Australians at War 1901-2000
1939–1940
3 September 1939
Great Britain declared war on Germany. Prime Minister Robert Menzies announced that, as a consequence of Britain's declaration, Australia was also at war.
It is my melancholy duty to inform you officially, that in consequence of a persistence by Germany in her invasion of Poland, Great Britain has declared war upon her and that, as a result, Australia is also at war. No harder task can fall to a democratic leader than to make such an announcement.
[Prime Minister R G Menzies, opening words of his address to the nation, 9.15 pm, 3 September 1939]
5 September 1939
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- Recruits for the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) at the Melbourne Showground, 1939. [AWM negative 000172]
Formation of Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) and call for volunteers.
5 December 1939
A Sunderland aircraft of 10 Squadron RAAF, part of the RAF Coastal Command, flew on the first official RAAF operation of World War II.
9 January-1940
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- Volunteers from the Country Women’s Association (CWA) packing Australian Comforts Fund (ACF) parcels for sending overseas to service personnel. [AWM negative 108031]
The Australian Comforts Fund (ACF) is set up again to raise money for comforts parcels for dispatch to service personnel in Australia and overseas.
15 March 1940
The first two women from the Voluntary Aid Detachments organisation enlisted in the AIF. Most Voluntary Aids transferred after August 1942 into the new Australian Army Women's Medical Service. More than 200 VAs served in the Middle East and Ceylon during World War II.
10 July 1940
10 July – end October
Australian fighter pilots participated in the Battle of Britain.
15 July 1940
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- Members of the Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC), first raised and maintained in 1941 by the RSSAILA (later called the RSL). [AWM negative P02018.087]
Voluntary Defence Force (VDC), composed mainly of World War I veterans, formed by Returned Sailors' Soldiers' and Airmen's League of Australia for home defence.