Australian Army Museum of Western Australia > Records

AWAS on Rottnest - WF15715 ASHCROFT (married HUNT)

« Prev Item Next Item »

Subcollections

Australian Women's Army Service on Rottnest

Overview

Documentation relating to the AWAS service of WF15715 Private Patricia Mary Ashcroft of Donnybrook

Historical information

Preliminary Biography. Patricia Mary Ashcroft was born in Donnybrook on 4 April 1924. Before enlisting in Perth on 23 October 1943, she was engaged in home duties. She served at various locations in Fremantle Fixed Defences t including 7 Heavy battery until released on 21 May 1946.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-32-54-014

Contextual Information

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.

Geotag

-33.576394350325, 115.82578076902

Open in Google Maps

Nearest geotagged records:

View all geotagged records...

Links to additional resources

Service Records

DVA Nominal Roll

Australian Army Museum of Western Australia

Organisation Details
View Collection
Item Feedback