Contents

Soldiers to citizens
For those troops serving in the islands at the end of the Second World War, the wait to return to Australia could be frustratingly slow, and led to protest and an act of sabotage. By Karl James

10 Welcome Home: Vietnam vets return from war
It is often forgotten that Vietnam veterans received enthusiastic Welcome Home parades. By Elizabeth Stewart

18 Coming home in 1857
The first solders to come home to Australia wore red coats and spoke with English and Irish accents. By Craig Wilcox

22 Home but still apart
For some of the troops who returned to Australia during the influenza pandemic of 1918–19, the reunion with their loved ones was delayed.
By steven bullard

26 After the shooting stopped
After the armistice the priority was to get the soldiers back home. By Robert Nichols

32 A time of mixed emotions
Peacekeepers react to their time abroad in different ways.
By ian hodges

36 Biplanes from the bush
A long-forgotten patriotic fund provided aircraft for the British Empire in the Great War. By Peter Stanley.

40 Bringing Cobbers to Australia
How a stirring sculpture at Fromelles came to be replicated in Australia. By Ross Mcmullin

42 From the Mounties to Middle Head
The life of a founder of Australia’s defence forces exemplified a colonial career. By Michael Tyquin

46 “Triumphant return in silence”
The Japanese midget submarine attack in Sydney turned the crew into heroes on the silver screen. By keiko tamura

50 Heilly: front-line village
A small French village found itself close to the fighting during the First World War. By Peter Burness

54 The furoshiki
Memories came wrapped in a Japanese soldier’s cloth. By Ally Roche

56 Australia’s cameleers
The Imperial Camel Corps’s Australian soldiers were rough diamonds, helped by one of our Muslim cameleers. By Elspeth Grant

58 The Bluebirds in France
In 1916 a group of Australian Red Cross nurses travelled to help the sick and wounded. By Les Hetherington

62 Aussie VC winners in North Russia
After the First World War, Australian soldiers took part in an almost forgotten action. By Michael challinger

4 Reflections Comments from Australian War Memorial Director Steve Gower
5 Mail call
6 Briefing Military snippets
7 Who? What? Where? When? Can you provide information?
61 Military intelligence A test of your knowledge
66 Australian War Memorial news
68 Book reviews 74 Friends of the Memorial