AWAS on Rottnest - W45548 HARMAN
Documentation relating to the AWAS service of W45548 Gunner Lilian May Harman from Carlisle, born Manchester UK
In preparation
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, Middle East, Palestine, 10 Light Horse, 1106 MAWDSLEY, 1917 (2.5km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 945 EATON, 10 Light Horse (3.62km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 3530 CARTER, 10 Light Horse (11.17km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 124 MURRAY, 10 Light Horse (44.06km away)
- World War 1, Europe, England, Liverpool, KITCHENER, 1914 (49.38km away)
- World War 1, Europe England Liverpool, Boyd, 1919 (49.43km away)
- World War 1, Europe England Sheffield, 1916 (49.87km away)
- World War 1, Europe England Sheffield, 1916 (49.88km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96310 HADDRILL (50.39km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - W45321 PEARS (married PENISTAN) (52.9km 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 - 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)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF15731 KEIR (married TRUSCOTT)
- AWAS on Rottnest - W45315 KILPATRICK
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF94502 LAURENCE
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96557 LOLLER (married MILHAM)
- AWAS on Rottnest - W45254 MARR (married ROWLANDS)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF94052 PEARSON