Many ordinary Australians served in the Battle for Australia.

So far we only have a few stories:-

Flying Officer Mari Craig One of four RAAF nurses to lose their lives in the battle for Australia. She passed away when the aircraft she was tending wounded in crashed into Mount Carstens in the Nassau Ranges of West Irian and exploded.

Lieutenant David Craven, a young school leaver from Sydney, too young for the Middle East, he served with the Australian Armoured Corps in New Guinea and later processed returning POWs in the Philippines.

Sister Margaret de Mestre, first Australian nurse killed in action in World War II.

Signalman Norm Ensor, a linesman in Papua New Guinea and Borneo.

Lieutenant (Sister) Margaret Ewart, a nurse in New Guinea and Borneo.

Trooper Roy Faunt, This tells of Roy's time in the Army. Roy served in 2 Troop A Squadron 1AR (RNSWL) in New Guinea and Balikpapan..

Trooper Colin Goodyear, a Tank Driver who with his friend Bert Castellari encountered steep hills in New Guinea.

Lieutenant Guy Griffiths DSC (Later Rear Admiral AO DSO DSC), a young Naval Officer who served with distinction in the South West Pacific, later rising to the highest levels of command in the post war Navy.

Corporal George Howells (Later Warrant Officer), the motor mechanic son of a central New South Wales Farmer, from a German family, he was not sent to Europe; he served as an Air Force Armourer in New Guinea and during the post war occupation of Japan.

Colonel Ian Hutchinson DSO OBE MC ED, An accountant from Paddington who became a hero on the Kokoda Track, then went on to be CO of Australia's first Regular Army infantry battalion in Korea.

Corporal Rex Jen, A soldier who wrote us an insightful poem about "choco" soldiers gathered in haste and rushed to defend our northern frontier whilst our seasoned troops were still in Libya, Egypt and Syria.

Sergeant Philip Miller, A conscript from Western Australia who became a biscuit bomber pilot in Papua New Guinea.

War Artist CH Payne, Who painted the Engineers at Moresby.

Corporal Peter Teague, Youngest member of the 1^st Armoured Regiment (RNSWL) to see action in World War 2.

Captain Bede Tongs OAM MM, Last of the Kokoda Track Heros.

Corporal David Trist OAM, A soldier of the Volunteer Defence Corps who later served in the South West Pacific and made a valued contribution to the Australian community..

Stoker Fred Ward, A Naval Stoker who was there when Darwin was bombed.

Sapper Max Woods, An agriculturalist who served as an Engineer in New Guinea.

The Chocolate Soldiers, a poem by Bert Lockrey and further poems by his daughter lyn.

If your family has a story to tell, send it to the WEBMASTER.

There are many more stories of those who served in the Battle for Australia told in their own words in the ADFA Oral History / Film Archive accessible HERE.