Background on the Australian Navy, Army and Airforce

War was declared on 3 September 1939 at a time when the armed services comprised:

Permanent Forces — 4,912

Citizen Forces — 71,000

On 15 September 1939 it was announced that a Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF) would be enlisted for service at home and abroad.

Following the establishment of the AIF, the structure of the Defence Force was:

Australian Navy —

• Permanent Naval Force

• Citizen Naval Force

• Naval Reserve Force

• Naval Volunteer Reserve Force

Australian Army —

• Permanent Military Force

• Citizen Military Force

• Active Citizen Military Force (CMF)

• Military Reserve Force

• Australian Imperial Force (AIF)

Australian Air Force —

• Permanent Air Force

• Citizen Air Force

Service in the Citizen Military Force, is also known as service in the Militia.

Women's forces were raised by the army, navy and the air-force and nursing services were attached to all three arms of the Defence Force.

Various civilian authorities were also involved in assisting the “war effort”.

Wartime Recruitment

Men of military age could volunteer to enlist in the Royal Australian Navy Reserve, the Citizen Air Force or the Australian Imperial Force.

Those who did not volunteer and were “called-up” were enlisted in the Citizen Military Force and were not to be used outside Australia and its Territories, including Papua and New Guinea.  Members of the Permanent Military Force and the Citizen Military Force could volunteer to transfer to the Australian Imperial Force for overseas service.

As the women's forces were not raised until after the outbreak of war, there was no distinction between permanent and citizen forces.