The short discriptions of the conflicts and peacekeeping below occuring after World War Two between 1945-1975 in which Australians were involved are extracts from the official history of Australia's involvement from the Australian War Memorial web site.
Click on the links below to view a Memorial Scroll for each person. Names will be added as they become available.
If you have information or would like to be included here please contact us.
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Korean War, June 1950 - July 1953
The Korean War began on 25 June 1950, when North Korean forces launched an invasion of South Korea. Personnel from the Australian Army, RAAF, and RAN fought as part of the United Nations (UN) multinational force, defending South Korea from the Communist force of North Korea.
The end of the war came with the signing of an armistice on 27 July 1953, three years and one month after the war began. The ending was so sudden that some soldiers had to be convinced it really was over. After the war ended, the presence of Australians in Korea continued with a peacekeeping force until 1957. |
Names Here
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Malayan Emergency, June 1948 - July 1960
The Malayan Emergency was declared on 18 June 1948, after three estate managers were murdered in Perak, northern Malaya by guerrillas of the Malayan Communist Party.
Australia's involvement in the Emergency began in 1950 with the arrival of RAAF aircraft and personnel in Singapore. Lasting 13 years, the Malayan Emergency was the longest continuous military commitment in Australia's history. Thirty-nine Australian servicemen were killed in Malaya, although only 15 of these deaths occurred as a result of operations, and 27 were wounded, most of whom were in the army. |
Names Here
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Indonesian Confrontation, December 1962 - August 1966
Australian units which fought during the Confrontation did so as part of a larger British and Commonwealth force under overall British command. Australia's commitment to operations against Indonesia in Borneo and West Malaysia fell within the context of its membership in the Far East Strategic Reserve.
Negotiations between Indonesia and Malaysia ended the conflict, and the two sides signed a peace treaty in Bangkok in August 1966. Twenty-three Australians were killed during the Confrontation, seven of them on operations, and eight were wounded. Because of the sensitivity of the cross-border operations, which remained secret at the time, the Confrontation received very little coverage in the Australian press. |
Names Here
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Vietnam War, August 1962 - April 1975
Australia's military involvement in the Vietnam War was the longest in duration of any war in Australia's history.
From the time of the arrival of the first members of the Team in 1962 almost 60,000 Australians, including ground troops, air force and navy personnel served in Vietnam. 521 died as a result of the war and over 3,000 were wounded.
In December 1972 Prime Minister Whitlam announced the withdrawal of the final contingent and the last elements of the Australian Army left Vietnam in June 1973.
The war ended in April 1975 after the North Vietnamese Army entered Saigon and the President of the Republic of Vietnam surrendered unconditionally. |
Names Here
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Thailand, June 1965 - August 1968
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Names Here
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Peace Keeping, 1947 - Continuing
Since 1947, at least 30,000 Australian peacekeepers have taken part in over 50 operations, in more than twenty five theatres of conflict around the world, as well as a similar number of disaster-relief operations.
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