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Australia declares on Germany
On 3 September 1939, Prime Minister Robert Gordon Menzies announced that Australia was at war with Germany after the invation of Poland. -
Britain,France,Australia, and New Zealand declare war on Germany
After Great Britain declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939, Australia raised a volunteer force, the Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF), and sent the 6th, 7th and 9th Divisions of the AIF overseas to support Britain. -
Australian fighter pilots participate in the Battle of Britain
Pilots from Australia fought in the Battle of Britain. As Australia was a member of the Commonwealth, several dozen Australia volounteered to join. -
Australian troop capture Bardia, Libya, from the Italians
Australian capture Bardia, Libya, when battalions of the 6th Australian Division penetrated the defences of the Italian stronghold. Australians captured Italian war materiel as well as thousands of Italian prisoners of war (POWs), many of whom were shipped to prison camps in Australia. -
Australia declares war on Japan
After the Japanese attack the Pearl Harbour Hawaii, Prime Minister John Curtin leads the Australian and declare war with the Japanese empire. -
Conscription introduced into Australia
Conscription was effectively introduced in mid-1942, when all men 18-35, and single men aged 35-45, were required to join the Citizens Military Forces (CMF). Volunteers with the Australian Army scorned CMF conscripts as "chocolate soldiers", or "chockos", because they were believed to melt under the conditions of battle. -
Singapore surrenders. Over 15000 Australians become prisoners of war
On 15 February 1942. Some 15,000 Australians were now prisoners of war and around 1800 had been killed or were listed as missing in action. -
Japanese aircraft bomb Darwin
On 19 february 1942 mainland Australia came under attack for the first time when Japanese force mounted two air raids on Darwin. 242 Japanese aircraft attack ships in Darwin's harbour and the town's two airfield in an attempt to prevent the allies., -
Japanese midget submarines attack Sydney Harbour
In May and June 1942 the war was brought home to Australians on the east coast when the Japanese attacked Sydney Harbour from the sea. -
Battle of El Alamein
The First Battle of El Alamein (1–27 July 1942) was a battle of the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War, fought on the northern coast of Egypt between Axis forces (Germany and Italy) of the Panzer Army Africa (Panzerarmee Afrika) commanded by Field Marshal (Generalfeldmarschall) Erwin Rommel, and Allied (specifically, British Imperial) forces (Britain, British India, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand) of the British Eighth Army commanded by General Claude Auchinleck. -
Australians defeat Japanese landing at Milne Bay
Japanese landed a force of some 2000 marines at Milne Bay in an attempt to seize the airstrips and secure a base from which to provide naval and air support for the battle on the Kokoda Track. Believing that only a few infantry companies protected the area, the Japanese landed just before midnight on 26 August. They landed east of the Allied airfields and had to advance 11 kilometres to capture them. The Japanese troops overwhelmed and pushed back the first Australian battalions encountered, th -
Australians capture Brunei
Australian capture Brunei one of the most complex operation involving Australian land, air, and sea forces in the war. It was also the last Australian campaign to be planned and undertaken. -
Japanese surrender signed- Australians and other Allied troops occupy Japan
Japanese foreign affairs minister Mamoru Shigemitsu signs the Japanese Instrument of Surrender on board USS Missouri as General Richard K. Sutherland watches, September 2, 1945
