AWAS on Rottnest - WF56822 HEPBURN (married GILES)
Documentation relating to the AWAS service of WF56822 Gunner Betty Giles (nee Hepburn) of South Perth, born Fremantle
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.
Open in Google Maps
Nearest geotagged records:
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 947 GILLON, 10 Light Horse (0.2km away)
- World War 1 , Australia Western Australia , 1786 COOPER, Australian Field Artillery, 1914 (1.13km away)
- Chinese Gardens, 1929 (1.14km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, DENSON, 10 Light Horse (1.8km away)
- Yachts racing on the Swan River, 191-? (2.6km away)
- World War 1, Europe, STONE, Australian Field Artillery, 1917 (2.65km away)
- World War 2, Australia Western Australia Perth, 1943 (2.76km away)
- The Old Mill, 1916. (2.77km away)
- Photograph - Large Group of Nursing Staff, Heathcote Hospital, c1956 (2.8km away)
- Photograph - Canning House, Heathcote, c.1950s (2.81km away)
View all geotagged records...
Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
Other items from Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96627 HICKMAN
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF94543 HILLARY
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF90122 HOCKING (married CASSIN)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF53837 HOWIE
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF95328 HURLEY
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF45251 HYMUS
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF90087 JACKMAN
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF53382 JOHNSTON
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF94866 JONES OM
- AWAS on Rottnest - W45651 JONES SL
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96660 KEEFFE (Married DUFFECY)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF15731 KEIR