The Battle for Australia Foundation in Victoria was established in 2010 to foster recognition of and commemorate those who served in the seas and skies to our north and on our home front during 1941-43 and who remained steadfast in their commitment to the defence of the Australian mainland, its territories and national interest.

The Foundation organises the annual Battle for Australia commemorative service held at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne and engages in a range of curriculum projects to foster greater understanding of the history and significance of the Battle for Australia.

A corpus fund comprising financial support from Tattersall’s George Adams Foundation, the Australian Legion of Ex-Servicemen and Women, the Australian Football League and private individuals, as well as other vital funding sources are the Victorian Veterans Council and the Department of Veterans Affairs, enables the Battle for Australia Foundation to continue its important role.

Patrons

Patron in Chief: Mr. Hugh Morgan AC
Patrons: Sir Rod Eddington AO, Mr. Steve Moneghetti AM

Foundation Board of Directors

Chairman: LTCOL David Arden RFD (Retd)

Members: WGCDR Peter Colliver OAM (Retd), COL John Coulson OAM RFD ED (Retd), Mr. Ray Gill JP, SQNLDR Peter Meehan OAM (Retd), Mrs. Jennifer McKenzie, WO1 Brian Neal AFSM (Retd), MAJ Bob Prewett RFD (Retd), LTCOL Paul Riley AM RFD (Retd) and Mr. Paul Sheahan AM

The Foundation has named its Certificate of Appreciation in memory of its esteemed Secretary, LTCOL E T (Ted) Lynes OAM RFD ED (Retd) who passed away in 2016.

Where Did We Come From?

The 1990s saw growing advocacy for greater community recognition of the battles fought by Australia and Australians against Japan in the Pacific during World War II.

As time passed, Australians had become better informed about the resistance to and ultimate defeat of the Japanese offensive against Australia, its territories, its national interests and its Allies that began in December 1941. Then in 1995, the ‘Australia Remembers’ initiative of the Department for Veterans’ Affairs greatly added to the knowledge of those critical years of 1941-45.

The Victorian Battle for Australia Committee

The RAAF Association (RAAFA) in Victoria was the first organisation to take the next step in creating greater awareness – particularly among the younger generation – of the ‘Battle for Australia’.

The Victorian Battle for Australia Committee was formed in 1997 in Melbourne from representatives of the major ESOs and hosted by RAAFA (Vic) at its headquarters. Initial impetus to form the committee came from Wing Commander Reg Yardley who had already formed a committee to commemorate the Battle of Milne Bay.
A submission was made to the Victorian RSL and ultimately to the RSL National Executive which, in December 1997, resolved that there should be a Battle for Australia Day of commemoration. As the movement gained momentum, a Battle for Australia Council was formed, and a commemorative ceremony was held at the Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance on 5 September 1998.

The Victorian Battle for Australia Committee conducts the annual Battle for Australia Day commemorative service at the Shrine of Remembrance on the first Wednesday in September in concert with other ceremonies throughout Australia.

In 2008 the then Minister for Veterans Affairs, Alan Griffin MP announced that the first Wednesday in September would henceforth be proclaimed Battle for Australia Day.

The Battle for Australia National Council

In August 1998 the Battle for Australia National Council was established with the Governor General as Patron in Chief and a manifesto to commemorate the resistance to and ultimate defeat of the Japanese offensive against Australia, its territories, its national interests and its Allies that began in December 1941 by:

• According national honour and commemoration to all those who took part in the many operations at sea, on land and in the air that collectively comprised the ‘Battle for Australia’;

  • Educating Australian young people to appreciate, honour and learn from the heroism, sacrifice and service of all those who fought between 1941 and 1945 to defend Australia, its territories and national interests from attack and ultimately to expel the Japanese from Australian territory and waters;
  • Recognising that, on the home front, the Federal Government took measures to prepare the civil population for assaults on the mainland;
  • Building upon the goodwill that exists between the people of Australia and the peoples of Papua New Guinea and our Allies of that period, notably the United States, United Kingdom and the Netherlands, and our traditional partner New Zealand.

National Council member bodies include:

  • Returned Services League of Australia
  • Royal Australian Air Force Association
  • The Naval Association of Australia
  • Australian Veterans & Defence Service Council
  • Australian Legion of Ex-Servicemen and Women
  • Legacy National Co-ordinating Council
  • History Teachers Association of Australia
  • Department of Veterans’ Affairs
  • Australian/PNG Friendship Association
  • The Australian War Memorial
  • Merchant Navy Associations

People of the Foundation

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Get involved

Getting involved with the Battle for Australia Foundation means contributing to preserving and honouring the legacy of Australia’s wartime history. It offers a meaningful opportunity to support education and commemoration initiatives that highlight the sacrifices and achievements of Australians during this pivotal moment in history.

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