11 SEP 1914: World War I and the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force lands at Rabaul, New Guinea. The Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force landed at Rabaul and went into action at Bita Paka. This was the only major New Guinea action of the First World War. Bita Paka was a small radio […]
Military History
WGCDR Louis Spence KIA
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 9 SEP 1950: The Korean War and O11315 WGCDR Louis Thomas Spence is killed. Wing Commander Lou Spence, 77 Squadron RAAF, is killed during a ground attack mission over Angang-ni, Korea. Two months after No 77 Squadron was committed to operations in Korea, the unit’s Commanding Officer, Wing Commander Lou Spence, was killed in […]
Treaty signed with Japan
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 8 SEP 1951: Post World War II and the peace treaty is finally signed with Japan, marking the end of its involvement in World War II. The peace treaty signalled the formal end of hostilities with Japan, though the fighting had ceased some six years before. Most history books say the war ended on […]
Italy announces Surrender
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 8 SEP 1943: World War II and Italy announces unconditional surrender to the Allies. Prior to this the Italians had been fighting with the Germans. Despite the Italian surrender the Allies faced more than a year of difficult fighting against the Germans in Italy. The Armistice of Cassibile was an armistice signed on 3 […]
Liberator crash kills 59
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 7 SEP 1943: World War II and a Liberator crash kills 59 Australians. The B24 Liberator crashed on take-off at Port Moresby hitting five trucks carrying men of the 2/33rd Battalion; 15 were killed instantly, 44 died of their injuries, and 92 were injured but survived. At the time of the incident the crash […]
Arthur Hall, VC
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 1–2 SEP 1918: World War I and Corporal (later Lieutenant) Arthur Charles Hall, 54th Battalion, originally from Nyngan, New South Wales, earns the Victoria Cross at Péronne. Arthur Hall was born on 11 August 1896 in Granville, Sydney to a livestock farmer and his wife. After attending school in Bathurst, he worked with his […]
Bob Mactier, VC
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 1 SEP 1918: World War I and Private Robert (Bob) Mactier, 23rd Battalion, originally from Tatura, Victoria, earns the Victoria Cross at Mont St Quentin. Robert Mactier was born at Tatura on 17 May 1890, the seventh of ten children of Robert and Christina Mactier of “Reitcam” (“Mactier” spelt backwards), a nearby property. In […]
Guy Wylly, VC
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 1 SEP 1900: The Second Boer War and Lieutenant (later Colonel) Guy George Egerton Wylly, 1st Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen, originally from Hobart, Tasmania, earns the Victoria Cross at Warm Bad, South Africa. Guy Wylly, 1st Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen, was one of two Tasmanians to win the Victoria Cross in the same action on 1 […]
Edgar Towner, VC
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 1 SEP 1918: World War I and Lieutenant (later Major) Edgar Thomas Towner MC, 2nd Machine Gun Battalion, Blackall, Queensland, earns the Victoria Cross at Mont St Quentin. Edgar Towner was born on 19 April 1890 at Glencoe station, near Blackall, Queensland, son of Tasmanian-born Edgar Thomas Towner, grazier, and his second wife Greta, […]
Bruce Kingsbury, VC
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 29 AUG 1942: World War II and VX19139 Private Bruce Steel Kingsbury, 2/14th Battalion, originally from Melbourne, Victoria, earns the Victoria Cross at Isurava, New Guinea. It was a posthumous award. Bruce Kingsbury, soldier and real-estate agent, was born on 8 January 1918 in Melbourne, second child of English-born parents Philip Blencowe Kingsbury, estate […]
