Searchlight Grand Opening
- Date:
- Nov 9th 2024, 10:00am - 12:00pm
- Location:
- Women's Museum and Old Gaol 2 Stuart Terrace The Gap
- Type:
- Community
- Cost:
- FREE
- Contact Details:
- president@pioneerwomen.com.au
CELEBRATING HISTORY PAST AND FUTURE HISTORY OF THE AWAS In October 1941, the Australian Women's Army Service (AWAS) began recruiting women to serve in various capacities during World War II. Among their many roles, AWAS members served with Royal Australian Artillery formations on searchlight, coastal defence, and anti-aircraft batteries. These women often worked in very isolated areas, contributing significantly to the war effort by operating searchlights and other critical defence installations around Australia's coastline. Despite their vital contributions, they were paid about half of what their male counterparts earned. After the war, the AWAS and other female auxiliaries were demobilised, and the exceptional work of these women was largely forgotten, with traditional roles for women being emphasised. The role of women in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has evolved significantly since the 1980s. Women were integrated into the ADF in their own right, not as part of a female auxiliary. Restrictions on women's service were lifted in 2013, and barriers to combat roles were removed in 2016. Today, women make up about 20 percent of the ADF and serve in diverse roles, including pilots, infantry, mechanics, and medics.
