AWAS on Rottnest - WF53469 EVANS (married McKENZIE)
1943Documentation relating to the AWAS service of WF53469 Private Ailsa Muriel Evans (married name McKenzie) of Victoria Park
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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, 265 EAVES, 10 Light Horse (0.2km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 101 ANDERSON, 10 Light Horse (0.22km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 536 BATHGATE, 10 Light Horse (0.23km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF3054 MESTON (0.27km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF90141 ANDERSON (married COOPER) (0.5km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF90354 BRAZIER (married IVORY) (0.51km away)
- PENNY AND POUNDER (THEME, HISTORY OF THE VICTORIA PARK POST OFFICE) (0.52km away)
- AFTER THE RAIN (THEME, VIBRANT LIFESTYLE) (0.62km away)
- Hyatti (0.65km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 2411 SHALDERS, 10 Light Horse (0.65km 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 - 4WF5980 FANCOTE (married COX)
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- 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
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF3032 HARRISON (married LINAKER)
- AWAS on Rottnest - W28545 HICKS (married TANNER)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96144 HOBBY (married MITCHELL)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF94550 HUGHAN (married CHESTER) (nee JONES)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF14961 SEDGMAN (married HUMPHRYS)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF3192 JEFFREY (nee ROYCE)