Dates / Information
1914
4 August
10 August
13 August
August – September
11 September
29 October
1 November
9 November
21 November
21 December / First World War commences with Britain declaring war on Germany and its allies
Commencement of voluntary recruitment for Australian Imperial Forces (AIF)
Red Cross established to raise funds to purchase comfort supplies for the troops
‘Patriotic Funds’ were formed to raise money to send extra food at clothing to service personnel overseas
Australian navy and Military Expedition Force seized German New Guinea and nearby German-ruled island territories
The Ottoman Empire (Turkey) enters the war on the side of the Germans
First Division AIF sailed from Albany, Western Australia, for Egypt
HMAS Sydney (1) sank SMS Emden in Battle of Cocos Islands
The first Australian nurses leave on the ship Kyarra
Major-General Birdwood takes command of the Australian and New Zealand forces (ANZACS) in Egypt
1915
25 January
4 March
25 April
29 April
5 May
24 May
26 May
29 May
7 June
19 June
1 July
6 August
7 August
8 August
9 August
15 August
19 August
21 August
22 August
27 August
7 September
25 October
7 November
22 November
24 November
27 November
9 December
18 – 20 December / Australian General Hospital opens in Cairo
ANZACS set up bases on Lemnos in anticipation of the Gallipoli campaign
First landings at Gallipoli
First evacuation of the wounded from Gallipoli
Turk began shelling Anzac Cove. The campaign became known as ‘Beachy Bill’.
Cease fire called at Gallipoli so that both sides could bury their dead that were lying in no-man’s-land between the trenches
Periscope rifles began to be manufactured at Gallipoli
The Turks capture Quinn’s Post after exploding a mine close to the Australian Front. They were eventually driven back.
First Australian Hospital ship, the Kyarra, left Suez, Egypt, carrying wounded back to Australia
The 2nd Australian Field Company built a pier at Anzac Cove for landing of equipment and stores.
Children in Victoria collect old sheets, pillow cases, towels, tablecloths, white shirts, white cotton frocks, white blouses to be used as bandages in the Australian hospitals in Egypt
Battle of Lone Pine at Gallipoli
Battle of the Nek at Gallipoli
The 4th Australian Brigade failed to make any progress towards Hill 971 at Gallipoli
Royal Australian Navy Bridging Train landed at Sulva Bay to assist the British force with the construction of piers, the control of water supplies and other similar tasks
Private John Hamilton and Captain Alfred Shout, both from NSWS received the Victoria Cross for bravery at Lone Pine. Shout was killed in the action
The 10th Battalion (SA) estimated that 45% of their soldiers had been evacuated from Gallipoli suffering from acute diarrhoea
First units of the Australian 2nd Division arrive at Gallipoli. These are the 17thand 18th Battalions from NSW
A mixed force of Australians, British and New Zealanders attacked the flank of Hill 60 – gained some ground
Newly arrived 18th Battalion (NSW) failed to break into the Turkish positions and ½ their men were killed or wounded
Renewed attempt to take Hill 60. Once more the Turkish positions held
Unveiling in an Adelaide park of the ‘first official monument to the fallen heroes’.
Private James Martin (Vic) died on the hospital ship Glenart Castle. He was 14 years old and is thought to have been the youngest Australian soldier to die at Gallipoli
A meeting of the Anzac Medical Society occurred to discuss the problem of lice among the troops
Preliminary plans drawn up for the evacuation from Gallipoli
‘Silent Stunt’ commenced at Anzac. That is the troops were instructed not to fire on the Turks unless they came under
Light snowfall at Gallipoli followed by two days and nights of freezing wind. Waterproof clothing and rim was issued to the troops
Men began moving off the Gallipoli Peninsula at night time
The last of the 20, 000 Australia and New Zealand troops were evacuated from Gallipoli- the Turks were unaware that all the troops had been withdrawn
1916
1 April
6 June
1 July – 18 November
19-20 July
23 July – 5 August
8 August – 3 September
28 August
20 September / Victorian Department of Education advised the first anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli would take place on the 20 April
Returned Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League of Australia was formed. This later became the RSL
Battle of the Somme in France
Battle of Fromelles, France
Battle of Pozieres, France
Battle of Mouquet Farm, France
First Australian conscription held
A Dance and Card Party was held at Paddington Town Hall, Sydney, to raise funds for the widow of Captain Shout, VC awardee who died from wounds received at the Battle of Lone Pine
1917
20 March
11 April
21 April
3-17 May
7 June
22 July
31 July- 10 November
26 September
31 October
20 December / Lt F H McNamara , No.1 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, awarded the Victoria Cross following his action in the raid on Tel el Hasi, Palestine
First Battle of Bullecourt, France
Foundation of the Imperial War Graves Commission. Their purpose was to erect and maintain war memorials and cemeteries
Second Battle of Bullecourt
Battle of Messines Ridge, Belgium
First bravery awards to Australian nurses in action, Sisters Cawood, Deacon and Ross-King and Staff Nurse Derrer. They rescued patients in a burning casualty clearing station at Trois Arbres, France
Third Battle of Ypres, Belgium – ‘Passchendaele’
Battle of Polygon Wood, Belgium
Battle of Beersheba, Palestine – Australian Light Horse charged Turkish positions
Second Australian conscription held
1918
4 April
24-25 April
1 June
2 July
4 July
31 August – 2 September
1 October
11 November / First Battle of Villers- Bretonneux, France
Second Battle of Villers – Bretonneux, France
Lt-General Sir John Monash appointed General Officer Commanding the Australian Corps, France
Prime Minister William Morris Hughes addresses Australian troops on the Western Front before the battle of Hamel
Battle of Hamel, France
Battle of Mont St Quentin and Battle of Peronne, France
Australian Light Horse took Damascus, Syria
Armistice signed by Germany, ending First World War
These are the most important aspects of the fighting and events that Australians were involved in.
Other battles Australians were involved in during World War OneDates / Information
1914
19 August
1 September
14 September
24 September / Expeditionary force departed Australia to capture German possessions in the Pacific
Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force landed at Rabaul, New Guinea
HMAS AE1 lost off New Guinea
Completion of the seizure of German New Guinea
1915
19 February
18 March
29 April
8 May
19 May
19-20 May
10 October – 12 November / Allied warships bombard Turkish defences of the Dardanelles
Final day of bombardment of Turkish forces
HMAS AE2 scuttled in Sea of Marmara
Battle of Krithia, Gallipoli campaign
Turkish counter-attack on Anzac forces, Gallipoli
Lance Corporal Albert Jacka wins VC
Coo-ee March from Gilgandra to Sydney
1916
April
6 June
3-5 August
24 August
23 December / First AIF units arrive in France
Formation of Returned Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League of Australia (RSSILA)
Battle of Romani, Egypt
Beginning of the Australian Comfort Fund (ACF)
Battle of Magdhaba, Sinai Desert
1917
9 January
20 March
9-15 April
15 April
4 October
9 October
12 October / Battle of Rafa
Lt FH McNamara wins VC in Palestine
Battle of Arras
Battle of Lagincourt, France
Battle of Broodseinde
First Battle of Passchendaele, Belgium
Battle of Poelcappelle, Belgium
Second Battle of Passchendaele
1918
21March – 5 April
27 March
28 March and 4-5 April
28-30 March and 4-9 May
8 April
9 April – 8 May
12 April
8 August – 4 September
8-11 August
18 September – 17 October
29 September – 1 October
5 October
30 October / German Somme offensive
First trans-Jordan operation, Amman
Battle of Dernancourt, France
Battle of Morlancourt, France
Repatriation Department established
German Lys offensive
Battle of Hazebrouck, France
Allied Somme offensive; Battle of Amiens
Battle of Amiens
Hindenburg Line offensive
Battle of Quentin Canal
Battle of Montbrehain – AIF withdrawn from action
Armistice with Turkey signed
Key commemorative dates – 2014 to 2018
Date / Event14 February / National Servicemen’s Day
24 April / Kapyong Day (Korean War)
25 April / Anzac Day
Late May / Reconciliation Week (Indigenous veterans)
1 July / Reserve Forces Day
27 July / Korea Veterans Day
15 August / Sandakan Day (Word War II)
15 August / Victory in the Pacific (VP) Day (First World WarI)
18 August / Vietnam Veterans Day (Vietnam War)
First Wednesday in September / Battle for Australia Day (First World WarI)
3 September / Merchant Navy Day
14 September / National Peacekeeper and Peacemaker Day
24 October / United Nations Day (Peace Operations)
11 November / Remembrance Day
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