Australian Events
Posted in 1941
- June: Prime Minister Menzies delivers a speech placing Australia on a total war footing. Plans include the restructure of federal cabinet; petrol restrictions; control of rail, road and sea transport; strengthening of the defence forces and increasing the workforce by the inclusion of women.
- Formation of the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force (March), Women's Royal Australian Naval Service (April) and Australian Women's Army Service (August).
- July: The child endowment scheme is to be paid for each child under 16 years except the first.
- Fadden Government (see Australian Prime Ministers), August 28. The Menzies UAP-Country Party coalition government resigns when Independents withdraw their support.
- Curtin Government (see Australian Prime Ministers), October 7.
- Attorney-General H V Evatt accepts Communist assurances of cooperation in the war effort and removes the ban which PM Menzies had placed on the Communist Party for security reasons in 1940.
- November: HMAS Sydney is sunk by a German raiding ship Kormoran off Carnarvon, Western Australia. Disguised as a Dutch merchantman, at a distance of 1.6 km Kormoran hoisted her German colours and within seconds scored a hit on HMAS Sydney. None of her crew of 645 survived.
- December 8: War is declared against Japan after Japanese attacks across Southeast Asia and the Pacific. The war became a real and present threat to Australia's security. Army enlistment rises sharply after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbour on 7 December.
- December 26: Prime Minister Curtin's press statement after the defeat of British naval power in SE Asia states: "Australia looks to America, free of any pangs as to our traditional links or kinship with the United Kingdom."
- The Melbourne Cup horse race is held on a Saturday.
June: Prime Minister Menzies delivers a speech placing Australia on a total war footing. Plans include the restructure of federal cabinet; petrol restrictions; control of rail, road and sea transport; strengthening of the defence forces and increasing the workforce by the inclusion of women.
Attorney-General H V Evatt accepts Communist assurances of cooperation in the war effort and removes the ban which PM Menzies had placed on the Communist Party for security reasons in 1940.
December 26: Prime Minister Curtin's press statement after the defeat of British naval power in SE Asia states: "Australia looks to America, free of any pangs as to our traditional links or kinship with the United Kingdom."
