Australia in 1914
- Overview
- Outbreak of war
- Battle of Lone Pine
- Western Front
- Key figures
- Key documents
Overview
Australia was the second largest of the self-governing Dominions with a population of just under five million people in 1914. From the outbreak of the conflict Australia strongly supported the Imperial war effort. Over 400,000 men enlisted in the armed forces, whilst many more men and women did essential war work at home. Australians fought by land, sea and air, and were involved in almost all of the major campaigns fought by Imperial forces.
Outbreak of war
Recruiting campaign in New South Wales, 1915. CO 1069/599 (170)
Australia entered the war as part of the British Empire on 4 August 1914. Although the Dominion Government was not consulted in the decision to go to war they signalled their support for the Imperial cause. Australia immediately offered 20,000 troops for Imperial service, which was readily accepted. The first units of the Australian Imperial Force left the Dominion for Egypt in November 1914.
At the beginning of the war there was serious concern in Australia over the threat from German warships. This was increased by the Admiralty in London taking control over the ships of the Royal Australian Navy. This caused a great deal of tension between the Australian and British governments in the first few months, but it faded following the destruction of the German warships based in the Pacific (CO 559/16, CO 418/123).
On 6 August 1914 the British cabinet asked the Australian government to form an expeditionary force to attack the German colonial possessions in the Pacific, focused around German New Guinea. Destroying cable and wireless communications stations, which could be used to relay information to German commerce raiders in the Pacific, was particularly important.
A force was assembled by the beginning of September, which was escorted by units of the Royal Australian Navy, including the battlecruiser HMAS Australia. Australian forces landed near Rabaul in German New Guinea on 11 September. They faced ‘vigorous opposition’ when they attempted to advance towards the wireless station. After 18 hours of intensive bush fighting, the wireless station was captured with the loss of six men killed and four wounded (WO 95/5452, ADM 137/5).
Battle of Lone Pine
From Chunak Bair, looking seaward, Gallipoli, 1915-1916. WO 317/1
The first major deployment of Australian troops came in the campaign to seize the Gallipoli peninsula in 1915. Australian troops landed on 25 April 1915 and were involved in heavy fighting throughout the campaign.
One of the most intense battles came in August 1915 when the 1st Brigade of the Australian 1st Infantry Division attacked Ottoman positions at a place referred to as Lone Pine. The battle was a diversionary action for an assault on Chunak Bair further north. The initial attack was carried out on 6 August by men of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Battalions, with the 1st Battalion in reserve. The commander of the ANZAC forces, Lieutenant-General William Birdwood wrote that the men ‘dashed forward in the most gallant style possible’, and within 20 minutes the enemy positions had been taken (PRO 30/57/63, WO 95/4341).
Determined Ottoman counterattacks followed for three days, which were rebuffed with heavy casualties on both sides. On 8 August the 1st Brigade war diary reported that the men were ‘extremely tired but determined to hold on’. By 10 August the scale of the losses became clear. The 3rd Battalion reported its strength as being seven officers and 277 other ranks; 21 officers and 579 other ranks were reported ‘wounded, killed or missing the exact proportions being yet unknown’ (WO 95/4342).
The battle saw one of the largest numbers of Victoria Crosses awarded for a single action in the First World War. Captain Alfred Shout, Second Lieutenant William Symons, Captain Frederick Tubb, Corporal Alexander Burton, Corporal William Dunstan, Private John Hamilton and Private Leonard Keyzor all won the highest imperial award for gallantry during the battle. Six of these Victoria Crosses were awarded for the extraordinary defence of the Australian positions against overwhelming Ottoman assaults on 9 August (WO 98/8/199 WO 98/8/200 WO 98/8/201 WO 98/8/204 WO 98/8/205 WO 98/8/206 WO 98/8/207).
View a series of panoramic photographs taken of the Gallipoli peninsula.
Western Front
Ten Australian deserters, 1917. WO 32/5484
Following the evacuation of Gallipoli at the end of 1915, Australian forces were split. The infantry units were sent to France whist the mounted troops were deployed in the Middle East.
Large numbers of reinforcements from Australia were formed into a new Second ANZAC Corps made up of the 4th and 5th Divisions, which arrived in France at the end of June 1916. The 5th Division was immediately thrown into the fierce fighting taking place as part of the Somme campaign.
On 19 July they took part in a battle at Fromelles attacking a bulge in the German line. The 14th Brigade reported in the war diary that the troops: ‘suffered somewhat severely from shell fire before leaving our front line trenches and also as they went over the parapet they came under artillery, rifle and machine gun fire. Punctually at 6.pm the assault took place. Battalions advanced in an orderly manner. Lt Colonel NORRIS and his Adjutant Lt Lieutenant MOFFITT were both killed in crossing NO MAN’S LAND’.
The assault was a disaster, with most units failing to reach the enemy’s lines. The two Australian battalions able to capture the German front line trenches were isolated and attacked from three sides. These units were eventually forced to withdraw back across no man’s land. The casualties across the division were extremely high, with a number of units being almost entirely wiped out.
From the 30 officers and 972 other ranks of the 60th Battalion who disembarked at Marseilles on 27 June 1916 only four officers and 61 other ranks answered roll call on 20 July (WO 95/3527 , WO 95/3623, WO 95/3653).
Key figures
Andrew Fisher
Prime Minister, 1914-1915
Detail of NPG x134960 , The Sixth Imperial Conference, © National Portrait Gallery, London.
William (Billy) Hughes
Prime Minister, 1915-1923
Detail of NPG 2463 , Statesmen of World War I, © National Portrait Gallery, London.
Lieut-General William Birdwood
Officer Commanding ANZAC Corps 1914-1916; I ANZAC Corps 1916-1917; The Australian Corps 1917-1918
Key documents
Australia, showing German colonies in the Pacific, 1914. MPI 1/377/3
- Governor General’s despatches, June-December 1914 CO 418/123
- Admiralty Rrecords used for the Official History, New Guinea and German Pacific Islands, August-December 1914 ADM 137/5
- 1st Australian Division Headquarters war diary, October 1914-August 1915 WO 95/4341
- 14th Australian Infantry Brigade Headquarters war diary, February-December 1916 WO 95/3623
