AWAS on Rottnest - W45451 BELL
Documentation relating to the AWAS service of W45451 Gunner Sarah May Bell of Cottesloe
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:
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF90083 McALLAN (0.22km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96658 BROWN (married JUON) (0.26km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 883 MORROW, 10 Light Horse (0.32km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - W45388 SOLOMON (married McEVOY) (0.39km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, WATERHOUSE, 10 Light Horse (0.41km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF94352 SCARTERFIELD (married WILKINSON) (0.47km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF94363 ASHTON (married BURNETT) (0.5km away)
- World War 1,Egypt, Suez, BELL 10 Australian Light Horse, 1916 (0.7km away)
- World War 2, Australia Western Australia Perth, MOUNTBATTEN, 1945 (0.76km away)
- World War 2, Australia, Western Australia, Cottesloe, 1939 (0.76km 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 - W45718 BENPORATH (married HOPSON)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF90354 BRAZIER (married IVORY)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96664 NEVIN (married CAMPBELL)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96658 BROWN (married JUON)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF97178 BURVILL
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96325 CASHMORE
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF3196 CHENEY
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF94507 COLE
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF14978 COLLING
- Documentation relating to the AWAS service of WF96366 COLTON B
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96367 - COLTON E
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF3039 COCKROFT