AWAS on Rottnest - W45388 SOLOMON (married McEVOY)
1942Documentation relating to the AWAS service of W45388 Private Shirley Rose McEvoy (nee Solomon) of Cottesloe
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, 883 MORROW, 10 Light Horse (0.09km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF94352 SCARTERFIELD (married WILKINSON) (0.12km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96658 BROWN (married JUON) (0.21km away)
- World War 2, Australia Western Australia Perth, MOUNTBATTEN, 1945 (0.39km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - W45451 BELL (0.39km away)
- World War 1,Egypt, Suez, BELL 10 Australian Light Horse, 1916 (0.47km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF90083 McALLAN (0.6km away)
- Proposed residence for Mrs R. Summerhayes, Swanbourne. (0.69km away)
- Detail of bay window, residence of Mrs Summerhayes. (0.69km away)
- Proposed additions to residence, Mrs Summerhayes. (0.69km away)
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Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
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