Australian War Memorial Logo
Search

Donate Today

  • Collection Open Information Close Information
    • Official Histories & Unit Diaries
    • Understanding the Collection
    • Research at the Memorial
    • Donating to the Collection
    • National Collection Loans
    • Projects
  • People
  • Visit
  • Commemorate Open Information Close Information
    • Last Post Ceremony
    • Honour Rolls
    • Anzac Day
    • Remembrance Day
    • Customs & Ceremony
    • Speeches
  • Learn Open Information Close Information
    • Schools & Teachers
    • Memorial Articles
    • Encyclopedia
    • Understanding Military Structure
    • Podcasts
    • Glossary
    • Magazine
  • Get Involved Open Information Close Information
    • Donations & Bequests
    • Corporate Partnership
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Volunteer at the Memorial
    • Friends of the Memorial
    • eMemorial Newsletter
    • Grants, Scholarships & Residencies
    • Research Papers
  • Shop Open Information Close Information
    • Memorial Shop
    • Images, film and sound
    • Lone Pine Seedlings

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Visit
  3. Exhibitions
  4. Out in the Cold: Australia's involvement in t...
  5. Out in the Cold: Australia's involvement in t...
  6. Out in the Cold: Australia's involvement in t...

Main navigation

  • Other Exhibitions
  • Current Exhibitions
  • Past Exhibitions
  • Touring Exhibitions
  • Online Exhibitions

Out in the Cold: Australia's involvement in the Korean War - On the Home Front

  • Home
  • Timeline
  • Origins
  • Australians in Korea
  • Australian Operations
  • Weapons of War
  • Faces of War
  • Armistice and Aftermath
  • Glossary
  • Australian POWs in Korea
  • Australian Journalists in Korea
  • Australian Relations with Korea
  • On the Homefront
Film clip about reactions to the war at home.

Film clip about reactions to the war at home.

To most Australians, the Korean war seemed largely irrelevant to their daily lives. It was a long way away, and did not directly threaten their security as the events of 1942 had. But the remoteness of the events in Korea made it all the more difficult for the families of soldiers serving there. Some wives were able to join their husbands in Japan on leave, but for most it was a long, lonely and worrying wait for news. Letters, the only form of contact, were heavily censored.

“Without my work I don't know how long I would have survived. I was just so lonely.”

Nell Honeysett; her husband, Lieutenant Colonel J.D. Honeysett, was posted to the British Commonwealth Korea Signals Unit.

For many families, the arrival of a telegram signalled bad news. For the family of Sergeant Vance Drummond one particular telegram was received with great joy. It advised that Drummond had not died during an air battle as assumed, but had instead survived to become a prisoner of war.

Telegram to Sergeant Vance Drummond's mother, which was received with much happiness

Telegram to Sergeant Vance Drummond's mother, which was received with much happiness. It was folded and unfolded so many times that it was torn in two.

After the first year of the war, reports about the war in Australia became less frequent, particularly when Australia was facing its own domestic economic problems in the early 1950s.

“Korea was little publicised in day to day living. I can remember being at a party at my sister's house and a woman asked me where my husband was that night. When I told her he was in Korea she asked me what he was doing in that country!

“The worst part of the time was the loneliness and lack of knowledge of what was happening to my man on the other side of the world. There was no contact with the Army or other Army wives. All I could find out was from the daily newspapers.”

June White; her husband, John White, was a parachute instructor at RAAF Williamstown and was posted to Korea in February 1952, where he joined 3 RAR.

Collection Item C241846

Accession Number: 302854

Sydney Harbour Bridge, 1953. 302854

Last updated: 21 July 2022

1 The Donations and bequests

Donations & Bequests

Your generous donation will be used to ensure the memory of our Defence Forces and what they have done for us, and what they continue to do for our freedom remains – today and into the future.

Find out more
2 Visit Transcribe.awm.gov.au

Transcribe

Help preserve Australia's history by transcribing records from the National Collection. Enhance accessibility and discoverability for all Australians.

Find out more
The placesofpride

Places of Pride

Places of Pride, the National Register of War Memorials, is a new initiative designed to record the locations and photographs of every publicly accessible memorial across Australia.

Find out more
Visit the Australian War Memorial

Visit the Australian War Memorial

The Australian War Memorial is open for visitors as we work to expand our galleries. Entry is free and tickets are not required.

Find out more
Canberra Highlands in Grayscale

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF
TRADITIONAL CUSTODIANS

The Australian War Memorial acknowledges the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia. We recognise their continuing connection to land, sea and waters. We pay our respects to elders past and present.
Location map of The Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial building

The Australian War Memorial

Fairbairn Avenue
Campbell ACT 2612
Australia
View on Google Maps (opens in new window)
Google Map data ©2025 Google
Australian War Memorial Logo
  • Go to AWM Facebook
  • Go to AWM Trip Advisor
  • Go to AWM Instagram
  • Go to AWM Youtube

Footer

  • About
  • Contact
  • Venue Hire
  • Media
  • WM Magazine
  • Donate Today

The Australian War Memorial

Fairbairn Avenue

Campbell ACT 2612

Australia

 

Opening Hours

10 am to 4 pm daily (except Christmas Day)

 

In preparation for the daily Last Post Ceremony,

galleries are progressively closed from 3:40 pm.

 

Public entrance via Fairbairn Avenue, Campbell ACT 2612

Sign up to our newsletter

Subscribe

Legal

  • Copyright
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • Freedom of information

Copyright 2025 Australian War Memorial, Canberra. All rights reserved