Digger History: Australia's Military Heritage

September in Australian Military History

In this episode of Digger History: Australia’s Military Heritage, we journey through the month, exploring the battles, operations and events that shaped Australia’s military story — from the outbreak of the Second World War and the victory at Milne Bay, to the fighting on the Kokoda Track, the tragedy of HMAS AE1, Operation Jaywick, and the Battle of Nui Le.

We also look at the Australian attack on the Hindenburg Line in 1918, the surrender of German New Guinea, the origins of the Australian Flying Corps, and the establishment of Australia’s long tradition of United Nations peacekeeping.

From the First World War through Vietnam and beyond, discover the remarkable stories hidden in the dates of September.

The Battle of Long Tan

18 August 1966, a company of 108 young ANZAC soldiers faced a force twenty times their size in a Vietnamese rubber plantation. In this episode, we break down the hour-by-hour timeline of the Battle of Long Tan.

Discover the pivotal moments that shaped Australia’s military history this August.In this premier episode of the Digger History: Australia's Military Heritage podcast, we launch our new monthly series: "This Month in Australian Military History."

Join us as we unpack several sobering anniversaries that occurred during the month of August, :

• Australia's entry in to WW1 (1914): How a distant European conflict ignited the birth of the ANZAC legend.
• The Charge at the Nek (1915):
• The Cowra Breakout (1944):
• The Battle of Long Tan (1966): How heavily outnumbered Australian soldiers fought this iconic battle of the Vietnam War.

Whether you are a casual history buff or a dedicated student of military heritage, subscribe to Digger History so you never miss a monthly look into the stories that forged a nation.

Welcome back to Digger History.

Today, I'm talking about "The Forgotten War". In June 1950, only 5 years after the end of the second world war, the Australian Army, the RAAF, and the RAN were serving as part of the United Nations forces in the Korean War.

In April 1918, the top scoring fighter ace of the First World War, Manfred von Richthofen, was shot down and killed over the Somme.

Even now, over a century later, the debate continues about who shot down the Red Baron.

I’d like to give a special thanks to the Military Museums in Calgary, AB Canada, and especially to the volunteer who showed me through the Air Force part of the museum (and whose conversation inspired me to do this episode).

In 1941, Australian and New Zealand forces fought in Greece and Crete. The ANZAC Division fought vital rearguard actions to allow other troops to evacuate.

This is a brief story about the ANZACs in Greece and Crete during World War 2.

The small port town of Tobruk was of vital importance to both sides in the North African campaign in 1942.

A small group of Australian, British and Indian defenders were tasked with holding the besieged town against the German and Italian forces. German propaganda thought they were insulting these troops by calling them rats, but instead, the defenders used it as a badge of honour - The Rats of Tobruk.

The Hat KFF (Khaki Fur Felt) more commonly known as the Slouch Hat, is probably the most iconic symbol of the Australian Army.

In this episode I talk about the history of the slouch hat and how it has evolved over the last 150 years.

On the 31st of October 1917, one of the last great cavalry changes in history was carried out. And it wasn’t by cavalry, but Australian Light Horse mounted infantry.

In this episode I talk about the landings on the Gallipoli peninsula on the 25th April 1916, the day that was to become known as ANZAC Day in Australia and New Zealand.