Contact History | War Service

(Left and centre): The Victoria Park Aboriginal Servicemen memorial plaque. (Right): Minister for the Army, the Honorable Frank Forde, greeting Corporal Latham during a visit to the Western Training Centre, Northam, W.A. 2/4/1943. Courtesy of the Australian War Memorial.

Aboriginal Australians fought in the second Boer War (1899 - 1902) through two world wars and in the Vietnam War, right up to today. Until recently they have been largely ignored, their cultural identity unrecognised in formal war records.

First World War

Though Aboriginal people could not vote, as they were not Australian citizens and none were counted in the census, over 400 fought in the First World War. Men volunteered to fight and women joined as nurses and aides. At home, they lived on the margins of European society at home and were treated as inferior. Yet, when they joined up to fight, they were treated as equals. Aboriginal men were paid the same as other soldiers and generally were accepted without prejudice.

When war broke out in 1914, many Aboriginal people who tried to enlist were rejected on the grounds of race. Many Noongars joined as Maoris or Indians because of a ban on recruiting Aboriginals. At other times, Noongar people would claim they did not know who their parents were to avoid questions about their identity. Sometimes the fact that a man was Noongar was ignored altogether (as the examples below show) and he simply enlisted as a soldier of 'dark complexion,' no questions asked.[i] For this reason it is very difficult to get exact numbers of those Noongar people who served.

Second World War

More than 5000 Aboriginal people Australia-wide served in World War Two. Generally, Noongar people served in ordinary units with the same conditions of service as European servicemen. Many Aboriginal soldiers experienced equal treatment - they were 'amongst mates' for the first time in their lives. However, upon return to civilian life, they were often treated with the same prejudice and discrimination as before.

'Non-Native'

Noongar people who had served in the army or navy for longer than six months were under Aboriginal legislation and automatically regarded as 'non-native' and were entitled to be 'non-native'. Indeed, it clearly stated in the Native Administration Act 1954 (W.A.) that 'Natives of the full or less blood who have served in New Guinea or outside the Commonwealth or have for at least six months served in the Commonwealth as a member of the armed forces and have received or are entitled to receive an honorable discharge, are deemed to be no longer a native for purposes of the Act.' [ii]

Yet, Noongar returned servicemen did not receive any privileges or benefits that a 'non-native' status would give them. Hunter points out: 'However, the Western Australian State Electoral Office would not differentiate Indigenous servicemen and ex-servicemen from other Indigenous people and refused them the franchise unless they also held a Certificate of Citizenship.' This misuse of legislation on behalf of the Western Australian bureaucrats was not detected until 1961.[iii]

Further Insult

A further gross insult was given to the returning Noongar soldiers. They were not eligible for the land settlement grants 'soldier settlement scheme' offered to other servicemen, as they were not considered citizens. With the exception of ANZAC Day, many Noongar people were barred from Returned and Services League clubs. They were not given the right to vote for another 17 years, when in 1967, The Referendum gave them that right. Since then Aboriginal people have served in all conflicts in which Australia has participated.

Aboriginal, including Noongar people's involvement in International Wars and Conflicts [iv]

1899-1902 Transvaal, South Africa	Second Boer War
1914-1918 mainly Europe	World War I ( The Great War)
1939-1945 Europe	World War 11
1946-1951 Japan	Occupation of Japan by Allied forces
1950-1953 Japan Korea	Japan Korean War
1950-1960 Korea	Korean War
1963-1966	Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation
1962-1975	Vietnam War
1990-1991 Iraq	Gulf War
2001 to present	Afghanistan War - Terrorism
2003 to present	Second Gulf War - Iraq

Aboriginal Memorial, East Victoria Park (WA)

An RSL Aboriginal memorial can be found on Fred Bell Parade in East Victoria Park, near Perth. It consists of a black granite rock with a memorial nameplate and a flagpole flying the Aboriginal flag. It reads:

"In memory of the Aboriginal service men and women of the Victoria Park District who served their country in its hours of need. In doing so they helped to build a Nation. Dedicated 3rd February 2002."

Noongars in the First and Second World Wars

Kevin Fitzgerald (SWALSC staff member) has a history of family members who served in two world wars. Kevin's great uncle, John Fitzgerald 1889-1936, fought in France in World War I. He received the British War Medal (21258) and the Victory Medal (20175). Yet, John Fitzgerald returned to Australia as a non-citizen, not a hero, like his fellow European soldiers.

Cecil and Raymond Fitzgerald, Kevin's uncles, fought in World War II. Cecil joined the Australian Imperial Forces in 1940 and was then posted to Palestine. He served in the 2/32 battalion (9^th Division) where he fought in the battle of Tobruk and was badly injured.

The Fitzgerald brothers were Noongar men who joined the army and were counted as equal contributors to the war effort. In John's case, he applied as a 'natural born British Subject,' albeit with 'dark' complexion.[v]Raymond served with his platoon like his compatriots but when he returned to Perth he was refused entry to a hotel on account of being Aboriginal. The whole platoon, incensed at the treatment, left en masse and went to a pub in Rivervale where he was welcome.[vi]

John Fitzgerald died in 1936 and was buried in an unmarked grave in York, unacknowledged until recently.[vii] Cecil and Raymond Fitzgerald also died unacknowledged as Australian war heroes. Cecil Fitzgerald.

Brendan Moore's (former SWALSC GIS officer) great grandfather Leopold Agustus Websdale 1897-1969, fought in France during World War 1 and enlisted in the Australian Army in 1942 during World War II. He received the British War Medal (21875) and Victory Medal (20677). Leo enlisted as having dark complexion, dark eyes and brown hair; since joining as a Noongar would have meant his application would have been rejected on account of race. Upon returning to Australia, Leo received little acknowledgement for his service and missed out on privileges most other returned European soldiers had earned.

Martha Borinelli

The late Martha Borinelli talks about her father's part in the Second World War. How he was taken to north Western Australia to patrol the coast. She recalls how the army trucks came to collect all the Noongars in the Miling - Moora area and take them to missions for protection from the Japanese. Martha talks also of the treatment of returned Noongar servicemen, how they weren't entitled to land, or even a drink, like European soldiers were. See Martha Borinelli's oral history below.

Martha Borinelli's biography

Honoring Indigenous War Graves Inc.

In 2005, Vietnam veteran John Schnaars set up 'Honoring Indigenous War Graves Inc' (HIWGI) to redress the painful omission of returned Indigenous soldiers.[viii] This organization has since enabled recognition of 60 headstones that have been placed on Indigenous graves in towns throughout Western Australia. The ceremonies included families and friends of the old soldiers, as well as Army personnel and various dignitaries.

Cecil and Raymond Fitzgerald were honored in November 2008 at Karrakatta cemetery. John Fitzgerald was honored in a ceremony at the York cemetery on December 21, 2008. Around 150 people attended, with a 'welcome to country' ceremony spoken in Noongar language by elder, Mort Hansen. Mr. Hansen played the didgeridoo to 'let John know the day was for him'. He also performed a smoking ceremony to ward off unwanted spirits and free the soul of the veteran. [ix]Lance Corporal Dave Scott played The Last Post and Reveille.

'The Dark Warrior,' a poem by Victor Churchill Dale, was read by HIWGI committee member, Mick Rainey at the funeral. Reprinted below, it encapsulates many of the sentiments of Noongar soldiers who were not recognized.

The Dark Warrior. Victor Churchill Dale

I am from the people which Australians forgot

Yet when they searched for their identity

I knew who I was

I gave respect to their law and religion

And yet they denied me of mine

For many years I worked alongside of them

But they failed to recognize me

I cried when they destroyed my land

But they never saw my tears

I played football and sport with them and they

Idolized me but after the game they forgot who I was

When invaders threatened this land I wore a slouch hat

And fought alongside of them

When the war was over and we held freedom in our hands

They denied me citizenship, they denied me war entitlements

I have never felt anger towards them

Only disappointment

In the passing of my life, my soul will rest with my people

And my children will grow with their children

Please let us not make the same mistake twice

Respect is the finest adornment of mankind

Surely then in my passing when you count my gifts

You will recognize respect

Proudly I was a warrior and protector of my people

I fought with an unbiased opinion for all Australians

I was an Aboriginal soldier for Australia

The poem, The Dark Warrior, is courtesy of the author, Victor Churchill Dale

[i] See for example World War One Service Record NAA B2455, Fitzgerald J

[ii] 30 Dec 1954 Native Administration Act Amendment Act 1954 (No 60 of 1954) McCorquodale, Aborigines and The Law, p.100.

[iii] T. Hunter, 'The Myth of Equality', The Denial of Citizenship Rights for Aboriginal People in Western Australia, Tamara Hunter in Wordal Studies in Western Australian History, No 22,2001, pp.80-82.

[iv] See http://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/aborigines/indigenous.asp

[v] See World War One Service Record NAA B2455, Fitzgerald J

[vi] Personal comment. Kevin Fitzgerald, Snr,. 27/10/2010

[vii] See World War One Service Record NAA B2455, Fitzgerald J

[viii] http://www.avonadvocate.com.au/news/local/news/general/indigenous-soldiers-honoured/1408124.aspx accessed date 29/10/2010

[ix] http://www.avonadvocate.com.au/news/local/news/general/indigenous-soldiers-honoured/1408124.aspx accessed date 29/10/2010

Related archive materials

Letter from Norman Houghton returning medals of Cecil Fitzgerald to the Fitzgerald Family.

War service record of Private Leopold Agustus Websdale

World War I service record for John Fitzgerald

Martha Borinelli talks about how the Government gathered Noongars together at New Norcia and Moore River Native Settlement during WWII

Photograph of Corporal Latham.