Online Exhibitions
To mark the anniversary of the start of the Korean War – 25 June 1950 – the Memorial will be sharing stories, photos and information about Australian service in Korea. Our blogs, articles and encyclopedia entries are written by Memorial historians, curators, librarians and exhibition officers to share their knowledge and information on the Korean War, the Memorial’s collection, exhibitions and events.
KATCOMs
MINI EXHIBITION
Over 100 Republic of Korea (ROK) soldiers were embedded within each Australian battalion from 1953 as part of the KATCOM (Korean Augmentation to Commonwealth Division) scheme.
LIFE ON THE JAMESTOWN LINE
MINI EXHIBITION
Official war artist Ivor Hele (1912-1993) vividly depicted this life and men of the Royal Australian Army Regiments in his drawings and paintings.
UNFORGOTTEN CHILDREN
ONLINE EXHIBITION
Over 100,000 Korean children were orphaned or displaced during the Korean War, separated from their parents by death, geography and poverty. Australians in the army, air force and navy regularly interacted with Korean civilians and became deeply concerned by the plight of the children. The children were not forgotten.
ON PATROL WITH FRANK NORTON
ONLINE EXHIBITION
Frank Norton was appointed as the Australian War Memorial’s official war artist to Korea in May 1952 to cover the activities of the Royal Australian Navy. These watercolours take us with Norton on his first Korean patrol with HMAS Warramunga.
"ON HER MAJESTY'S SERVICE"
ONLINE EXHIBITION
The On Her Majesty’s Service exhibition toured venues across Australia during 1953 and 1954, with over 200 photographs – shot by “an army photographer” – demonstrating the organisation and achievements of the defence forces in Korea.
WAR PAINT
AUSTRALIAN NOSE ART OVER KOREA
During the Korean War, No. 77 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) had a diverse range of nose art on their Mustangs and Meteor aircraft. From rank emblems and names applied in cursive red font to more ornate artworks including cartoons and sporting emblems, the unit continued the tradition of applying nose art to wartime Australian military aircraft.