 |
|
ON
THIS DAY ... |
|
As
part of the ongoing development of the web site, the AHU is pleased
to present this series of day by day items for the interest of
all those curious to know more about the history of the Australian
Army. The compilation of this founding collection was a labour of love for historian Lindsay Gordon Wilson (CSC, BA, Grad Cert (Ed)), generously contributed to a delighted AHU, which is here producing it into an interactive excursion. Do note that this substantial series is a work in progress and both AHU and Lindsay are aware it will inevitably contain errors and duplications. Should you come upon any, your input into making it as error free as possible is welcome - contact AHU. As the days, months and years progress, so too will this online calendar. Do revisit it. |
| JANUARY
|
| 1901: Federation of Australia - all former Colonial Military Forces placed under the command of the Commonwealth Ministry of Defence ... Permanent Staff, Militia & Volunteers, some 29,101 men, were put under the Australian Military Forces ... dig |
1918: First Aust air victory: LTs Austin & Sutherland (AFC) shot down a German Albatross IIIA in the Middle East ... dig |
 |
5 | 6 | 7 |
| 1941: 19 Bde entered Bardia & accepted the surrender of the Italian garrison ... 40,000 Italian prisoners of war ... the garrison was twice the size expected ... dig |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
|
1966: 1 RAR operated with 173rd (US) Bde in Op Crimp ... a VC stronghold in the Ho Bo woods area of the Iron Triangle was attacked & cleared ... dig |
1917: Maghadaba-Rafa - ANZAC Mtd Div & Imp Camel Corps overwhelmed Turkish garrison at Rafa in the Sinai Desert ... dig |
1949:
Directorate of Armour formed ... dig |
1992: COL JB Wilson seconded as commander to UN Mission for Liaison Officers in Yugoslavia ... dig |
| 12 |  |
13 | 14 |
|
1988: CAPT PJ McCarthy killed whilst on duty with UNTSO Observer Group in Lebanon ... first Aust serviceman to lose his life whilst serving with the UN ... dig |
1944:
20th Bde occupied a major Japanese barge & supply point at Nambariwa ... dig |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
|
1943: Sanananda - Cape Killerton Honour to 18 Bde - this action ended Japanese ambitions in Papua ... dig |
1993:
1 RAR assumed responsibility for security of Baidoa, Somalia. ... dig |
1988: Embryonic RHQ & regimental workshops of 5 Aviation Reg at RAAF Base Townsville... dig |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
|
1965: PNG Command formed as part of the Australian Army, formerly under Northern Command ... dig |
1875: Volunteers enrolled in No 8 Coy of the Qld Volunteer Rifle Reg at Toowoomba ... lineal antecedent of 25/49 RQR ... dig |
1942: Praed Point - 5300 man Japanese South Seas Force landed & quickly overcame the 1400 defending Aust (mainly 2/22 Inf Bn). Only 400 escaped ... dig |
 |
|||
| 1948: |
1944:
|
1951: |
| 26 | 27 | 28 |
|
Artillery
Salute: 21 gun salute fired on this day in honour of Australia Day ... dig |
1973: Conclusion of hostilities in Vietnam ... dig |
1972:
First firings of the Rapier surface to air missile were held near Darwin as part of the field trials for the weapon. This was the first SAM fired by the Australian Army ... dig |
| 29 |
|
30 | 31 |
|
1945: Sandarkan death-march in Borneo began. Expecting an Allied invasion, the Japanese marched POWs (many Australians) 160 miles to Ranau ... only a handful survived ... brutalities ... dig |
1989:
1st Parachute Surgical Team raised to provide surgical support to Army Airborne Force ... dig |
1968:
TET Offensive began as NVA and VC troops attacked towns and cities across South Vietnam... dig |
