AWAS on Rottnest - WF45397 WANN (married JOHNSON)
Documentation relating to the AWAS service of Mary Joce Johnson (nee Wann) of Dumbleyung
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, Australia, Western Australia, 1173 HERBERT, 10 Light Horse (0.27km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 3131 WEST, 10 Light Horse (0.33km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 322 PEARCE, 10 Light Horse (36.17km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 2830 PIESSE, 10 Light Horse (36.57km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 3206 CABLE, 10 Light Horse (36.6km away)
- World War 1, Middle East, 10 Australian Light Horse, KERSHAW, 1918 (36.63km away)
- World War 1, Middle East, 10 Australian Light Horse, KERSHAW, 1918 (36.65km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 2806 DOIG, 10 Light Horse (36.66km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - W45315 KILPATRICK (36.67km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 2956 TAYLOR, 10 Light Horse (36.69km 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 - WF2915 WATERS
- AWAS Service on Rottnest - WF90200 WATERS
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF53745 WELLS ME
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96316 WELLS WM
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF93344 BOOTH
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF90171 WELCH
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF94311 BRADSHAW
- AWAS on Rottnest - W45456 BIRCH
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF53710 WEST
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96244 WHISKIN
- AWAS on Rottnest - W45781 WHITE
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96315 WHITTEM (married McVEIGH)