1916 — First use of TANKS in battle — FLERS, France

1939 — The Australian Government announced the mobilisation of the militia and the establishment of the Second AIF of 20 000 men for service abroad

1940 — The Battle of Britain ends

1948 — The RAAF contribution to the Berlin airlift (Operation Pelican) begins

1950 — The UN launches an amphibious landing at INCHON, Korea

1914 — HMA Submarine AE1 was lost with all hands during operations to capture German New Guinea. AE1 and AE2 were the first submarines to serve in the RAN. The wreck of AE1 has never been found

1914 — HMAS ENCOUNTER shelled German positions at TOMA, New Britain. This was the first occasion a ship of the RAN had fired on an enemy

1947 — First Australian peacekeepers take up United Nations duties in INDONESIA

1914 — HMAS 'Protector' captures the German merchant ship MADANG off HERBERTSHOHE, New Britain

1943 — PTE R. Kelliher 2/25th Btn, won VC at NADZAB, New Guinea

1914 — Battle of HERBERTSHOHE (now KOKOPO) New Britain, involving 1st and 2nd Battalions Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (AN&MEF)

1955 — The advance party of Australian troops arrived in PENANG, Malaya. Australian Forces served in Malaya as part of the Far East Strategic Reserve to deter communist aggression against south-east Asia, and to assist in the suppression of the communist uprising in Malaya

1914 — The Royal Australian Navy Brigade, supported by men from Australian warships landed at KABAKAUL (German New Guinea) to seize the German wireless station there.  They encountered strong resistance during which seven servicemen are killed, and five wounded. AB W. WILLIAMS was first of these and has the dubious honour of being the first Australian Serviceman killed in WW1.  LEUT A. Bond RANR distinguished himself and single handedly captured 30 troops for which he was awarded a DSO — the first decoration awarded to an Australian in WW1

1939 — British submarine HMS OXLEY was accidently sunk by another British submarine HMS TRITON, thereby becoming the Royal Navy’s first loss of WW2

1939 — CANADA declares war on GERMANY

1945 — GEN Blamey accepted surrender of LT GEN Teshima, Commander 11 Japanese Army at MOROTAI, ending Australian military operations for WW2

2004 — Australian Embassy in Jakarta bombed resulting in the death of 10 people

1943 — ITALY announced unconditional surrender to the Allies. Fighting against the Germans went on in Italy for more than a year

1954 — AUSTRALIA signed the “MANILA TREATY” to form a military alliance with France, UK, US, New Zealand, Philippines, Pakistan and Thailand, known as the SEATO Alliance

1964 — 76 Sqn RAAF deployed to Darwin in case of Indonesian attack. This was part of  “Operation Handover” a response to the Indonesian — Malaysian Confrontation

1940 — London was attacked by 350 German bombers, escorted by over 600 fighters. 450 died and over 1300 were injured in this first of 57 day consecutive days of bombing which became known as THE BLITZ

1942 — Russian Army counter-attacked German troops outside Stalingrad

1943 — A B-24 Liberator BOMBER crashed on take-off from Port Moresby hitting 5 trucks carrying men of 2/33rd Btn. 59 men were killed and 92 injured

1914 — First Battle of the MARNE (France) began. This Battle prevented the German Army from occupying Paris

1939 — First German air attack on Great Britain

1939 — South Africa declares war on Germany

1951 — HMAS Anzac (II) bombarded targets near Haiju, Korea. Anzac (II) was one of 11 Australian ships to serve in Korea