Difference between revisions 121771875 and 121771877 on dewiki

[[Image:Work fight or perish (RC02370).jpg|thumb|An Australian Government leaflet bearing the likeness and signature of Prime Minister [[John Curtin]], telling Australians that they must make sacrifices for the war effort.]]
(contracted; show full); though some Australians escaped on ships. These escapees included the 8th Division's commander [[Gordon Bennett (Australian soldier)|Maj-Gen. Gordon Bennett]], who was found to have not been justified in leaving his command by two post-war inquiries.<ref>{{ADB|last=Lodge  |first=A.B. |authorlink= |year=1993 |id=http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A130195b.htm?hilite=Gordon%3BBennett |title=Bennett, Henry Gordon |accessdate= 2007-12-02}}</ref>

===Netherlands East Indies and Rabaul===

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[[Image:Darwin 42.jpg|thumb|left|Darwin bombed inThe explosion of an oil storage tank during the first Japanese air raid on Darwin on 19 February 1942]]
====Netherlands East Indies====
Shortly after the outbreak of the Pacific War AIF troops were dispatched from Darwin to the [[Netherlands East Indies]]. Reinforced battalions were sent to [[Koepang]] in [[Timor]] and the island of [[Ambon]] to defend these strategic locations from Japanese attack. A commando company was also sent to [[Dili]] in [[Portuguese Timor]].<ref>Hasluck (1970). Page 14.</ref> The force at Ambon was defeated in the [[Battle of Ambon]] which was fought between January 30 and 3 February 1942. While the infantry battalion at Koepang was defeated, Australian commandos [[Battle of Timor (1942–43)|waged a guerrilla campaign]] against the Japanese in Portuguese Timor until February 1943.

In the lead-up to the [[Battle of Java (1942)|invasion of Java]] a force of 242 Japanese aircraft [[Air raids on Darwin, February 19, 1942|attacked Darwin on 19 February 1942]]. This attack was undertaken to ensure that Darwin could not be used as a base to counter the conquest of the Netherlands East Indies. The attack was successful, and resulted in the deaths of 251 civilians and military personnel, (most of whom were non-Australian Allied seamen), and inflicted heavy damage on [[RAAF Base Darwin]] and the town's port facilities. As a result of this attack Darwin was not available to the Allies as a supply and naval base to support operations in the East Indies.

Elements of the Australian military participated in the unsuccessful defence of Java. [[HMAS Perth (D29)|HMAS ''Perth'']] formed part of the main [[American-British-Dutch-Australian Command]] (ABDACOM) which was defeated in the [[Battle of the Java Sea]] on 27 February during an attempt to intercept one of the Japanese invasion convoys. ''Perth'' was sunk on 1 March during the [[Battle of Sunda Strait]] when she and [[USS Houston (CA-30)|USS ''Houston'']] encountered another Japanese invasion force while trying to escape to [[Tjilatjap]] on the south coast of Java. A 3000-strong Australian force made up of elements from the 7th Division formed part of the ABDACOM land forces on Java. This force surrendered at [[Bandung]] on 12 March after the Dutch forces on the island began to capitulate.<ref>Coates (2006). Pages 224-227.</ref>

====Rabaul and New Guinea====
At the start of the Pacific War the strategic port town of [[Rabaul]] in [[New Britain]] was defended by 'Lark Force', which comprised an AIF infantry battalion reinforced with coastal artillery and a poorly equipped RAAF bomber squadron. While Lark Force was regarded as inadequate by the Australian military,<ref>Hasluck (1970). Page 14.</ref> it was not possible to reinforce it before the Japanese [[South Seas Force]] landed at Rabaul on 23 January 1942(contracted; show full)
* [http://www.raaf.gov.au/history/airforce_history/WW2.htm RAAF in World War II - RAAF website]
* {{cite web |url=http://www.ww2australia.gov.au/index.html |title=Australia's War 1939—1945 |accessdate= |author= |date= |work= |publisher=[[Department of Veterans' Affairs (Australia)|Department of Veterans' Affairs]] }}

{{Australian Military History}}
{{WWIIHistory}}

[[Category:Military history of Australia during World War II| ]]