Nonskimmer said:
Lets hear from some Aussies and Kiwis on this stuff. This is getting interesting.
OK here's some stats from the Aussie effort in WWII
Out of a Population of only 6.9million, 993 000 enlisted into the armed forces, with 575 799 serving over seas.
Australia spent 2,132,743,000 pounds on Defence Expenditure.
Casualties-
Battle related deaths 19 235
non battle related deaths 20 194
WIA 23 477
POW 28 756
POW deaths 8 031
Civilian deaths 735
Australian's fought against the Germans, Japanese, Italians and Vichy French in all theaters of the War. Some notable battles fought by Australians include - Battle of Britain, Tobruk, El Alamein, Crete, Syria, Matapan, Malaya and Singapore, Coral Sea, Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea, Bougainville, New Britain, Borneo, and Many many more.
Thousands of Aussies served with the RAF particulary Bomber Command, were 3 500 were KIA.
The Australian Army with the support of the RAAF were the first Allied force to defeat the Japanese on land at Milne Bay in New Guinea. RAAF Hudsons were the first Allied aircraft to engage the Japanese just hours before Pearl Harbour. (I'm talking at the start of the Pacific war not including the Chinese and flying Tigers).
Australia came under attack for the first time in its history when the Japanese launched 188 planes from the Akagi, Kaga, Soryu and Hiryu plus 54 land based bombers from Timor agaisnt Darwin on 19 Feb 1942. The raid cost 8 ships sunk plus 11 damaged with a total of 243 people killed. The only air opposition was from 10 brave American pilots in P-40's, all were shot down and only 4 survived (if my memory is correct) all were immediately decorated.
The Austarlian mainland was bombed for a total of 64 times. The Japanese also sent 3 midget Subs into Sydney Harbour killings 21 RAN sailors for the loss of all 3 subs and their crew. (Interestingly the Jap Sailors were all given a full military funeral and their ashes sent back home to thier families in Japan!! Too bad our boys didn't get the same treatment when they were butchered in the POW camps.), Sydney also suffered a few attacks by Naval bombardment with minor damage.
And there's my very brief overview of Australia in WWII.