Sounds of War
The Memorial’s collection contains approximately 9,000 historic films, and 8,000 sound files encompassing 6,000 oral histories.
Our podcasts also highlight our military history, tell stories of service and sacrifice, and help us to better understand Australia’s wartime experience.
Here are some of the items in our vast collection.
When the war in the Pacific ended on August 15, 1945, Australians went wild with joy. That day – VP (Victory in the Pacific) Day – was celebrated across the country with street parties and parades. But the day was also marked with sorrow for the tens of thousands of Australians killed or injured. Louise Maher explores the story of a young woman’s simple knitted vest that symbolised the relief of the nation and hope for the future.
Trapped
Over 6 nail-biting episodes, join Tom Trumble, historian, writer, and the grandson of Flight Lieutenant Rofe, as he shares one of the greatest esca…
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Collected: Stories from the Australian War Memorial
Each month, journalist Louise Maher explores some of the obscure, popular, strange and wonderful artefacts that make up our museum collection. …
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From a whisper to a bang!
A six-part podcast series about war, remembrance and Australian prisoners of war in Germany during the Second World War. Presented and produced by…
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Listen to the radio broadcast by Prime Minister Robert Gordon Menzies announcing the declaration of war with Germany, 3 September 1939.
Listen to Prime Minister Joseph Benedict Chifley announce the end of the Second World War in the Pacific with the surrender of Japan, August 1945.