS on Rottnest - WF90185 WHITE (married WILKINSON)
Documentation relating to the AWAS service of WF90185 Private Joan Grace Wilkinson (nee White) of Leederville, born Pinjarra
Joan was born on24 April 1921 in Pinjarra WA. Her parents were William Gosford White and Grace Crampton. William and Grace married in Pinjarra in 1915.
Grace was born 12 June 1897 in Perth WA. (? More needs to be checked here possibly illegitimate). Her grandfather was Matthew Smith, possibly a convict who came to WA as a convict ? arrived on the Mermaid 1851.
In 1943 Electoral Roll shows Joan living 134 Richmond St Leederville and her occupation was given as AWAS. Joan married John Alfred Wilkinson in 1943 in Perth.
In 1949 both Joan and John were living 13 The Grove Leederville.
In 1958 they were living in 13 The Grove Leederville. John was working as a fitter.
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, 1738A HILL, 10 Light Horse (0km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, MANN, 10 Light Horse (0.33km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF14978 COLLING (0.45km away)
- Interwar, Australia Western Australia, (4.2km away)
- Interwar, Australia Western Australia, 13 Field Company 1935 (4.42km away)
- Interwar, Australia Western Australia, 13 Field Company 1935 (4.42km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 1671STEWART, 10 Light Horse (11.45km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF91349 MORGAN (married CORNISH) (12.08km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, McKAY, 10 Light Horse (12.22km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 982 ABBOTT, 10 Light Horse (12.27km 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 - WF95151 BASTOW
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF90934 WOOLLANDS (married HOLDSWORTH)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96892 LLORENS (married BROWNE)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF45905 BROWNING
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96313 CLARK (married KEEN)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF93144 CLELAND
- AWAS on Rottnest - W45399 CRAWLEY (married LEONARD)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF90201 DARK
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF94362 DICK (married HOLMES)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96591 BARRETT
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF53469 EVANS (married McKENZIE)
- AWAS on Rottnest - 4WF5980 FANCOTE (married COX)