AWAS on Rottnest - WF96313 CLARK (married KEEN)
Documentation relating to the AWAS service of WF96313 Private Dorothy Jean Keen (nee Clark) of East Fremantle
In preparation
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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 - WF95347 WILLIAMS IH (0.25km away)
- World War 1, Western Australia, FORDHAM, 16 Battalion, 1916 (0.3km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 3480 MAXWELL, 10 Light Horse (0.39km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 3468 MYERS, 10 Light Horse (0.61km away)
- World War 1, England, 1056 GODFREY, 28 Battalion, 1915 (0.63km away)
- World War 1, Australia Western Australia, GODFREY, 28 Battalion, 1915 (0.76km away)
- World War 2, Western Australia, Womens Royal Australian Navy Service (WRANS), 1945 (0.84km away)
- Photograph - Canning Road, Bicton, 1934 (0.84km away)
- World War 1, Europe, DOONAN, 1917 (0.84km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 2257 UPSON, 10 Light Horse (0.9km 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 - 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)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF95158 FENNELL (married LEE)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF53098 FOWLER (married BARRETT)
- AWAS on Rottnest - W45486 GILLAM (nee SCOTT-MALCOLM)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF90109 GOYDER (married NOWLAND)
- AWAS on Rottnest - W45548 HARMAN