2015 NAIDOC Week: Memorial pays respects to Indigenous servicemen and servicewomen

In 2015 the Australian War Memorial has acknowledged NAIDOC Week by commemorating the proud service and sacrifice of Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander servicemen and servicewomen in times of war.

The Memorial has delivered a number of programs and events highlighting the contributions Indigenous Australians have made to our nation, including gallery talks, wreathlaying ceremonies, and stories from the archives depicting their service.

The Memorial’s Indigenous Liaison Mr Gary Oakley said that although Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have served in the Australian Defence Forces since before the Boer War, we may never know exactly how many have served.

“At present it is known that about 1,000 Indigenous Australians fought in the First World War, though the number is probably higher,” Mr Oakley said.

Mr Oakley added that, despite some difficulty enrolling, the Australian Imperial Forces (AIF) treated Aboriginal soldiers as equals.

“They were paid the same as non-Indigenous soldiers and were generally accepted without prejudice while serving alongside their white mates. Some who tried to enlist were rejected on the grounds of race, but it did not deter others.”

Working in collaboration with the Australian National University, the Memorial is establishing a database of Indigenous Australians who served in the First World War. This database will record details such as places of casualty, burial, and enlistment, as well as other biographical information preserved in First World War service records.

These projects will help the Memorial to pay tribute to Indigenous servicemen like Corporal Harry Thorpe of the 7th Battalion, AIF. Thorpe participated in the heavy fighting on the Western Front, including at Pozières and Bullecourt. He wounded in action twice, but rose to the rank of corporal.

In October 1917 Thorpe was awarded the Military Medal for leading his men in the dangerous mission of seeking out German infantry hiding in dug-outs and pill boxes. His medal citation says that “by his splendid example and disregard of all danger he inspired those under him”.

On operations in France in 1918 Thorpe was shot in the abdomen and later died from his wounds. His original headstone sits proudly on display in the Memorial’s First World War galleries.