News
September 2018
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Sunday, 11 November 2018 marks the 100th anniversary of the Armistice which ended the First World War (1914-18).
August 2018
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The parents of Michael Roache, like so many other Australian families, prayed their son would return safely, and when he died in action, they vowed to...
July 2018
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One of the most iconic symbols of the Australian Imperial Force is what the Army refers to as a ‘Hat khaki fur felt’ (HKFF) or as we would know it, th... -
Sergeant Rodney Kenane heard a truck rumble to a stop, and scrambled to his feet. He gave a shout as the driver emerged, a thick stack of envelopes in... -
An explosion rang out over the harsh Afghan landscape. A young boy lay motionless on the ground. -
Nancy Wake felt the rush of wind across her face as she parachuted towards the trees in the grassy fields of central France.
June 2018
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Lieutenant General Sir John Monash’s renowned reputation as a strategist was equalled by his reputation for the care and welfare of the soldiers of th... -
Singapore was ablaze as Japanese bombing raids continued day and night in February 1942. Australian nurses were ordered to evacuate. -
In 1964 two Royal Australian Navy (RAN) vessels collided during a training exercise off the New South Wales coast. Eighty-two men lost their lives; on... -
The events that occurred at Sandakan are considered to be some of the most abhorrent atrocities committed against Australians during the Second World...
May 2018
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Indigenous men and women have served Australia with distinction in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations for more than a Century. -
Medals and honours are awarded to men and women who have served in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations. -
Kenneth Briggs was one of two divers in the midget submarine, XE4 on 30 July 1945 for Operation Sabre, a daring mission to cut an underwater cable lin... -
The story of Captain Jenny Daetz, the first woman to command a ship in the Royal Australian Navy. -
Just before dawn on 14 May 1943, the Centaur was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine off the coast of Queensland, despite being lit up and clearly marke... -
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Australia’s involvement in the Battles of Fire Support Bases Coral and Balmoral in the Vietnam War.
April 2018
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During the First World War if a soldier entered enemy territory or was stuck in No Man’s Land, a well packed kit could mean the difference between lif... -
Under machine-gun and rocket-propelled grenade fire, Trooper Mark Donaldson raced across open ground. -
The 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic is a reminder of the important role of Australians in the Second World War. -
Dignitaries and descendants of First World War soldiers converged just outside the small French town of Villers-Bretonneux on 24 April for the officia... -
In this series, we explore the origins of customs and traditions at commemorations to cement the importance of remembering our service men and women f... -
In this series, we explore the origins of customs and traditions at commemorations to cement the importance of remembering our service men and women f... -
Soldiers often played sport or games, where possible, to keep occupied. One of the games that was very prominent in the First World War is the game of... -
When asked about what aircraft were used at war, most people would not think of balloons. However, over the last century, balloons of various forms ha... -
Trudging across a Western Front battlefield under enemy gunfire, Private Ernest Corey struggled forward. -
For more than a century, Anzac Biscuits have been associated with the First World War and the national day remembering the Australian troops’ landing... -
Maud Butler was a sixteen-year-old waitress from Kurri Kurri when the First World War broke out. Like many women of the time, she was keen to contribu... -
Today on 4 April we observe the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.
March 2018
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Sergeant Tom Derrick scaled the mountain towards the village of Sattelberg. Tom knew this was their last chance to reach their objective, and he was d... -
Margaret had been working as a doctor for the Malayan Medical Service in Johore, caring for sick children, when Japan launched its attack in late 1941... -
Thousands of Australians would know the art of Napier Waller, the bombardier who lost his right arm at Bullecourt in 1917 but went on to create iconic... -
At 1:45 am on 5 August 1944, a bugle call heralded the beginning of the largest known prisoner of war escape. -
War produced new circumstances and technology that was used in combat and then found other purposes in peacetime. -
International Women’s Day is an opportunity to highlight, celebrate and reflect on the achievements of women, including those who have contributed...
February 2018
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The second story in the 'Honouring our Heroes' series is that of Private Karanema Pohatu, a Maori Anzac. -
Today we use the expression 'over the top' to mean something that is extreme or outrageous. To soldiers in the First World War this phrase h... -
The Bombing of Darwin, on 19th February 1942, was a critical moment in the war against Japan. -
The movement of Australians across the world during times of war has created both new opportunities and challenges for love and romance. -
Photography is one of the most powerful ways to bridge the gap between the home-front and the battlefields, the past and the present. -
We begin the 'Honouring our Heroes' series with the story of Brigadier General Harold ‘Pompey’ Elliott.
January 2018
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Whilst it is well known that Australians have been held as prisoners of war (POWs) overseas, lesser-known is that Australia kept thousands of its own... -
Did you know the first Australia Day was held in July 1915 as a fundraiser for the First World War? -
Music is heard in some unlikely places during wartime, including from a troopship sinking in the English Channel during the First World War. -
On 14 September, 1914, HMAS AE1 and HMAS Parramatta met at 8:00 am to patrol the seas around Cape Gazelle. By around 3.30 pm, AE1 had vanished. -
This year marks the 25th anniversary of Australia’s involvement in Unified Task Force (Unitaf) peacekeeping operations in Somalia which...
December 2017
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Over the past 100 years, sadly many Australians have spent Christmas at war: freezing in First World War trenches, as prisoners of war in the Second W... -
One-hundred years ago, campaigning over Australia’s second conscription referendum was its bitter and divisive peak. -
Faced with the choice of transfer to the camel corps and separation from his horse, or possible demotion in rank, Sergeant Major Thomas Alexander Rank... -
The iconic Long Tan Cross recently made the 7,000 kilometre journey to its new home at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. -
John Hair and Frederick Maurer were injured on the battlefield within hours of each other at El Alamein in 1942.
November 2017
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Ex-Australian Special Forces Corporal Javier Studenko was grievously wounded in a tunnel in Afghanistan after an enemy insurgent opened fire from just... -
A new Indigenous art installation, depicting the importance of defence of country to Aboriginal Australians, has taken prime position in the Australia... -
Bookings are now open for the Sir John Monash Centre which is due to open at the Australian National Memorial, near Villers-Bretonneux in France, in A... -
Founded by Prince Harry in 2014, the Invictus Games are an international adaptive sports event for wounded, injured and ill active duty and veteran se... -
A free app on the Battle of Beersheba is now available to mark the 100th anniversary of the battle. -
Poppies have been synonymous with remembrance for more than a century. -
The custom of observing a minute’s silence on Remembrance Day is largely due to one Australian man, soldier and journalist Edward Honey. -
Kokoda and the Beachheads’ campaigns were arguably the most significant campaigns fought by Australian forces in the Second World War. -
At the outbreak of the First World War, Indigenous Australians did not have the right to vote, were not counted in the census and could not officia...
October 2017
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As part of their Century of Service stamp series, Australia Post has issued a new set of stamps to recognise and acknowledge the evolving and diverse... -
“I have cancelled the plan for withdrawal. If we are attacked, then there will be no retreat. If we cannot stay here alive, then we will stay here de... -
The Veterans Film Festival returns for a third year with a five day program running from the 18 to 22 October in Canberra.
The festival incl...
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Two new stone lions will stand guard at the Menin Gate in Belgium - gifts from the Australian Government to the city of Ypres.
The original...
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The largest and most technically advanced war history exhibition to ever tour Australia, the Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience, has bee...
September 2017
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Australia has a rich history of peacekeeping operations that now spans 70 years. To mark this significant milestone, and honour the tens of thousan...
September 2016
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The Department of Veterans’ Affairs website, Anzac Portal: Education and Community Awareness for the Anzac Centenary 2014-2018 (the Anzac Portal) i...
June 2016
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Every year we pause on 25 April to commemorate the anniversary of the fateful day when Australian and New Zealand Army Corps landed on the Gallipol...
March 2016
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Between April and June 1941, Australian, New Zealand and British troops fought alongside Greek soldiers to resist the German invasions of mainland...
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On Sunday 10 April this year we mark the 75th Anniversary of the Siege of Trobruk at the Rats of Tobruk Memorial on Anzac Parade, Canberra.
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February 2016
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The Battle of the Somme took place between 1 July and 18 November 1916. It was one of the largest battles of the First World War, in which more tha...
December 2015
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Sunday, 20 December 2015, marks 100 years since the last Australian troops evacuated Gallipoli.
More than 8,700 Australians lost their lives...
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The Fromelles commemorative service at the Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery at 1:00pm on 19 July 2016, will be open to members of the publi...
November 2015
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On 19 November 1941, the HMAS Sydney [II] was sunk in combat alongside the German auxiliary cruiser HSK Kormoran.
None of the Sydney’s 645 p...
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On this day 65 years ago, No 77 Squadron (77SQN) of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) flew in support of Australian ground troops for the first...
October 2015
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Leonard “Len” Victor Waters was the only known Australian Aboriginal fighter pilot of the Second World War. He flew 95 operational sorties with 78...
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Earlier this year the Department of the Environment released a new publication ‘Voices from the War – Papua New Guinean Stories of the Kokoda Campa...
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Vera Deakin White was, for many families of Australian soldiers missing and wounded in the First World War, a voice of hope. In 1915, seeking to m...
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Going back to a place you had not seen for 70 years would be interesting for anyone, but for seven veterans who fought in New Guinea during the Sec...
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Today marks the 70th anniversary of the War Widows’ Guild of Australia.
A powerful and influential voice for war widows for over seven decad...
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Filmed live in Istanbul in August 2015, the DVD presents this remarkable performance, capturing a moment of huge cultural and historical significan...
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On 11 November 2015 Canberra will host the first, of what is designed to be an annual, Veterans Film Fes...
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Over five days in early October 1951 the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR), won “one of the most impressive victories achieved by any Au... -
Second World War nurses Sister Jessie Elizabeth Simons of Nunamurra and Sister Shirley Gardam of Youngtown both trained at the Launceston General H...
September 2015
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The Battle of Polygon Wood was fought on the 26 September 1917 by the Australian 4th and 5th Divisions in partnership with Br...
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The stories of Indigenous soldiers who fought in the First World War have inspired a special Anzac Centenary exhibition being held at the Canberra Gla... -
During the First World War many Australian children had older brothers, fathers or uncles fighting in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Pacific.... -
Rick Amor is a contemporary Melbourne painter, printmaker and political cartoonist. He was appointed by the Australian War Memorial as an official...
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AE1 was an E Class Submarine assigned to the capture of the German Pacific colonies at the outbreak of the First World War. She was commis...
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Across Australia new stories of military service and sacrifice are being told, old stories retold and lesser known stories shared with new audiences f... -
Norman Farquhar Bruce Huon left to fight with the Australian Light Horse aboard HMAT Mongolia on 11 July 1916. A month after his arrival i...
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The Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience travelling exhibition was officially opened today by the Prime Minister, the Hon. Tony Abbott, in the Albu...
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Throughout the Second World War Australia’s Merchant Navy acted as hospital ships and carried munitions, troop supplies, materials for ship buildin...
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Seventy years ago the Japanese Foreign Minister, Mr Mamoru Shigemitsu, signed an instrument of unconditional surrender to the Allied nations. It ma...
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The operation to take Mont St Quentin, led by the formidable General John Monash, is seen as one the finest victories of the AIF in the First World...
August 2015
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Squadron Leader Herbert (Bert) Hinkler AFC DSM, affectionately known as the ‘boy from Bundaberg’, was a gallant First World War airman and renowned...
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A 100 years ago the August Offensive was the last major attempt by Allied forces at Gallipoli to break the stalemate that had persisted since the l...
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Following the recent international premiere at Istanbul’s iconic Hagia Irene, the Gallipoli Symphony is coming to Australia for a special one-off p...
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During the First World War an ‘army’ of Australian women—with the support of some men—provided comfort parcels to Australia’s soldiers, sailors and...
July 2015
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Registrations for the Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience opened today for people in Albury-Wodonga, Launceston and Hobart.
The Spirit of A...
June 2015
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Over the next two months 106 Second World War veterans will be honoured at ceremonies across Australia with France’s prestigious Legion of Honour awar... -
The Century of Service honours and commemorates the service and sacrifice by generations of Australian servicemen and women -
The Anzac Centenary website has been refreshed to bring all Australians current news, information about events and initiatives
April 2015
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Thousands of Australians have come together to remember Australia’s veterans, and those currently serving, at commemorations in Australia and overseas... -
An Australian Memorial has been revealed today in Wellington, honouring the ANZACs and our close relationship with our New Zealand neighbours. -
Audacity: Stories of heroic Australians in wartime, co-published by DVA and the Australian War Memorial has been nominated for a prestigious children’... -
Seven Second World War veterans, aged from 90 to 97 years old will travel to France and the United Kingdom in May to mark the 70th anniversary of Vict... -
Australia’s first Victoria Cross recipient of First World War, Lance Corporal Albert Jacka VC honoured. -
A contingent of ten widows of Australia First World War veterans will travel to Gallipoli for this year’s Anzac Day Services. -
The Anzac Centenary photo app allows you to share commemoration photos and embrace the spirit that helped forge our national identity. -
Australia Post and New Zealand Post have joined forces to commemorate the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) in a joint stamp issue.
March 2015
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The Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience was launched today (by Prime Minister, the Hon Tony Abbott MP. -
Gallipoli: the first day has been brought to life for all Australians to experience via a new app for tablets. -
A national day of commemoration on 21 March 2015 recognised and commemorated the contribution and sacrifice of Australian troops who served in Afghani...
February 2015
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The First World War Galleries at the Australian War Memorial have been refurbished to help generations of Australians learn about our nation’s involve... -
The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Senator the Hon. Michael Ronaldson, today encouraged Australians to honour those who defended Darwin against Ja...
November 2014
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The Anzac Portal is an education and community awareness website for the Anzac Centenary 2014 to 2018.
October 2014
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The Albany Convoy Commemorative Event (ACCE) took place in 2014, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the departure of the first convoy of ships tha...
September 2014
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Bita Paka was Australia’s first engagement of the First World War. A party of naval reservists captured a German wireless station at Bita Paka after...
August 2014
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A century since the start of the First World War, Australia has not forgotten the sacrifice that was made for our country. We have not, nor will we, f...
June 2014
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Senator Ronaldson and the ABC hosted a premiere screening of a new four-part documentary series bringing to life stories of Australians during the Fir...
May 2014
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The Royal Australian Navy celebrated the 100th anniversary of the arrival into Sydney of its first submarines, HMA Ships AE1 and AE2 with a commemorat...
April 2014
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Minister for the Arts, Senator the Hon George Brandis QC, and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Centenary of Anzac, Senator the Hon Mic...
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The National Anzac Centre, Albany, is Australia’s foremost museum dedicated solely to honouring the Anzacs of the First World War. -
The Anzac Centenary is about respectfully honouring the men and women who have worn our nation’s uniform, while creating a lasting legacy for all A...
March 2014
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A five member Board has been appointed to oversee the operation of the Anzac Centenary Public Fund.
December 2013
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A Public Fund has been established to enable the Australian business community and the public to donate to Anzac Centenary commemorations.
April 2013
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On 21 April 2013, the then Government released the Anzac Centenary Advisory Board Report to Government and announced that it would accept all of the B...
April 2012
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The Anzac Centenary Local Grants Program is providing up to $125,000 to each electorate to enable and empower communities across Australia to comme...